horsehide jacket - how long to break-in?

[GriffDeLaGriff]

There's breaking in and there's broken in.


How is yours shaping up now, Griff? I'll bet it's come on yet further since 2010?

2010

2013

 

[Seb Lucas]

Hanoi in winter is nice....but don't tell me you wore it over there during summer I leave it at my place in Europe, though I think for coming winter one of the FQHH jackets might make the trip to Delhi. Who's the maker of your A2, not many do them in HH I believe?

HH is probably the most common hide used for A2's.

 

[andyfalzon]

To answer your question, if you buy Bill Kelso's Victory horsehide, it should take less than a week to break in, if you wear it everyday. It is soft and pliable right out of the box and never feels like cardboard. Soaking it will not be necessary, so we do not recommend it, but it could have some positive effects if you try it.

 

[Zaxxon]

I got an Aero CHIPS in tumbled FQHH about three weeks ago. Did one of the recommendations of the website an soaked it in the bathtub, then had it on for about 10 hours.
Now, after the treatment and wearing it about 1-2 hours a day for three weeks I would say it is nicely broken in. Got all the wrinkles necessay and lost the shine.
Having a patina is still to come but nothing like stiff and new anymore.

I'll try to post some pictures.

Zaxxon

 

[simonc]

Griff do you have two defibrillators strapped to your chest or do you have two 90's nokia phones in your gun pockets?

 

[rocketeer]

Well I'm going to go against most here and just say wear it. Wear it as much as you can in all weathers and the jacket will break in nicely. It is not necessarily the quickest or the best way, it's just my way.
J

 

[Sloan1874]

Griff do you have two defibrillators strapped to your chest or do you have two 90's nokia phones in your gun pockets?

I'm afraid that the infamous inner pocket shape, and very good illustration as to why Aero nowadays recommend you don't have them. If you've got a chest pocket on the outside, its lining can go some way to hiding an inside pocket shape, but I've learned to live without them.

 

[wdw]

I've learned to live without them.

I'm the same now. My last two orders are without inner pockets. Better putting the £20 or £40 towards a shirt with pockets and save the look of the jacket.

 

[Sloan1874]

The patch pockets on an A-2 or the cargo pockets are more than capable of holding a wallet/phone. Also, I've discovered that Aero's jacket pockets are always deep enough to stuff without threatening to jettison it at the first tilt.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

But outer pockets show through aswell, just look at my avatar. The panels on the highwayman doesnt look as bad in real life tho. You often dont stay perfectly still and you also move some so I really dont think people notice it, but yes its a little annoying.

 

[andy b.]

Thanks again guys! The before and after photos really helped. I believe I am going to go with a horsehide model of some sort. Still haven't made that final decision yet.

Andy B.

 

[Cyber Lip]

I'm afraid that the infamous inner pocket shape, and very good illustration as to why Aero nowadays recommend you don't have them. If you've got a chest pocket on the outside, its lining can go some way to hiding an inside pocket shape, but I've learned to live without them.

they don't take this shape if you refrain from placing objects like wallets and cell phones in there do they?

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

Yes they do. Its not bulging stuff that makes the shape or makes it show, it is the thick leather-panels that are so thick in itself that it comes through.

 

[wdw]

I only ever put thin things in the pockets, like a credit card holder as anything thicker does give an unsightly bulge.

Mind you, I do wonder why the inner patches need to be FQHH and not just moleskin or similar which would surely eliminate the problem.

 

[Plumbline]

I've always had inner pockets ( usually both sides) and to be honest have never really had them show on anything but brown FQHH jackets ( for some reason) ! The steerhide is a little thicker and tends to mask it and also the black and cordovan jackets show less. TBH every brown jacket I've had has gone "shiney" on the high spots and pockets ( side entry, inside and outside chest) have all been more obvious ...... I think it's just the way the leather ages.

I'd much rather have them than not though ..... turns a jacket from a fashion covering to a useful garment IMHO ... and I only use my outside pockets for warming my hands in. The outside chest zip pocket is not used for anything other than decoration

 

[Seb Lucas]

I found that after 10 years my 3oz HH Aero still hadn't broken in enough for my taste. Nice looking hide but cumbersome to wear. But I like that chest pocket - when I got a cell phone from work, that's wear it went. It's also where I keep my public transport travel card.

 

[pak]

Seb, cumbersome to wear is a good way to describe heavy horse. I love HH but don't like the weight. I much prefer goatskin for any leather jacket. It is light, tough and keeps its good looks.

 

[tropicalbob]

I honestly don't understand why some people say FQHH is too stiff, that it takes years to break in, that it's really heavy to wear, etc. With all due respect, I wore my brown LHB right out of the box the night I got it, and, yeah, it was a little stiff but no more so than a Harris tweed. The great fun of one of these things, for me, was breaking it in over the first few weeks and watching the grain emerge as the jacket softened up. I've had it for about a year and a half now, and I swear it just gets more beautiful. If I'd wanted something soft and squishy, I'd have gone for velvet. As far as the weight goes, I've never thought about it while I was wearing it.

 

[Jonst]

I honestly don't understand why some people say FQHH is too stiff, that it takes years to break in, that it's really heavy to wear, etc. With all due respect, I wore my brown LHB right out of the box the night I got it, and, yeah, it was a little stiff but no more so than a Harris tweed. The great fun of one of these things, for me, was breaking it in over the first few weeks and watching the grain emerge as the jacket softened up. I've had it for about a year and a half now, and I swear it just gets more beautiful. If I'd wanted something soft and squishy, I'd have gone for velvet. As far as the weight goes, I've never thought about it while I was wearing it.

I agree. I received a 30's half belt in brown FQHH today. In advance of receiving it, based on some of the posts I have seen here, I was slightly worried that I might develop curvature of the spine from wearing it! I needn't have worried. Whilst it is certainly heavier that something like Gore-tex, it doesn't seem that heavy whilst you are wearing it. However, based on one afternoon of wear(!), it is stiff and it's a bit of struggle to get in and out but I am sure that will improve with wear.

 

[andy b.]

I honestly don't understand why some people say FQHH is too stiff, that it takes years to break in, that it's really heavy to wear, etc. With all due respect, I wore my brown LHB right out of the box the night I got it, and, yeah, it was a little stiff but no more so than a Harris tweed. The great fun of one of these things, for me, was breaking it in over the first few weeks and watching the grain emerge as the jacket softened up. I've had it for about a year and a half now, and I swear it just gets more beautiful. If I'd wanted something soft and squishy, I'd have gone for velvet. As far as the weight goes, I've never thought about it while I was wearing it.

I have to admit, I haven't come across a velvet flight jacket or motorcycle jacket yet.

If I get an HH jacket, I'm looking forward to the "pain" of wearing it.