Horween or Shinki- Whose horse is your pick?

[jonesy86]

The leather on the two Shinki jackets that I own seem very different. The SB seems to be thicker/heavier, more oily or waxy, and some of the panels have a distinctive amount of grain. The Himel seems slightly thinner/lighter, a little less shiny, and has the most remarkable aroma.

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[handymike]

Yes, my GW feels different than @Superfluous' Himel Canuck.
But this isn't surprising...Horween produces many different leathers as well. (Dublin, essex, etc.)

 

[ton312]

The leather on the two Shinki jackets that I own seem very different. The SB seems to be thicker/heavier, more oily or waxy, and some of the panels have a distinctive amount of grain. The Himel seems slightly thinner/lighter, a little less shiny, and has the most remarkable aroma.

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The Simmons Bilt is gorgeous...I really like the collar on that jacket. The color on the Himel is pretty too but that hide looks quite thin to me...

 

[Carlos840]

The leather on the two Shinki jackets that I own seem very different. The SB seems to be thicker/heavier, more oily or waxy, and some of the panels have a distinctive amount of grain. The Himel seems slightly thinner/lighter, a little less shiny, and has the most remarkable aroma.

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The 5 jackets i posted earlier also have very little in common.
Visually there is no way to tell the leathers were made in the same tannery, they are completely different, the top coat, the thickness, the rigidity, the level of sheen, even the smell is different.

 

[jonesy86]

There is absolutely no comparison between the two Horween FQHH jackets that I own.

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[marmalademan]

Badalassi - there are different weights available, obviously - is absolutely beautiful leather, as good as any HH out there, but the Achilles heel is it squeaks to high heaven. Who knows if the squeaking ever quits, I personally don't have the patience to find out.

Shinki is aesthetically pleasing too albeit in a different way,. Personally I like the lighter weight stuff for how it wears and drapes. It's basically better suited to certain climates thus quite understandably the people from those places tend to favour it.

All of that said, for me the very top of the pile has to be Italian full aniline vegetable tanned HH. I just feel like the Italians have the pedigree and are still the standard for everyone else to aim at. As things stand IMHO everyone else is fighting it out to be second best

With regards to aero not wanting to stock shinki or badalassi I rather suspect that is a business decision, since those two are more expensive than Vicenza and Horween.

 

[Jejupe]

50kg isn't very much...

Maybe he meant 150 kg ...

 

[Monitor]

All of that said, for me the very top of the pile has to be Italian full aniline vegetable tanned HH. I just feel like the Italians have the pedigree and are still the standard for everyone else to aim at. As things stand IMHO everyone else is fighting it out to be second best.

Signed and seconded. It's been a while since leather tanned in Italy was considered the finest on the market but back then, not that long ago, it truly used to be. The stuff that still turns up around Europe here and there is absolutely amazing and without equal. What I said before, I strongly believe that it's the look Shinki's trying to emulate.

 

[Blackadder]

I just can't make myself give them money, honestly. If anyone knows of a good maker that does use Badalassi (that doesn't have Good Wear's 4 year wait) then I'd be all over it!

If not mistaken, you talked about going to Japan in the near future. If that's the case, you may wanna go to Gorilla Tokyo to take a look. Not sure what stock they have left.
http://wriver.com/gorilla/
The Few Hurricane in Badalassi
http://wriver.com/gorilla/goods/few/img/stocks_2014_5_22/2014_05_22_36.jpg
As to CXL boots and the aging? Just my preference. Completely fallen due to these photos from Motor, I ended up getting the black and the natural CXL
http://store-motostyle.jp/?pid=122592394

 

[handymike]

Yes, The Few were making beautiful Badalassi jackets...
I haven't heard anyone's review if they squeak or not

 

[red devil]

If not mistaken, you talked about going to Japan in the near future. If that's the case, you may wanna go to Gorilla Tokyo to take a look. Not sure what stock they have left.
http://wriver.com/gorilla/
The Few Hurricane in Badalassi
http://wriver.com/gorilla/goods/few/img/stocks_2014_5_22/2014_05_22_36.jpg
As to CXL boots and the aging? Just my preference. Completely fallen due to these photos from Motor, I ended up getting the black and the natural CXL
http://store-motostyle.jp/?pid=122592394

That looks special indeed! Need to check it out! Thanks for sharing

 

[Lebowski]

Carlo Badalassi makes very nice tanned leathers.
If anybody don't like their Badalassi leather jacket because of squeaking or something else - I'd buy it from them if it's in size 42 (or sometimes even in size 40 or 44, it depends on real jacket's measurements).
Please just send me your offer via PM.
Seriously.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

If not mistaken, you talked about going to Japan in the near future. If that's the case, you may wanna go to Gorilla Tokyo to take a look. Not sure what stock they have left.
http://wriver.com/gorilla/
The Few Hurricane in Badalassi
http://wriver.com/gorilla/goods/few/img/stocks_2014_5_22/2014_05_22_36.jpg
As to CXL boots and the aging? Just my preference. Completely fallen due to these photos from Motor, I ended up getting the black and the natural CXL
http://store-motostyle.jp/?pid=122592394

Thanks very much! I will definitely be checking them out when I go. Any other places that stock them in Tokyo?

 

[Lebowski]

If not mistaken, you talked about going to Japan in the near future. If that's the case, you may wanna go to Gorilla Tokyo to take a look. Not sure what stock they have left.
http://wriver.com/gorilla/
The Few Hurricane in Badalassi
http://wriver.com/gorilla/goods/few/img/stocks_2014_5_22/2014_05_22_36.jpg
As to CXL boots and the aging? Just my preference. Completely fallen due to these photos from Motor, I ended up getting the black and the natural CXL
http://store-motostyle.jp/?pid=122592394

Japanese sites are so strangely designed, it's quite hard to understand their logic sometimes.
Anyway, thanks for sharing nice helpful links with us.

 

[Lebowski]

There is absolutely no comparison between the two Horween FQHH jackets that I own.

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Jonesy, this leather of your GW Hercules looks true historically correct for that period this pattern went from. It looks like your jacket really would have been made in 30s-40s considering its leather appearance. Nice example of Horween premium leather's beauty.

 

[Sloan1874]

The Italian HH Aero and Good Wear are using is the bee's knees. It's got fantastic depth, perfect weight and wears beautifully.

 

[ProteinNerd]

The Italian HH Aero and Good Wear are using is the bee's knees. It's got fantastic depth, perfect weight and wears beautifully.

Is it the same as Eastmans Italian HH?

 

[Sloan1874]

I think it is.

 

[Superfluous]

Is it the same as Eastmans Italian HH?

I don't think so (although I am not certain). The ELMC jackets that I interacted with a couple of years ago were made from HH that is slightly lighter/thinner than Aero's Vicenza (and Shinki).

 

[nick123]

I'd vote for Shinki, having never even handled it! I'm sure my opinion has and will fluctuate. But out of all the jackets I've viewed here, John's civilian shinki jackets and some of the Japanese McCoy's have probably floored me the most. Mainly the colors more than anything.