How would goatskin/capeskin work on something like the Aero Hooch Hauler?

[phario]

I'm interested in picking up a lighter but still durable leather jacket, and I've been hemming and hawing at the Aero Hooch Hauler. Rather than a thicker leather, I'd like a thinner leather that would be more versatile in UK weather.

Do any of you have any thoughts on goatskin on jackets like the Hooch Hauler that might be more designed for thicker leathers?

Here is a video on a Bill Kelso Duke in capeskin and I couldn't help but notice that it just didn't look as nice as for a thicker leather due to the floppy lapels.

I'd appreciate any photos you might have of jackets with similar lapels in a thin leather.

 

[Boyo]

Aero do offer the hooch hauler in goat ( not capeskin). go for it,.
nail the fit and the leather doesn't really matter

 

[handymike]

This one looked great:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/fs-aero-premier-bootlegger-in-russet-goat-size-40.85614/

 

[Edward]

Aero's goat would be an excellent hide for that sort of design (and probably closer the sort of heft 30s-50s originals were made from than a hefty steer or horse). Capeskin I suspect would be just a little too lacking in boy to look quite right - I think that's why Wested's copy of the Aero jacket made for the Captain America film doesn't look quite right in their website photos.

 

[phario]

This one looked great:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/fs-aero-premier-bootlegger-in-russet-goat-size-40.85614/

Oh wow thanks. That’s really helpful.

Apart from the yoked back design what is the difference between the bootlegger and the hooch hauler? To be honest I like the bootlegger back more.

The Hooch Hauler is listed as slim fit but it’s hard to see he difference.

 

[Aloysius]

People need to stop mentioning goat in the same breath as lambskin/capeskin…

 

[phario]

People need to stop mentioning goat in the same breath as lambskin/capeskin…

Sorry. I don’t know much about these leathers. Can you explain what you mean by this comment? Why can’t they be mentioned together?

 

[Aloysius]

Sorry. I don’t know much about these leathers. Can you explain what you mean by this comment? Why can’t they be mentioned together?

The only thing they have in common is that they are relatively soft and pliable. People take this to mean they're similar, but far from it.

Lambskin and sheepskin (including capeskin) are nice drapey garment leathers, but they offer little in the way of weather protection, let alone abrasion resistance.

Goatskin is tougher than many of the thickest, stiffest cowhides and horsehides on the market. It is probably most similar to kangaroo leather in its combination of flexibility and strength.

 

[phario]

The only thing they have in common is that they are relatively soft and pliable. People take this to mean they're similar, but far from it.

Lambskin and sheepskin (including capeskin) are nice drapey garment leathers, but they offer little in the way of weather protection, let alone abrasion resistance.

Goatskin is tougher than many of the thickest, stiffest cowhides and horsehides on the market. It is probably most similar to kangaroo leather in its combination of flexibility and strength.

Thanks for clarifying. I was indeed looking for something that was light and durable.

 

[Aloysius]

Thanks for clarifying. I was indeed looking for something that was light and durable.

I'd add that good goatskin, and Aero's is amazing, has a really luxurious feel to wear. It's substantial, yet light. Hard to describe until you've handled it.

 

[phario]

I'd add that good goatskin, and Aero's is amazing, has a really luxurious feel to wear. It's substantial, yet light. Hard to describe until you've handled it.

I did get a sample from Aero.

It’s nice. It feels like lambskin in softness and pliability. But it’s pebbled. If the samples I got, the russet goatskin has a similar but smaller pebbling to the Vicenza horsehide russet but without the nicer varied grain.

I also did a scratch test with my fingers to see how the leathers would stand up to abrasion.

All the steerhides and horsehides showed visible damage, with the worst ones the more dyed (Vicenza cordovan and baladassi tobacco). The shiny baladassi steer hide in russet also did not stand up well to my finger nail.

The Vicenza horsehide in russet did well.

Almost no marks on the goatskin! Despite lots of scratching you would have to really look closely to see where I did it.

That said, some wear is nice on leather, so I’m considering that as well.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Did you get a sample of Horween Pinnacle?

 

[Aloysius]

All the steerhides and horsehides showed visible damage, with the worst ones the more dyed (Vicenza cordovan and baladassi tobacco). The shiny baladassi steer hide in russet also did not stand up well to my finger nail.

That's not damage. It's pull-up.

 

[phario]

That's not damage. It's pull-up.

Again I’m ignorant about these things. What constitutes damage? Can you scratch leather?

From this https://www.lederpflege.de/en/Pull-...pull-up,leather develops an attractive patina.

I guess what I’m about as damage is just a surface coating that can be repolished or dyed.

So how do you properly test leather abrasion resistance?

 

[Aloysius]

Again I’m ignorant about these things. What constitutes damage? Can you scratch leather?

From this https://www.lederpflege.de/en/Pull-up-leather#:~:text=A characteristic of pull-up,leather develops an attractive patina.

I guess what I’m about as damage is just a surface coating that can be repolished or dyed.

So how do you properly test leather abrasion resistance?

Pull up is basically the oils within the leather moving around, not the leather disintegrating.

Abrasion resistance wise, roughly speaking, kangaroo is tops, followed by goat, followed by horse, followed by cow. But the specific hide makes a big difference too. A racing suit quality cowhide like Vanson's comp weight is going to be tougher than most anything including goat and horse.

 

[phario]

Pull up is basically the oils within the leather moving around, not the leather disintegrating.

Abrasion resistance wise, roughly speaking, kangaroo is tops, followed by goat, followed by horse, followed by cow. But the specific hide makes a big difference too. A racing suit quality cowhide like Vanson's comp weight is going to be tougher than most anything including goat and horse.

I see.

So when people talk about goathide’s ability to look new after many years, what physical property of the leather, specially, is being discussed?

 

[Will Zach]

I see.

So when people talk about goathide’s ability to look new after many years, what physical property of the leather, specially, is being discussed?

Abrasion resistance.

 

[handymike]

The bootlegger jacket in the link I posted was the STF (super-tight fit) version which is very similar to the Hooch Hauler pattern. They might even be the same- except for the back. Best to ask Aero.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

People need to stop mentioning goat in the same breath as lambskin/capeskin…

This. Goatskin would work great for the jacket and is actually 1930s appropriate (hooch hauler is a 1930s inspired design) but capeskin not so much. It could work, but its extremely different from goatskin. Goatskin is often fairly stiff and quite abrasion resistant. Capeskin is softer and not nearly as abrasion resistant.

 

[Worf]

I've a GoodWear A1 in Capeskin. A bit of a "grail" jacket on here as I'm the 3rd owner and GW doesn't offer this particular hid any more. Does anyone offer Capeskin anymore? Cape is soooooft and pliable but not tough or durable. I limit my use of the jacket as I can feel the leather in elbows starting to thin. It is however the softest jacket I've ever owned. Never had any goat skin jackets... yet.

Worf