Johnson Leather Jacket

[Aloysius]

Yes. Thankfully sold them all. The danger with playing man in the chair and thinking you can fix something with every following iteration is that you can’t…and won’t.

Maybe Johnson is your next money pit… since they’ll allow just about all the experimentation but you’re guaranteed to get a wearable jacket…

 

[Fifty150]

Are they still operating? I went to their warehouse cash and carry once. Just racks and racks of jackets. Very long time ago...

As far as I know, they are still in business.

Contract manufacturing. Making jackets for other labels and brands. Sometimes subcontracting to an overseas manufacturing plant. Those jackets all vary in quality, as specified by the contract. In years past, I recall seeing labels from Habitat Leather, L.L. Bean, Banana Republic, et cetera. The more expensive "mall brands" and "fashion labels".

They still have a website, with some of their own jackets. Nothing that "enthusiast" would rave over.

When I was a kid, they supplied the varsity jackets for local schools. If you earned a school letter, you went to Golden Bear to buy the jacket.

They used to have a showroom. Overstock. Factory seconds. Samples. Stuff that was still wearable. Discounted prices. Very possible to find something in your size. They remove the "designer" label before you get the jacket. They sell you the jacket, not the label. One of the jackets I got from the showroom was an A-2, with a full piece of leather on the back. It had another retailer's label, which they removed for me.

They used to offer custom jackets, made to measure. You go into the show room. Find something you like. Ask to have changes made to suit your taste. You get measured. The jacket is produced. I don't know if that's still being done.

They still have "private label". Police department contracts for motorcycle jackets. Cop goes in with his gear. The jacket is made to fit over his vest. Belt keepers are added for his gun belt, spaced correctly to anchor the belt around the spacing of his equipment. The jacket is fitted for his body sitting on the bike, with correct body and sleeve length. They will continue to do this as long as there is a demand for police officers on motorcycles and horses to wear leather jackets. They are not the exclusive manufacturer for any agency. Large police departments have so many employees that the contract is spread around to different suppliers. Statewide agencies like California Highway Patrol would have a very hard time sending a Southern California officer up to Northern California for a jacket.

My agency issued motorcycle jacket came from Golden Bear, with a Golden Bear label.

 

[ton312]

Maybe Johnson is your next money pit… since they’ll allow just about all the experimentation but you’re guaranteed to get a wearable jacket…

Already walked that walk in 2016. I like JL and have been close to going back many a time. But from this point forward there is but one guy that makes me a new jacket, and he’s on the opposite coast.

 

[Entropindigo]

It's certainly mine. I mean, maybe not my ONLY, but probably pretty close. I'd rather be able to walk into a store and smell/touch what I'm buying and talk to people involved in the process. They seem to have had a sale section that's fairly well stocked across the size range the times I've gone, as well.

 

[red devil]

You're here in rabbit hole already, it's too late... might as well get comfy!

Well said

Maybe Johnson is your next money pit… since they’ll allow just about all the experimentation but you’re guaranteed to get a wearable jacket…

That is actually my pit lol
I love the fact that I can go with the wildest ideas, and they help me make it work!

@bootsonatrain , good choice, JL are in the top end when it comes to patterns and fits.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I was considering a jacket from JL, cossack style with a couple modifications in Horween Milan HH, but JL only has the 3.5/4oz weight which is a bit thick for a buttoned jacket, but more importantly that hide would add a surcharge of at least $300 to the price of the jacket. Wait time the usual ~3 months. For comparison Simmons Bilt charges 75gbp extra for that hide, but no fit jackets. Difficult decision...

Button closure jackets work better when the leather is 3oz or thinner. I have some heavier ones 3.5oz to 4oz and it's frustrating just fastening them sometimes. Horween Milan is a beautiful leather. Simmonsbilt do offer a good deal sometimes so it's a tough one there. Just tell them the fit you're after, their pattern tends to be more of the straight kind so it would need custom tapering.

I think I know the leather you have, it sold out pretty quick and the one they have now looks to be even thicker (6oz!). More of a boot weight, could be skivved but even then they list it as firm temper. Looks like Horween also ran a Utica tan deerskin for Coronado a few years back.

Yeah that one isn't the best for garment, really need soft/medium temper.
Utica is an interesting tannage. Chrome all the way through and advertised as full on waterproof. Danners ran a custom run for their boots before too.
Horween game hides sells off fast. I am still keeping an eye out for black color ones. I think they'll be best at hiding all those natural marking.

As far as I know, they are still in business.

Contract manufacturing. Making jackets for other labels and brands. Sometimes subcontracting to an overseas manufacturing plant. Those jackets all vary in quality, as specified by the contract. In years past, I recall seeing labels from Habitat Leather, L.L. Bean, Banana Republic, et cetera. The more expensive "mall brands" and "fashion labels".

They still have a website, with some of their own jackets. Nothing that "enthusiast" would rave over.

When I was a kid, they supplied the varsity jackets for local schools. If you earned a school letter, you went to Golden Bear to buy the jacket.

They used to have a showroom. Overstock. Factory seconds. Samples. Stuff that was still wearable. Discounted prices. Very possible to find something in your size. They remove the "designer" label before you get the jacket. They sell you the jacket, not the label. One of the jackets I got from the showroom was an A-2, with a full piece of leather on the back. It had another retailer's label, which they removed for me.

They used to offer custom jackets, made to measure. You go into the show room. Find something you like. Ask to have changes made to suit your taste. You get measured. The jacket is produced. I don't know if that's still being done.

They still have "private label". Police department contracts for motorcycle jackets. Cop goes in with his gear. The jacket is made to fit over his vest. Belt keepers are added for his gun belt, spaced correctly to anchor the belt around the spacing of his equipment. The jacket is fitted for his body sitting on the bike, with correct body and sleeve length. They will continue to do this as long as there is a demand for police officers on motorcycles and horses to wear leather jackets. They are not the exclusive manufacturer for any agency. Large police departments have so many employees that the contract is spread around to different suppliers. Statewide agencies like California Highway Patrol would have a very hard time sending a Southern California officer up to Northern California for a jacket.

My agency issued motorcycle jacket came from Golden Bear, with a Golden Bear label.

That's cool they are still around. Yeah I remember the warehouse store, buzz to get in, and no labels. Jackets are very solid though. Prices were very reasonable. The leather options are more fashion oriented though. Hope they continue on. One of the oldest brands still around on the west coast.

Already walked that walk in 2016. I like JL and have been close to going back many a time. But from this point forward there is but one guy that makes me a new jacket, and he’s on the opposite coast.

Reg is the man!

 

[Rugby]

Button closure jackets work better when the leather is 3oz or thinner. I have some heavier ones 3.5oz to 4oz and it's frustrating just fastening them sometimes. Horween Milan is a beautiful leather. Simmonsbilt do offer a good deal sometimes so it's a tough one there. Just tell them the fit you're after, their pattern tends to be more of the straight kind so it would need custom tapering.


Yeah that one isn't the best for garment, really need soft/medium temper.
Utica is an interesting tannage. Chrome all the way through and advertised as full on waterproof. Danners ran a custom run for their boots before too.
Horween game hides sells off fast. I am still keeping an eye out for black color ones. I think they'll be best at hiding all those natural marking.




That's cool they are still around. Yeah I remember the warehouse store, buzz to get in, and no labels. Jackets are very solid though. Prices were very reasonable. The leather options are more fashion oriented though. Hope they continue on. One of the oldest brands still around on the west coast.


Reg is the man!

Reg?

 

[Entropindigo]

I think he's referring to Regius

 

[Canuck Panda]

Yeah, @regius is a member here, he’s making jackets on the side right now.

Back to Horween Milan, Johnson has this in stock now? Horse or cow?

 

[Rugby]

Yeah, @regius is a member here, he’s making jackets on the side right now.

Back to Horween Milan, Johnson has this in stock now? Horse or cow?

They have the horse hide. Jacket price +$300

 

[Gr8Lakes]

@Canuck Panda After about a year of inactivity on TFL, it should come as no surprise that you have been my greatest resource here for my current jacket quest. Your contributions to TFL are amazing and so helpful to those of us trying to make an informed decision about purchasing a custom jacket from hundreds or thousands of miles away from the manufacturer.

I’ve recently purchased and returned both a Schott 141, and Vanson Model B Firenze, both in size 44. Schott was too short in the arms for riding, and Vanson was too wide in the shoulders. The Schott would’ve been great with another inch and a half arm length. But after returning and ordering a Vanson, I feel build qualities of Vanson are superior. Everything just felt better thought out. While soft and durable felling, I didn’t care for firenze at all because it squeaked like crazy. Schott leather was “nice”, but not very interesting.

So after reading tons, I contacted Johnson - largely based on your praises and positive experiences. But others have also seemed thrilled with their jackets. I couldn’t find a negative experience, and fit and function seemed to be the recurring complement. Since I want a comfortable riding jacket that I can also wear off a bike, Johnson sounds like the ideal company for such a commission.

Been working with Damon via email and phone for the past week and a half, and he’s sending me a couple price points and leather samples this week. I’ll lock in my decisions, make a deposit, and wait for a test fit mock up. Damon has been extremely generous with his time, and very gracious on the phone. I haven’t felt rushed or hurried, or like I’m keeping him from something else at all. As others have asked the best way to reach out, I sent an email describing what I was looking for to info@johnsonleather.com. Damon responded about a week later with a very detailed response describing what would be possible. I then called about leather selections, and Damon answered and knew exactly who I was, and told me to shoot him some detailed measurements (I used body measurements rather than jacket). I’ll receive a couple quotes with a link to pay a deposit later this week. About 8-10 weeks build time from deposit.

I’ll document the progress as I move through, in case anyone else looks to take this path. But mostly, I want to thank @Canuck Panda especially, as well as all the others that document their experiences here on TFL. Really a great resource to help reassure us when we’re forking over more than a grand on a new jacket without seeing it, feeling it, or trying it on. Living in mid-Michigan, I wouldn’t even know about Johnson Leathers if it weren’t for TFL. Hopefully I can give a little back.

 

[Canuck Panda]

@Canuck Panda After about a year of inactivity on TFL, it should come as no surprise that you have been my greatest resource here for my current jacket quest. Your contributions to TFL are amazing and so helpful to those of us trying to make an informed decision about purchasing a custom jacket from hundreds or thousands of miles away from the manufacturer.

I’ve recently purchased and returned both a Schott 141, and Vanson Model B Firenze, both in size 44. Schott was too short in the arms for riding, and Vanson was too wide in the shoulders. The Schott would’ve been great with another inch and a half arm length. But after returning and ordering a Vanson, I feel build qualities of Vanson are superior. Everything just felt better thought out. While soft and durable felling, I didn’t care for firenze at all because it squeaked like crazy. Schott leather was “nice”, but not very interesting.

So after reading tons, I contacted Johnson - largely based on your praises and positive experiences. But others have also seemed thrilled with their jackets. I couldn’t find a negative experience, and fit and function seemed to be the recurring complement. Since I want a comfortable riding jacket that I can also wear off a bike, Johnson sounds like the ideal company for such a commission.

Been working with Damon via email and phone for the past week and a half, and he’s sending me a couple price points and leather samples this week. I’ll lock in my decisions, make a deposit, and wait for a test fit mock up. Damon has been extremely generous with his time, and very gracious on the phone. I haven’t felt rushed or hurried, or like I’m keeping him from something else at all. As others have asked the best way to reach out, I sent an email describing what I was looking for to info@johnsonleather.com. Damon responded about a week later with a very detailed response describing what would be possible. I then called about leather selections, and Damon answered and knew exactly who I was, and told me to shoot him some detailed measurements (I used body measurements rather than jacket). I’ll receive a couple quotes with a link to pay a deposit later this week. About 8-10 weeks build time from deposit.

I’ll document the progress as I move through, in case anyone else looks to take this path. But mostly, I want to thank @Canuck Panda especially, as well as all the others that document their experiences here on TFL. Really a great resource to help reassure us when we’re forking over more than a grand on a new jacket without seeing it, feeling it, or trying it on. Living in mid-Michigan, I wouldn’t even know about Johnson Leathers if it weren’t for TFL. Hopefully I can give a little back.

I assume you're building a M-200 custom jacket right?

Watch for the lengths, both body and sleeve. The stock M200 is shorter than the Schott in the body, and about the same in the sleeves. Vanson B would have longer length in the body and sleeve than the other two.

I also prefer Vanson's build quality, very solid feeling with lots of double stitching. Johnson will be very similar to Vanson build quality, but more leather options. But also more expensive. Still I would opt for their Horween offerings. Good luck!

Also, with Johnson you can opt for Riri zips. Vanson at one point used them too but no more.

 

[Rugby]

The M-200 is the baseline, but Damon or Alan can accommodate any modifications in design and size. After the first fit jacket measurements can be fine tuned and adjusted on the second fit jacket for a really good fit. I had a 4oz+ Horween CXL HH jacket made by JL and it's been great to ride or just wear. It is a tank and a good winter jacket.

 

[Gr8Lakes]

I assume you're building a M-200 custom jacket right?

Watch for the lengths, both body and sleeve. The stock M200 is shorter than the Schott in the body, and about the same in the sleeves. Vanson B would have longer length in the body and sleeve than the other two.

I also prefer Vanson's build quality, very solid feeling with lots of double stitching. Johnson will be very similar to Vanson build quality, but more leather options. But also more expensive. Still I would opt for their Horween offerings. Good luck!

Also, with Johnson you can opt for Riri zips. Vanson at one point used them too but no more.

I actually based it off an N-200… not knowing the distinction between N and M. I read somewhere that their back length for riding jackets was around 23”. So I specified 26” including the collar, with a 2-way main zip to keep from pushing up into my chin while sitting - a problem I have with my shorter torso. But this is also why I chose Johnson - for the opportunity to have a mock up. It’s excellent insurance in my opinion, regardless what it adds to the cost! Plus, I don’t see this being a one time thing. I’m already saving some ideas for the next one, how sickening is that? I’ll be nice to have my sizing established for the future.

Black, but not sure if I’ll go with over dye, as much as I LOVE over dye. Other option I’m still debating is quilted shoulders and elbows. I love the style but wanted actual patches, and that’s not typically done with the upper bi-swing style of the N200. So, I’m on the fence about stitch only quilting.

But thank you for the heads up. Avoiding pitfalls is huge.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I actually based it off an N-200… not knowing the distinction between N and M. I read somewhere that their back length for riding jackets was around 23”. So I specified 26” including the collar, with a 2-way main zip to keep from pushing up into my chin while sitting - a problem I have with my shorter torso. But this is also why I chose Johnson - for the opportunity to have a mock up. It’s excellent insurance in my opinion, regardless what it adds to the cost! Plus, I don’t see this being a one time thing. I’m already saving some ideas for the next one, how sickening is that? I’ll be nice to have my sizing established for the future.

Black, but not sure if I’ll go with over dye, as much as I LOVE over dye. Other option I’m still debating is quilted shoulders and elbows. I love the style but wanted actual patches, and that’s not typically done with the upper bi-swing style of the N200. So, I’m on the fence about stitch only quilting.

But thank you for the heads up. Avoiding pitfalls is huge.

I think the N is cafe racer collar and M is dress collar, I'm not quite sure. But with a mock up I am sure everything will be just fine.
My Vanson B has one inch longer front zip than my Johnson M200. It's 21" zipper for the Vanson and 20" for the Johnson. And you're right the Johnson is quite a bit shorter in the back in stock form. But you're going custom so it'll be fine.
Overdye is a very robust leather, takes some time to break in.
I have their stitch only quilting, it's really more for the looks than actual armor. There is a thin layer of foam on the inside for the quilt to look puffy. The overdye is really strong enough to take care of most small falls on its own without another layer. Very robust leather.

 

[Gr8Lakes]

Knowing myself, it’s going to take something pretty special to get me away from the over dye. Damon’s going to check the storeroom for some CXL steerhide, and I asked if there’s any tumbled or milled CXL.

Are you happy with the quilted stitching? The added foam does make it sound better. My inspiration was Langlitz’ quilted patches, so I kinda got stuck with that idea. I’m really not the most responsible rider (just how friends and family always rolled)… I don’t wear a helmet or jacket when it’s hot outside. Just a t-shirt, jeans, and boots. So I’m not looking for armor. But it gets chilly in Michigan when the sun goes down. Spring and fall also require a jacket for additional warmth. If I’m going to wear something, I wanna love it. And I’ve kinda changed my opinion of my moto-specific jackets like my Fox Creek. I blame TFL.

Last fall I purchased a Schott 673. Stood on its own out of the box. Heavy waxy cowhide. So crispy it felt like wearing cardboard the first couple times. Despite how much I liked the look, I wasn’t so sure about it. Spent the winter wearing it and “working“ the leather on the couch while watching tv. Now I love wearing it. So I’m not as afraid of CXL as I used to be. It just gets better and better. But the cut is too fashion oriented for riding. Very restrictive with arms stretched forward.

 

[Canuck Panda]

About the quilting:

The black jacket is Johnson and the blue jacket is Langlitz. Johnson's quilt is finer but Langlitz has two layers of leather. The Johnson jacket has thicker leather 4.5oz and Langlitz is about 3 to 3.5oz. I think on the 3oz leather Johnson can also do the patch on quilt style, I've seen it on their Instagram photos. But probably not possible on the thicker stuff. It'd be just too thick like a belt thickness when two layers are fused together.

And yeah that's a slim fitting Schott. The N200 will do the trick with the action pleats in the back for mobility. Love that leather on the Schott though. Real nice.

 

[photo2u]

Love those Johnsons. I do not have many padded jackets but my favorites are Cal followed by Herm’s Leather Togs, and Johnsons. With a nice Vanson a close second. I did have some others that I give away. Sometimes I miss those 60s cafe racers.

 

[jeo]

I couldn’t find a negative experience, and fit and function seemed to be the recurring complement. Since I want a comfortable riding jacket that I can also wear off a bike, Johnson sounds like the ideal company for such a commission.

And you won't find one.

I've said this before, my custom JL was the most pleasurable leather jacket buying experience I’ve had. They've been a staple here forever. I ordered mine back in 2013. Still love it and I'll never get rid of it.

 

[Gr8Lakes]

About the quilting:
View attachment 508506
The black jacket is Johnson and the blue jacket is Langlitz. Johnson's quilt is finer but Langlitz has two layers of leather. The Johnson jacket has thicker leather 4.5oz and Langlitz is about 3 to 3.5oz. I think on the 3oz leather Johnson can also do the patch on quilt style, I've seen it on their Instagram photos. But probably not possible on the thicker stuff. It'd be just too thick like a belt thickness when two layers are fused together.

And yeah that's a slim fitting Schott. The N200 will do the trick with the action pleats in the back for mobility. Love that leather on the Schott though. Real nice.

Thank you for the compliment, I dig the Schott’s leather now too. Tons of pull up. Color’s a bit off off from the lighting, but it’s a great brown with a little marbling and a lot of depth. Reminds me of when we used to polish chestnuts as kids.

You actually have a Langlitz to show me! The blue with the contrast stitching is so great. I was tempted to pull the trigger on a Langlitz, but balked at the price and year long wait. I just get the impression that Johnson can build me something really great for about 60-70% of the cost, and a quarter of the wait. I’ll still want one, just because, Langlitz. Someday.

Thanks for comparison of the two. The stitching on the Johnson looks great, especially with the whole rear yolk done. It just gives a black jacket so much more character. Now I’m imagining over dye with hints of brown patina showing through the high spots of the quilting. Would take a while, but it could be very interesting. Hmm…