leather jackets with a still-reasonable used market?

[Will Zach]

Wait really? A lost world market from Japan is of a lower quality than one for the US market? I have one and I didn't notice it being much worse except maybe the zipper was different. Stuart, the paragon of quality is deliberately selling inferior goods? He should be ashamed

I think he meant (my recollection) a hit or miss situation with LW Japan, with samples floating around that were of inferior quality. I also had a LW suede trucker out of the Japanese line which was built like a tank. But I would hesitate now to buy LW from there.

 

[JMax]

I think he meant (my recollection) a hit or miss situation with LW Japan, with samples floating around that were of inferior quality. I also had a LW suede trucker out of the Japanese line which was built like a tank. But I would hesitate now to buy LW from there.

That’s it.

Everything about the gear is quality, except imo the hide. Even Stuart sells it for considerably less.

 

[cbez]

That’s it.

Everything about the gear is quality, except imo the hide. Even Stuart sells it for considerably less.

I think we'd have to compare equivalent samples from the US market, 15-20 years old like most of the used japanese ones.

There's also the fact that there are jackets he made for japanese brands like Evisu, and then just regular line jackets ordered by individuals in Japan.

 

[Bahabp100]

So, a new stock Aero/bilt is circa 800-1000$ and it's made to fit your body.
Yet, I see ebayers pricing their used Aero jackets with often bad zippers and faults, for 650-750$ and THEY SELL!
Schotts have a much better used market for newcomers, but are limited to black jackets.

Where I come from - you don't save a hundred bucks off the new price only to have a used jacket with non-optimal measurements (but that's just me) That tells me the Aero used market is too hot to strike actual good deals in. Kind of like used cars in Corona times

Is there a nice unknown maker that I can keep an eye out for? I am talking the 100-250$ area with reasonable thickness, perhaps made in India/Vietnam/eastern block

Styles I like are as smooth as possible, like an Aero Sheene, or a Schott 689 that I have. (One piece front, no cross-stitches on the chest etc)

Branded garments , Natal/Natel, Kerr leather, Walter Dyer all made stupendous leather jackets that sell for less than $100 to sometimes up to $200

 

[JMax]

I think we'd have to compare equivalent samples from the US market, 15-20 years old like most of the used japanese ones.

There's also the fact that there are jackets he made for japanese brands like Evisu, and then just regular line jackets ordered by individuals in Japan.

No matter the age or label, I think it’s inferior. Of course, someone else may disagree. Stuart doesn’t but hey, plenty of folks disagree with him too.

 

[cbez]

No matter the age or label, I think it’s inferior. Of course, someone else may disagree. Stuart doesn’t but hey, plenty of folks disagree with him too.

So you think if a Japanese customer ordered a Ryder or smth, Stuart just skimped on his order and sent him an inferior jacket?

Do you have experience with US market samples from the 90s/early 2000s to make the comparison?

 

[JMax]

So you think if a Japanese customer ordered a Ryder or smth, Stuart just skimped on his order and sent him an inferior jacket?

Do you have experience with US market samples from the 90s/early 2000s to make the comparison?

No dude. That is not what I said. You know that isn’t what I said.

Yes. I do.

Do you have a Japanese LW? Send it to me and I’ll tell you if it sucks.

 

[cbez]

No dude. That is not what I said. You know that isn’t what I said.

I'm not following you then, because when you say "No matter the age or label, I think it’s inferior." it sounds like you're making a blanket statement about every LW in Japan.

I've owned multiple, a couple had funky sample leather, most had a pigment top coat I didn't like. However I don't like the older US market LW either...only the new stuff looks good to me and even then not always.

 

[jchance]

Maybe there’s a reason why the used Lost Worlds jackets in the JP market don’t fetch a good price — the market usually knows what’s up and prices the items accordingly. And that’s not to discount that LW (a two-man operation) jackets are relatively rare.

 

[JMax]

I'm not following you then, because when you say "No matter the age or label, I think it’s inferior." it sounds like you're making a blanket statement about every LW in Japan.

I've owned multiple, a couple had funky sample leather, most had a pigment top coat I didn't like. However I don't like the older US market LW either...only the new stuff looks good to me and even then not always.

I see now. Ok, no, not those in your scenario as they are US LW in my mind. Some Japanese LW are really nice, if normally thinner.

 

[Rgcards]

As I said the lw I got from.fapan was essentially indistinguishable from Lw I got here. One of my jackets from here is very heavy ( strada) but the others are very similar.

Sorry this thread go high jacked. To the OP , if you are looking for a sub 200 far east made jacket, 5 star and cidu have both been reviewed favorable here. As mentioned before natal and Walter dyer are respected but as both are out of business, options may be limited. Lvc jackets(Levi's) are often available at big discounts used although still probably more than 200$ , most are overpriced at the retail level to begin with. Apparel annex made nice jackets but are largely just motorcycle styles. Simon cathcart jackets are usually less than 300. There is lady lounger out of London who has start a store with more affordable jackets, I think it's rugged west but not sure. Good luck

 

[TartuWolf]

My vote goes to Rugged West as well, especially if you're UK based.

 

[Edward]

So, a new stock Aero/bilt is circa 800-1000$ and it's made to fit your body.
Yet, I see ebayers pricing their used Aero jackets with often bad zippers and faults, for 650-750$ and THEY SELL!
Schotts have a much better used market for newcomers, but are limited to black jackets.

Where I come from - you don't save a hundred bucks off the new price only to have a used jacket with non-optimal measurements (but that's just me) That tells me the Aero used market is too hot to strike actual good deals in. Kind of like used cars in Corona times

Is there a nice unknown maker that I can keep an eye out for? I am talking the 100-250$ area with reasonable thickness, perhaps made in India/Vietnam/eastern block

Styles I like are as smooth as possible, like an Aero Sheene, or a Schott 689 that I have. (One piece front, no cross-stitches on the chest etc)

It is what it is.... used to be you could buy bigger / average sized used Aeros all day long for £200, but as new prices have risen, inevitably so do used prices.


At the less spendy end of the market, you might enjoy some of Goldtop's styles - https://goldtop.co.uk/collections/jackets . The 58 and 59 styles aren't a million miles from the Schott you mention, and the 58 is now available in a range of colours. The green looks particularly intriguing to me. You don't tend to se many of these cropping up used, at least not on eBay, but the new price might be more appealing to you. You can save aa few quid by not ordering the armour pads if you don't intend to use it as a riding jacket. Goldtop's range is very much true to traditional British motorcycle styles from the late 50s onwards. Similar stylistic vein to Lewis, but in a very different price band. Very nicely made, though, and review very well indeed. Now that a Lewis Lightning is far beyond what I could justify, I have my eye on a Goldtop 617 instead...