Leather Police Jackets

[hughesovka]

Got a new Taylors chicago model today, decided to pull the trigger since they had a holiday sale between Christmas and New Years. I knew there had been some controversy since they moved manufacturing from TN to Pakistan. I've never handled a vintage US Taylors, but the one I received seems to be punching well above what I paid. THICK leather, good weight, nice construction, and it looks damn good too. Definitely seems built to last.

 

[f2002q]

I went looking at the Taylor's Leather website (https://taylorsleatherwear.com/) because of this thread, and frankly I wasn't impressed by the pictures. I was looking at a cross-zip moto jacket like the New Orleans (or Pittsburgh) and they look meh especially when compared to the Vanson CHP.

Here is a picture from their website on the New Orleans:


But then, I stumbled on this youtube video:

It shows somebody actually wearing it, and WOW, that looks mean and tough. Granted it's way over-sized for the model, but still, that looks like an indestructible SOB of a jacket. Hmmm... I can't find any other pictures of anybody actually wearing it. Now I'm intrigued, specially if one of those sales comes by.

 

[Edward]

Apparently if you want some really interesting stuff I'm told you gotta check out Varusteleka in Finland.
https://www.varusteleka.com/en

Good place. I've had a few bits from them. Need to take care to be sure of your sizing (as with all military gear - especially if they go metric, or base it all on standardised assumptions of size relative to height and weight), but some great stuff there. Sort of thing I wish I could still find in army surplus shops in the UK... Sadly, all the great ones I used to frequent are either gone now, or have slowly morphed into stores selling generic outdoor and camping gear. I still have my fingers crossed for finding somewhere with a vast quantity of the old Danish Civil Defence grey wool trousers with no thigh pockets.... among the best milspec items I ever bought.

Got a new Taylors chicago model today, decided to pull the trigger since they had a holiday sale between Christmas and New Years. I knew there had been some controversy since they moved manufacturing from TN to Pakistan. I've never handled a vintage US Taylors, but the one I received seems to be punching well above what I paid. THICK leather, good weight, nice construction, and it looks damn good too. Definitely seems built to last.

That certainly chimes with my experience of the one I have. In truth I don't know where it was made (it's several miles across town in my office currently), I must check. It does seem, though that - all other arguments about offshoring aside - Taylor have used that move to save on labour costs without the compromises to quality of their product that often also happens not as a result of the location of manufacture, but as a further cost-cutting move by those setting the specification.

I must remember next time I'm in that building to check the made in label; what I can say with certainty is that my Taylor is every bit as good as the Schott 618 I have (which is definitely a US Made item), very nice hide. Many in these parts I suspect will find their leather a bit 'lacking in character' (a subjective, style preference, not a qualitative judgement), though for me that's a plus with this sort of thing where the design and maintaining that deep, smooth black look is what the jacket is all about. (Also worth noting, of course, that these jackets are first and foremost a uniform that needs to maintain its appearance over a long period of time: can you imagine police wandering around in old-before-their-time teacore jackets? ).

I went looking at the Taylor's Leather website (https://taylorsleatherwear.com/) because of this thread, and frankly I wasn't impressed by the pictures. I was looking at a cross-zip moto jacket like the New Orleans (or Pittsburgh) and they look meh especially when compared to the Vanson CHP.

Here is a picture from their website on the New Orleans:
View attachment 393487

But then, I stumbled on this youtube video:

It shows somebody actually wearing it, and WOW, that looks mean and tough. Granted it's way over-sized for the model, but still, that looks like an indestructible SOB of a jacket. Hmmm... I can't find any other pictures of anybody actually wearing it. Now I'm intrigued, specially if one of those sales comes by.

Huge difference, isn't there? I bought mine on a great deal on ebay used; in truth, had I relied only on stock photos I agree, they don't look good. Loads of brands have this issue, both in the vintage / heritage market, and the motorcycle world in my experience. I suppose it's a modern equivalent of back in the 30s when if you went mail order you only had a drawing to go on, and you really had to rely on 'artistic interpretation'!

 

[hughesovka]

Many in these parts I suspect will find their leather a bit 'lacking in character' (a subjective, style preference, not a qualitative judgement), though for me that's a plus with this sort of thing where the design and maintaining that deep, smooth black look is what the jacket is all about. (Also worth noting, of course, that these jackets are first and foremost a uniform that needs to maintain its appearance over a long period of time: can you imagine police wandering around in old-before-their-time teacore jackets? ).

I'm certainly not an expert on leather, but the leather on my Taylors has a nice pebbled texture, and like I said before, it is seriously thick. Definitely a duty-ready garment. Speaking of functionality, it's nice and warm too. I wore it last night in 15 degree cold, and it did the trick nicely even with just a t-shirt on underneath. Very good! Looking forward to breaking it in

 

[f2002q]

I'm certainly not an expert on leather, but the leather on my Taylors has a nice pebbled texture, and like I said before, it is seriously thick. Definitely a duty-ready garment. Speaking of functionality, it's nice and warm too. I wore it last night in 15 degree cold, and it did the trick nicely even with just a t-shirt on underneath. Very good! Looking forward to breaking it in

If you don't mind posting a few pics of your jacket it would help me see the real thing?

 

[hughesovka]

If you don't mind posting a few pics of your jacket it would help me see the real thing?

Sure, check em out

 

[f2002q]

Sure, check em out
View attachment 393892
View attachment 393893
View attachment 393895 View attachment 393897

Wow, that does look thick !! I heard that they are oversized, how does the L fit ?

 

[hughesovka]

Wow, that does look thick !! I heard that they are oversized, how does the L fit ?

Yeah, its pretty heavy, definitely needs to be broken in but I bought it to wear it so that shouldn't be a problem lol. The large fits me well, I'm 5'10" and a wiry 170 lbs, it's not oversized but there's room for a sweater should I want to wear one. Sleeves length is perfect. It's cut high per the style, so the bottom of the jacket is right above my belt line.

 

[Doctor Damage]

For f2002Q, here's a New Orleans jacket by Taylors. The tags match hughesovka's new Chicago jacket so I suspect this is a non-USA-made jacket. The USA jackets had much different tags. Lest anyone fetishize USA made stuff, I have photos of a New Orleans jacket by Taylors which was made in the US from a horrible glossy plastic looking leather.

 

[f2002q]

For f2002Q, here's a New Orleans jacket by Taylors. The tags match hughesovka's new Chicago jacket so I suspect this is a non-USA-made jacket. The USA jackets had much different tags. Lest anyone fetishize USA made stuff, I have photos of a New Orleans jacket by Taylors which was made in the US from a horrible glossy plastic looking leather.

View attachment 393920 View attachment 393921 View attachment 393922 View attachment 393923

Thanks for the pictures. That does look like a substantial jacket, and I'm not too concerned about where it's made as long as its a quality product. At those prices, I'll be my beater motorcycle jacket.

At first glance, Taylor's website is not doing them any favors. They definitely have a much better product. If the police forces wear it, it has to be tough, but just looking at mediocre pictures doesn't convey that message.

Maybe the N.O. model, with the permanent liner may not be the best for me. The Pittsburg one has a removable liner, and it's the same design. Now to wait for the sale, and think of line to tell the better half why another jacket showed up!!

 

[hughesovka]

So after two weeks of solid wear, my opinion of my Taylor's remains very positive. I've made the Taylor's my new daily jacket just to break it in, which I'm accomplishing slowly. The leather is heavy duty, a mad dog could attack the sleeve and I think you'd be ok for a while. Breaking it in will take a bit of time, but I can only imagine it getting better with age. The quality re: the price point is considerable. My only gripe is that there are no hand pockets, but I knew that before I bought it

 

[Cornelius]

So after two weeks of solid wear, my opinion of my Taylor's remains very positive. I've made the Taylor's my new daily jacket just to break it in, which I'm accomplishing slowly. The leather is heavy duty, a mad dog could attack the sleeve and I think you'd be ok for a while. Breaking it in will take a bit of time, but I can only imagine it getting better with age. The quality re: the price point is considerable. My only gripe is that there are no hand pockets, but I knew that before I bought it

I've been told the No Exterior Pocket design on the CPD jackets was to provide fewer grab points for an opponent in a fight (though I'm sure it also had to do with discouraging "hands in the pockets" on duty), hence the unusually high number of interior pockets these jackets have.

Has been mentioned here already I believe, but the CPD leather jackets used to be fairly common on the Chicago punk scene in the '80s & '90s due to used ones being sold - with the lower "Police" half of the "Chicago Police" sleeve patch having been cut off - at an infamous Punk Boutique called "The Alley." IIRC by the mid-90s one would set you back the princely sum of $100.

 

[Cornelius]

+ that faux-fur interior kidney panel is great for stopping cold gusts of wind up the back (the windchill today is -5°F/-21°C - imagine being on patrol for 8-12 hours...)

 

[hughesovka]

+ that faux-fur interior kidney panel is great for stopping cold gusts of wind up the back (the windchill today is -5°F/-21°C - imagine being on patrol for 8-12 hours...)

Yeah it's definitely a working jacket. I live in New York and it's been a typically very cold January and the Taylor's CPD is one of the warmest jackets I own. Gloves are a must though

 

[Peter Mackin]

UK police force BKS motorcycle jacket. Handmade to the individual officer size. This one is just too big for me, it's probably a 42/44 Tall. Shame as its a magnificent jacket and immaculate. Any interest or trades,, it's only taking up wardrobe space.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I've been told the No Exterior Pocket design on the CPD jackets was to provide fewer grab points for an opponent in a fight (though I'm sure it also had to do with discouraging "hands in the pockets" on duty), hence the unusually high number of interior pockets these jackets have.

I once visited a Canadian manufacturer who made Chicago jackets and they told me the same thing.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Has been mentioned here already I believe, but the CPD leather jackets used to be fairly common on the Chicago punk scene in the '80s & '90s due to used ones being sold - with the lower "Police" half of the "Chicago Police" sleeve patch having been cut off - at an infamous Punk Boutique called "The Alley." IIRC by the mid-90s one would set you back the princely sum of $100.

View attachment 396577

The jackets from that era and older were actually a distinctive dark blue, not the modern-day black.

 

[Cornelius]

The jackets from that era and older were actually a distinctive dark blue, not the modern-day black.

Yes absolutely. And I've never seen that very particular shade of blue in any other jacket - which I'm sure was the intention.

 

[JMax]

I once visited a Canadian manufacturer who made Chicago jackets and they told me the same thing.

Uh-huh.

 

[yellowfever]

UK police force BKS motorcycle jacket. Handmade to the individual officer size. This one is just too big for me, it's probably a 42/44 Tall. Shame as its a magnificent jacket and immaculate. Any interest or trades,, it's only taking up wardrobe space. View attachment 396589 View attachment 396590 View attachment 396591

Nice. These are awesome and very underrated serious jackets. BKS is the Savile Row of UK motorbike leathers and the first company in the world to get CE certification for their leathers (not just the armour). From the label, this is an early pre-CE days jacket (when they were built to the UK Cambridge standard that the CE standard was subsequently heavily based on) so probably early 1990s and it has the concertina stretch panels behind the arms of these early models. It’s also a rare 4 pocket front design that some UK police forces specified instead of the more usual 2 front pockets, which I think looks nice and different. Lining zips out and everything is tank-like quality. Some later BKS police jackets were built down to price and whilst just as protective the leather wasn’t as heavyweight and eg the inner facings were made of material rather than leather, so a lighter weight jacket, but not as nice as earlier ones imo.

Anyway GLWS, if it fit me (sadly will be too big for me too) and I didn’t already have 4 BKS jackets I’d buy it!