Leather with Wool Liner

[28gauge]

I was looking at a Schott horseside jacket with a wool liner. Not insulated in any way, just wool fabric. Any opinions on a wool liner; particularly motorcycling in warmer weather?

 

[Carlos840]

I was looking at a Schott horseside jacket with a wool liner. Not insulated in any way, just wool fabric. Any opinions on a wool liner; particularly motorcycling in warmer weather?

How can it have a wool liner and not be insulated in any way? Those are literally contradictory statements...
Wool is an insulator, it's pretty warm as a liner, warmer than cotton.

Riding in warm weather with a wool liner is IMO i bad idea, might as well wear a sweat suit.

 

[28gauge]

I was just wondering how often it is used in higher end leather jackets. By not insulated I mean it is not quilted in any way. I think (and this is where I need some help) that wool doesn't necessarily have to be hot when thin. it wicks heat away. There are summer wool dress suits, and wool is used in hiking socks for the summer as well.

 

[Carlos840]

I was just wondering how often it is used in higher end leather jackets. By not insulated I mean it is not quilted in any way. I think (and this is where I need some help) that wool doesn't necessarily have to be hot when thin. it wicks heat away. There are summer wool dress suits, and wool is used in hiking socks for the summer as well.

I'm not sure you can compare a wool suite or a wool whicking shirt to a wool lining in a leather jacket.
In a leather jacket the lining is inside a leather bag that doesn't breath much, there is little whicking going on.
All it's doing is trapping more heat next to your body than cotton would.

I have two CXL Aero Bootleggers, one with a thin cotton lining, one with a wool tartan.
There is a noticeable difference in felt warmth between the two.
I cannot wear the wool lined one above 10-12c (50f-54f) but i can wear the cotton lined one up to 19c-20c (66f-68f).

I mean it's basically the equivalent of wearing a wool jumper underneath you jacket, if you are comfortable wearing a wool jumper in the middle of summer you might be ok with it, i turn into a big sweaty mess if i do that...

If you want a jacket you can wear as often as possible, cotton drill is the most versatile.

 

[Davy Crockett]

I think Aero offer three different thicknesses of the tartan wool (Lochcarron) lining, I have a jacket which is lined with the thinnest and believe me you would not be able to tell the difference between that and a thin cotton lining, I think you may have the Strome lining which is classed as heavy and naturally would be much warmer, but the lightweight option is probably thinner than cotton drill and no warmer.

D

 

[28gauge]

I think Aero offer three different thicknesses of the tartan wool (Lochcarron) lining, I have a jacket which is lined with the thinnest and believe me you would not be able to tell the difference between that and a thin cotton lining, I think you may have the Strome lining which is classed as heavy and naturally would be much warmer, but the lightweight option is probably thinner than cotton drill and no warmer.

D

That's what Schott is saying. That it's a very thin fabric.

 

[Harris HTM]

I mean it's basically the equivalent of wearing a wool jumper underneath you jacket

Not 100% precise, unless the sleeves are also lined in wool (not practical).

and believe me you would not be able to tell the difference between that and a thin cotton lining

This is also my experience with the normal thickness Lochcarron. The only fabric I can tell the difference with cotton (leaving ofcourse shearling aside) is the Alpaca (a bit warmer) and Tweed (quite warmer).

 

[28gauge]

If it's a higher end jacket ($1400), if not for warmth why use wool; is it more durable?

 

[Harris HTM]

If it's a higher end jacket ($1400), if not for warmth why use wool; is it more durable?

My experience with thin lochcarron wool and heavy cotton drill is that cotton is far more durable. The wool tartan (at least at my case) started wearing out fast at points of stress/friction.

 

[Carlos840]

Not 100% precise, unless the sleeves are also lined in wool (not practical).


This is also my experience with the normal thickness Lochcarron. The only fabric I can tell the difference with cotton (leaving ofcourse shearling aside) is the Alpaca (a bit warmer) and Tweed (quite warmer).

I don't know, i run hot and for me a wool liner is never an option in summer.
Even the thinnest Locharon tartan is too much for me.

I would rather wear a cotton lined jacket, i even prefer wearing a LW with a double liner (cotton inner layer with a nylon outer layer), it is IMO less sweaty than wool.

I agree with you that cotton is far more durable than wool though.

 

[Harris HTM]

I don't know, i run hot and for me a wool liner is never an option in summer.
Even the thinnest Locharon tartan is too much for me.

I would rather wear a cotton lined jacket, i even prefer wearing a LW with a double liner (cotton inner layer with a nylon outer layer), it is IMO less sweaty than wool.

I agree with you that cotton is far more durable than wool though.

Maybe you're right, also in the summer I feel more comfortable with cotton lined leather jackets than the wool lined ones. However when it's colder I cannot say that the (thin) wool lined ones are warmer, if that makes sense.

 

[Carlos840]

Maybe you're right, also in the summer I feel more comfortable with cotton lined leather jackets than the wool lined ones. However when it's colder I cannot say that the (thin) wool lined ones are warmer, if that makes sense.

I full agree with that.
IMO the felt difference between wool and cotton is more obvious in warm weather than in cold weather.

To me wool is too warm for most of the year, but not warm enough for winter, even in strome thickness.
It is basically the worst of both world and the reason i tend to avoid it if i can.
Cotton or satin is far more usable in day to day life for me.

 

[Nykwil]

I think it’s easier to layer in a warmer shirt than to constantly carry that extra warmth with you.

Wool in leather is definitely pretty warm unless you run cool or live in a constant cold climate. Leather doesn’t really breath and traps in my body heat for me pretty easily so I’m happy with a thinner lining

 

[28gauge]

I think it’s easier to layer in a warmer shirt than to constantly carry that extra warmth with you.

Wool in leather is definitely pretty warm unless you run cool or live in a constant cold climate. Leather doesn’t really breath and traps in my body heat for me pretty easily so I’m happy with a thinner lining

Case closed! Sounds like it's warmer and less durable. I live in Tucson; so it's not for me. I'm also thinking a horsehide is too heavy as well.

 

[Carlos840]

Case closed! Sounds like it's warmer and less durable. I live in Tucson; so it's not for me. I'm also thinking a horsehide is too heavy as well.

There are heavy stiff horsehides and thin flexible ones, saying "a horsehide is too heavy" is a blanket statement that doesn't really make sens.

 

[Harris HTM]

I'm also thinking a horsehide is too heavy as well.

Not per se. Other hides can be thicker and heavier than horsehide. Also, depending on the tanning process, steerhide can feel stiffer than horsehide.

 

[28gauge]

Not per se. Other hides can be thicker and heavier than horsehide. Also, depending on the tanning process, steerhide can feel stiffer than horsehide.

I've seen a couple of steerhide jackets that were like armor. I have a goatskin that's really quite supple; and it is supposed to be very durable. Mine doesn't have much wear on it. I'm looking for a new jacket for the bike that will take on a nice patina. Goatskin, at least mine, doesn't seem to promise that quality.

 

[Seb Lucas]

The qualities of a leather are often more about how it was tanned and processed than the actual hide. Any leather can be soft or hard depending on the process. Then there's the question of how thick the hide is. Goat is my favourite - you can get veg tanned gaot which fades and ages well. I prefer the burnished look of goat, as per 50 year-old G1 jackets.

I have a wool tartan liner in my Vicenza HH half-belt and I live in a very hot country. I got it because that was the liner available on the day. Cotton drill is stronger. Mine has worn fine so far but I don't wear the jacket much - maybe 40 days a year. I can't tell if it is warmer or cooler than cotton. When the weather is warmer, I am unlikely to wear a leather jacket, so the liner is kind of irrelevant.

 

[28gauge]

The qualities of a leather are often more about how it was tanned and processed than the actual hide. Any leather can be soft or hard depending on the process. Then there's the question of how thick the hide is. Goat is my favourite - you can get veg tanned gaot which fades and ages well. I prefer the burnished look of goat, as per 50 year-old G1 jackets.

I have a wool tartan liner in my Vicenza HH half-belt and I live in a very hot country. I got it because that was the liner available on the day. Cotton drill is stronger. Mine has worn fine so far but I don't wear the jacket much - maybe 40 days a year. I can't tell if it is warmer or cooler than cotton. When the weather is warmer, I am unlikely to wear a leather jacket, so the liner is kind of irrelevant.

Mine has more of a finish on it.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Those old Avirex jackets are entry level garments but can age really well. They need to be worn a lot. It used to take around 5 years or reagular wear for a jacket to start showing some good character. These days there are hides with ready made character when new.