Having owned both this LW j23:Are lost worlds jackets even motorcycle jackets? I know for certain aeros are not. I know lw looks the part as does aero. Vanson knows a thing or 3 about moto gear, id feel very safe in something of theirs if you fit something they have in stock or if you can find your size on the bay. Give bates a call and see what they have to say. Theyve told me repeatedly that they can do anything i want. Johnsons comes up alot here, id give them a call too.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk
SkyTurtle, thanks for the opinion and pics. Your 618 looks cool with all the patches. If I end up with a Schott, I would opt for the stars. I am a little confused as to the thickness of the leather. I have a Vanson and it is 3.5oz cow. Schott lists their horsehide as 3-3.5oz. Wouldn't they both offer about the same protection, maybe even a slight edge to the horsehide for its tighter fibers/slide resistance?....
Very true. The full action back makes ALL the difference. The gussets are purely there for optics. Aero full action back works, as it should.One other thing; Aero's full action back is great on a bike. The J106 I've had was a really good and comfortable motorcycle jacket. It's a whole different cut from the MC jacket but... It's also a good alternative to consider. Maybe, just maybe they could do a standard Perfecto front with a full action back, based on a J106 design. Again, great jacket on a bike.
Maybe a Vanson Thunderbird then? Very similar design-wise but certainly a good bit heavier. Leather thickness won't matter too much in a crash though, all of these jackets will keep your skin safe in a slide, in a crash you'll be equally funked in any of them, so you may want to pick the one whichever you like best design-wise..
If you want a biking jacket, I'd rule out Aero and LW, these are repro jackets and look the deal, but won't be able to keep up with the functionality and range of motion of a real biking jacket such as from Vanson or Langlitz or a Johnson Leather who offer 4+ oz leather too...
You could also go for a used Cal Leather jacket from the bay if you want something heavy, these are made from actually ridicoulously thick leather.
Are lost worlds jackets even motorcycle jackets? I know for certain aeros are not. I know lw looks the part as does aero. Vanson knows a thing or 3 about moto gear, id feel very safe in something of theirs if you fit something they have in stock or if you can find your size on the bay. Give bates a call and see what they have to say. Theyve told me repeatedly that they can do anything i want. Johnsons comes up alot here, id give them a call too.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk
Thanks, roadking. Yeah, I got the stars from Jerri at Schott and installed them on my 618. That's why a lot of people mistake it for a 613 with extra snaps.
Thankfully, my experience with spills is limited and almost exclusively from third parties who have offed on track days where it's a fast hard slide for a short distance until you hit the grass or the kitty litter. But according to testimony the three most important components -- in order -- always seem to be armor, leather, stitching (so your "Power Ranger" comment is apt!).
I try to wear armor whenever I do longer, highway rides and I do have slip-on Leatt elbow guards that I'll occasionally used under a Vanson Manx or Thunderbird but around town I'm usually not armored.
I have no experience with the Schott horsehide but the steerhides just do not feel as heavy as Vanson's competition weight leather nor do they take nearly as long to break in. It literally takes me three full seasons to completely break in a Vanson comp weight. But once it's broken in it feels like a second skin.
The stitching on a Vanson just feels bulletproof. Period. Just don't get the same impression from my Schott. I once heard a rumor about Vanson's stitching. It's intriguing, but I can't verify its authenticity: Around the time Vanson was flirting with the factories in El Salvador, I heard/read that, when asked, someone at Vanson said it took a couple of years to learn the stitching techniques they use on their racing leathers and it was becoming harder and harder to find workers in the US willing to invest time to "apprentice" in such a technique before becoming technically competent. In other countries (such as El Salvador) though, there are plenty of craftsmen willing to do so. Could be true, could be well-crafted marketing lore. But tugging at a shoulder seam on a Vanson it's hard to argue.
MY BOTTOM LINES ON THE TWO:
SCHOTT
1 - True piece of American motorcycling history (they designed the first motorcycle jacket and bought the company that probably made Brando's jacket)
2 - Absolutely wonderful, helpful and knowledgeable people at the factory
3 - Great leather for looks and protection
4 - Excellent craftsmanship
5 - Outstanding customer service and will stand by their product
6 - If Schott were a car it would be a: BMW 3 Series
7 - The jacket I'd want to be wearing in any photograph featuring me
VANSON
1 - Made in USA
2 - Polite people who always seem too busy to talk
3 - Tough leather that ages beautifully
4 - Consistently outstanding craftsmanship
5 - Customer service is hit-or-miss; I prefer third parties like Thurston Bros. or my BMW dealership
6 - If Vanson were a car it would be a: Humvee
7 - The jacket I'd want to be wearing in any accident featuring me
From the info I could gather:
Lost Worlds uses a 4.0 oz Heavy horsehide, with lighter weights available
Vanson uses a 3.5 oz cowhide for their comp. weight
Aero uses a 3.0 oz cxl horween leather for their heavy horsehide
Langlitz no longer offer their heavy cowhide and their medium weight comes in at 3 oz
Schotts "claim" to use 3-3.5 oz for their horsehide.
Not sure what to do, I am starting to doubt Schott. I definitely don't want a flimsy jacket. I am getting worried the Schott might not survive a crash.