So I was looking for a jacket to wear on an upcoming fall ride with my father, out of Chicago and up thru Wisconsin. I've sold off most my jackets and besides a Vanson model E, I've only got my Aero 30's HB and since the Vanson is entirely to warm for anything less than 40 degrees and I'm far to protective of my Aero for riding, I went looking and came across this jacket on the outlet page of the SB site. It's tagged a 40" but the numbers were really spot on for me. 20" across the shoulder, 23" across the chest and 26" lengths. Damn near a carbon copy, numbers wise, of the Vanson model B I sold about a year ago, when I all but resigned myself to going to Target first thing Saturday morning and not getting on my bike.
The jacket is really nice, especially for riding. The armholes are really high cut, sleeves are trim, and the main zip is a fat #8 Talon. Full action back. The leather is Horween Warhawk burgundy and reminds me of a dull version of the CXL Cordo. It's heavy and stiff and doesn't demonstrate the same memory that CXL does. It certainly doesn't wrinkle and hold those wrinkles as quickly. It has a sponge-ish quality and rebounds when not on. I absolutely love the pattern. The d pocket at the chest is much easier to access when riding and is leather lined so it's easy to get stuff out (like a crumpled dollar bill at a toll plaza). I'm not crazy about the plaid lining but thankfully it's lightweight and not too warm and it's got some pink in it so my daughter thinks it's really nice. The price and numbers made it impossible to resist and I'm glad I pounced on it. I think it'll work quite well as a functional jacket and I'm sure I'll put it thru its paces. Haven't had my bike out in almost two years so I'm anxiously awaiting breaking this guy in and reconnecting with a hobby that I all but gave up on since becoming a father myself. Now, time to bust the rust off this relic.
The jacket is really nice, especially for riding. The armholes are really high cut, sleeves are trim, and the main zip is a fat #8 Talon. Full action back. The leather is Horween Warhawk burgundy and reminds me of a dull version of the CXL Cordo. It's heavy and stiff and doesn't demonstrate the same memory that CXL does. It certainly doesn't wrinkle and hold those wrinkles as quickly. It has a sponge-ish quality and rebounds when not on. I absolutely love the pattern. The d pocket at the chest is much easier to access when riding and is leather lined so it's easy to get stuff out (like a crumpled dollar bill at a toll plaza). I'm not crazy about the plaid lining but thankfully it's lightweight and not too warm and it's got some pink in it so my daughter thinks it's really nice. The price and numbers made it impossible to resist and I'm glad I pounced on it. I think it'll work quite well as a functional jacket and I'm sure I'll put it thru its paces. Haven't had my bike out in almost two years so I'm anxiously awaiting breaking this guy in and reconnecting with a hobby that I all but gave up on since becoming a father myself. Now, time to bust the rust off this relic.
) I have a 2 year old custom jacket in the same Vintage Warhawk Burgundy and it's ageing very nicely showing lighter and darker tones at wear points. I got a little bit of rub off on high wear areas ( and I mean a little on the collar of a pale blue T-shirt but it stopped very quickly - within 2 weeks or so - and was pretty minimal TBH)
