Kevin O'Sullivan
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 120
A few months ago I received some great feedback on a Thedi Memphis HH jacket I had purchased through Thurston Bros. I have always been impressed by the knowledge of this forum and the value it brings to the community. Jackets on day 1 are almost never representative of jackets on day 120 so I wanted to provide my own feedback on the break-in process for a jacket the community helped me purchase, in the event it is informative for future buyers. In summary the HH has softened up a good bit thankfully, but I don't think it will ever get in the same league of softness that the calf/deer/goat/lamb leathers do. It's conformed to my body but it remains a heavy suit of armor.
Below are some comparison photos from day 1 to day 120, and a few musings. I want to give a thanks upfront to @Marc mndt , @torfjord , @MrProper, Panhead and Del and everyone else that helped me better understand the process of buying and breaking in leather jackets and what to expect in general. This is a truly great community.
Musings:
1) I will say that everyone was right on the length being a bit too long. However, I would counterpoint that if you spend a measurable amount of time sitting or at bars in public, the additional torso length can be very beneficial provided you went with a double zipper and can sit with it zipped up. Having your lower back covered while sitting a game changer if it's a chilly outdoor bar, as they can be in the Northeast United States.
2) Everybody was right about it being snug- really snug- under the arms. It maybe expanded an 1", 1.5" tops on pit to pit after wearing it on the spin bike and sweating, hiking miles upon miles in it, intentionally trying to stretch it through flexing my delts while driving for hours, etc. The pit to pit is an absolutely critical measurement, maybe more than anything else as other matters can be of style. An overly tight P2P made the break in process very uncomfortable, although I am happy with it now. Save yourself all my silliness, order the right P2P.
3) The back flare did settle down, but with this style of split back it still will billow out if I breathe in deeply or have relaxed posture. Again, having a larger P2P would have helped this be less of a problem.
4) The shoulders are still a bit sharp and breaking in didn't help, haven't quite sloped down for me. My shoulders may be too sloped, but it's a nitpick at this point. Probably would need to go custom to get a better match for my shoulder profile. So be aware if the jacket doesn't fit your shoulder profile up front, it may never fit the way you dream it will. Doesn't mean it's a return or sale necessarily, but be realistic.
5) The quality of the jacket remains insane. I wear it 3-4 days a week and every single stitch has remained absolutely perfect. No pulling, no fraying, nothing.
That's all! Happy hunting my friends.
Below are some comparison photos from day 1 to day 120, and a few musings. I want to give a thanks upfront to @Marc mndt , @torfjord , @MrProper, Panhead and Del and everyone else that helped me better understand the process of buying and breaking in leather jackets and what to expect in general. This is a truly great community.
Musings:
1) I will say that everyone was right on the length being a bit too long. However, I would counterpoint that if you spend a measurable amount of time sitting or at bars in public, the additional torso length can be very beneficial provided you went with a double zipper and can sit with it zipped up. Having your lower back covered while sitting a game changer if it's a chilly outdoor bar, as they can be in the Northeast United States.
2) Everybody was right about it being snug- really snug- under the arms. It maybe expanded an 1", 1.5" tops on pit to pit after wearing it on the spin bike and sweating, hiking miles upon miles in it, intentionally trying to stretch it through flexing my delts while driving for hours, etc. The pit to pit is an absolutely critical measurement, maybe more than anything else as other matters can be of style. An overly tight P2P made the break in process very uncomfortable, although I am happy with it now. Save yourself all my silliness, order the right P2P.
3) The back flare did settle down, but with this style of split back it still will billow out if I breathe in deeply or have relaxed posture. Again, having a larger P2P would have helped this be less of a problem.
4) The shoulders are still a bit sharp and breaking in didn't help, haven't quite sloped down for me. My shoulders may be too sloped, but it's a nitpick at this point. Probably would need to go custom to get a better match for my shoulder profile. So be aware if the jacket doesn't fit your shoulder profile up front, it may never fit the way you dream it will. Doesn't mean it's a return or sale necessarily, but be realistic.
5) The quality of the jacket remains insane. I wear it 3-4 days a week and every single stitch has remained absolutely perfect. No pulling, no fraying, nothing.
That's all! Happy hunting my friends.
