Top Tier vs "#2"?

[cbass93]

I have been a fan of functional motorcycle leather jackets for half a century, have really only owned nicer old Harley's. Recently I have tried on a lot of jackets including Schott, Aero and Vanson......50th birthday present to myself. I have found Schott to be too tight in the arms in general and Aero a little short. Vanson has been by far the best fit coming from my old Harley. I have seen leather and stitching quality up front and can evaluate each. Personally I like thick, relatively dull hides that take some time and investment to break-in. Hardware wise I am not a huge fan most zippers and pulls I have seen on Vanson, like the older Harley custom pulls. My question is are brands like Langlitz, Thedi and Himel worth three times the price? As you know it is hard to get your hands on many of these jackets and the investment to order in time and money makes mail order trying on difficult. In general I have decided to keep and wear the jacket that I have tried on that fits me best and let go the though of getting a higher-end horsehide "off the rack" jacket. I think it's safe to say that if you were going to invest $2k in a jacket it would probably be better to be bespoke.....? For now, I LOVE MY VANSON/HARLEY CYCLE KING!!!

 

[El Marro]

My question is are brands like Langlitz, Thedi and Himel worth three times the price?

If we are talking about black motorcycle jackets then it is hard to say that anything is worth three times the price of a Vanson. Their patterns alone put them ahead of most other makers when it comes to comfort and function.
I have never owned a Himel but I have ordered custom from Langlitz and Thedi and I would not do so again. A stock size 46 Vanson fits me better out of the box then almost any custom jacket I’ve ever owned.

 

[cbez]

If you like the fit and style of the Vanson then yeah nothing else is gonna blow it out of the water. There is no real bespoke these days anyway.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Used jacket > new stock jacket > custom jacket
this is just my personal opinion. I get the most satisfaction out of used jackets. It’s usually way better value than new stock jackets or custom jackets, and I don’t have to wait a year or more before I get disappointed. Brands also matter very little to me, how the jacket (will) fit is the number one objective, then the quality of the leather, then everything else.

 

[VansonRider]

One of the reasons I’m such a Vanson fan is they make tracksuits that are sturdy enough that they’ll repair them after a get off.

The seams have fewer stitches per inch than is fashionable because fewer holes in the leather makes a stronger seam.

I hear good things about other brands but I’ll stick with the company that also cranks out bombproof track suits in there little factory in Fall River.

This was repaired ‘for functionality’ only. I just wanted it to keep me safe. They can also replace panels and make repairs invisible but that’s another tier for pricing.