Vanson Challenger aquired!

[VansonRider]

And WOW! even I forgot how stiff a fresh Vanson is! I got into leather jackets as a rider, more than "through jackets" but I have always appreciated classic built-to-be-repaired items.

My first Vanson was my only factory new buy, it was on closeout through New Enough Leathers dot com. It's the Satellite with solar leather and wind curtain vents.

The white solar treated leather has a softer hamd than the black competition, I imagine it's a bit more processed! Then the front of the torso is properfed with a nylon wind curtain behind it, so that softens up the front also. The result that I didn't realize at the time, was my jacket came half way broken in as new!

I've wanted a Challenger since forever for a specific reason. The properf with wind curtain effectively seals out the wind when closed, but its just thin windproof nylon behind the perferated leather, so it always rode a little colder than I'd have liked when temps dipped into the 50's.

The Avenger vent on the Challenger doesn't have that issue, because it closes with a leather curtain. Solid leather overtop of properf should act as a nice insulator when closed. Two layers of leather, and the inside one has perferations adding some dead air space.

Looks like they no longer offer the Challenger, (anyone have an idea when that happened?) But I've been searching for one that fits.

I just took delivery of this one that the owner said was worn six times and put away, and I have to believe him. It truly is in "nearly new" condition!

Anyhow, I'd actually forgotton HOW STIFF a new Vanson is! I love that I get to break it in to fit me specifically. I've broken in good boots that tore my ankles up on first wearing and have end up like custom slippers after a couple years. I know and appreciate molding heavy leather to fit just so.

But I want to say in the most admirable, positive, andnappreciative way, that this coat with double leather chest, made of hardly worn comp is a BEAST! It's like bending wood veneer into the shape of a jacket!

So just a happy post about my new coat, thanks for being here to read this, since my wife just shakes her head and rolls her eyes when I get excited over how well an object is made! I appreciate you!

 

[VansonRider]

It's buried in the novella I wrote abive but does anyone know when the Challenger was discontinued? I know my Satellite was made in the early 2000s, around '03 or '04. There are some slight build variations in the materials of the sleeve ram vent, and the exhaust and sleeve zipper pulls. I'm low key gathering info for a rough dating timeline. I'd like to do a write up similiar to to the woolrich dating guide.

 

[VansonRider]

I picked up another Challenger, a Night Challenger with reflective piping. It's older than the one I posted about. It has the "wet clay" leather and the Delrin front zipper. And it's smaller! It's the same nominal size, both are 46" but the shoulder to shoulder on the old one is 23" and the more recent one is 24". So at some point they've increased the ease. This 46 feels lime the Highwayman I have in 44. I have a new to me Cobra coming in 44 this weekend, so I'll have another data point. It's the same as the Solar Cobra (Satalite) pictured above, but a larger size to fit my current weight.