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Vanson Chopper

jpk_NJ

One Too Many
Messages
1,217
Location
NJ
Just an in stock Chopper from Union Garage in NYC. The brass hardware / red lining called my name.
 

jpk_NJ

One Too Many
Messages
1,217
Location
NJ
Amazingly fast shipping from Union Garage. UPS ground to NJ the following day. That along with the excellent jacket quality are the positives. Definitely a much better hide than the Force I received and I believe this one is called the XL150 Heritage leather with hand finished waxy topcoat. I can see this breaking in and turning into an amazing jacket.
Unfortunately, I think the Medium is too skin tight in the upper chest and will never loosen up enough to let me breath comfortably. It fits perfect everywhere else. I'm 5'9 160, athletic chest, with a Forcefield Armor shirt underneath (Level 2). Thoughts??
image1-5.jpeg image2-3.jpeg
 

El Marro

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,581
Location
California
Amazingly fast shipping from Union Garage. UPS ground to NJ the following day. That along with the excellent jacket quality are the positives. Definitely a much better hide than the Force I received and I believe this one is called the XL150 Heritage leather with hand finished waxy topcoat. I can see this breaking in and turning into an amazing jacket.
Unfortunately, I think the Medium is too skin tight in the upper chest and will never loosen up enough to let me breath comfortably. It fits perfect everywhere else. I'm 5'9 160, athletic chest, with a Forcefield Armor shirt underneath (Level 2). Thoughts??
View attachment 135157 View attachment 135158
Looks like a perfect fit from the photos, but I have found that the jackets that are just a hair too tight for comfort always look great in pictures...
If your first impression is that it’s too tight you should probably try a size up.
 

Jejupe

Practically Family
Messages
957
Location
Finland
Looks like a perfect fit from the photos, but I have found that the jackets that are just a hair too tight for comfort always look great in pictures...

That, and jackets that are just a hair too tight for comfort tend to stay in closet. That's the case with me, at least.
 
Messages
10,598
It looks good. I will say that the X-150/Octagon type leathers do loosen a bit with wear. I guess it depends how constricting it feels to you right now.

This is a very different leather than CW and I very much enjoy how it breaks in. Great choice.
 

jacketjunkie

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,313
Location
Germany
Amazingly fast shipping from Union Garage. UPS ground to NJ the following day. That along with the excellent jacket quality are the positives. Definitely a much better hide than the Force I received and I believe this one is called the XL150 Heritage leather with hand finished waxy topcoat. I can see this breaking in and turning into an amazing jacket.
Unfortunately, I think the Medium is too skin tight in the upper chest and will never loosen up enough to let me breath comfortably. It fits perfect everywhere else. I'm 5'9 160, athletic chest, with a Forcefield Armor shirt underneath (Level 2). Thoughts??
View attachment 135157 View attachment 135158

Perfect fit, it is that size or no jacket at all, a size larger won't work, in my humble opinion. Only you can make the final call on how tight and restrictive it is, but I feel Vanson jackets will wear easier once the leather softens up and will give room here and there while it forms to your body and yours does not look overly tight...
 

jpk_NJ

One Too Many
Messages
1,217
Location
NJ
Unfortunately the next size up jumps to Large, which will then get sloppy everywhere else. Both photos show the two "folds" in the leather right near the outer chest where its tight. I can zip it fully no problem, but there is no excess room anywhere. Definitely a "second skin" fit which I suppose would be a plus for safety sake. But breathing comes first!
 
Messages
10,598
Unfortunately the next size up jumps to Large, which will then get sloppy everywhere else. Both photos show the two "folds" in the leather right near the outer chest where its tight. I can zip it fully no problem, but there is no excess room anywhere. Definitely a "second skin" fit which I suppose would be a plus for safety sake. But breathing comes first!

If you contact Vanson they will build you an in-between size, in the leather you want. That said, I think this looks great and with break-in will feel less constricting. I for one can hold my breath for long time lol.
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
Looks good to me. I think that if you size up it's probably going to end up being baggy at the waist and too long in the body and arms.
Unless you want to get one custom sized in between, i think this is as good as you will get.

(actually, if i remember right, M is 40 and L is 44, Vanson doesn't offer size 42 off the rack, but you might be able to get one from Thurston Bros.)
 
Messages
10,598
Looks good to me. I think that if you size up it's probably going to end up being baggy at the waist and too long in the body and arms.
Unless you want to get one custom sized in between, i think this is as good as you will get.

(actually, if i remember right, M is 40 and L is 44, Vanson doesn't offer size 42 off the rack, but you might be able to get one from Thurston Bros.)

They will build you a sized 42 Chopper, just need to ask them. Probably can get from TB too, no idea.
 
Messages
17,475
Location
Chicago
Amazingly fast shipping from Union Garage. UPS ground to NJ the following day. That along with the excellent jacket quality are the positives. Definitely a much better hide than the Force I received and I believe this one is called the XL150 Heritage leather with hand finished waxy topcoat. I can see this breaking in and turning into an amazing jacket.
Unfortunately, I think the Medium is too skin tight in the upper chest and will never loosen up enough to let me breath comfortably. It fits perfect everywhere else. I'm 5'9 160, athletic chest, with a Forcefield Armor shirt underneath (Level 2). Thoughts??
View attachment 135157 View attachment 135158
If you can get the zip all the way to the top like that it's not too tight! I could almost never do that with my cross zips! The fit certainly looks perfect!
 

jpk_NJ

One Too Many
Messages
1,217
Location
NJ
Hmm, words of wisdom from the cross zip master himself Ton! This is my first go at a cross zip style so maybe that’s it. Not used to any halfbelt or Cafe Racer being that “strapped in” at the upper chest when zipped. Almost like medieval armor or a straight jacket. Just trying to decide if it will ever “give” in that area with enough break in. No complaints about any other areas.

Yes, a 42 custom from TB or Vanson direct would be better I think but I need this for fall. Not up for a 2mth+ wait
 

marmalademan

Banned
Messages
373
I reckon if you break that in it's going to be perfect. But from what I know of Vsnson leather breaking it in aint gonna be much fun! Good luck
 
Messages
16,789
Amazingly fast shipping from Union Garage. UPS ground to NJ the following day. That along with the excellent jacket quality are the positives. Definitely a much better hide than the Force I received and I believe this one is called the XL150 Heritage leather with hand finished waxy topcoat. I can see this breaking in and turning into an amazing jacket.
Unfortunately, I think the Medium is too skin tight in the upper chest and will never loosen up enough to let me breath comfortably. It fits perfect everywhere else. I'm 5'9 160, athletic chest, with a Forcefield Armor shirt underneath (Level 2). Thoughts??
View attachment 135157 View attachment 135158

My thoughts are that this is the jacket you keep.
 

El Marro

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,581
Location
California
Unfortunately the next size up jumps to Large, which will then get sloppy everywhere else. Both photos show the two "folds" in the leather right near the outer chest where its tight. I can zip it fully no problem, but there is no excess room anywhere. Definitely a "second skin" fit which I suppose would be a plus for safety sake. But breathing comes first!
Yep, I checked the measurements out on union garage and there is a big jump from size to size. I agree that a large would be a sloppy fit pretty much everywhere.
 
Messages
17,475
Location
Chicago
Hmm, words of wisdom from the cross zip master himself Ton! This is my first go at a cross zip style so maybe that’s it. Not used to any halfbelt or Cafe Racer being that “strapped in” at the upper chest when zipped. Almost like medieval armor or a straight jacket. Just trying to decide if it will ever “give” in that area with enough break in. No complaints about any other areas.

Yes, a 42 custom from TB or Vanson direct would be better I think but I need this for fall. Not up for a 2mth+ wait
Man I think you nailed this puppy right to the ground. This is the exact way I'd want one to fit. The z-150 is no joke when new but it will relax, it's not a terribly fast process...but it certainly will.
 

felix03

One of the Regulars
Messages
124
Location
Castro Valley, CA
I'm 5'6" 165 with a size 33" waist and I have a chopper in a Medium: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/my-new-vanson-chopper.77944/#post-1807639
I like my jackets to be slim fitting but not tight. I think yours fits perfectly. Agree that the leather will loosen up over time and use -- I've had my comp weight chopper for about 4 years (maybe 100 wears total?) and it certainly has. Another thing to consider is that motorcycle armor will get thinner over time as technology improves so that fit is just gonna get better and better.
 

roadking04

Practically Family
Messages
938
Location
The Rock 'n Roll Capital
Looks like a proper m/c fit! Don't think you could do much better. Nothing worse than a jacket that balloons out and acts like a sail on the bike. I sized down on my highwayman, what a difference! Like night and day on the bike. I would rather have a tad snug than a tad loose for a true m/c jacket. The opposite would apply to a casual jacket.
 

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