Vegecow Lewis Leathers quality

[Marc mndt]

I've read that veg tan leather doesn't repel rain as well as cxl. Just wondering if I get caught in the rain if that's a bad thing...?

It depends, some vegetable tanned leathers soak up water like a sponge (eg current LL vegetable tanned sheepskin) others can withstand a half hour walk through the rain without getting soaked (my ELMC Highwaystar). But sooner or later (rather sooner) vegetable tanned leather will become saturated with water, not keeping you dry.

The tricky part is not the getting wet part, but how it dries. You want to hang it in cool place, not crowded, etc. Ideally, you wear it dry and it'll form to your body.

+1 ^^

When vegetable tanned leather dries up too fast it will shrink. Therefore it's best to let it dry without any external heat sources. I once hung a jacket out to dry in the full summer sun, the body shrunk about 2 inches in length.

When your jacket does get wet, it's best to make sure the whole jacket gets wet evenly (not just parts). Otherwise You might get stains from the tannines. This is more of an issue with brown than with black leathers.

Like @TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead suggested, it's best to wear the jacket until dry. If you let it dry on a hanger you might get unwanted creases or the leather may stretch in cerain parts (the shoulder may stretch because that's where all the weight is focused). It's best to just lay the jacket on the floor while drying.

Now don't get scared to get your vegetable tanned jacket wet, there's no need to. As long as you know how (not) to dry it afterwards, you'll be fine.

 

[handymike]

Despite being described as a “smoother” hide, the Rutland Sheep does have some texture/ character to it.

 

[Aloysius]

Despite being described as a “smoother” hide, the Rutland Sheep does have some texture/ character to it.
View attachment 372436

If I got a Lightning, I think this would have to be the leather. The “vege cow” seems too fussy, the horsehide not Lewis enough, the former basic cow being a premium over horse is just weird, the British Racing Green seems better suited to something single breasted. But the Rutland sheep is interesting while on brand.

 

[Marc mndt]

the British Racing Green seems better suited to something single breasted.

I like how the brg looks on a crosszip too

 

[Aloysius]

I like how the brg looks on a crosszip too

View attachment 372696

Yeah I like the Cyclone in BRG, red (Pretenders style), etc. The Lightning I associate with black though.

 

[Joshua Holland]

Thanks all for the veg cow rain tips.

 

[Imuricecreamman]

Thanks all for the veg cow rain tips.

I'm gonna give mine another coat. SOaked up the first like it was nothing.

 

[Marc mndt]

I'm gonna give mine another coat. SOaked up the first like it was nothing.

Which one, your Lewis Leathers? Isn't it chrome tanned cow/horse? I thought they've only recently started to use vegetable tanned hides. I could be wrong though.

 

[Imuricecreamman]

Which one, your Lewis Leathers? Isn't it chrome tanned cow/horse? I thought they've only recently started to use vegetable tanned hides. I could be wrong though.

Yeah, I dunno what leather it is, but it still feels a bit dry. Gonna use my custom "SQUEEKMAKER 2000" mix

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Yeah I like the Cyclone in BRG, red (Pretenders style), etc. The Lightning I associate with black though.

I debated about this too. The classic black really kept luring me but in the end, I've got too many black cross zips and needed something different, so I went with the BRG Lightning. It should be here early next week, so we'll see. But I've seen enough to be confident about it. Also, I figured my chances of seeing a used black Lighting, Cyclone, Dominator was going to be higher, so I went with the BRG as a custom, and maybe I'll get lucky with a used one down the road.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Despite being described as a “smoother” hide, the Rutland Sheep does have some texture/ character to it.
View attachment 372436

The crumple grain is unique to (merino) sheepskin. And they are thick too. About 1.6mm thick. Sheepskin. Nice Rutland.

 

[Aloysius]

I debated about this too. The classic black really kept luring me but in the end, I've got too many black cross zips and needed something different, so I went with the BRG Lightning. It should be here early next week, so we'll see. But I've seen enough to be confident about it. Also, I figured my chances of seeing a used black Lighting, Cyclone, Dominator was going to be higher, so I went with the BRG as a custom, and maybe I'll get lucky with a used one down the road.

I do think colour is a big part of the Lewis heritage. Definitely can’t go wrong with it.

Horse on the other hand isn’t really a material I associate with British rocker/ton up/59 era. Seems much more something to court the newer retro and repro market. (I know some of the older Lewises were horse.)

 

[red devil]

I debated about this too. The classic black really kept luring me but in the end, I've got too many black cross zips and needed something different, so I went with the BRG Lightning. It should be here early next week, so we'll see. But I've seen enough to be confident about it. Also, I figured my chances of seeing a used black Lighting, Cyclone, Dominator was going to be higher, so I went with the BRG as a custom, and maybe I'll get lucky with a used one down the road.

Pics when you get it please. I think the design is so well balanced that it goes with all colours

 

[Marc mndt]

Updated pics after a few dozen wears.

 

[Pandemic]

^
It just keeps looking better!

 

[Aloysius]

Is this Rutland sheep?

 

[handymike]

That’s the Veg-tan BRG sheep.

I missed any discussion on the little sleeve pocket. Is there any rhyme or reason to it? I like it ok on the cross-zips, but thankfully my Dominator doesn’t have it. Some do- what gives?

 

[MrProper]

That’s the Veg-tan BRG sheep.

I missed any discussion on the little sleeve pocket. Is there any rhyme or reason to it? I like it ok on the cross-zips, but thankfully my Dominator doesn’t have it. Some do- what gives?

Fortunately, the pocket on the sleeve can be omitted when ordering a new one.
I guess it should be for change or something. But I don't like it that much and I would leave it out.

 

[Aloysius]

That’s the Veg-tan BRG sheep.

I missed any discussion on the little sleeve pocket. Is there any rhyme or reason to it? I like it ok on the cross-zips, but thankfully my Dominator doesn’t have it. Some do- what gives?

The analogy I'd use is: the sleeve pocket is to Lewis what the arcuates are to a denim brand. They're not the logo per se, but they're the second-most important bit of branding. It was introduced with the Twin-Track Bronx in the late 60s, which is why you don't see it on older designs like the Dominator (an early 60s take on the Rivetts Highwayman).

That's why I really don't like that many of the Japanese companies go so far as to copy that detail.

 

[handymike]

It doesn’t seem as cool to me as a “stash” pocket hidden in the collar on the East-West jackets. The Hippie styles lend themselves to something like that IMHO.