Who Made Leatherman’s CHP Jacket?

[Kalmer]

Dear friends, I just noticed that the Leatherman store based in NY has its own CHP jacket, and am trying to find out which maker made them.

One easily noticeable feature is that those jackets have very round corners in the lapels. Also, they have a very short bottom part of the back panel and are without any belt loops. Apart from that, they look quite similar to Cal.
Here I attached some images.

Anyone here knows about the maker or anything about this jacket? All kinds of inputs are welcome! Thanks in advance.



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[Doctor Damage]

First, it's not a CHP jacket. Those have a bunch of belt loops around the waist and a different pocket config on the front.

Second, I'm gonna guess it's made by Branded Leather, which is located just over in Long Island. They make police jackets and (1) the leather looks the same as what they use, (2) the overall construction details and drape and shape looks like Branded, and (3) the way the shoulder straps have been sewn and affixed is just like Branded. They used to have a website but I can't find it anymore.
Here's a FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Branded-Leather/161953380489644
Here's google maps: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Br...2ee8401ed9720e!8m2!3d40.7457499!4d-73.9293661

 

[Carlos840]

How is it not a CHP? Its a beltless CHP!

Photo 2: http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Motorcycle_Jackets_Highway_Patrol.htm

 

[ton312]

It absolutely is a CHP by design but I would hazard a guess not by function. Just like the gorgeous Llad leathers crosszip I owned these jackets had a targeted market. Not m/c cops. Well maybe some but not entirely. And yes, of course, NTTAWWT.

 

[El Marro]

How is it not a CHP? Its a beltless CHP!

Yep. I actually prefer my CHP jackets this way and I have two of them. I mean three of them.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I've taken a look at some photos I have and I'll try to find more later but I'm right. The CHP jackets had a kidney pad that extends downwards in the middle back, plus two snap-closure belt loops on the front and three on the back. Many of them also didn't have shoulder straps. I agree the jacket posted shares a general design similarity to CHP jackets, but those two sets of details distinguish it as a civilian jacket. As we all know, there are tons of overlap between civilian and police jackets, so it's kinda being picky, but hey that's what this forum is all about.

 

[Carlos840]

I've taken a look at some photos I have and I'll try to find more later but I'm right. The CHP jackets had a kidney pad that extends downwards in the middle back, plus two snap-closure belt loops on the front and three on the back. Many of them also didn't have shoulder straps. I agree the jacket posted shares a general design similarity to CHP jackets, but those two sets of details distinguish it as a civilian jacket. As we all know, there are tons of overlap between civilian and police jackets, so it's kinda being picky, but hey that's what this forum is all about.

I can't help but notice that you are a guy who mostly posts about overcoats, suits, and celebrities jackets telling a bunch of guys who are massive leather jacket nerds that they are wrong...
I'm sorry, you are wrong!
To anyone who is into leather jackets, the jacket posted in the OP is a CHP style leather jacket.
I am not saying it is made for police use, or used by current police forces, barely that it is a "CHP style" jacket.

It might or might not have belt loops, badge holder, back dip and shoulder tabs, it is still a CHP style jacket...

 

[Kalmer]

This thread is going towards an unexpected direction [emoji23]

Agree with Carlos. It’s just jackets, not some scientific categorizing. There’s no such an extremely accurate definition of which style must have which elements at the same time.

Makers can borrow all different elements from different styles, and how to define it is really a subjective thing.

Of course someone can insist on his/her own opinion, but there’s no need to force others to accept it. After all, it’s not a scientific area, there isn’t too much ‘objective truth’ here.


And BTW, how do you guys like this style and think of leather quantity? Is it something worth giving a shot?


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[El Marro]

It might or might not have belt loops, badge holder, back dip and shoulder tabs, it is still a CHP style jacket...

Once again I agree. Unlike the A2 or G1 jackets there are not specific published standards that define or distinguish whether a jacket is a CHP or not.
On the website for Johnson leathers they mention that among other police departments they make jackets for some members of the California Highway Patrol. I would not be at all surprised to learn that companies such as Bates, Cal Leathers, or Vanson also make jackets for them. My point is that there is no one style, feature, or brand that defines what is a CHP jacket.

 

[Carlos840]

Even this jacket would IMO qualify as a CHP jacket :

https://www.elmc.co/highway-star-black-p-278.html

It has no side laces, no belt loops, no badge holder, no back dip, no sleeve zips, still it has all the style cues of a CHP leather jacket!
I wonder why they called it "Highway Star", It's a mystery what that name relates to!

 

[Monitor]

What @Doctor Damage means is that this particular version of the style never saw use with the police, which I believe is true but yeah, I agree with @Carlos that there is no doubt that this is a CHP jacket. Other than the longer/curved kidney panel, the jacket is in fact based on the exact same pattern CAL used for the regular CHP.

But back to the original question, who made the jacket, CAL will proudly tell you they used to make this jackets for Leatherman, though this has been discontinued years, possibly decades ago. I'm not sure how it can still be found in the Leatherman shop though it could be some other maker is making a copy of it nowadays.

As for the jacket itself, I'm pretty sure this style has been made exclusively for the gay leather scene. NTTAWWT, of course.

 

[Todd M.]

It looks just like a Cal Leathers CHP.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Even this jacket would IMO qualify as a CHP jacket :

[URL]https://www.elmc.co/highway-star-black-p-278.html

It has no side laces, no belt loops, no badge holder, no back dip, no sleeve zips, still it has all the style cues of a CHP leather jacket!
I wonder why they called it "Highway Star", It's a mystery what that name relates to!

https://youtu.be/Wr9ie2J2690[/URL]

 

[Leather Walker]

Dear friends, I just noticed that the Leatherman store based in NY has its own CHP jacket, and am trying to find out which maker made them.

One easily noticeable feature is that those jackets have very round corners in the lapels. Also, they have a very short bottom part of the back panel and are without any belt loops. Apart from that, they look quite similar to Cal.
Here I attached some images.

Anyone here knows about the maker or anything about this jacket? All kinds of inputs are welcome! Thanks in advance.

Hi @Kalmer This is a Cal, you can be sure. It's their current pattern. Here one owned by the architect Peter Marino: the same as you've shown but with belt loops and mid-weight leather.

And this one is like the 1st you attached: same weight leather.

 

[Kalmer]

Hi @Kalmer This is a Cal, you can be sure. It's their current pattern. Here one owned by the architect Peter Marino: the same as you've shown but with belt loops and mid-weight leather.
View attachment 184665

And this one is like the 1st you attached: same weight leather.
View attachment 184666

That’s interesting to know! But is this style exclusive for gay leather scene though?


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[ton312]

That’s interesting to know! But is this style exclusive for gay leather scene though?


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No, but the bluf scene has a specific style that they patronize. They buy more langlitz leather jackets than this entire forum quadrupled.

 

[Carlos840]

That’s interesting to know! But is this style exclusive for gay leather scene though?


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Not exclusive, but as @ton312 said, the Padded Langlitz Columbia with Competition Breeches is pretty much the standard uniform for that scene...
Here is a good review of the ensemble:

Cal has also been in the scene for a while, the guy who drew Tom of Finland used them in his drawings, as can be seen in this photo of Tom's room:

 

[Leather Walker]

Indeed. In BLUF scene you can see that almost everybody wears Langlitz, but I don't know why. Langlitz jackets are expensive, even the 2nd-hand ones! In 70s & 80s there were more brands and styles worn, but Langlitz jackets are the most nowadays.

 

[JMax]

Indeed. In BLUF scene you can see that almost everybody wears Langlitz, but I don't know why. Langlitz jackets are expensive, even the 2nd-hand ones! In 70s & 80s there were more brands and styles worn, but Langlitz jackets are the most nowadays.

Well, they can take pretty much anything thrown their way.

 

[El Marro]

I think Wesco has a huge share of the boot market in the BLUF scene as well. Particularly the engineer boots with 24” (or taller) shafts and multiple buckles top and bottom.