What is the toughest leather available in a jacket?

[Darth Indiana]

Title pretty much says it all. My first jacket i got when i was about ten from Wilson's leather company, chosen because it was brown and had the square pockets. I can't recall what type of leather it is, but i've still got it because it was way too big at the time, and it's still in great shape. I've thoroughly abused this jacket, doing everything short of actually getting dragged behind a truck in it. Now i'm looking ot get a more SA jacket, and i want one that's at least as durable as that. In short, it should be truly adventure-worthy.

So, what kind of leather should I go for, and where should i go for the jacket? I'm willing to sacrifice screen-accuracy somewhat for greater durability, but i want it to at least be close-enough.

[Rundquist]

Title pretty much says it all. My first jacket i got when i was about ten from Wilson's leather company, chosen because it was brown and had the square pockets. I can't recall what type of leather it is, but i've still got it because it was way too big at the time, and it's still in great shape. I've thoroughly abised this jacket, doing everything short of actually getting dragged behind a truck in it. Now i'm looking ot get a more SA jacket, and i want one that's at least as durable as that. In short, it should be truly adventure-worthy.

So, what kind of leather should I go for, and where should i go for the jacket? I'm willing to sacrifice screen-accuracy somewhat for greater durablility, but i want it to at least be close-enough.

With that criteria in mind, I would suggest a Gibson & Barnes goatskin Expedition. It's pretty much considered the most indestructible Indy jacket on the market today. Cheers

[Bowie]

100% agree with Rundquist, the G&B just begs for adventure.

[Michaelson]

Wings no longer offers them.

Seriously, they used to make one!

Regard! Michaelson

[Rundquist]

Wings no longer offers them.

Seriously, they used to make one!

Regard! Michaelson

If they still made the Kangaroo jacket, it would have to be mentioned too.

[Michaelson]

Yep, though the 'roo jacket wasn't bullet proof.

Regard! Michaelson

[Weston]

I remember that! In the end, I picked up the Wings goatskin, it's as bulletproof as I need it to be. I don't imagine Kevlar breathes very well, though I could be wrong.

Weston

[Dr. Jones Jr.]

Kevlar breathes-not at all.

[CM]

Goat is very strong - I love mine. I also have Kanga (different jacket) it is even stronger, it seems, but not as soft and comfortable as my goat Wested. Goat is about as tough as you would ever need a jacket to be and the G&B sounds perfect because it appears to marry a great leather with sensational construction.

[DT]

I would also suggest the historic A-2 horsehide jacket at flightsuits.com. Not cheap, but is historically correct and will last forever.

[Darth Indiana]

so Goat and Horse are the top choices in terms of durability. What are the pros and cons of each? How do they compare? How are they different?

DT, the historic A-2 is nice, but it looks virtually identical to my old one. As i said, i'd like to get one that's a it more SA. More specifically the cuffs and waistband. The rest is close enough for me, but i want the leather, hemmed sleeve cuffs and waist.

The GB goat Expedition is looking good, but the price seems rather prohibitive; is there any way to get a good indy-style goatskin jacket for less?

[Darth Indiana]

what about he US Wings Goatskin Indy? It's about $150 less than the GB, which makes it very tempting. How does it compare the the GB in terms of leather quality, construction, etc.?

[gladd96]

I think you'll be satisfied with the durability of any of the jackets from the big 3 suppliers. I've always been a bit partial to a thick heavy cowhide because I find it offers the most protection from bumps and bruises. It tends to scar a bit but like Indy it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Goat is one of the prefered choices on COW because it looks a lot like lamb while providing good resistance to punctures and tears.

Personally I'd take advantage of the US Wings sale. The difference between a G&B and US Wings is the difference between an A+ and an A... Maybe not even that much. Personally I prefer the look of the Wested but the weak dollar and shipping along with the current workload at Wested make the US Wings offer a good option if you're happy with a standard size.

The bottom line is that it's hard to go wrong with leather. It's just a very tough material.

[Vegeta]

I think cowhide is more durable than goat isn't it??

[Weston]

I think cowhide is more durable than goat isn't it??

I don't think so Vegeta. I have both, and my goatskin jacket beats the cowhide in a number of areas. It is less prone to dry out, and is more resistant to abrasion. One area I watch on my jackets is the edge of the cuff. I had holes in my cowhide jacket after just a couple years, and my goatskin doesn't show hardly any wear at all on the cuffs. I also think the goatskin is a better insulator than cow. I can only voice an opinion on the jackets I have owned.

To be honest, I don't see anyone wearing out a cowhide, goatskin, or even a lambskin jacket through normal use. I guess if your job was juggling feral cats you might need something as thick as cow or horsehide. I've seen plenty of post where someone felt they now needed to distress thier lambskin jacket because after a few years it was still too new looking.

That said, I think they are all more than tough enough, but the goatskin tops the list.

Weston

[gladd96]

I think cowhide is more durable than goat isn't it??

I think cowhide is generally thicker than goat but goat seems to be a bit more impervious than cow. Cowhide requires more dressing to mantain.

If I'm making leather armor I'd use cowhide for it's thickness and inherent padding. If I want the best material for a jacket holding up to the years I'd go horsehide or goat. Any of these leathers will provide decades of wear so I'd choose the one that looks and feels best to your taste.

[Kokopelli]

Armadillo is the toughest. Heavy, though.

[gladd96]

Armadillo is the toughest. Heavy, though.

LOL!

Now I want an Armadillo skin jacket. How many of these little critters do you figure it'll take for a 44L? Should be pretty easy coming up with them as they like to play in traffic... cleaning the tire marks could be a bummer.

[Michaelson]

cleaning the tire marks could be a bummer.

I believe we've discussed 'pre-distressed' leather before now...

Regard! Michaelson

[Baldwyn]

With that criteria in mind, I would suggest a Gibson & Barnes goatskin Expedition. It's pretty much considered the most indestructible Indy jacket on the market today. Cheers

[/quote]

I've honestly broken both my arms while wearing my Gibson & Barnes expedition. My jacket still looks great (although I'm thinking of selling it...)

[Bjones]

so Goat and Horse are the top choices in terms of durability. What are the pros and cons of each? How do they compare? How are they different?

Pro's are that they are both tough and very water resistant. Cons, well that might be heavily subject to opinion. Horse will likely be a heavier jacket is one that comes to mind.

One difference to point out is that the goat will probably resist wearing for quite some time while the horse will get that "broken-in" look fairly quickly. Some folks here who try to distress their goat jackts have a rougher go of it than with some of the other hides. It keeps that new look longer. I don't think you can go wrong either way. I have the Wested horse and its a great jacket.

[interbak]

I continually read posts here and on other forums about cow drying out, and needing dressing, and special care. I've got cow hide motorcycle jackets that are 25 years old and have only ever been treated with rain and dead bugs, and they're in great shape, no drying, no rot, the finish isn't even worn off, even after a 75 mph slide down the pavement many years ago. I have worn cow for years, also have horse, goat and lamb. My first flight jacket was lamb, although it was a much, much heavier lamb than you'd ever get from Wested, probably heavier than their heaviest hide, and it took incredible abuse. It was my daily wearer, and travel the world with me for many years. In the end, if you buy a good quality leather jacket, not a costume piece that the leather was chosen to be light and "drapey", it should be pretty tough, and last through years of use and abuse, and only get better with age. I haven't actually seen a G&B Expedition in person, but it sounds like a really good choice.

Brian

[CM]

I continually read posts here and on other forums about cow drying out, and needing dressing, and special care. I've got cow hide motorcycle jackets that are 25 years old and have only ever been treated with rain and dead bugs, and they're in great shape, no drying, no rot, the finish isn't even worn off, even after a 75 mph slide down the pavement many years ago. I have worn cow for years, also have horse, goat and lamb. My first flight jacket was lamb, although it was a much, much heavier lamb than you'd ever get from Wested, probably heavier than their heaviest hide, and it took incredible abuse. It was my daily wearer, and travel the world with me for many years. In the end, if you buy a good quality leather jacket, not a costume piece that the leather was chosen to be light and "drapey", it should be pretty tough, and last through years of use and abuse, and only get better with age. I haven't actually seen a G&B Expedition in person, but it sounds like a really good choice. Brian

Yeah - G&B goat is probably the best choice. I think how leather ages isn't just down to the animal in question. It's also about the quality of the tanning, etc. Cow ain't just cow, if you know what I mean. I have found goat to be a delight. It's light and F****** tough. My Expo is a strong and well built item that just gets me asking, "Why would I look anywhere else for an Indy jacket?" Or, any jacket....

[IndianaSolo]

I continually read posts here and on other forums about cow drying out, and needing dressing, and special care. I've got cow hide motorcycle jackets that are 25 years old and have only ever been treated with rain and dead bugs, and they're in great shape, no drying, no rot, the finish isn't even worn off, even after a 75 mph slide down the pavement many years ago. I have worn cow for years, also have horse, goat and lamb. My first flight jacket was lamb, although it was a much, much heavier lamb than you'd ever get from Wested, probably heavier than their heaviest hide, and it took incredible abuse. It was my daily wearer, and travel the world with me for many years. In the end, if you buy a good quality leather jacket, not a costume piece that the leather was chosen to be light and "drapey", it should be pretty tough, and last through years of use and abuse, and only get better with age. I haven't actually seen a G&B Expedition in person, but it sounds like a really good choice. Brian

Yeah - G&B goat is probably the best choice. I think how leather ages isn't just down to the animal in question. It's also about the quality of the tanning, etc. Cow ain't just cow, if you know what I mean. I have found goat to be a delight. It's light and F****** tough. My Expo is a strong and well built item that just gets me asking, "Why would I look anywhere else for an Indy jacket?" Or, any jacket....

I concure with this statement. My goat expo is the best investment in a jacket I've ever made.