Holla people,
Been awhile since I've visited or posted at COW, but this thread piqued my interest. I purchased an XL Todd's Standard back in the summer, and must say that it's weathered two full seasons full of hectic living since then- and in wonderful form, as well.
The jacket gets regular, every day use, and I haven't given a moment's thought to babying the thing at all- in whatever weather conditions (some heavy rains and snows), and in whatever rocky geography (I'm an avid hiker). I buy my clothes to be worn, not to be gingerly cared for. I'm happy to report that the Todd's Standard appears to be perfectly willing to conform to my conditions.
I'm not exactly sure what most COW members do with (or to) their jackets, but I dare say I haven't been excessively "kind" to my Todd's, and durability hasn't once been an issue. I hear much discussion about the thin weight of the leather, but have personally found this only to make the jacket much more suitable for year-round wear in somewhat moderate climates (I'm in NC, where we do get all the seasons, but tend not to get terribly extreme conditions).
The jacket hasn't experienced any problems with stitching or tearing to my knowledge, and I was surprised to find that it wasn't at all out of place as a winter jacket, provided you had a layer or two under it.
I have also been pleased that the jacket has, in about 7 or 8 months of wear, developed some great natural distressing. I think the thin leather contributes to this, and it's certainly been a pleasant discovery for people like myself who don't favor artificial distressing.
My only complaint about the jacket is that the flap pockets are literally too small to make use of outside of car keys or ipods- I don't know that this problem is exclusive to Todd's, but it's a bit annoying that the pockets are essentially just for show, as I'm always needing to stuff something in a pocket. The handwarmer pockets are perfectly functional for me, but it would be nice to have effective use of both sets of pockets.
All in all, the Todd's Standard has been a positive jacket buying experience for me, and I think the best indication of this is the fact that I just haven't really had to think about the thing at all. It does what it's supposed to do, fits well, and isn't too hard on the eyes, either. I don't walk out the door in the mornings wondering whether my Todd's is going to make it back home in one piece, and I don't get excessively hot or uncomfortable when wearing it. Like most good clothing purchases, it hardly ever enters my mind. It just wears, and wears well- and I can't think of anything else it's supposed to be doing.
Truck
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<-Taken at WDW
<-Not taken in Egypt.
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If I were still up in Connecticut, I probably would want something more robust so I can understand where others come from in their perspectives. I think that's the great thing about having so many choices for jackets and forums like this to comment on them. You can easily break down the differences between each and make your decision based on your preference. In this case, a Todd's standard/custom would most likely cater to the needs of those of us in the warmer climates. Take care.
