SFGiant wrote: ↑Fri Oct 14, 2022 5:59 am
I'm looking at Aeros and they're very expensive, but I think the difference is they use high quality brand name horsehides. It seems to me Wested might source whatever leather is available and don't concern themselves with particular brands of leather etc, but at the pricepoint they are very very nice.
Anyway to anyone with a Legacy Raiders (or Temple if it's the same exact leather) - how shiny and soft (both smooth to the touch and non-stiff when moving it around in your fingers) is the leather when first new? I am starting to really feel like Wested's Authentic brown lambskin is perfect except for the gray undertone. I wouldn't really want to sacrifice the shiny or softness.
Since I snagged the Legacy Raiders and LC last month when the pound tanked and I've got a few Wested jackets and I took a picture for comparison, I figured I'd chime in.
From "dullest" to "shiniest"
https://imgur.com/a/Otj5YYn
I'd say the Legacy Raiders and LC are at a mid-point in terms of "shine" when new.
The B3 and distressed hide standard LC are a very dull matte; the Hero LC I distressed is now a dull dark-chocolate, but prior to distressing it had a notable shine to it the finish that looked like a dark chocolate version of the shiny Layer Cake jacket - but grainier. (It also made that "new leather" sound for years before distressing).
In terms of stiffness, the standard LC is relatively stiff - it's 3+ years old, had been my daily driver for most of it and it has virtually no wrinkles; the Legacy LC feels almost as stiff but it's soft enough to wrinkle - the Legacy Raiders is even softer and "thinner" leather that feels easier to wear and wrinkle. The B3 and Layer Cake jackets aren't stiff at all.
In terms of grain/smoothness? The legacy jackets are also both at a mid-point for grain and smoothness. You can see and feel the texture, but compared to the B3 and pre-distressed hide? The grain is subtle. At the far end of that is the Layer Cake jacket which feels somewhat "high-fashion" so it's extremely subtle.
Hope that helps!