Club Obi Wan

Well, crashing through brush can be hard enough on a jacket. I've yet to test this on my lambskin out of fear, of course, but I'd feel much better about being rough on it if it were goatskin.

I doubt I'll get into the kind of action that Indy does, but I like to think that if I did, my jacket would be able to take it as well as his does. Maybe a goatskin wouldn't survive being dragged behind a truck, and neither would I probably, but I think the goat would last a lot longer. Just my choice anyways. For most people lambskin may be enough, and it is a great choice. I don't regret getting my lambskin for a second.

Everyone seems to want the best of all worlds:
The drape of lambskin (it is thin, fragile and looks like a "50 mission" jacket after minimal distressing; plus it is SA)
The durability of horsehide (they made A-2s out of this ORIGINALLY due to the cheap availability of tough leather)
The cheapness of cowhide and
The eternal wear of goatskin.
The IJ SA jacket was a costume.
What do you want to wear in REAL LIFE?
Your Indy jacket can be a casual Friday office jacket in lieu of a suit or sport coat. It can be an everyday or weekend warrior go to the farmer's market garment or it can be a working man's heavy-duty protect him at all costs safety garment (as if IJ were real).
I contend that there is no real world combination of all of these.
I have a goatskin Cooper A-2 that I cannot distress/age no matter what i do after many years of hard wear.
I have a flight jacket styled cowhide German motorcycle jacket that you could be dragged a mile in and survive except for the heat of the sun before you fell.
At the other end of the spectrum, I have a US Wings lamb that is best left for "dress" wear to to its fragility--nuff said.
It is up to the customer/wearer to choose what is best for him/her based upon the intended wear and use.
If you want a costume or dress jacket, by all means, go SA and get thin lamb.
For anything else, go with a stronger leather.

I don't think it's unusual for anyone to want the best of all worlds when it comes to the Indy jacket. For some, it just isn't feasible to own multiple jackets (Holt ). For me, anyway, I have to make a decision based on the qualities of the Indy jacket that are important to me, such as the drape, thickness, wear, and durability. I, like many others, are just exploring all options to make that decision.

All I'm looking for is a hide that can be worn most of the year, that drapes well, distresses well, and will last for years. If such a hide exists, GREAT . . . If not, I'll base my decision on what is available.

I don't think it's unusual for anyone to want the best of all worlds when it comes to the Indy jacket. For some, it just isn't feasible to own multiple jackets (Holt ). For me, anyway, I have to make a decision based on the qualities of the Indy jacket that are important to me, such as the drape, thickness, wear, and durability. I, like many others, are just exploring all options to make that decision.

All I'm looking for is a hide that can be worn most of the year, that drapes well, distresses well, and will last for years. If such a hide exists, GREAT . . . If not, I'll base my decision on what is available.

The lambskin will do all that.

If you want more durability get an armor, not a jacket.

When I think of durability, I'm thinking more in terms of how long a jacket will last and not so much about whether it will stop a bullet. Based on my research so far, the lambskin does seem to fit all the qualities I'm looking for in a jacket.

Right on.