Club Obi Wan

As mentioned in another thread, I just got a CS jacket in novapelle.

The hide looks beautiful but being predistressed it doesn't look like it can handle water very well.

So my question is, how does novapelle react to water? Should I be afraid of wearing it in the rain? Would showering it crumble it up nicely or ruin it?

KT showed me some photos of a buddy of his's novapelle jacket after several months of rain, snow, etc without pecards and it looked great! So I wouldn't worry about it.

Jens_Hoppe wrote:So my question is, how does novapelle react to water? Should I be afraid of wearing it in the rain? Would showering it crumble it up nicely or ruin it?

I have a Wested in novapelle and it absorbs water faster than you can say, "Wow it absorbed all that water!" (which I expected from a distressed hide).

That being said, I've been in the rain with the jacket once, getting it completely soaked, and it really brought out some nice grain. It dried absolutely fine (didn't shrink, didn't get stiff, etc). I haven't treated it with a leather dressing yet and probably won't for a while. The hide is soft enough that I don't see why you'd need to wear it in the shower to break it in.. but if you did I don't think it would hurt the jacket (just my opinion).

LJ

If I may ask...what is novapelle? I'm assuming that it's cowhide. I'm been M.I.A for awhile, so I've gotta catch up on the latest developments ...

Kind regards,
Aaron

Captain D wrote:If I may ask...what is novapelle? I'm assuming that it's cowhide. I'm been M.I.A for awhile, so I've gotta catch up on the latest developments ...

Kind regards,
Aaron

Novapelle is Wested's cowhide leather with an "antique" dark-brown finish (and also lightly distressed)........go to Indyjackets.com and you can look at samples.

Well, my Novapelle was worn daily (almost literally) for about four months in the snow and rain, and it is, in my opinion, the BEST looking Wested Indy jacket hanging in my closet. If it was not for the creases from the tight sidestraps, you would probably think it was brand new.

Thanks. Sounds like I don't have much to worry about.