Club Obi Wan

Well the end of the summer is approaching and so the prospect of winter/late fall is on our doorstep. What do you think is the warmest leather a leather jacket can be made out of? :junior: -M

Well, judging from past threads, it seems that most people would agree that it's not the leather that you wear, but what you wear underneath that really matters.

But to answer your question, obviously the thicker the better! I won't say which specific hide is the best, since there are some lambs that are really thick, and likewise, some cowhides that are thin (i.e: Novapelle?).

Very true. I fully intend to wear a cardigan (MotB style, of course ) and scarf underneath...possibly multiple scarves. I'm just curious as to which leather, when coupled with warm layers underneath, will hold in the heat best. :junior: -M

Castor Dioscuri wrote:...and likewise, some cowhides that are thin (i.e: Novapelle?).

I think it also depends on the age and quality of the leather, and possibly the porosity. I have a Wilson's cowhide biker jacket (several years old) and a custom Wested in Novapelle (a couple of months old). The Wested Novapelle feels like a thinner cowhide, but it's quite a bit warmer than my Wilson's cowhide jacket.

I don´t know why but whenever I put on my Wested lamb, I find myself quite warm in it. Now, maybe it´s because I only wear it on cool summer evenings up to now, but still it just seems that I just about sweat in it when I don´t think I should. My goat seems to require layers to bring out its ability to keep me warm, but nevertheless I do love the goat.

hmm...what's the lining in those jackets? Could that be having an effect? For example, the satin lining will probably seem sweatier because it doesn't absorb moisture as well as cotton. :junior: -M

Last winter wore a wings horsehide A-2 to work everyday with a sweater and was very warm. I now have an otr goat with an motb sweater and I hope it's just as warm. the horsehide is thicker but i think the goat will do the trick.If it gets really cold I have an A-2 usauthetic that is 4 oz thick. I wore that just a few times with a sweater and I was sweating.

Castor Dioscuri wrote:Well, judging from past threads, it seems that most people would agree that it's not the leather that you wear, but what you wear underneath that really matters.

But to answer your question, obviously the thicker the better! I won't say which specific hide is the best, since there are some lambs that are really thick, and likewise, some cowhides that are thin (i.e: Novapelle?).

I would not call my novapelle a thin cowhide, it is heavier than any other leather jacket I own. In fact I purchased a new lamb because I realized I would only be able to wear the Novapelle hide jacket from late October to late March here in Indiana.

lamb.....lamb shearling

.....Polar Bear.

Darn, I really should have posted an "other" option. :junior: -M

Muleber,
Actually the lining is cotton in the body and silk on the sleeves for my lamb. It´s a thin jacket but I seem to sweat in it for some reason. Go figure (shrug).

Warmest leather I've ever had is kangaroo. Very dense and thick and tough.

IndianaGeo wrote:Muleber,
Actually the lining is cotton in the body and silk on the sleeves for my lamb. It´s a thin jacket but I seem to sweat in it for some reason. Go figure (shrug).

Interesting...I guess it must come down to the thickness of the leather... :junior: -M

Which manufacturer you prefer might help answer the question, too. Familiarity with the specific hide thickness used and all that. From what I've seen, HH is Wested's thickest, but Nowack cow hide is a heavier jacket than Wested's cowhide.

Of course, you could have one made with a winter lining by somebody like Magnoli, or have an off-the-rack modified by a tailor.

A very good point chewie...

My personal reason for asking is because I now have both a Wested goat and a Nowak and am wondering which will be better when the snow starts falling. Just figured it would make an interesting question for us all if I made it more general... :junior: -M

Mulceber wrote:A very good point chewie...

My personal reason for asking is because I now have both a Wested goat and a Nowak and am wondering which will be better when the snow starts falling. Just figured it would make an interesting question for us all if I made it more general... :junior: -M

Oh, the Nowak, for sure. Unless goat is lined, it tends to be a fairly cool hide. In some cases, it can be lighter than lambskin!

My novapelle is heavy and thick, so I voted for cowhide.

The regular cowhide is the heaviest in my experience, I'm not keen. it's another one of those that seems too warm in mild weather and not warm enough in cold. And heavy too!

Kt Templar wrote:The regular cowhide is the heaviest in my experience, I'm not keen. it's another one of those that seems too warm in mild weather and not warm enough in cold. And heavy too!

IMO no leather is warm enough in cold...

Amen!

That said, I also voted for cowhide, as it's about the best 'all 'round' leather for use in winter. The trick is layering if you're after warmth.

I've found that the cowhide jackets I've owned and worn seemed to do best in winter snow storms and icy wind and remained flexible. I've found goatskin and lambskin (yes, lambskin) tends to stiffen up in the same weather conditions.

Regards! Michaelson

In its favor, horsehide is virtually waterproof without any coatings like Pecards. Cowhide is heavy, but can absorb a lot of water, particularly if it's a distressed surface -- unless you Pecard it, and then it doesn't look quite so distressed.

Goatskin shares a lot of the water repelling qualities of horsehide. In real cold weather, however, it seems like you need to layer with something, like maybe a light sweater, regardless of the type of leather you're working with.

Natural cowhide is a great smelling jacket, but would be nice to get a layer of thinsulate added for warmth during the brisk winter months.