Raider style jacket for winter

[Woodsrunner79]

Hi, this is my 1st post. Lurked around awhile and did my best to educate myself on all topics of interest within the forum prior to this. Little bit of background, I'm a big guy. 5'10" 250lbs broad shouldered. I live in northern Vermont and am fortunate enough to work outside. So here's my questions?

How have y'all found the Raiders jacket in the winter? Is the jacket itself enough or should I order a size or two up and layer? I admit this will be my first leather jacket so I'm a bit inexperienced. Also, goat or cow? I'm leaning strongly towards a Steel&Jones.

[Jeremiah]

Are you a lumberjack?

Welcome.
As for leather, it's quite warm and heavy and will cut the wind, but this would all be subjective to how warm your body stays and if you are working you want to be able to stay comfortable rather than layer up to the point of sweating.
Living up North, you probably already know that though.

That said, it's all Indy wore in Nepal.

[Woodsrunner79]

Haha, no.

I have a tile floor cleaning business and do roof shoveling in the winter. The floors are an inside/outside proposition and the shoveling.... Well you get the point.

[Cajunkraut]

Welcome to COW, Runner!

As you know, the Indy jacket is considered a medium to light weight Fall/Spring jacket.

Unless you plan to buy a jacket solely for layering, my suggestion is to get it in your normal size. Light layering shouldn't be a problem. The hobby's best example of IJ rocking an extreme weather ensemble is in the 'Mystery of the Blues' episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.

Check out the video and threads:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYIJcHBamXU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... hilit=motb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... hilit=motb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... hilit=motb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Woodsrunner79]

Well that simplifies everything. Bring on the cardigans. 'Sides I can always use another sweater ( gives me a reason to buy more stuff from deluth.)

[Jeremiah]

That'd be the subjective part I mentioned. If just going out for a night on the town, of course you may decide to layer up, but a bit of snow shoveling and I think you will be just fine sans layers.
As a mountaineer, you want to be comfortable.

[Woodsrunner79]

True enough friend.

Thank you all for your kind welcome to COW.

As to my last query, goat or cow for rugged use?

[Jeremiah]

Cow, not calf, will be heavier but more durable.
Goat, softer and lighter and also more water resistant due to the natural lanolin oils in goat hide.

[Glenville86]

I wear my horsehide and cow Indy jackets in Winter as long as the temps are above zero. I have a lighter weight and heavier fleece vest I wear depending on how cold it is. Have never had a problem with the cold.

Below zero, I have a heavy insulated jacket.

[Woodsrunner79]

So, with that being said. Would you guys consider goat sufficient? I'm good with layering as long as it breaks the wind sufficiently. I really like the look of goat, doesn't seem as stiff looking, but want the best option for my circumstances. So if cow stands up under cold wet use better so be it.

[Jeremiah]

I work a lot with leather and would go for a goat coat anyday. But seeing as this is COW, some here may say cow.

[Hammerklavier]

All the indy jacket vendors as far as I know they don't offer lining choice, that means it is not going to be warm enough for the winter, if you just want a leather jacket for winter, not necessarily indy jacket, I suggest go to Aero or Simmons bilt.

[Jeremiah]

It will be warm enough if he is working in it.

[Woodsrunner79]

I decided to go for a goatskin raiders and layer when and if needed. I've alway been a bit on the warm side anyways. Wasn't till my late 20's that a winter hat was even a consideration.

Thank you all for your input.
Cheers, Jordan.

[Jeremiah]

I think that's a good choice. Then you have one jacket for all seasons. I grew up in the cold North and mountaineer any chance I get. I have been to the top of Denali in Alaska. I know how my body gets and how I dress for winter. And I am a small guy. I imagine a guy your size will be just fine with what you have chose.
Congrats. And yes, if leather breathed better or was lighter in weight, one could take the jacket you chose to the top of Denali during the climbing season. That would be cool.

[Glenville86]

Goat is a good leather. To be honest, I think any leather other than very thin ones will work if you layer under it. Also. different makers will have different thickness on leathers. As an example, my goat G&B and US Wings Indy jackets are thicker than my Wested in goat. Same for many leathers. Layering under a Indy jacket is no different than just wearing a leather jacket with a built in lining.

[Michaelson]

Only diff is with layering you can remove layers as you warm up. You can not do so with a lined jacket. You're stuck.

Regards! Michaelson

[backstagejack]

Only diff is with layering you can remove layers as you warm up. You can not do so with a lined jacket. You're stuck.

Regards! Michaelson

Yep, up here in NH they like to blast the heat as high as possible in all the school buildings, so layering is the only way to not die of heat exhaustion. I think I sweat more during the winter than the summer....

[Hammerklavier]

That's right, in building is extremely hot, that's why I never wear sweater, once you are in building, you have to not only take off your jacket but also take off sweater, That's what I call stucked.I only wear a t shirt underneath the jacket, if it's hot, I take off my jacket, that's it.

[Glenville86]

Same here as I have some cool sweaters that are mostly military style but it is too hot at work to wear them. That is why I just use the fleece vests with my Indy jackets when it is cold out. Easy on and off.

[alaska_mcghee]

I have a cow hide Last Crusade jacket from Wested I use in colder weather. I wear a fleece vest under it but when it gets to below -20 degrees Celcius I put a down vest over it. Think Marty McFly in back to the future. But thats just me up here in Alberta. I have a goat Raiders jacket from Wested but thats my light spring fall jacket. I doubt it gets as cold in Vermont
Johnny

[Tibor]

Always an option...

http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/shearli ... p-154.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dalexs]

Apologies, just catching up on this thread...

Knowing how far north Northern Vermont is... forget about leather jackets until April-ish...
(but you chose well for the situation.)

I lived in the NE Kingdom for 4 years.
Sorels took precedent over Aldens
And my N-3B definitely gave my cow hide G2 (first close enough Indy) a solid beat down...

Welcome to our crazy world!

We may be getting enough folks up this way for a summit again...

Dalexs

[backstagejack]

Apologies, just catching up on this thread...

Knowing how far north Northern Vermont is... forget about leather jackets until April-ish...
(but you chose well for the situation.)

I lived in the NE Kingdom for 4 years.
Sorels took precedent over Aldens
And my N-3B definitely gave my cow hide G2 (first close enough Indy) a solid beat down...

Welcome to our crazy world!

We may be getting enough folks up this way for a summit again...

Dalexs

Last year was my first in southern NH (from Texas). I got lucky. Never needed to wear more than a heavy wool coat with layers......coldest it got was maybe -3 f

that being said, I doubt I'll be that lucky this year.

[Woodsrunner79]

I live in Sutton, Vermont. Last feb we had 10 days where it was -20 to -23 f every morning. The temp never made it over -5 throughout the day. But we also had lots of freezing rain and ice last year. This winter's looking more snowy.

Cheers, Jordan

[Dalexs]

I live in Sutton, Vermont. Last feb we had 10 days where it was -20 to -23 f every morning. The temp never made it over -5 throughout the day. But we also had lots of freezing rain and ice last year. This winter's looking more snowy.

Cheers, Jordan

That's right up the road from where I went to college.
-20's walking thru armpit high snowbanks across campus... oh those were the days!

Pretty sure we're not gonna get off that easy this year. Good luck!