Rugged West - custom Rugged Rider 3.0 (Buco J-24 inspired) - Initial impressions / review

[Zoro]

Funny enough, you’re the first one to respond. When I placed the order, I actually told Leilah that I liked the way your RR fits on you I said that so she could take into account how I like the fit of my jackets, which is very similar to yours

The problem here is that if your body type is different (or differently sized), that is likely hard to achieve, specially when dealing 100% online.

When it comes to selling, I think the problem this brand has is that it just doesn't hold resale value as much as other more well established players.

 

[misho]

The problem here is that if your body type is different (or differently sized), that is likely hard to achieve, specially when dealing 100% online.

Of course, I agree 100 percent with you. It was just about how I´d like the fit. The other measurements were fine, but the length and the cuffs are definitely off.

When it comes to selling, I think the problem this brand has is that it just doesn't hold resale value as much as other more well established players.

And that’s why I’ll most probably keep it for a while.

 

[jchance]

The problem here is that if your body type is different (or differently sized), that is likely hard to achieve, specially when dealing 100% online.

When it comes to selling, I think the problem this brand has is that it just doesn't hold resale value as much as other more well established players.

The two paragraphs contradict themselves.

For the top paragraph, if you have a weird body, then you’d think to go custom with a leather jacket to get a better fit and the exact jacket you want.

For the bottom paragraph, if you’re new to the leather jacket game, you should not go custom. Custom means keeping it for life or losing at least half of the money when selling. And people don’t know what they want or what they are doing when they are new to the game.

So my advice for newbies is to buy used and sell if necessary, until you find your style. It’s true for leather jackets, fedoras, and other pieces of clothing that are hard to shop for as well. It’s the difference between spending money wisely and flushing money down the drain. Chances are good that you don’t have a weird body like you think you do, OTR and RTW clothes are everywhere and people buy them.

 

[Zoro]

The two paragraphs contradict themselves.

For the top paragraph, if you have a weird body, then you’d think to go custom with a leather jacket to get a better fit and the exact jacket you want.

For the bottom paragraph, if you’re new to the leather jacket game, you should not go custom. Custom means keeping it for life or losing at least half of the money when selling. And people don’t know what they want or what they are doing when they are new to the game.

So my advice for newbies is to buy used and sell if necessary, until you find your style. It’s true for leather jackets, fedoras, and other pieces of clothing that are hard to shop for as well. It’s the difference between spending money wisely and flushing money down the drain. Chances are good that you don’t have a weird body like you think you do, OTR and RTW clothes are everywhere and people buy them.

You either didn't get me, I didn't express myself properly or both

It doesn't matter how weird or common your body is, if you tell someone "I want my jacket to fit like his", that's very hard to achieve. Comparing MrProper with me, he's taller, lankier and leaner than me. So if I tell a maker (doesn't matter if their name is Leilah, Theodoros or Matsuda) that I want the jacket to look like his, I'm already in a conundrum: They may be totally off cause we have different body type or they can be spot on and end up with a fit that isn't flattering for my body.

The jacket losing value part, in this case, doesn't matter if custom or OTR. I don't think many here would disagree that used Rugged West jackets do not hold their value (proportionally) as well as Schott or RMC, given that they are not as desirable to begin with.

 

[Bfd70]

I have heard that wider cuffs is j24 period accurate. Perhaps @jeo or @tmitchell59 can confirm.

Regarding the length,, if it is indeed an inch and a half out of spec, I would return it worn or not. Thats far out of tolerance.

I can’t understand why you ordered another RW considering you seem displeased with the first

 

[misho]

Regarding the length,, if it is indeed an inch and a half out of spec, I would return it worn or not. Thats far out of tolerance.

Good point. I´ll consider it. Thanks

I can’t understand why you ordered another RW considering you seem displeased with the first

I guess you meant another member because I didn´t ordered another RW.

 

[jeo]

I have heard that wider cuffs is j24 period accurate. Perhaps @jeo or @tmitchell59 can confirm.

Not true at all. In fact it’s the opposite, original Bucos have a very slim cuff opening.

 

[Quest]

Funny enough, you’re the first one to respond. When I placed the order, I actually told Leilah that I liked the way your RR fits on you I said that so she could take into account how I like the fit of my jackets, which is very similar to yours. I didn’t measure the back length after getting the jacket, only a couple of days ago when I ordered a different jacket to avoid making the same mistake with the length on the new one. And at that point I was very annoyed, with her slow responses.

Seeing all the other RW jackets on here, I thought she had fixed the cuff problem much better. For me it’s always tricky with slim wrists, but I tried some jackets from Noble House in Ulm and, despite the lower quality of the leather, the sleeves and cuffs were perfect when zipped up.

I don't think she is a personal assistant to make immediate changes due to a few forum posts, or to respond instantly to probably 50 customers a day.

I would not say Bison is better or worse than cowhide, or that cowhide is basic.

Did other jacket arrive? How is the difference between the two. Wondering since it doesn't say on the website where the measurement begins, RR is noted as 24". Or was this a custom order?

 

[Bfd70]

Not true at all. In fact it’s the opposite, original Bucos have a very slim cuff opening.

Interesting. I may be misremembering but i thought i git that info from LW. I don’t need to unzip my sleeves for my j23

 

[ABCD]

After delivery, I was offered a discount on a second jacket

I'm having 5* flashbacks lol. Mess a jacket up, offer discount on the next one, mess that one up as well.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Hi all, this is my first post here, and unfortunately it’s a rather unpleasant one. I’ve been lurking in this forum for the last six months, reading pretty much everything and enjoying the pictures a lot. You guys are all crazy and yes, so am I. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I really enjoy reading all the comments, the debates, and the level of detail everyone goes into. That jacket addiction is real, and I can definitely relate to it.

This was my first more “high-end” leather jacket that is neither cowhide nor lambskin, so expectations were naturally high. The jacket in question is the Rugged Rider 2.0, made from bison leather, and it was meant to be a step up from what I owned before.

Unfortunately, the overall customer experience was disappointing. My initial inquiry was answered quickly, but communication afterward was inconsistent and often very slow. In August, I explicitly asked her not to send the jacket at the beginning of September, which was the originally planned delivery time. That message went unanswered. At the end of September, I reached out again to ask for a status update, and only four days later did she respond.

The jacket eventually arrived at the end of October. The delay itself was fine for me, since I already knew I wouldn’t be wearing the jacket during winter anyway. What wasn’t fine was having to chase replies and wait weeks for responses.

After delivery, I was offered a discount on a second jacket, and she said she would check whether there was enough of the same leather left to make another one. Since then, I haven’t heard anything back to this day.

Now regarding the jacket itself: The measurements are a major issue. I ordered size M. According to the size chart on the website, the back length should be 59.7 cm (23.5 inches). My jacket measures over 64.5 cm (25 inches). I own another jacket with a 59 cm back length, and the difference when worn is huge.

without claiming to be an expert, the leather initially felt a bit lifeless and boring to me, which I mostly attribute to the fact that this is my first bison leather jacket. That said, I wore the jacket every single day for at least 4–5 hours indoors, and I can clearly feel that a break-in has already happened. The leather has become noticeably smoother and more pliable, and I’ve started to like how it feels. I’m still curious to see how it will develop further.

The cuffs remain a weak point. They are still far too wide, and the sleeve zippers are purely decorative with no real function. I was told this had been taken into account, but the result says otherwise.

Fit-wise, the shoulders work very well, and the upper part of the sleeves fits nicely. The gussets are still squeaky, and the collar remains quite stiff. Interestingly, I actually like that stiffness, because it helps the jacket keep a clean, uniform shape across the chest, which I appreciate.

The main zipper feels a bit rough and slightly grabby, which makes me question how well it will hold up long term.
The biggest issue remains the body length, especially at the back. There is simply too much leather, which creates a standing wave that constantly sticks out. From behind, the jacket looks too big even though it technically isn’t. This is not a compact, classic D-pocket that ends at the belt line. It’s just long, and honestly, that long body bores the sh*** out of me.

Right now, I see two options: wear it and learn to live with it, or sell it. Given the price range, I’m leaning toward keeping it for now and seeing if I’ll be okay with it once I start wearing it outside regularly when the weather gets warmer.

Sorry to hear about your experience here. Does not sound like it's a fit for you overall.

 

[AeroFan_07]

*Update on the jacket*
Today we had storms, wind and rain blow through our area in the morning. I saw the RW jacket just hanging there, wishing someone would, you know, "break it in" a bit. So I thought, well, might as well start on this now. How is this thinner, lighter leather going to do, especially it's glossy topcoat? Will the topcoat start to disintegrate with a bit of rain & wind?

So I slipped it back on, worked my arms through the tight sleeves once again, put on a Aussie oiled cotton hat, and took off for 6-minuite walk in my neighborhood. When I got back to my house, I looked like this:

View attachment 755729

After I made my way back inside and got off the wet shoes, I moved around - a Lot - in the jacket. Did some arm stretching, upper body stretches, reached out a lot, danced around some. You know, all the "normal" things you do in a leather jacket when it's almost soaked. I still looked like this.

View attachment 755730

What is not shown here as clearly, the arms loosed at least a touch. I did wear it till it was dry, and I have to admit, it's not all that bad to wear, now that my arms can move around somewhat freely. No topcoat spoilage, no seams came loose, of course the sleeves still are not a good fit at the ends, and it's still for sale. But I do like to look of this jacket, the dark brown, fairly glossy leather with the brass hardware. We'll see how it goes here...

Tried to wear this to worship this morning, it's simply too tight in all the wrong places. And it was a painful experience yet again just trying to get the zipper connected. It's for sale - "Make me an offer!"

 

[misho]

Regarding the length,, if it is indeed an inch and a half out of spec, I would return it worn or not. Thats far out of tolerance.

She replied me tonight that she updated her size chart and the measurments of the jackets in November so she couldn´t do more for me except 75 pounds on a new jacket.

Did other jacket arrive? How is the difference between the two. Wondering since it doesn't say on the website where the measurement begins, RR is noted as 24". Or was this a custom order?

I didn´t ordered it because she never came back saying if she got my size. This was also before I´ve got the RR.

 

[ABCD]

She replied me tonight that she updated her size chart and the measurments of the jackets in November so she couldn´t do more for me except 75 pounds on a new jacket.

That's a weird decision, it's way too long for the style. Why?! I can't imagine customers asking for this.

 

[jchance]

She replied me tonight that she updated her size chart and the measurments of the jackets in November so she couldn´t do more for me except 75 pounds on a new jacket.

The provided reason sounds and smells like bs. I would file a chargeback on my credit card and ship the jacket back. The product did not meet my expectations of what I ordered.

 

[misho]

So my advice for newbies is to buy used and sell if necessary, until you find your style. It’s true for leather jackets, fedoras, and other pieces of clothing that are hard to shop for as well. It’s the difference between spending money wisely and flushing money down the drain.

Bought a double helix online last week and it fits me perfectly. Previous I talked to the guy and he measured it and told me that I can send it back if it´s not a fit.

 

[Monitor]

Tried to wear this to worship this morning, it's simply too tight in all the wrong places. And it was a painful experience yet again just trying to get the zipper connected. It's for sale - "Make me an offer!"

What's the point of trying to wear a jacket that's obviously at least two to three sizes too small for you? It's bursting at the seams on you so why even bother?

 

[Zoro]

She replied me tonight that she updated her size chart and the measurments of the jackets in November so she couldn´t do more for me except 75 pounds on a new jacket.

So is she claiming it's within compliance of how it was before, which as of right now is an unknown value to us? When did your order?

 

[misho]

So is she claiming it's within compliance of how it was before, which as of right now is an unknown value to us? When did your order?

I can’t retrace or verify what she is claiming. I placed my order on July 24.

 

[Zoro]

I can’t retrace or verify what she is claiming. I placed my order on July 24.

We can actually retrace and at least on June 21st it did state the back length was 26 inches for size M, which is 66cm. If yours is 25 inches, then it is actually shorter than intended.