Why do stiff Shinki,Horween jackets rarely use underarm gussets?

[Quan_love_leather]

I’ve noticed something that I’m curious about.

The standard Schott 613 has underarm gussets for improved mobility, but some of the special versions such as the 613SJH, 613SH, 613UHT, 613UST and other versions made with Shinki or Horween leather don’t seem to retain that construction.

I’ve also noticed that many other brands, from Europe to Japan and elsewhere, that use Shinki or Horween leather tend to avoid underarm gussets or similar mobility focused constructions.

I’m wondering why this is the case. Is there a technical reason related to the leather itself, or is it more about the desired silhouette, pattern making, aesthetics, or the design philosophy of these jackets?

I ask because, from my experience, some of these Shinki,Horween jackets can be quite stiff and restrictive when raising the arms or moving them freely. It makes me wonder how practical they would be for an actual riding position where the arms need to be raised or extended, such as on a chopper.

I’m also curious whether other people have had the same experience as I have. Do you find these stiff premium hides noticeably restrictive in terms of arm mobility, or do you feel that the pattern and break in eventually compensate for it?

Has anyone here compared a stiff Shinki,Horween jacket with and without an underarm gusset? I’d particularly like to hear from people with experience in leather jacket patterning or construction.

And finally,is there a reason why a jacket can’t combine a relatively stiff premium hide with an underarm gusset or other mobility focused construction?

 

[Edward]

Nothing to do with the leather, imo. What you're seeing, I believe, is simply a coincidence between leather and design. These underarm gusset styles tend to be more modern; if memory serves in the Schott line they arrived in the 80s. Most of the jacket makers who use Horween and Shinki make older style jackets; Aero, for example, have a firm line that all their jacket designs are of a pre-1960 style, whether they are direct reproductions of an original jacket, or a jacket made in the style of a specific era combining different design elements of the period.

In terms of the difference it makes, if the pattern otherwise works for me, I've never noticed any. Different pattersn work well for different body-shapes. I'm a bit of a barrel myself, so anything with a 10" chest to waist drop will either never close on me, or be comically large on the shoulders before I can fasten it.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

Nothing to do with the leather, imo. What you're seeing, I believe, is simply a coincidence between leather and design. These underarm gusset styles tend to be more modern; if memory serves in the Schott line they arrived in the 80s. Most of the jacket makers who use Horween and Shinki make older style jackets; Aero, for example, have a firm line that all their jacket designs are of a pre-1960 style, whether they are direct reproductions of an original jacket, or a jacket made in the style of a specific era combining different design elements of the period.

In terms of the difference it makes, if the pattern otherwise works for me, I've never noticed any. Different pattersn work well for different body-shapes. I'm a bit of a barrel myself, so anything with a 10" chest to waist drop will either never close on me, or be comically large on the shoulders before I can fasten it.

Ah, I see! Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I’ve been thinking about this for a while because my Buco doesn’t feel nearly as comfortable as my Schott. I also happened to see that Legendary’s Black Stallion J-24 has that feature, so I assumed underarm gussets were a much older thing.

 

[GSD]

Agreed. I think it has little to do with the leather and primarily the design aesthetic - with bi-swing action backs and underarm footballs used for actual use on a bike (where arm reach is a priority) and more fashion-oriented or older designs.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

Agreed. I think it has little to do with the leather and primarily the design aesthetic - with bi-swing action backs and underarm footballs used for actual use on a bike (where arm reach is a priority) and more fashion-oriented or older designs.

Currently, I’ve only seen Toy’s McCoy (Durable Code 33) and Dry Bones (one model that looks quite similar to a Perfecto) using this underarm gusset design. But I haven’t really seen much feedback on whether it actually makes the jacket more comfortable to wear, so I’m quite curious about that.

 

[GSD]

I have a few horsehide jackets (Rainbow Country) that have bi-swing/action backs but no footballs. They seem to provide plenty of range of motion.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

I have a few horsehide jackets (Rainbow Country) that have bi-swing/action backs but no footballs. They seem to provide plenty of range of motion.

Then they suit you well. For me, they’re a little restrictive.