CXL Horsehide VS. Vicenza

[mtrlr]

Not trying to beat a dead horse, here are some close up pictures of my Vicenza jacket. Admittedly, color variation is not very interesting, but I quite like how it evolved so far.

I don't have cxl jacket, but from the pictures of some of TFL' s members, especially @Dav 's Teamster, that always makes me want to order a cxl Teamster too. But every time, I keep reminding myself how heavy my Vanson comp weight is. Been hesitating for a long time.

 

[Carlos840]

The heaviness of CXL is IMO wildly over-dramatized...

Here are weights of jackets i own:

ELMC Californian: 1.53 kg / 3.37 lb
DC J-100: 1.80 kg / 3.98 lb
Lewis Leathers 551: 1.94 kg / 4.25 lb
Schott 644: 1.95 kg / 4.31 lb
DC JH-1: 2.09kg / 4.61lb
Schott B3: 2.11kg / 4.66 lb
RMC JH-1: 2.21kg / 4.87lb
Himel Chevalier: 2.23 kg / 4.93 lbs
Aero Bootlegger CXLFQHH(brown): 2.31 kg / 5.09 lb
Aero Bootlegger CXLFQHH(black): 2.55 kg / 5.63 lb
Freewheelers La Brea: 2.61 kg / 5.76 lb
AL Cafe Racer: 2.72 kg / 5.66 lb
Apparel Annex CHP: 2.73 kg / 6.03lb
Vanson Chopper: 3.60 kg / 7.95 lb

As you can see there is barely any difference between an Aero CXL Bootlegger and a Schott Steerhide cafe racer, or a Shinki made Chevalie or JH-01!
No one calls Schott steer heavy, no one calls Shinki heavy, but for some reason people call CXL heavy for being 200gr / 1/2lb heavier.
There is a world of difference between really heavy leather like LW 4oz+, or Vanson comp weight and CXL, which i would still call medium weight leather.

 

[Seb Lucas]

The heaviness of CXL is IMO wildly over-dramatized...

Here are weights of jackets i own:

ELMC Californian: 1.53 kg / 3.37 lb
DC J-100: 1.80 kg / 3.98 lb
Lewis Leathers 551: 1.94 kg / 4.25 lb
Schott 644: 1.95 kg / 4.31 lb
DC JH-1: 2.09kg / 4.61lb
Schott B3: 2.11kg / 4.66 lb
RMC JH-1: 2.21kg / 4.87lb
Himel Chevalier: 2.23 kg / 4.93 lbs
Aero Bootlegger CXLFQHH(brown): 2.31 kg / 5.09 lb
Aero Bootlegger CXLFQHH(black): 2.55 kg / 5.63 lb
Freewheelers La Brea: 2.61 kg / 5.76 lb
AL Cafe Racer: 2.72 kg / 5.66 lb
Apparel Annex CHP: 2.73 kg / 6.03lb
Vanson Chopper: 3.60 kg / 7.95 lb

As you can see there is barely any difference between an Aero CXL Bootlegger and a Schott Steerhide cafe racer, or a Shinki made Chevalie or JH-01!
No one calls Schott steer heavy, no one calls Shinki heavy, but for some reason people call CXL heavy for being 200gr / 1/2lb heavier.
There is a world of difference between really heavy leather like LW 4oz+, or Vanson comp weight and CXL, which i would still call medium weight leather.

My take on this is simply that many other jackets are heavy too. And I do call these others heavy. But CXL gets the credit more often because it is so implacable, along with being thick. To put it in perspective, a heavy woollen Harris tweed jacket weighs 700 grams. Any jacket over 1.6 kilos is kind of nuts. I know they are different materials, but the whole issue for me is a jacket doesn't need to be heavy to keep you warm.

 

[Mich486]

I don’t think anybody has ever said that a jacket needs to be heavy to be warm. Downfilled parkas are probably the warmest coats and are quite light. Certainly lighter than a shorter leather jacket in any sort of hide discussed here.

The point Carlos is making is that CXL is only marginally heavier than other leathers which are never said to be too heavy. The numbers speak.

I like CXL but for me it’s just too uncomfortable to wear. I learned that a mid-weight leather jacket is what I normally reach for. When it’s really cold I ditch leather all together.


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[Seb Lucas]

I don’t think anybody has ever said that a jacket needs to be heavy to be warm. Downfilled parkas are probably the warmest coats and are quite light. Certainly lighter than a shorter leather jacket in any sort of hide discussed here.

The point Carlos is making is that CXL is only marginally heavier than other leathers which are never said to be too heavy. The numbers speak.

I like CXL but for me it’s just too uncomfortable to wear. I learned that a mid-weight leather jacket is what I normally reach for. When it’s really cold I ditch leather all together.


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I'm not saying that that a jacket needs to be heavy to be warm either.

I personally have never singled out CXL, I have always made it clear all leather at 3oz is too heavy for me even if it is "buttery soft" or goat hide.

My point was supplementary - there is no advantage to weight in leather. Apart from maybe being better on a bike (not that many people ride) warmth is the only advantage people cite. Weight is simply unnecessary and I personally sometimes struggle to wear a 2.5oz hide.

As I said, CXL comes up more often as too heavy because of its stiffness which when combined with weight makes it unpleasant feeling for many of us. But my issues are most likely based on living in a place where winter is rarely colder than 50 degrees.

 

[mtrlr]

@Carlos840 Thanks for the data, that's good for future reference.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Thanks for that data @Carlos840 . That is quite revealing.

 

[Mr Knight]

I’ve found myself in a position where I have a new order ready to go with Aero but on the fence with whether to go for black CXL or Blackened brown Vicenza. I’ve owned both a CXL & Vicenza jacket in the past and have equal preferences due to their unique pros and cons.

Does anyone have any pictures of well broken in black CXL and Vicenza jackets? Preferably cafe/board racers if possible!

 

[Jrolfe]

One leather that is by far a superior to all......Buffalo Bill knew what was up

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[JMax]

One leather that is by far a superior to all......Buffalo Bill knew what was up

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Gives a new meaning to the phrase “goodbye horses”.

 

[jonbuilder]

One leather that is by far a superior to all......Buffalo Bill knew what was up

I get the reference?
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[Stormlord]

Not exactly true.
Most pro riding leather gear, full racing suits and so on, is actually a lot thicker and heavier than anything that the makers we talk about here are using nowadays. Especially older stuff by European makers. For example, German made pro-racing jackets and suits are literally twice the thickness of a standard Vanson comp. weight leather. I've recently tried on an old Fieldsheer pro-racing suit, man, that thing's made out of belt grade leather. Or an old Belstaff! Hard to believe nowadays but I've had a pair of 70's Belstaff racing trousers that were made from literally 6-7 oz leather. If not more. I regret to this day that I haven't kept them. Idiotically heavy leather albeit super soft and comfortable.

Proper racing gear is serious stuff and it's always, always, extremely heavy. And for a reason.

So you're looking for a jacket armor to fight an end-boss? This is a German 2.6mm jacket. I ride ATV and mud is my 2nd home. I beat the sh#t out of this jacket for nearly 6 years on a daily basis.
It's not a fashion style nor elegant jacket but whenever I enter a location, it had this batman feeling
I love this jacket. It will never be destroyed and it's tough like street asphalt
Just wanted to mention this. As many friends here already wrote: it depends what you like. It's not "who has the longest"
My jacket is nearly 5kg and I regularity squueze cigars on it

 

[Stormlord]

Live pic

 

[whataboutalifetime]

Chromexcel to me feels like Rolex submariner or such diving watches. Most of submariner buyers are desk divers, real divers use wrist computers, just like most motorcyclist may wear airbag suits rather than just leather jackets. These heavy stuff just offer some never broken peace in mind to my boring office life. I know lighter leather might be more comfortable and versatile, but I don’t mind sacrificing that part of comfort. So I’m a desk cyclist.