RMC Mobster vs FW Mulholland. Who wins in a bare knuckle brawl?

[Brandrea33]

That all really helps, thanks so much! Yeah the measurements on the Mulholland seem short, I'm a bit concerned about that. It seems the consensus is that I should go for what I know works. If you don't mind answering but how tall are you, what size did you have in the Mulholland?

If you’re at all concerned with the length, than double underscore what I said above lol.

I’m 6’2” and about 180lbs, with a 42” chest. I bought a 44 which fit me perfectly everywhere except the sleeve length was about 1.5” too short. They came in at around 24” long and if my memory serves, the web site shows 25.5”.

Definitely have the seller put a tape to the jacket and show you is my advice.

 

[111Joel111]

If you’re at all concerned with the length, than double underscore what I said above lol.

I’m 6’2” and about 180lbs, with a 42” chest. I bought a 44 which fit me perfectly everywhere except the sleeve length was about 1.5” too short. They came in at around 24” long and if my memory serves, the web site shows 25.5”.

Definitely have the seller put a tape to the jacket and show you is my advice.

Appreciate it! I'll totally do that. I'm concerned about arm length the most. Cheers!

 

[Brandrea33]

Here is the advert when @Sagar85 sold his 42 Mulholland.

Also, his thread reminded me … you might check out The Flat Head Single Riders jacket as a third option.

I owned a 44 and just loved the leather … like nothing else I’ve experienced in my short experience in this hobby. The fit is a large in the shoulders, everywhere else is nice and fitted (with some room).

 

[111Joel111]

Here is the advert when @Sagar85 sold his 42 Mulholland.

Also, his thread reminded me … you might check out The Flat Head Single Riders jacket as a third option.

I owned a 44 and just loved the leather … like nothing else I’ve experienced in my short experience in this hobby. The fit is a large in the shoulders, everywhere else is nice and fitted (with some room).

That's a great one too! You added to decision making challenge haha. Thanks for all that info!

 

[Observe]

Here is the advert when @Sagar85 sold his 42 Mulholland.

Also, his thread reminded me … you might check out The Flat Head Single Riders jacket as a third option.

I owned a 44 and just loved the leather … like nothing else I’ve experienced in my short experience in this hobby. The fit is a large in the shoulders, everywhere else is nice and fitted (with some room).

Did you sell your 44 after?

 

[Aloysius]

With this new title, the answer is clearly RMC (given the owner's ties).

 

[Canuck Panda]

Terse! Thanks for the reply... Mulholland, any reason? Want to elaborate? Appreciate any extra insight!

Mullholand pros and cons:
Biggest pro, no one makes a similar jacket, not from Japan at least, this is the allure of entire FW leathertog family jackets. They may look a like but once you place them side by side they're very different. A lot of the design pros would also double as cons, for example, the sleeve length and cuff opening are shorter (35" nape on size 44, most American Large is 36" nape sleeve length, center back to cuff) and tighter (Most zip cuff CHP is 5.5" unzipped, and tighten to 4.5", the button cuff is one setting around 5", so it's too small for watch, watch wearers needs at least 5.5") respectively. While these design details groups the Mulholland into the 30s leathertog cousin category it is horrible for taller guys who wear watches. Another pro and con is the tight fitting torso. If you're not used to the sleeved vest fit, then it won't work. But if you like the Perfecto underarm football fit then it is the best ever. The Mulholland goes one step further to tuck the underarm football into the sleeves where as most modern designs just tuck them into the pits. Mulholland was designed to fit next to skin and it will work with the footballs, but this is not practical for everyday.
The fan shaped pull is a pure con. It's a bad casting and you'll need to replace it down the road.

If you don't wear a watch and are not 6'2" or taller, and don't mind the tight torso fit on a daily basis, the Mulholland is hard to beat. But if you are looking for an everday jacket that is easy on and off, there are better options as others have pointed out.

 

[Brandrea33]

Did you sell your 44 after?

I did … it was almost a keeper but I felt the shoulders were a touch too wide and the collar maybe a bit small with a sort of large opening (if that makes sense).

What I’m about to say is sacrilege on this forum, but after it’s all said and done, I think I’m a one leather jacket kind of guy Lol.

I finally found leather jacket nirvana with this one.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/incoming-from-good-wear.111372/

 

[Aloysius]

I did … it was almost a keeper but I felt the shoulders were a touch too wide and the collar maybe a bit small with a sort of large opening (if that makes sense).

What I’m about to say is sacrilege on this forum, but after it’s all said and done, I think I’m a one leather jacket kind of guy Lol.

I finally found leather jacket nirvana with this one.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/incoming-from-good-wear.111372/

This is the ideal. It's like how I hate being a watch guy and wish I was like those old men who got a GMT Master in 1963 and never took it off.

 

[Brandrea33]

This is the ideal. It's like how I hate being a watch guy and wish I was like those old men who got a GMT Master in 1963 and never took it off.

Too funny … and SO accurate (for me). Watches are the bane of my existence LOL

 

[Tom71]

You know, I had the same dilemma: I really like both jackets, but feel they are too similar to justify buying both.

Ultimately, the “Mulholland“ was the itch I just HAD TO scratch, so I got it. Call it a victim of the at times almost mythical admiration it received a couple of years back.
If you are free from such shortfallings and get a chance to try both, just get the one that fits/feels better. If not, here’s what I can contribute:

The “Mulholland“ is a nice jacket, and I do wear it regularly. Good enough fit for me, nice leather with a reassuring heft. All good…
I still feel I don’t give it the attention such an expensive jacket deserves. Especially at the beginning, I couldn’t really see what all the fuss was about. Despite the qualities, I never saw it as “the best jacket” some portrayed it to be.
I’ve since overcome my doubts, but I will say that - horror of horrors - at this price point, Himel is able to make the better jacket with the more impressive leather (not that he always does, but that‘s a different story).

I haven’t seen or handled the “Mobster” in the flesh, so I can only make a more general comment on RMC. I have one leather jacket from them (A2) and two cloth jackets. I do feel they are absolutely worth the money, and both the leather and the craftsmanship on the A2 have really won me over.
So, while my initial reaction to the FW was a feeling of being slightly underwhelmed, with the RMC it was exactly the other way round. I am sure, this was mostly due to my expectations at the respective time, and thus is far from an objective analysis.

Do keep us posted. Both great choices for sure!

 

[Tom71]

Here’s the FW.

 

[Sagar85]

Thank you @Will Zach and @Brandrea33 sorry for late response as I’m on vacation…

I second @Canuck Panda on everything he said about mulholland. And, agree with @dudewuttheheck on going with jacket that fits well. having said that, for me, both leather and fit are critical. I would not buy or wear a jacket with leather that is not special to my eyes. This is what I thought of RMC leathers in general except their kakishibu, nothing special (I know I may get a lot of push back on this). It’s just my experience with RMC leathers. Rainbow country uses way better seal brown or black leathers than RMC. RMC leathers are of great quality I bet, but they just did not appeal to me the way RC or FW or even FH black leather as @Brandrea33 mentioned. Add to this experience/ perception, I found Nelson and Mobster are not good fit for my body type (6’ tall with trapezoid and longer than average torso). They were both short and baggy at hem (only tried at stores, never bought them) with size 44 (size 42 was very tight at shoulder/ chest).

On the other hand, as I mentioned already, FW or RC and FH leathers are unlike anything I have touched in their own unique ways. Special stuff all around. FW especially pays a lot of attention to every aspect of jacket making and uses high quality materials overall. RC Hercules, FW rebels (extremely underrated brother to Mulholland imo) and FH single rider fit perfectly at my usual size 42. Mulholland 42 was not a comfortable fit at shoulder and abdomen. I tried two different batches of size 42 hoping second one may have + half inch at shoulder. No luck. As a last resort I tried size 44 based ln recommendation from a FW connoisseur connection on IG (https://instagram.com/wardrobe5572216?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==who) who wears same size as I do on most jackets but sized up on mulholland. It was perfect!

Added fit pics of all jackets mentioned that I gave for reference. Cheers!

 

[Sagar85]

I did … it was almost a keeper but I felt the shoulders were a touch too wide and the collar maybe a bit small with a sort of large opening (if that makes sense).

What I’m about to say is sacrilege on this forum, but after it’s all said and done, I think I’m a one leather jacket kind of guy Lol.

I finally found leather jacket nirvana with this one.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/incoming-from-good-wear.111372/

This jacket is every bit RC Hercules, yeah?

 

[Jasonissm]

No worries! I've had a tonne of leather jackets, usually vintage and some new and pricey too. But none in this world, the only real jacket that caught my eye was the Mulholland. Then other one that grabbed me that was similar was the RMC Mobster. I really like the design elements of both. I've poured though brands and retailers finding similar versions but none really piqued my interest in the same way. So that's how I ended up here. (In saying that, I would much prefer to find a vintage version for $50 at my local thrift shop.... but I doubt that's going to happen.)

If you do just want the style, the original of the Mobster is a Californian Sportswear CHP jacket and there are a bunch of brands that do very similar thing as well, not too hard to find. If you want the vintage of the Mulholland, tough luck, Trojans are gonna be way more expensive and infinitely rarer than a Mulholland.

 

[JMax]

If you do just want the style, the original of the Mobster is a Californian Sportswear CHP jacket and there are a bunch of brands that do very similar thing as well, not too hard to find. If you want the vintage of the Mulholland, tough luck, Trojans are gonna be way more expensive and infinitely rarer than a Mulholland.

I was going to say- with some patience and dedicated hunting, a great vintage straight zip CHP can be had for $250 or less. Especially if the jacket is missing the label. Cals, CSC, All Weather and on and on.

 

[Observe]

I just looked at the Cal website and their new jackets are incredibly expensive, some reaching nearly $3k. Definitely prefer the pricing of the vintage Cals, haha.

 

[Brandrea33]

This jacket is every bit RC Hercules, yeah?

Indeed

 

[111Joel111]

Mullholand pros and cons:
Biggest pro, no one makes a similar jacket, not from Japan at least, this is the allure of entire FW leathertog family jackets. They may look a like but once you place them side by side they're very different. A lot of the design pros would also double as cons, for example, the sleeve length and cuff opening are shorter (35" nape on size 44, most American Large is 36" nape sleeve length, center back to cuff) and tighter (Most zip cuff CHP is 5.5" unzipped, and tighten to 4.5", the button cuff is one setting around 5", so it's too small for watch, watch wearers needs at least 5.5") respectively. While these design details groups the Mulholland into the 30s leathertog cousin category it is horrible for taller guys who wear watches. Another pro and con is the tight fitting torso. If you're not used to the sleeved vest fit, then it won't work. But if you like the Perfecto underarm football fit then it is the best ever. The Mulholland goes one step further to tuck the underarm football into the sleeves where as most modern designs just tuck them into the pits. Mulholland was designed to fit next to skin and it will work with the footballs, but this is not practical for everyday.
The fan shaped pull is a pure con. It's a bad casting and you'll need to replace it down the road.

If you don't wear a watch and are not 6'2" or taller, and don't mind the tight torso fit on a daily basis, the Mulholland is hard to beat. But if you are looking for an everday jacket that is easy on and off, there are better options as others have pointed out.

That's an amazing review! Wow, again, really helps! Thanks for taking the time to write all that! I'm 6' I wear watches... I'd ideally like to be able to fit a sweater under it and wear it through the winter (here in Canada) But the Mulholland doesn't sound like it's that kinda jacket. I'm kinda thrown off by the sizing, too measurements for a 38 are the same sizes as my most my jackets but I'm being kindly advised to go bigger on this one. Maybe the Mulholland isn't the right jacket as you mentioned.

 

[111Joel111]

With this new title, the answer is clearly RMC (given the owner's ties).

I don't think I understand... do you want to rephrase or elaborate? Cheers!