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

[TartuWolf]

For the Olympia line price you can get quite a few top end trusted and well established brand pieces that have much higher resale value. So for me that's more of a "backer" type deal where you are closely connected to the brand and want to finance/support it.

In the Archive page (why is it an archive if there are still models for sale there? just one of many wtf's of recent RW developments) you can still grab OTR jackets for a flat ~480eur (lazy pricing everything the same) if your size is in stock.

For me Master Supply remains the main competitor of RW, despite RW jacking up the prices and trying to look very Japanese-y with the new model (showing off fit) and designs.

 

[Zoro]

If you refer to Aero then 20% is absolutely not realistic. My latest Aero, received on wednesday, in grainy jerky horsehide, no internal pockets, cost 990 pounds before taxes, roughly 1350e in total.

You got a Plainsman, right? Fair enough, you have to increase quite a bit more than 20%. Still, I think that if you get to the point of paying that much (750), you may well be just going the Aero route which you can still customize (depending on your choices, at a cost or not). Edit: Aero does have other Half Belt models RTW in stock though, ranging from 700 to 925 GBP, making many of them available for the 20% I've mentioned.

I've said in the first pages of the thread how I felt that RW was in no man's land (too expensive as a budget option or just to try the style; not good enough to fulfill the illusion of "this one jacket and I'm done"), which I still think to a worse new degree.

Perhaps I'm wrong and they did step up in quality to justify the new price, though. But I'm not going to personally find out, I will allow someone else to purchase and come review it.

In the Archive page (why is it an archive if there are still models for sale there? just one of many wtf's of recent RW developments) you can still grab OTR jackets for a flat ~480eur (lazy pricing everything the same) if your size is in stock.

I've noticed that too. I would like to say it is a bit like an outlet, but then they would be discounted and I believe they all used to go for around that price of 480. Instead, it's more of a "last chance to get this".

 

[Harris HTM]

You got a Plainsman, right?

Yep

ranging from 700 to 925 GBP,

Does this include VAT?

I've said in the first pages of the thread how I felt that RW was in no man's land (too expensive as a budget option or just to try the style; not good enough to fulfill the illusion of "this one jacket and I'm done"), which I still think to a worse new degree.

Totally agree

 

[Zoro]

Does this include VAT?

No. Although I'm not sure if RW's include it.

 

[Harris HTM]

No. Although I'm not sure if RW's include it.

I think it does.

 

[Arin666]

For whatever its worth, I am absolutely loving my Rugged West Sentinel (single rider sports jacket) that I got made in black teacore steerhide recently. Paid quite a bit less than the current prices since its an older design no longer offered on the website, from what I gather.

Built like a tank, thick steerhide, nice even stitching and heavy duty hardware, with basic customizations in sleeve measurements, and a beautiful navy blue lining etc. Of course, I am a relative newcomer to jackets, have been more of a boots person till recently, so I am no expert of any kind on super premium leathers - and , certainly dont have the budget for new Aeros or the like, being in a country where basic cost and duties add up to astronomical numbers. Plus, used market is non existent here.

Plan to wear RW hard for years to come- for me, its most likely a one and done black single rider jacket. Only exception might be if I am ever able to pick up a RC Hercules someday when budget permits