Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

What Are the Most Popular Leather Jacket Brands on TFL?

photo2u

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,358
Location
claremont california
+1

My dad died last Christmas, he never did anything he enjoyed during his life, he never splurged on anything, for him spending money on anything that wasn't a necessity was stupid.
The only extravagent purchase he ever made was buying a Tesla Model 3, ordered it at 68, took delivery at 71, died at 72 having driven it less than 2000 miles. He left 100.000k behind in his current account.

Honestly, the saddest thing about his death was that he iterally never did enything he enjoyed and the only thing he ever spent money on, he didn't get to use because he was too sick to do so.

My cousin always says "there is no point being the richest man in the cemetary" and although my dad was not rich, he ilustrated this point perfectly to me.
I would rather spend some of my money on things i will enjoy during my lifetime than hoard it all and die knowing i never did anything for myself but left a bigger number on my bank account.


I am so sorry to hear that. Sometimes we just pass at the most unfortunate times. I truly do not want to sound materialistic. But I had done ok in life. I grew up always wearing hand-me-downs and during the holidays, my family would receive the very welcomed meal bags. In life, I learned to give and receive with dignity and respect. Personally, I have only purchased one new car in my life. I do however, love to help and assist friends with my life learned construction and mechanical skills. My last life project is to buy a fixer upper sub 40' "blue water boat".

In principle, I stopped buying 1.5k jackets because I rather donate the money to someone who truly needs it. After many visits to low income countries, I have realized that making money and not focusing on my self was something I need it to change. So I retired at 55 after 27 years of teaching. In a low budget I am living my dream. I'm also planing to sell 95% of all of my collections. Regarding my mainly low price jacket "piles", as Terry would say, I will just keep a few that have a very strong sentimental value.

The houses I own I will leave to my children and the vacations sports will be donated to people who I know will change their lives. My low budget approach is what I have chosen. My happiness will be fulfilled when the people I care benefit from my planned decisions. People that know me are happy for me because after all said is done, I lived the way I wanted.
 
Last edited:

Rgcards

A-List Customer
Messages
495
Ok. I'm sick. Literally. 2020 was very hard for me, my mother died and I had a massive rift with my employer which had me considering giving up my career. I decided to start wearing leather jackets every dayin October 2020 . I did this literally to remind myself to have "thick skin", as Shakespeare said to bear "The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune". So since then

Aero 3
Aero Levi's Collab 2
Aero /ironheart 1
Cockpit usa2
Levi's 5
Orgueil 2
Real McCoy's 2
The flat head 2
Freewheelers 1
Himel 2
Lost worlds 5
Thedi 2
Eastman 1
Good wear 2
y'2 leather 4
Fine creek 1
Schott 3
Mr freedom 1
Bates 1
That's what I can remember
 
Last edited:

Rgcards

A-List Customer
Messages
495
As long as I am bearing my soul I have learned a few things.

Cost has nothing to do with satisfaction .
My freewheelers sunset is fine but nothing special. I'm not a leather worker, I care about how a jacket looks and feels on me. My lost worlds easy Ryder, and my Levi's aero Collab look great and make me feel good. My aero hooch hauler is by far the jacket I get the most compliments on. And my goodwear modoc is the favorite of both my daughter. The only jacket I spent a lot on that is really special is rmc buco j 100. And that is just because it is the perfect fit. Sometimes it seems like brands like freewheelers and himel sort have a cult. I don't really get it, they are nice enough but very expensive, and in all honesty I don't really see that they are that great. Orgueil at just as nice and half the price of freewheelers. Y'2 leather makes lots of grades but their best is as good as any
 
Last edited:

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
49 people have responded so far. The Top 10 point leaders are as follows. The top 3 stayed the same. Lost Worlds moved up to #4 and The Real McCoy's moved up to #7.

The Top 10
1. Aero-58
2. Vanson-36
3. Schott-26
4. Lost Worlds-17
5. Thedi-16
6. Cal Leathers-14
7. Real McCoy’s-11
8(tie). Eastman/ELMC, Goodwear and Brooks-10

The next 5
Field Leathers-7
Buco, Johnson Leathers and Levi’s -6
Himel Brothers-5
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
The following 20 Loungers have 20 or more leather jackets in their closets. Anyone else out their belong to this elite club?

kingb-200+
tmitchell59-around 125
photo2u-112
mysteryo-around 70
tusche-57
rgcards-42
marc mndt-40+

jonbuilder-38
jmax-36
technovox and nickelman2005-30
salmosalar-29

coriu-28
toomanyhatsonlyonehead-26
mandarin-25

flying monkey-24
yamahana-23
jonesy86-22
red devil-20+

carlos840 ??
 
Last edited:
Messages
10,631
49 people have responded so far. The Top 10 point leaders are as follows. The top 3 stayed the same. Lost Worlds moved up to #4 and The Real McCoy's moved up to #7.

The Top 10
1. Aero-58
2. Vanson-36
3. Schott-26
4. Lost Worlds-17
5. Thedi-16
6. Cal Leathers-14
7. Real McCoy’s-11
8(tie). Eastman/ELMC, Goodwear and Brooks-10

The next 5
Field Leathers-7
Buco, Johnson Leathers and Levi’s -6
Himel Brothers-5

From your standings- I do own one Schott and two JL. And I no longer own 2 Vanson lol.
 

Adence

Familiar Face
Messages
93
The following 17 Loungers have 20 or more leather jackets in their closets. Anyone else out their belong to this elite club?

carlos840
coriu
elmarro
jmax
jonesy86
jonbuilder
kingb
mandarin
marc mndt
mysteryo
photo2u
red devil
rgcards
tmitchell59
toomanyhatsonlyonehead
tusche
yamahana

I am so trained on enjoying competition that this plants a wish in my head to go for joining the club… but right now (a lot of turnover in only half a year) it is
1. 4 Aeros
2. 1 Rainbow Country
3. 1 LVC x Aero
(I do not count the 2 fivestar I only purchased as fit jackets)
 
Messages
17,511
Location
Chicago
Aero-0
Five star-1
Windward-1
Unknown vintage-1
Vanson-1
Wested-1
Straight to hell-1
Vintage Westbury (enroute)-1
H&M-1
Of that list I count three I very won’t wear. STH, Wested and the H&M.
It’s been a long journey. Looking in my closet now it seems particularly strange. I’ve tried many. If I include the brands I have owned, it may skew the survey. I’d have to fire up my old iPhones for an accurate count. I’m tempted to do so but also a bit worried at what I’d find.
 
Messages
16,848
I don't think I've ever been happier with my current line-up of jackets and clothes in general. I've got some great cross zips which may not be anything special or rare, just feel like the kind of jackets that I don't see how to significantly improve upon. I mean, I could but I don't think it'd be worth the money. Or time.

I've got two perfect leather truckers, too. Coincidentally, both by Levi's. At the very end of the road, turns out the original indeed is the best.
 
Messages
10,631
Aero-0
Five star-1
Windward-1
Unknown vintage-1
Vanson-1
Wested-1
Straight to hell-1
Vintage Westbury (enroute)-1
H&M-1
Of that list I count three I very won’t wear. STH, Wested and the H&M.
It’s been a long journey. Looking in my closet now it seems particularly strange. I’ve tried many. If I include the brands I have owned, it may skew the survey. I’d have to fire up my old iPhones for an accurate count. I’m tempted to do so but also a bit worried at what I’d find.

Please fire them up. I gots to see a portion of your journey. At least in one place, many google searches have you front and center.
 

Nickelman2005

New in Town
Messages
49
The following 17 Loungers have 20 or more leather jackets in their closets. Anyone else out their belong to this elite club?

carlos840
coriu
elmarro
jmax
jonesy86
jonbuilder
kingb
mandarin
marc mndt
mysteryo
photo2u
red devil
rgcards
tmitchell59
toomanyhatsonlyonehead
tusche
yamahana

I'm in. 30 jackets total. Was kind of surprised when I actually counted.
 

Nickelman2005

New in Town
Messages
49
My very first quality leather jacket was a Schott 141 that I bought in 1988. That's still my #1 brand.
1. Schott - 9 jackets (4 cross zips and 5 CRs)
2. Vanson -2 (1 cross zips and 1 CR)
3. Excelled - 1 cross zip (not in anyone's list, but a really beautiful jacket)

Went through a disturbed period when I wore all black shirts & pants with different colored leather jackets (CRs, truckers & blazers) mostly from Indian and Pakistani bespoke leather tailors. That was my work uniform for years. Still have a lot of those.
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
Aero-0
Five star-1
Windward-1
Unknown vintage-1
Vanson-1
Wested-1
Straight to hell-1
Vintage Westbury (enroute)-1
H&M-1
Of that list I count three I very won’t wear. STH, Wested and the H&M.
It’s been a long journey. Looking in my closet now it seems particularly strange. I’ve tried many. If I include the brands I have owned, it may skew the survey. I’d have to fire up my old iPhones for an accurate count. I’m tempted to do so but also a bit worried at what I’d find.

If you were going to have 3 of one brand, and 2 of another, which would it be?
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
If money was no object, I like what I see from Thedi and they would likely be my #1. There is a certain level of sophistication and richness that allows one to wear their jackets at a broad level of functions. My aero's accomplish the same, albeit at a less sexy level.
 

Ugly Genius

New in Town
Messages
13
#1 Eastman/ELMC: 2 (A-2 Slender/Californian)
#2 Schott: 1 (581)
#3 Mister Freedom: 1 (Campus Stallion)

Honorable mention:
Alpinestars (For motorcycle riding)
 

Flying Monkey

New in Town
Messages
41
The following 18 Loungers have 20 or more leather jackets in their closets. Anyone else out their belong to this elite club?

carlos840
coriu
elmarro
jmax
jonesy86
jonbuilder
kingb
mandarin
marc mndt
mysteryo
nickelman2005
photo2u
red devil
rgcards
tmitchell59
toomanyhatsonlyonehead
tusche
yamahana
Just counted, yep 24. Although I need to sell 5 or 6 of them that I almost never wear.
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
I see so many many threads over the years concerning the commissioning of new jackets. No doubt that can be a lot of fun and certain individuals simply prefer new jackets. I sometimes wonder, though, if some folks, ie newer, are not aware of all of the wonderful vintage jacket styles out there to be had if one is patient and persistent in a search.

I was a bit surprised that certain vintage names like those below showed up little, if at all, in this exercise. I could see someone having a mini collection of one or more of these brands. One could potentially save a lot of money going the vintage route vs buying a new, custom jacket.

Grais
GuideMaster by Wolfe
Kehoe
Kerr Leathers
Knopf
Kurland
Midwestern Sport Togs
Tauber’s
WB Place
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,289
Messages
3,077,994
Members
54,238
Latest member
LeonardasDream
Top