Yoke or no yoke

[Frizzleburger]

I’m ordering a new board racer jacket and trying to nail the details down. I like the J100 style back and was wondering why I should or should not have a yoke? I will be riding a motorcycle with this jacket if that makes a difference. I just thought the leather yoke on the inside would be more durable than the cotton liner. Does this affect the fit? I’m ordering through Epaulet for the unfinished horse. Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[Guppy]

I could be wrong, but I don't think that a yoke is a double thick layer, other than right at the seam. So it's purely a matter of style preference. Maybe others know better.

 

[Carlos840]

Guppy is right, a yoke isn't twice as thick, the inside of the jacket will look the same yoke or no yoke.
There was a time where people on the lounge were convinced a back yoke was a sign of poorer quality as it allowed smaller hides to be used, everybody was obsessed about "single piece backs"
People used to say a yoke was more fragile as you had a seam in the back. Considering it is a double stitched seam like most over outer seams on the jacket i would not worry about it.

It really comes down to do you like the look of a yoke or not?

 

[ton312]

Yoke is good. Best part of egg and jacket back.

 

[Frizzleburger]

Guppy is right, a yoke isn't twice as thick, the inside of the jacket will look the same yoke or no yoke.
There was a time where people on the lounge were convinced a back yoke was a sign of poorer quality as it allowed smaller hides to be used, everybody was obsessed about "single piece backs"
People used to say a yoke was more fragile as you had a seam in the back. Considering it is a double stitched seam like most over outer seams on the jacket i would not worry about it.

It really comes down to do you like the look of a yoke or not?

Thanks for the info.

 

[El Marro]

I like yokes because they break up the lines of the jacket and make the back more interesting. Of course this is all lost on you when you are wearing the jacket because you can’t see it...

 

[Seb Lucas]

Guppy is right, a yoke isn't twice as thick, the inside of the jacket will look the same yoke or no yoke.
There was a time where people on the lounge were convinced a back yoke was a sign of poorer quality as it allowed smaller hides to be used, everybody was obsessed about "single piece backs"
People used to say a yoke was more fragile as you had a seam in the back. Considering it is a double stitched seam like most over outer seams on the jacket i would not worry about it.

It really comes down to do you like the look of a yoke or not?

It's true - a yoke has often been a sign that the company is saving money and utilizing more leather by using smaller pieces to make up the back. In some hides, specifically goat, it is particularity hard for a company to locate one-piece back leathers once the size become large - 44 an over. I seem to remember Ken from Aero saying that the sunburst back was created in tough times to find ways to make up a back from many smaller pieces and use every piece of hide.

The question is, does it matter? To me, no - the yoke is critical to the look of a J-100 jacket and I really like the look. I prefer a yoke on a half-belt too. Various back seam configurations are part of the heritage of jackets.

 

[Carlos840]

It's true - a yoke has often been a sign that the company is saving money and utilizing more leather by using smaller pieces to make up the back. In some hides, specifically goat, it is particularity hard for a company to locate one-piece back leathers once the size become large - 44 an over. I seem to remember Ken from Aero saying that the sunburst back was created in tough times to find ways to make up a back from many smaller pieces and use every piece of hide.

The question is, does it matter? To me, no - the yoke is critical to the look of a J-100 jacket and I really like the look. I prefer a yoke on a half-belt too. Various back seam configurations are part of the heritage of jackets.

I'm not saying that it isn't a cost cutting measure, i am saying that it doesn't have to be a sign of poor quality.
A jacket made with quality leather, and quality stitching can be of good quality even if it has a multi piece back. The Aero Sunburst is a great example.
There was a time, when the forum was all about A2s, when the Sunburst wasn't even offered by Aero, were people would just dismiss yokes as being inferior and a sign that a jacket was of poor quality.
Personally i disagree with that. I like a good yoke.

 

[Frizzleburger]

It's true - a yoke has often been a sign that the company is saving money and utilizing more leather by using smaller pieces to make up the back. In some hides, specifically goat, it is particularity hard for a company to locate one-piece back leathers once the size become large - 44 an over. I seem to remember Ken from Aero saying that the sunburst back was created in tough times to find ways to make up a back from many smaller pieces and use every piece of hide.

The question is, does it matter? To me, no - the yoke is critical to the look of a J-100 jacket and I really like the look. I prefer a yoke on a half-belt too. Various back seam configurations are part of the heritage of jackets.

So if you were to order a J-100, would you incorporate the yoke?

 

[Fanch]

Maybe not on a Board Racer with a vertical back seam.

 

[Monitor]

This kinda yoke?

 

[ton312]

I would delete the center seam on the BR. If that’s not possible, then delete the kidney panel. The jacket that the BR pays tribute too (j-100) had a yoke but no center seam or kidney panel. To me the standard, single point western yoke perfectly suits a CR. BR or standard and really improves the back overall.

 

[Frizzleburger]

Wow, I’m glad I asked this question. I thought the kidney panel was the yoke. Lol. Back to the drawing board. I thought the panel on the inside of back was the yoke. I understand now, I think.

 

[ton312]

The yoke sits across the shoulders. Kidney panel at the lower back.

 

[ton312]

Here’s the western yoke on my former CR:

 

[Frizzleburger]

I see. Thanks for the info. I would have been disappointed with my jacket due to wrong terminology.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I'm not saying that it isn't a cost cutting measure, i am saying that it doesn't have to be a sign of poor quality.
A jacket made with quality leather, and quality stitching can be of good quality even if it has a multi piece back. The Aero Sunburst is a great example.
There was a time, when the forum was all about A2s, when the Sunburst wasn't even offered by Aero, were people would just dismiss yokes as being inferior and a sign that a jacket was of poor quality.
Personally i disagree with that. I like a good yoke.

I never said you did. I disagree too.

Of course it does follow that budget makers of lesser quality will do this more often to save costs. Hence the 4 piece sleeve and the seam down the middle

 

[ton312]

I see. Thanks for the info. I would have been disappointed with my jacket due to wrong terminology.

I’m suddenly disappointed I sold that jacket.

 

[Frizzleburger]

I’m suddenly disappointed I sold that jacket.

I agree. I didn’t want to say anything. Lol

 

[navetsea]

Yoke help the back to be more 3 D, same with other multipanels back, your upper back is sloping up toward the neck, and also sloping again inward toward the back of your waist since your spine has S curve, so when properly done a yoke or centerseam, or 3 panels back etc will help to shape the back to look neater than single piece back. However when the jacket has multipanels but you can lay it real flat on a table then this is just saving cost with no real shaping benefit