OnSale

I immediately set out to check the seams for quality of construction. What I found was that the stitch lines were straight and uniform and things like the zipper ends, top and bottom matched perfectly. Leather has a mind of its own and can be tricky to sew unless the person knows how to handle it properly. The quality and placement of the zippers was excellent. I found the pockets to be exactly where I needed them, deep and lined with a study fabric that won’t give out after years of wear. I particularly liked the inside pockets for when I run to the bank or post office and don’t want things “taking flight” out of my outside pockets. These pockets are very deep and can handle things like a check book….perfect!

When it came to putting the jacket on for the fit I found that the style was exactly what I was looking for. The jacket fit me so comfortably that unlike the other jackets I have, there was no need for a “break in” period. My observation is that this is due two to things, quality of leather and conscientious styling. Once I was able to find a warm enough day to give it a test run I found that warmth was a huge feature which I hadn’t thought about. The leather just meshed comfortably to me while I was riding and although this jacket was much heavier than my others, the quality of the leather lent itself to total comfort. The way the front of the jacket overlaps gave me added warmth on the cold day that I first tried it out. My chest stayed very warm, wind didn’t tend to go down my neck and my arms also stayed warm, even with just a long sleeved top. The hide-a-way neck warmer was a really neat addition that works like a champ keeping wind out from behind my neck where I tend to truly have a cold spot. The temps that day were about 53 or less which didn’t include the wind chill factor. I was toasty warm and comfortable…wow what a difference it made on my outlook to winter riding!

The style is a show stopper and I’ve had several of my friends ask to try it on. It provides me with the elastic waist that not only looks great and adds comfort but doesn’t make me look chunky in the middle. I don’t feel like I’m “fighting the fit”! The jacket was designed with lines which accentuate your figure not add to it. I have all the room where I need it the most; the chest, shoulders and hip areas. These are the spots that for me make a difference while I’m riding. The side zippers are wonderful; I particularly like them for when I have an extra layer on or when I need to pull the jacket further down around my hips while riding my bike. The sleeve zippers are naturally great for putting on and taking off gloves. I personally would like the sleeves to be a bit tighter in the cuff so that it makes it easier for me to pull my gauntlet gloves down over the sleeves, but that, is a matter of personal taste. I found the soft perforated leather on the inside of the sleeve zipper to be pretty neat as it would help to bring in just a bit more air on the warmer days when I would ride with my sleeves unzipped. The perforated leather panel is wider than most jackets which lends itself to making it easier to remove gloves or take the jacket off.

As for warmth, you can’t beat this particular jacket. The full insulated liner is the best quality I’ve seen so far. It’s pretty obvious that I’ve put aside my other two jackets for my new FCL one because I just know that I’ll be warm and comfortable while riding.