Cowhide vs horsehide vs buffalo?
#11
03-03-2012, 04:44 PM
Road Warrior
I'm on my 2nd pair of Deer skin gloves, by far the best I have had ever!
So soft, and flexible, I would imagine the elk to be close to this...
So soft, and flexible, I would imagine the elk to be close to this...
#12
03-03-2012, 05:38 PM
Wow, this will be my second horsehide post today... lol. Man, I hope it stops raining already so I can get out and ride. Horsehide is far more durable than either cow or buffalo leather. Check out some of the sites that sell horsehide and you will see this to be a fact. It is also considered a premium material and as such you will pay a heck of a lot more for it than a comparable jacket or vest made from traditional leather (with the caveat that if Harley sells it, you will still pay more for cow leather). As mentioned above, it is physically different in that it is very thick and stiff and requires actual break in time. Most commercial leather jackets feel great right off the rack. My experience has been that if it feels great when brand new, and doesn't require extensive wear in time before its broken in, you probably have a run of the mill coat. Vanson and Schott are probably the best known of the Horsehide jacket manufactures, but Legendary, Hillside, and Lost Worlds (horribly over priced) are also worth looking at. I have a Hillside.
Here's a brief description taken from the Biker Den site explaining horsehide.
Horsehide Motorcycle Jackets for Men:
Horsehide leather motorcycle jackets give you the utmost in durability with horsehide surpassing cowhide in thickness, durability and quality. If you want a motorcycle jacket that will last longer than your bike, a horse leather motorcycle jacket is for you.
Probably the best way "I" can describe a horsehide jacket is like this..... Think of it as owning a parrot, the stupid thing will still be around long after your gone. So make plans to leave it in your will to avoid family heirloom squabbles.
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Here's a brief description taken from the Biker Den site explaining horsehide.
Horsehide Motorcycle Jackets for Men:
Horsehide leather motorcycle jackets give you the utmost in durability with horsehide surpassing cowhide in thickness, durability and quality. If you want a motorcycle jacket that will last longer than your bike, a horse leather motorcycle jacket is for you.
Probably the best way "I" can describe a horsehide jacket is like this..... Think of it as owning a parrot, the stupid thing will still be around long after your gone. So make plans to leave it in your will to avoid family heirloom squabbles.
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Horse hide is far more durable than cow or buffalo. Cowhide, depending on origin and tannage, can vary widely. Buffalo that is sold these days is typically water buffalo from India or Pakistan.
#14
03-03-2012, 05:53 PM
Horsehide doesn't take anywhere close to 20 years to break in. I bought a HH jacket about 6 weeks ago, wore it daily and it fits like a glove. It wasn't all that much more than the cow to be honest.
I know there are different opinions but I don't think goat is an appropriate leather for bikes.
#15
03-03-2012, 06:35 PM
Hear we go again.
Goat skin is in fact a very relevant material, light, unsurpassed weight vs. strength. All USMC and Navy flight jackets are made of goatskin. My Dads is over 45 years old.
And I can say hitting the rain grooved freeway pavement with my Goat Skin Langlitz was proof. I got up with no road rash and the jacket stay on as it was made to do(fit is more important than material). Also I sent the Jacket back to Langlitz for repair and you can not tell that it hit the ground.
Horse Hide has a very tight water proof grain. Top quality American taned horse hide will and does last a lifetime.
Below is a you tube about how true American Horse Hide is manufactured and why true American horse hide is so expensive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ep...ature=youtu.be
I use Langlitz through 3 of the 4 California seasons(Summer I use mesh). All 3 of my jackets are Goat Skin.
All three are made differently to provide more or less warming or cooling. Major advantage of custom bench made products is that they can be altered as time goes on.
If you have a chance give Dave Hansen a call at Langlitz.com and he would be more than glad to discuss materials and myths.
Goat skin is in fact a very relevant material, light, unsurpassed weight vs. strength. All USMC and Navy flight jackets are made of goatskin. My Dads is over 45 years old.
And I can say hitting the rain grooved freeway pavement with my Goat Skin Langlitz was proof. I got up with no road rash and the jacket stay on as it was made to do(fit is more important than material). Also I sent the Jacket back to Langlitz for repair and you can not tell that it hit the ground.
Horse Hide has a very tight water proof grain. Top quality American taned horse hide will and does last a lifetime.
Below is a you tube about how true American Horse Hide is manufactured and why true American horse hide is so expensive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ep...ature=youtu.be
I use Langlitz through 3 of the 4 California seasons(Summer I use mesh). All 3 of my jackets are Goat Skin.
All three are made differently to provide more or less warming or cooling. Major advantage of custom bench made products is that they can be altered as time goes on.
If you have a chance give Dave Hansen a call at Langlitz.com and he would be more than glad to discuss materials and myths.
Last edited by leicafish; 03-03-2012 at 06:38 PM.
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#17
03-03-2012, 09:05 PM
Without question, horse hide is #1. Already mentioned is Schott and Langlitz. Take a look at Legendary USA and Lost Worlds inc too.
Last edited by clicker01; 03-03-2012 at 09:24 PM.
#19
03-03-2012, 09:34 PM
I don't like Goat because every goat jacket I've ever seen looked like a deflated balloon. Goat is a relaxed leather, it doesn't really hold it's shape (not great for an MC jacket), it's perfect for fashion jackets and comfort, but for an MC jacket I think there are better leathers.
And the vast majority of period authentic A2's were generally horse, goat came much later when A2's were simply civilian repros sold to the masses. Gibson and Barnes, Aero, Lost Worlds etc... all of their authentic A2's are horse with the civilian models being goat. Flight-suits today that the pilots use are not leather, they are all synthetic materials, A2's are not actually used by pilots today, they are just fashion jackets.
And the vast majority of period authentic A2's were generally horse, goat came much later when A2's were simply civilian repros sold to the masses. Gibson and Barnes, Aero, Lost Worlds etc... all of their authentic A2's are horse with the civilian models being goat. Flight-suits today that the pilots use are not leather, they are all synthetic materials, A2's are not actually used by pilots today, they are just fashion jackets.
#20
03-03-2012, 09:38 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
Horsehide makes a great jacket but so does cowhide. Thickness is important and is determined by where on the animal it comes from. Front quarter horsehide is touted as the best. Probably the same with a steer. By the way most cowhide is actually from a steer but leather jackets that are reported as steerhide usually have a different finish from so called cowhide, or naked cowhide.
Just some more slightly useless information for my forum friends.
Ride safe.