lost worlds

Nice pics 2wheel......You do get around !!

That is a fantastic looking jacket 2wheelgrplr.

scott crabb said:

Why does the maker of the worlds best leathers get picked on thru this forum so the subject of the leathers gets lost?

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"worlds [sic] best" is a subjective value judgement, of course. Once you get to that level of prodcut - LW, Aero, Buzz, Few, ELC, et al - a lot of it is personal preference, based on the clear diffefrences between each label's house style.

"picked on" is an interesting way of putting it - again, this is largely subjective. One man's "picked on" is another man's fair review.

I'd agree that Lost World's product is often eclipsed by Stu's big personality. The thing is, though, at this sort of price point, all sorts of considerastions come into play. There are a range of people who make high end leathers, all of whom offer both a different product and a different consumer experience. Some people enjoy Stu's particular approach to makreting, others do not. Stu might will pull in more ales if he changed his tack and offered a much friendlier, more open approach that you might get from, say, Aero - but then he is a much smaller operation and probably doesn't have the time or the resources to have a dedicated marketing and custoemr contaxct person, or to show people around or whatever. For me, I don't think he helps himself with his online rants and politicsing, in the broadest sense, his business - that sort of thing can and does put people off. That said, he's clearly happy with the size of his market and what he makes, so he doesn't have to change if he doesn't feel the need.

The quality of LW jackets I've handled (and owned) is great, and (subject to personal preferences on hides, as well as accuracy (Stu is very open with what he thinks about "jacket queens" who care about accuracy in reproduction models)), on a fair par with other makers. At this level where it all becomes about subjective preference, though, things like customer service experiences matte,r and that's what a lot of people will take away from the experience. Sure, you might make a great jacket, but if the customer is put off by your approach before they walk away with one, the quality of the product won't be what gets you remembered, for good or ill.

And why does some dufus think he s shortchanged because Stu will not give tours of his factory? Do you like people watching you working? geeeeeeeeeez

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Many of us enjoy the experience of seeing where our premium products are made. It's certainly not an essential, but for many here it adds to the experience of buying from certain premium brands and helps to justify buying in to a luxury product at a significan expense. Of course, not all makers are set up for that, which is fair enough. End of the day, the customer can choose.

les_garten said:

I guess my point was, if you have never been exposed to one(LW Jacket) or talked to the guy, you really don't have a perspective. When you've talked to the guy and have wasted $2800 on a jacket, you do have a perspective. So my Baseball analogy stands as stated.

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Experience of the product is certainly one thing, though when evaluating where I want to spend my money, there are other things I'd take into account. There is, for example, one other maker I've chosen not to deal with because their approach to marketing and a sales enquiry I made put me right off. I was put off dealing with LW directly (though I do own one of their jackets I bought use, and have handled others too) owing to their marketing approach. I consider that sort of thing to be a valid opinion on the company and their sales and marketing stretegy, albeit a different thing from a valid opinion on the actual product quality, which I would agree can only really come from handling the end product.

PDXGEO said:

I think chrome tanning generally produces less "character", at least in the short term, than veg tanned stuff.

That said I just spent aome time on LW website and to be fair, I do dig the leather jackets but there is some serious douchebaggery going on. When a dude starts going on about the brainwashing of political correctness (i.e. im an asshole and it is my god given right) I'm out.

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Much the same as my experience. Everyone is different, of course, but I too tend to shy away from dealing with companies where I don't much care forthe attitudes they intertwine with the brand image. I'm all for individuals having their own opinions with which I may or may not agree, but once they make those opinions the *company's* opinions, then I have to consider that I'm supporting those attitudes if I buy the product, which may or may not encourage me to buy from them.

As I've said above, it's all subjective. However, in a world where there are a range of people who produce jackets I love, I feel much more inclined to buy from a company which doesn't appear to promote itself in a way that I dislike. We all remain free to choose otherwise.

LW = "TFL tested, Sherpa approved™"
You wait, when that website gets updated in 2045, it will say that.

Very cool pics 2wheel !

2wheelgrplr said:

Some thoughts on my one and only Lost Worlds jacket:

I bought it from a store so didn't deal with Stu directly. The jacket is a Lost Worlds Buco Rider, don't know the exact weight, but it's a heavy-weight horsehide. I bought it in the winter of 2012-13. I haven't worn it every day, but have put in some respectable mileage on it. It's heavy but not overly stiff like my Vanson jackets when new (I LOVE Vanson btw!). It's now nicely broken in and fits me well and comfortably, but not to the point of being super-creased & showing lots of patina. It has a few scuffs from some tumbles I encountered while riding over rough terrain. Each time the jacket and the armoured shirt I was wearing underneath protected me well.


Anyways, a few pics. I've shared these in other threads before, but thought they might be relevant here ...

Lost Worlds in a lost world - April 2014, riding to a far corner of the Himalayas, borderland of Bhutan & Arunachal (India).
View attachment 70788

Hanging out with the locals, cafe at the end of the road (dirt trail actually), eastern Himalayas:
View attachment 70791


... and here's how the jacket looked when relatively new (early summer 2013), top of Bear Mountain, NY State, with my '06 Bonneville that I regret letting go of ...
View attachment 70794

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You've worn that one well. I don't think that Jacket is 4 oz plus though that Stuart uses on his Buco replicas and others, hard to say from the pic, yoou're workin' it well though and that's the most used one I have seen.

Thanx for the pic!

ButteMT61 said:

LW = "TFL tested, Sherpa approved™"
You wait, when that website gets updated in 2045, it will say that.

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Indeed!

I just wrapped up and am sending all my LW's off to the Himalaya's, those guys don't look like some Forum Nambie Pambies. I'll be they can break in my LW's for me!

Lost Worlds Test. Bought new. Size 44. 4+ounce. Probably couple of years old in the Video.




This is the Test NEW, soon after I bought it. I was more like 215 then.

@TREEMAN @BoxerguyT89 @Otter Thanks for the kind words, guys! Treeman, yeah, I've had to commute between two continents every few months some years ago, although now I'm pretty much in Asia, visiting the US every once in a while.

ButteMT61 said:

LW = "TFL tested, Sherpa approved™"
You wait, when that website gets updated in 2045, it will say that.

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LOL! Wonder if I can convince Stu to give me a cut of the profits from this upcoming marketing campaign?!

les_garten said:

You've worn that one well. I don't think that Jacket is 4 oz plus though that Stuart uses on his Buco replicas and others, hard to say from the pic, yoou're workin' it well though and that's the most used one I have seen.

Thanx for the pic!

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les_garten said:

Indeed!

I just wrapped up and am sending all my LW's off to the Himalaya's, those guys don't look like some Forum Nambie Pambies. I'll be they can break in my LW's for me!

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Thanks! The jacket feels the same weight as say, my Vanson Model A variant. My Vanson Chopper (Thurston Bros model) is heavier. Yes, this jacket has been put through its paces - weeks of living in it day in & day out during long-distance moto trips, riding through pouring rain, dust & sand, hot & humid in the plains of India, freezing rain & hailstorm over Himalayan passes, couple of tumbles over rocks & gravel. None the worse for wear!

2wheelgrplr said:

Some thoughts on my one and only Lost Worlds jacket:

I bought it from a store so didn't deal with Stu directly. The jacket is a Lost Worlds Buco Rider, don't know the exact weight, but it's a heavy-weight horsehide. I bought it in the winter of 2012-13. I haven't worn it every day, but have put in some respectable mileage on it. It's heavy but not overly stiff like my Vanson jackets when new (I LOVE Vanson btw!). It's now nicely broken in and fits me well and comfortably, but not to the point of being super-creased & showing lots of patina. It has a few scuffs from some tumbles I encountered while riding over rough terrain. Each time the jacket and the armoured shirt I was wearing underneath protected me well.

The jacket is very practical and the features work well - pockets all hold stuff well, the pocket-inner is thick & sturdy; zippers zip well; throat latch works to keep things, well, latched up; sturdy side-buckles can tighten waist if need be; full-action back makes things comfortable reaching out to the handlebars; rayon lining is comfortable pulling jacket over everything from bare skin, t-shirts, above-mentioned armoured shirts, fleece jackets, etc. Fit is roomy without being overly baggy (don't quote me but I heard newer cafe-style jackets are slimmer fitting than mine). The leather itself, however, does not seem to be as eye-catching as other heavy-weight leathers out there, be it Vanson comp weight or Aero FQHH, etc. - being a bit nitpicky now ...

Anyways, a few pics. I've shared these in other threads before, but thought they might be relevant here ...

Lost Worlds in a lost world - April 2014, riding to a far corner of the Himalayas, borderland of Bhutan & Arunachal (India).
View attachment 70788

Hanging out with the locals, cafe at the end of the road (dirt trail actually), eastern Himalayas:
View attachment 70791

With bros from my MC club, scenic Central Bhutan.
View attachment 70793

... and here's how the jacket looked when relatively new (early summer 2013), top of Bear Mountain, NY State, with my '06 Bonneville that I regret letting go of ...
View attachment 70794

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What a cool experience.

tmitchell59 said:

Lost Worlds Test. Bought new. Size 44. 4+ounce. Probably couple of years old in the Video.

This is the Test NEW, soon after I bought it. I was more like 215 then.

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Terry, the second video is set to private. But the first one looks like an extremely tough jacket. I wish I had this one...

I constantly search the web for LW & other leather jackets. 3 LW jackets that i've seen come to mind. Your J24, a Black Bison Trojan in a size 44 probably the same Trojan that LW used to reference on the Trojan web page (they took it down quite some time ago although they still have a Bison in a different color) and a size 44 russet grizzly. All 3 were extremely beautiful & if I hadn't owned a Trojan i might have gone for the Bison. I'm not real fond of the pebbleing on the Bison though. All 3 owners had a very difficult time selling their jackets & the owner of the Trojan started his sale price around $1500 and finally sold it for half that, the owner of the grizzly didn't sell his & les you know how long it took to sell yours. I can see how one can shell out that kind of money for world famous clothing & still discount their coats to sell them & be pissed off that they were up for sale so long & so heavily discounted

ultrark2004 said:

I constantly search the web for LW & other leather jackets. 3 LW jackets that i've seen come to mind. Your J24, a Black Bison Trojan in a size 44 probably the same Trojan that LW used to reference on the Trojan web page (they took it down quite some time ago although they still have a Bison in a different color) and a size 44 russet grizzly. All 3 were extremely beautiful & if I hadn't owned a Trojan i might have gone for the Bison. I'm not real fond of the pebbleing on the Bison though. All 3 owners had a very difficult time selling their jackets & the owner of the Trojan started his sale price around $1500 and finally sold it for half that, the owner of the grizzly didn't sell his & les you know how long it took to sell yours. I can see how one can shell out that kind of money for world famous clothing & still discount their coats to sell them & be pissed off that they were up for sale so long & so heavily discounted

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Indeed, but I didn't want to sell it. I used the cash to buy a second Langlitz. I held onto it a long time but realized I would never be able to "make it mine" so to speak. It was never gonna be a comfortable jacket for me.

I don't ride in inclement weather anymore if I can help it.

Possibly if I could go back to when I was in my 20's and only had a Motorcycle as transportation year round I could break it in and make it comfortable to wear. Getting it wet day in and day out would possibly work. But I'm about 60 now and that kind of bodily wear and tear ain't in the cards anymore for me. Langlitz jackets take a bit to break in, but it ain't the same thing at all comparatively speaking.

I really really like LW jackets just can't deal with the Horse he uses. Quality is there in spades.

I really don't "need" another moto Jacket, but if I did decide to glom onto another one, it would be his Trojan in Goat or maybe a Cow.

scott crabb said:

harlock and les_strand are not just wind jammin the truth{i'm useing gentle words to avoid useing derogatory words} i just wonder who lester is shilling for --could the schotts or some other NYC maker be padding lesterspockets- remember my desire alone for getting the best and willing to spend 1200 bucks for it meant some leather houselost out-no proof-not SAYING THAT I KNOW this is true-but i notice meeeeester strandgets hostile when i disagree with him

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Ya caught me...

I'm trying to put everybody in a Schott jacket....

can u get me a discount?

I have 2 LW. A 4+oz Trojan & 4+oz J23. My first J23 I gained weight & had to sell so I sized up on this one. Since I live in socal I can only wear them from oct thru april because of the heavy leather gets to you in anything over 80 degrees. My J23 is about 7 years old & the Trojan 6 years. Les your right about the body panels, this past Christmas we were with a group ride & one of them said "Looks like Christmas came early for you with a new coat" this was in reference to my 6 year old Trojan. LW workmanship is second to none, you have to see it to believe

ultrark2004 said:

I have 2 LW. A 4+oz Trojan & 4+oz J23. My first J23 I gained weight & had to sell so I sized up on this one. Since I live in socal I can only wear them from oct thru april because of the heavy leather gets to you in anything over 80 degrees. My J23 is about 7 years old & the Trojan 6 years. Les your right about the body panels, this past Christmas we were with a group ride & one of them said "Looks like Christmas came early for you with a new coat" this was in reference to my 6 year old Trojan. LW workmanship is second to none, you have to see it to believe

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Trojan is Horse? Got any pix?

my trojan 4+ horsehide