Im trying to decide between these two for my custom motorcycle jacket. any reasons why one is better than the other? alot of pro racers wear bates suits and they say theyll build whatever i want however i want. the bates will cost less than the langlitz. ive read about how good langlitz customer service is and ive talked to both on the phone. they both seem very nice. bates does a fitting via skype while langlitz goes by mailed in measurements. im mostly wanting feedback on quality, leather thickness, tangible things like that. ive already got a vanson hardcore so im not in a hurry and its winter time in western pa. thanks in advance.
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Bates or langlitz
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I have never owned a Bates but I do have a Langlitz Columbia and it's seriously one of the best leather jackets I've ever seen in my life and right now, if I had the money to spare for a single jacket, it'd be Langlitz. That doesn't mean much of course, someone could say the same thing about Bates I suppose and this isn't to say that Bates is inferior but it's just that Langlitz makes such an excellent product that you simply cannot go wrong with them.
I know Bates will do a lot more stuff while Langlitz will mostly work with what they already have. Like, they'll move pockets around, quilted pads, details, etc. and Bates is known to go completely crazy with their jackets, just like Vanson. But recently Langlitz has also made some wild stuff, too and I know for a fact they do have a wide range of colored hides.
I've got a cowhide sample Scott of Langlitz sent me and that's some super heavy stuff, so much that I'd maybe even prefer the lightweight cow they offer. They had an even heavier hide but decided to ditch it as it was ridiculous. Supposedly it was almost 2x Vanson Comp. weight. As for the quality... Their jackets are among the highest prized jackets on eBay regardless of the year, hide, weight, condition, etc., for a good reason.
So tl;dr, can't go wrong with Langlitz.
I know Bates will do a lot more stuff while Langlitz will mostly work with what they already have. Like, they'll move pockets around, quilted pads, details, etc. and Bates is known to go completely crazy with their jackets, just like Vanson. But recently Langlitz has also made some wild stuff, too and I know for a fact they do have a wide range of colored hides.
I've got a cowhide sample Scott of Langlitz sent me and that's some super heavy stuff, so much that I'd maybe even prefer the lightweight cow they offer. They had an even heavier hide but decided to ditch it as it was ridiculous. Supposedly it was almost 2x Vanson Comp. weight. As for the quality... Their jackets are among the highest prized jackets on eBay regardless of the year, hide, weight, condition, etc., for a good reason.
So tl;dr, can't go wrong with Langlitz.
nick123
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I had that jacket prior to Monitor. I bought it from Pawineguy here (where is he?) There is something mystical about Langlitz and the way it ages. If I could describe what I'm trying to describe I'd win the Pullitzer. It doesn't try, but somehow becomes this gorgeous specimen through age. Probably the aesthetic Japanese antiquity had in mind with their wabi-sabi/tea cermony ethos. Natural beauty acquired through age, not processed to take on those characteristics.
Guppy
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I have never seen a Bates jacket firsthand. I own a handful of Langlitz jackets, and they're really second to none, in a class of their own.
Depending on *how* custom you are looking for, they may not be interested -- I believe they pretty much stick with their own designs, but can accommodate a lot of customized options within their designs. Their customer service is legendary.
Im only looking at a traditional design im looking at the bates highwayman or t2 or a langlitz padded columbia. my thing with bates is that theyre custom like langlitz and there are many many many pro racers who use their suits. even the progressive girl wears a bates lol. dawn at bates says their leather is 1.3-1.5mm and with all the pros that wear their gear i have no doubt theyd hold up in a crash if need be. just trying to figure out if the langlitz is even better or about the same.
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As I've said many times before - most if not all premium makers discussed here are just about equal in quality and materials. What separates them apart is your personal taste but that's just about it. Vanson also makes stuff for professional racers and in fact, that's their main income source. As great as Langlitz is, I've no doubt it can outlive or outperform any Vanson's comp. grade jacket.
I can only promise you that Langlitz makes a tremendously good product, one that's worth its price. They're honestly legendary tier and rightfully so but whether they're better than Bates... That's entirely subjective. It may very well be so that Bates will make you a much better fitting jacket or that Langlitz will be a lot more comfortable. But the best?
I can only promise you that Langlitz makes a tremendously good product, one that's worth its price. They're honestly legendary tier and rightfully so but whether they're better than Bates... That's entirely subjective. It may very well be so that Bates will make you a much better fitting jacket or that Langlitz will be a lot more comfortable. But the best?
Im willing ro bet that is a brand new jacket. I talked to dawn at bates a few months ago and that jacket is still available. Also, looking at that picture it looks like the snaps are blacked out which the original had brass. I was quoted the price of a non custom vanson for a custom bates and within a couple hundred of a langlitz. I was really leaning towards a z custom but i havent heard back from them in a few weeks for a quote. Ill have to touch base with them if i get a day off. Great pic. Thanks
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