Rugged West - custom Rugged Rider 3.0 (Buco J-24 inspired) - Initial impressions / review

[TartuWolf]

Rugged West - Rugged Rider 3.0

TLDR:​

These run stock for ~£550 / ~€650 / ~$750 (shipped!) if you catch a discount, I paid extra for custom.
Buco J-24 D-pocket inspired cross zip – made in UK (I guess only for custom orders, stock is made in Pakistan I believe, maybe with finishing in UK).
Brass/gold RiRi hardware (special request), ~1.5mm jet-black teacore steerhide, dark gold contrast stitching, and matching cotton drill lining.
Custom measurements, officially XS, in practice 34 bottom, 36 top.
+ Pretty sweet warm weather / t-shirt fit apart from overly wide cuffs, slightly tight elbows, and slightly too long body.
+ Gorgeous and buttery smooth RiRi hardware, fantastic stitching, and lovely matching lining.
+ Ready-to-go out-of-the-box leather, no break-in needed, great mobility including very functional action back.
– Some questionable design decisions like snaps going through main zipper tape/stitching and D-pocket, overlapping internal and external (chest pocket) zippers. The tiny, thin hanging tab isn't inspiring either.
– Received the jacket about a month later than indicated/promised – no biggie, but not ideal.
– Some requested measurements were not quite met – chest pocket and elbow width narrower than specified.
– Some small QC issues like stained lining, a small but clearly visible cut in the leather, loose threads here and there, and inconsistent thread tension.
+/- The leather feels a bit mediocre (dry, spongy), although it looks pretty good. But this is relative to taste/expectations, and it's still new – needs time to develop, I think.
Assuming I can get the cuffs narrowed down... Overall around 8/10 from me, considering the reasonable price (including custom upcharge).

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My history / relationship to RW:​

I was planning a trip to London and asked TFL folks what stores to visit, and someone suggested contacting RW. I visited Leilah at her home, talked to her for about an hour, and checked the jackets she had on hand.
It was still very early in the brand’s development – the leather was very meh – but I liked the vision she had, her values, and her enthusiasm. Back then, I decided to keep an eye on RW; not worth considering yet.
Then this reel came out in April 2024: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/reel/C6OQT4EoyYW/
I was really impressed with the leather and rather liked the model. Not a fan of mixing Type 3 back and Type 1 front, but it was still pretty nice.
My wife liked it enough for me to get hyped up and order a jacket for her.
Result: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-brand-rugged-west.113663/page-6#post-3112804
I didn’t like the leather in person nearly as much as I liked it in the reel, but otherwise the jacket seemed pretty well made for the price.
And the emphasis on providing leather jacket options for women appealed to me a LOT.
My wife hasn’t worn the jacket much yet (surprise!), but I don’t regret the purchase.
We kept in touch with Leilah, me still waiting for a good opportunity to pounce and get a jacket for myself (and support her business!).
In February 2025, this post came out: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/p/DGbdTMquqd_/.
I was sold on the leather, but not quite sold on the model due to the back design. But it was getting close.
Another VERY inspiring post got me even more hyped up and I almost caved in: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/reel/DBRJE6LI6PT/
In April 2025, this post came out and I knew I was ready to throw my money at RW: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/p/DIBdjZlog-f/
Finally, a full action-back J-24 inspired D-pocket.
This is where the story of this order starts.

---

Ordering:​

We started discussing the details at the beginning of April 2025.
I’m a very demanding customer in terms of communication, and Leilah was sometimes rather hard to get hold of.
But she responded generously when she did, including tons and tons of communications via WhatsApp and voice messages.
Her patience is very impressive (I guess her enthusiasm helps a lot there), even if her availability was a bit sporadic.
Around mid-April, I had the order PDF prepared with all the details and measurements.
This was a custom order and, according to Leilah, basically the last one unless you go for their new premium line.
Paid the 50% deposit in mid-May, got a quote of ~1 month lead time, with the jacket very likely reaching me by the end of June, right before my birthday!
In reality, I got the first QC pictures around the end of July. After some concerns and discussion, I transferred the remaining 50%, and the jacket was sent out to me.
The jacket reached Estonia around August 3rd and arrived at my home around August 6–7. Unfortunately, I was away for a few weeks and got my hands on the jacket only around August 15.
So from initial deposit to receiving the jacket – around 3 months in my case.

---

​

Order – adherence to custom request details:​

Overall, I mostly got what I requested. 90–95%, I’d say.
Main things that were missed:

• Elbow width narrower than requested. A bit problematic, but it does seem to stretch out, so no biggie.
• Chest width narrower than requested – not an issue in practice.
• Chest pocket width specification ignored – would have been nice to have, but no big deal.

---

​

Future of RW (rumors):​

From what I’ve heard, RW will no longer be accepting custom orders on the regular/budget line.
So stock jackets only.
Not sure for how long though – likely they are trying to move the whole production to London for good.
Would be very sad to lose this more budget-friendly tier (especially for women!) if that’s the case.
So grab ’em while you can.
Seems like they will be focusing on the premium OLYMPIA COLLECTION line, which is closer to $1700–2000 in terms of price, competing with the big boys.
I've also heard that there's quite a bit of demand for the premium line already, so hopefully it's a good move on RW part.

---

​

Jacket – Hardware:​

I opted to pay a bit extra to get RiRi zippers – very glad I did. Fantastic stuff, slides like butter even if it looks a bit too modern. #8 main, #6 rest. Cost me around $45 extra.
Regular pulls for the chest and handwarmer pockets (hidden tape areas) turned out not to be the best idea – something hanging works much better and doesn’t stick out as much.
Using S-type instead of R-type snaps is an interesting choice. I don’t mind it, but it’s definitely unusual. Haven’t seen that on other jackets yet.
Overall, the brass/gold hardware really helps with the whole black x gold vibe I was going for with this jacket.

---

Jacket – Lining:​

Gold/beige cotton drill everywhere – body, sleeves, all pockets. Turned out lovely. I’m happy with the choice.
Leilah suggested relining the sleeves with Bemberg or Cupro to reduce elbow strain/tightness, but we shall see.

---

Jacket – Stitching:​

Some small issues here and there like missed holes, loose threads, and wrong tension, but overall the stitching is stellar from my perspective – very clean, very nice.
I went for the contrast dark gold stitching to match the lining and hardware. Glad I did – looks super sweet.
The small QC issues are understandable, but my main gripe is the stitching tension in some places.
Overall great for the price, but they need to be more careful with their premium line, that’s for sure.

 

[TartuWolf]

Jacket – Model Design Choices and Details:​

I like the back design more than the front overall. Yes, I got myself a D-pocket finally, and I’m very happy with that.
But here are some hiccups or oddities that I noticed:

• As some of you pointed out, the belt loop snap goes through the D-pocket. Not a big deal, but would be better to avoid that if possible.
• The belt loops are attached in front using rivets instead of snaps, which is a bit odd to me.
• One of the collar snaps goes through the zipper tape and stitching – doesn’t seem like a good idea.
• Using S-type instead of R-type snaps is an unusual choice.
• The cuff gussets are lined – I’ve never seen that before, but conventional wisdom tells me they shouldn’t be. I could be wrong.
• Hanging loop seems like an afterthought – tiny and fragile, can’t imagine it surviving hanging a 2kg jacket for long.
• The internal zipped pocket is at the same exact height as the external chest pocket, making them overlap and creating a lot of unnecessary bulk – very poor design choice in my opinion.
• The D-pocket zip is Vanson-style (down-is-closed), but the handwarmer pocket is the opposite (up-is-closed). Why? That’s just inconsistent and confusing.
• The pockets are not deep enough in my opinion. There’s definitely enough space to make them deeper, but the ONLY pocket that will barely swallow a small-to-moderate smartphone is the D-pocket!
• I’d make both the belt loops and epaulets more flat personally – right now they’re too loose/lifted for no reason.
• I’ll also mention the crazy (in my opinion) stock back length of 25" for this model – waaay too long. Mine’s a custom at 23.25", and it’s still too long for this size.

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Jacket – QC Issues:​

I’d say for the price all of these are totally acceptable, but I’ll point them out anyway:

• A few lining stains.
• A few loose stitches and missed holes.
• A few places with “wrong” thread tension, I guess.
• A very visible (due to being teacore) cut and arguably premature wear in one spot on the bottom hem.
• (Arguably) snap going through zipper tape and stitching.

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Jacket – The Leather:​

I guess this is the thing most of you are really curious about.
Jet/oil black teacore steerhide. The initial batch was ~1.3mm, while this one is ~1.5mm according to Leilah. She said she used some extra thick hide sheets for my jacket.
It’s definitely very deep black. And definitely teacore. Hard to tell how fast it will fade – we shall see. You can see it in the cut photo very well.
For me personally, it looks better than it feels. It’s definitely not lightweight – I’d classify it as midweight. The jacket weighs 2kg, exactly the same as a Vanson Oxford in CW in size 36.
It is very soft and smooth – no break-in required whatsoever.
It does seem to have enough stiffness and heft to develop rolls on the sleeves rather than creases.
It’s also a bit stretchy/spongy, has some give. Very easy to move in – good mobility.
Won’t stand on its own – definitely more drapey leather than structured. I’d prefer it to have more structure personally.
Also rather dry – definitely not waxy.
Visually VERY black – more than any other black leather I own.
Doesn’t have that WOW factor to me personally – kind of mediocre, especially in terms of feel. Looks pretty good though.
Does not quite have that “premium” feel in my opinion, but seems to be good quality.
I think it will also look better with wear and development, as some grain is already starting to show. Just a bit bland when new.
I requested more striations and marks, but didn’t get that.
Overall, I’m rather pleased for the intended purpose of this jacket – t-shirt warm weather lighter cross-zip.

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Value / Price:​

I’d say this jacket sits at the upper end of the “budget” tier for getting a NEW D-pocket.
I probably missed some, but here are some notable D-pocket alternatives (new) off the top of my head – to give you an idea where this jacket sits in terms of price/value:

• Tailor Brando (China): $200–400 (depending on model)
• Five Star (Pakistan): $200–500 (depending on model)
• Avi Leather (Pakistan?): $500–550
• Rugged West: ~$700 (current stock budget line)
• Vanson Commando / Custom: $900–1000
• Simmons Bilt: ~$1000
• I’m sure JL could cook something up for $1000–1500
• Aero Leather: ~$1400–1800
• Field Leathers: ~$1700–2000
• ELMC: ~$1700–1800
• JP brands / Himmel / Lost Worlds: usually over $2000

Size / Measurements:​

I went with the XS (which would be a 34/36, I guess) base and specified a lot of custom measurements:
Narrower waist, narrower bottom hem, much shorter body, longer sleeves, various sleeve width specifications.
I messed up and requested wider cuffs than I should have – no idea how I managed to do that considering I measured my Vanson a few times.
The elbow turned out tighter than I requested, but it did stretch out somewhat.

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Fit – In Terms of Feel:​

As discussed in a previous post, the body turned out longer than I anticipated despite being the same length as my Aero Hooch Hauler, which wears much shorter.
I would like the body to be shorter, but I think it’s rather fine as is – doesn’t bother me much. The front would be more problematic if the leather were stiffer.
Shoulders, chest, pit width, waist width, hem width – all turned out great. I’m very pleased.
Sleeve length is great and would be even better with narrower (zipped) cuffs.
Biceps width is great, elbow is a bit tight for my taste, cuffs are too wide.
Great mobility and comfort apart from the elbows.
No “hanging on the neck” feel – neck hole is very comfortable. Very comfortable even when fully zipped up!
VERY high armholes, which I like, but no way I’d go even higher. Already pushes into armpits even with a t-shirt only.
So the fit is around 8/10. I’d give it a 9/10 if the elbow were a bit wider, cuffs tighter, and body (especially back) a bit shorter.

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As always I'm looking forward to your comments, questions and thoughts.
In the next few posts I'll add more visual material.
I hope you enjoy reading this as I much as I did writing it.
And thank you @Leilah RW !
Cheers and greetings from Estonia!

 

[TartuWolf]

Detail shots:

A few different configurations:

 

[TartuWolf]

Leather next to other black leather items (Sendra boots, RW jacket, Vanson CW, Vanson CW, White's black dress leather).

Next to the Vanson CW jackets:

 

[TartuWolf]

And, as I've been doing lately with jackets as it gives a much better idea about the drape, leather "hand", fit and mobility, I've also made a small video:

 

[TartuWolf]

And the fit photos:

 

[Zoro]

Thanks for a good read, great review! As expected, you've dealt with the criticisms I had.

In the past I've seen you mention how RW's cuffs don't get tighter when zipped up. You mention you would like these tighter than they are, but do they get tighter when zipped (even if not tight enough for your taste)? Also, are you considering contacting Leilah regarding any of the QC issues, such as the snap on the stitching?

Overall, it looks good and in the past I considered actually ordering this jacket. Reading your review, as positive as it is, I end up convinced otherwise anyway. I find it sits in no man's territory rather than high budget end. I would rather save money into some Tailor Brando aggregated maker, splurge further into a Simmons Bilt or Aero, or go all in with Field or Thedi.

 

[TartuWolf]

Thanks for a good read, great review! As expected, you've dealt with the criticisms I had.

In the past I've seen you mention how RW's cuffs don't get tighter when zipped up. You mention you would like these tighter than they are, but do they get tighter when zipped (even if not tight enough for your taste)? Also, are you considering contacting Leilah regarding any of the QC issues, such as the snap on the stitching?

Overall, it looks good and in the past I considered actually ordering this jacket. Reading your review, as positive as it is, I end up convinced otherwise anyway. I find it sits in no man's territory rather than high budget end. I would rather save money into some Tailor Brando aggregated maker, splurge further into a Simmons Bilt or Aero, or go all in with Field or Thedi.

They do get tighter but the stock measurements / pattern is such that the cuffs are way too loose even when zipped up. I tried to mitigate that by specifying my own cuff measurements but I made a blunder or was too conservative and they are still way too wide when zipped up. That's something I'm hoping to fix one way or the other (local, Leilah or Poland..).

Leilah knows about those small QC issues as I sent her the link to this review, it's her choice if she wants to do something about it. For me none of the QC issues are deal breakers, just minor annoyances/disappointments.

As she no longer accepts custom orders (I could be wrong) your only chance would be to get this as a stock jacket with an absurd 25" length, which I would definitely not recommend.
I also cannot recommend her premium custom line as I haven't seen any examples of it and RW has a LOT to prove at that price point.

But can you explain what you mean by "it sits in no man's territory rather than high budget end"?

With Tailor Brando and similar options you can only really get a stock jacket - great if that works for you. I considered a Tailor Brando as well, but turned that idea down - too many compromises and risk, despite the attractive price and great communication by Dylan. Simmons Bilt is a great option if you are demanding enough with QC ( you REALLY should be unless going through a 3rd party with easy returns ). Aero sizing, measurement secrecy, #5 zippers and pricing more or less excludes them for me in terms of ordering - maybe you can luck out with a used specimen. Field no longer does custom, but maybe you can still order a stock Manhattan - personally at that price having nickel hardware, sleeve zipps on top and a bunch of other compromises does not sound attractive to me. Thedi is Thedi, he does his own thing, you probably should not be getting a J-24 copy from him.
Of course there are different kinds of D-pockets, but I really like the combination with the full-action back AKA J-24 inspired D-pockets.
In my own mind the best shot I have at getting a nice one if I didn't order this RW would be a used double helix innovator or a custom JL/Vanson order.

 

[photo2u]

Rugged West - Rugged Rider 3.0​

​

View attachment 724587​

View attachment 724588​

TLDR:​

These run stock for ~£550 / ~€650 / ~$750 (shipped!) if you catch a discount, I paid extra for custom.
Buco J-24 D-pocket inspired cross zip – made in UK (I guess only for custom orders, stock is made in Pakistan I believe, maybe with finishing in UK).
Brass/gold RiRi hardware (special request), ~1.5mm jet-black teacore steerhide, dark gold contrast stitching, and matching cotton drill lining.
Custom measurements, officially XS, in practice 34 bottom, 36 top.
+ Pretty sweet warm weather / t-shirt fit apart from overly wide cuffs, slightly tight elbows, and slightly too long body.
+ Gorgeous and buttery smooth RiRi hardware, fantastic stitching, and lovely matching lining.
+ Ready-to-go out-of-the-box leather, no break-in needed, great mobility including very functional action back.
– Some questionable design decisions like snaps going through main zipper tape/stitching and D-pocket, overlapping internal and external (chest pocket) zippers. The tiny, thin hanging tab isn't inspiring either.
– Received the jacket about a month later than indicated/promised – no biggie, but not ideal.
– Some requested measurements were not quite met – chest pocket and elbow width narrower than specified.
– Some small QC issues like stained lining, a small but clearly visible cut in the leather, loose threads here and there, and inconsistent thread tension.
+/- The leather feels a bit mediocre (dry, spongy), although it looks pretty good. But this is relative to taste/expectations, and it's still new – needs time to develop, I think.
Assuming I can get the cuffs narrowed down... Overall around 8/10 from me, considering the reasonable price (including custom upcharge).

---

My history / relationship to RW:​

I was planning a trip to London and asked TFL folks what stores to visit, and someone suggested contacting RW. I visited Leilah at her home, talked to her for about an hour, and checked the jackets she had on hand.
It was still very early in the brand’s development – the leather was very meh – but I liked the vision she had, her values, and her enthusiasm. Back then, I decided to keep an eye on RW; not worth considering yet.
Then this reel came out in April 2024: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/reel/C6OQT4EoyYW/
I was really impressed with the leather and rather liked the model. Not a fan of mixing Type 3 back and Type 1 front, but it was still pretty nice.
My wife liked it enough for me to get hyped up and order a jacket for her.
Result: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-brand-rugged-west.113663/page-6#post-3112804
I didn’t like the leather in person nearly as much as I liked it in the reel, but otherwise the jacket seemed pretty well made for the price.
And the emphasis on providing leather jacket options for women appealed to me a LOT.
My wife hasn’t worn the jacket much yet (surprise!), but I don’t regret the purchase.
We kept in touch with Leilah, me still waiting for a good opportunity to pounce and get a jacket for myself (and support her business!).
In February 2025, this post came out: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/p/DGbdTMquqd_/.
I was sold on the leather, but not quite sold on the model due to the back design. But it was getting close.
Another VERY inspiring post got me even more hyped up and I almost caved in: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/reel/DBRJE6LI6PT/
In April 2025, this post came out and I knew I was ready to throw my money at RW: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedwestco/p/DIBdjZlog-f/
Finally, a full action-back J-24 inspired D-pocket.
This is where the story of this order starts.

---

Ordering:​

We started discussing the details at the beginning of April 2025.
I’m a very demanding customer in terms of communication, and Leilah was sometimes rather hard to get hold of.
But she responded generously when she did, including tons and tons of communications via WhatsApp and voice messages.
Her patience is very impressive (I guess her enthusiasm helps a lot there), even if her availability was a bit sporadic.
Around mid-April, I had the order PDF prepared with all the details and measurements.
This was a custom order and, according to Leilah, basically the last one unless you go for their new premium line.
Paid the 50% deposit in mid-May, got a quote of ~1 month lead time, with the jacket very likely reaching me by the end of June, right before my birthday!
In reality, I got the first QC pictures around the end of July. After some concerns and discussion, I transferred the remaining 50%, and the jacket was sent out to me.
The jacket reached Estonia around August 3rd and arrived at my home around August 6–7. Unfortunately, I was away for a few weeks and got my hands on the jacket only around August 15.
So from initial deposit to receiving the jacket – around 3 months in my case.

---

​

Order – adherence to custom request details:​

Overall, I mostly got what I requested. 90–95%, I’d say.
Main things that were missed:

• Elbow width narrower than requested. A bit problematic, but it does seem to stretch out, so no biggie.
• Chest width narrower than requested – not an issue in practice.
• Chest pocket width specification ignored – would have been nice to have, but no big deal.

---

​

Future of RW (rumors):​

From what I’ve heard, RW will no longer be accepting custom orders on the regular/budget line.
So stock jackets only.
Not sure for how long though – likely they are trying to move the whole production to London for good.
Would be very sad to lose this more budget-friendly tier (especially for women!) if that’s the case.
So grab ’em while you can.
Seems like they will be focusing on the premium OLYMPIA COLLECTION line, which is closer to $1700–2000 in terms of price, competing with the big boys.
I've also heard that there's quite a bit of demand for the premium line already, so hopefully it's a good move on RW part.

---

​

Jacket – Hardware:​

I opted to pay a bit extra to get RiRi zippers – very glad I did. Fantastic stuff, slides like butter even if it looks a bit too modern. #8 main, #6 rest. Cost me around $45 extra.
Regular pulls for the chest and handwarmer pockets (hidden tape areas) turned out not to be the best idea – something hanging works much better and doesn’t stick out as much.
Using S-type instead of R-type snaps is an interesting choice. I don’t mind it, but it’s definitely unusual. Haven’t seen that on other jackets yet.
Overall, the brass/gold hardware really helps with the whole black x gold vibe I was going for with this jacket.

---

Jacket – Lining:​

Gold/beige cotton drill everywhere – body, sleeves, all pockets. Turned out lovely. I’m happy with the choice.
Leilah suggested relining the sleeves with Bemberg or Cupro to reduce elbow strain/tightness, but we shall see.

---

Jacket – Stitching:​

Some small issues here and there like missed holes, loose threads, and wrong tension, but overall the stitching is stellar from my perspective – very clean, very nice.
I went for the contrast dark gold stitching to match the lining and hardware. Glad I did – looks super sweet.
The small QC issues are understandable, but my main gripe is the stitching tension in some places.
Overall great for the price, but they need to be more careful with their premium line, that’s for sure.

Excellent review. One of the best I have seen.

 

[TartuWolf]

Excellent review. One of the best I have seen.

Thank you sir!

 

[Zoro]

But can you explain what you mean by "it sits in no man's territory rather than high budget end"?

With Tailor Brando and similar options you can only really get a stock jacket - great if that works for you. I considered a Tailor Brando as well, but turned that idea down - too many compromises and risk, despite the attractive price and great communication by Dylan. Simmons Bilt is a great option if you are demanding enough with QC ( you REALLY should be unless going through a 3rd party with easy returns ). Aero sizing, measurement secrecy, #5 zippers and pricing more or less excludes them for me in terms of ordering - maybe you can luck out with a used specimen. Field no longer does custom, but maybe you can still order a stock Manhattan - personally at that price having nickel hardware, sleeve zipps on top and a bunch of other compromises does not sound attractive to me. Thedi is Thedi, he does his own thing, you probably should not be getting a J-24 copy from him.
Of course there are different kinds of D-pockets, but I really like the combination with the full-action back AKA J-24 inspired D-pockets.
In my own mind the best shot I have at getting a nice one if I didn't order this RW would be a used double helix innovator or a custom JL/Vanson order.

That's fair! When I mentioned that, I was simply considering a D-pocket and not explicitly a J-24 repro/clone, nor going deep into customization, but I still stand behind what I said. At 650€ I feel I'm starting to invest a good amount of money and my perceived value here is that I'm not getting substantially more than the (cheaper) Chinese jackets and I'm ever so close yet so far from a better option. Thus why I find it lands in "no man's territory", not cheap enough to be worth the experiment, not good enough to satisfy me as a piece I'll keep forever.

I think I can get away quite well with OTR jackets. Even customizing, I would rather take my chances with Aero or Simmons Bilt. I'm close enough to Scotland to simply go and see what they have OTR or order as per what I see over there (and then go back to pick it up because it would be the same money or maybe even cheaper to spend a weekend in Scotland than paying Brexit import taxes).

I have very little faith in Field delivering in a reasonable time and I would avoid him for that. I love his jackets but this man looks like he got overwhelmed by orders (and collabs) and became absolute operational chaos... Yet, even after considering this, I think I would go for the Manhattan and wait an eternity over getting a Rugged Rider within 1-4 months. Hopefully he'll get more organized and aligned to the lead times now it seems he'll be limiting how many orders he accepts.

This said, I had totally forgotten about Double Helix and its Innovator but now you've mentioned it, that would 100% be my choice as I absolutely loved the recent pics of the lounger who bought one in the last month or two.

 

[TartuWolf]

That's fair! When I mentioned that, I was simply considering a D-pocket and not explicitly a J-24 repro/clone, nor going deep into customization, but I still stand behind what I said. At 650€ I feel I'm starting to invest a good amount of money and my perceived value here is that I'm not getting substantially more than the (cheaper) Chinese jackets and I'm ever so close yet so far from a better option. Thus why I find it lands in "no man's territory", not cheap enough to be worth the experiment, not good enough to satisfy me as a piece I'll keep forever.

I think I can get away quite well with OTR jackets. Even customizing, I would rather take my chances with Aero or Simmons Bilt. I'm close enough to Scotland to simply go and see what they have OTR or order as per what I see over there (and then go back to pick it up because it would be the same money or maybe even cheaper to spend a weekend in Scotland than paying Brexit import taxes).

I have very little faith in Field delivering in a reasonable time and I would avoid him for that. I love his jackets but this man looks like he got overwhelmed by orders (and collabs) and became absolute operational chaos... Yet, even after considering this, I think I would go for the Manhattan and wait an eternity over getting a Rugged Rider within 1-4 months. Hopefully he'll get more organized and aligned to the lead times now it seems he'll be limiting how many orders he accepts.

This said, I had totally forgotten about Double Helix and its Innovator but now you've mentioned it, that would 100% be my choice as I absolutely loved the recent pics of the lounger who bought one in the last month or two.

It feels like in the world of "real" jackets the 650eur is close to as cheap as you can manage when buying a NEW jacket (d-pocket / j-24 style) without cheaping out (China, Pakistan) or joining the church of our lord and savior Vanson Christ (which I'm a part of) while living in US. I'm sure the pretty boys of Master Supply Co will catch up with the d-pockets as well in the future. There are much better options in the used market of course and sometimes you might manage to wait out a ready-to-buy Aero with a discount running or an outlet Simmons bilt.
SB can definitely make a nice jacket if you keep a leash on them (QC, adherence to measurements) but that's still running you at least 1000eur shipped excluding import taxes.

Now whether you are getting a lot more from RW than from Chinese/Pakistani jackets that's for you to decide, but I like the fact that I know who I am supporting with my money, I like having someone to talk to and discuss my order in detail (customer support), etc.. Although we have heard of not so pleasant customer support / responsiveness experiences from RW as well, so I consider myself lucky.

FL makes some gorgeous jackets but the price tier is out of my league. I operate on the 100-400eur price range getting 90% of my stuff used, usually from JP. Once every year or two I do a 500-1000eur splurge on a new jacket. FL would bring me closer to 1500-2000eur. Maybe someday.

I'd love to handle and try on a Double Helix Innovator in person. ALMOST bought a used one in EU here, but chickened out. I touched one DH d-pocket in Helsinki and was pretty disappointed by the leather. But the leather on a buttoned car coat of theirs really impressed me in the same shop.

 

[Zoro]

Fully agreed, we all have our different budgets and, even more importantly, the limits on different tiers.

Once I'm ok spending 600 euros, I stop seeing a problem going up double the price if I think it'll bring me much more joy (diminishing returns and all that). Vanson would slay this and I don't like considering them due to how hard it is to get their stuff in EU. If they were as easily available and the same price here in EU as they are in US, they would likely be my undisputed price/quality choice.

In the past I emailed Leilah (when I knew Rugged Weest but didn't know who she was) and I never got an answer, but I never chased it beyond that. I agree that it's good knowing who you support, but as long as the jackets are made in Pakistan I can't agree with the sentiment as to me it is like saying I know I support Amancio Ortega when buying in Zara, even if at an extremely smaller scale. Same with Five Star.

You sure are a lucky one with JP used market, I've just accepted the fact I'm too large to find good deals from there. Very curious on how good the DH leather would be, as it looks great in pictures. If I came across one used in my size here I would jump on it if the price is good to warrant the experiment's risk/reward in my mind.

 

[Herrvallmo]

As always, your reviews are crazy detailed and great to read mate!

As for the jacket, I think it looks amazing on you! the contrasting stitching really looks killer with that leather please keep us updated on how it ages mate!

Cheers

 

[Bfd70]

Great write up! The short video really adds a lot of information.

Re RW in general, when they were $550 it sounded like a great option. At $750 not so much. It’s still a nice jacket but when you consider overhead costs for facilities and labor the mark up is certainly higher than a $950 vanson or schott. I’d also consider the immediate depreciation to be much greater. I feel like they are picking a price point to hit a certain market position.

 

[ton312]

Great review. Totally honest, informative and well done. For me personally, the QC issues you’ve pictured alone are enough to bump this jacket down several price tiers. Combine that with cheap hardware and $750 (what a brand new Vanson Dominator costs) seems excessively high. There is likely no resale value either, should you opt to fling it at some point. No brand cache.

The fit is ok. Good enough. The leather looks ok, not spectacular but certainly not bad and less dull than other semi-budget brands. Although I think this price point pushed it out of budget brands.

 

[Guppy]

Very thorough and well organized review.

I don't have a lot to say, you seem to have covered it all rather well.

I do want to say, that I really like the color choice for the stitching and lining. That tan/khaki color really looks nice against black.

Looks good on you, too. Well done. Enjoy.

 

[TheHamPimp]

Great review, and thanks for taking the time to do it! I would agree that at this price point, you're better off with a Vanson or used Schott.

 

[BarryMcCockiner_PhD]

Nice review. I wish Leilah the best, but I really think she should focus on refining her current line before making the jump to the $2k price point. Rugged West still has a lot to learn and plenty of room to grow. Mistakes are part of the process, but if you try to scale too quickly- or step into the ring with brands like FL, Thedi, and Himel, there’s a real risk to your reputation if the kinks in the more moderately priced line haven’t been worked out first

 

[TartuWolf]

If they were as easily available and the same price here in EU as they are in US, they would likely be my undisputed price/quality choice.

Same here, my main hunt in JP are used Vansons, I've already gone through more than 7 haha. Would love a custom Vanson in the future, but living in the EU makes that rather complicated with serious additional costs and risks.

as long as the jackets are made in Pakistan I can't agree with the sentiment

In this case it's a bit different as she personally knows the small shop and the workers that are making the jacket. And she pays them fairly, makes sure the working conditions are appropriate. At least that's what she says. But now she's moving everything out of Pakistan to UK I believe.

If I came across one used in my size here I would jump on it if the price is good to warrant the experiment's risk/reward in my mind.

The chance I had was pretty well priced, I could have definitely sold it for at least as much if needed, but somehow I still chickened out.

@Herrvallmo Thanks mate! Will do!

@Bfd70 Thank you! Yeah the depreciation is definitely higher due to them being less known, but who knows, maybe that will change in the future and RW will be famous and sought after haha. Currently I'm happy with the jacket and my choice, no plans to move it along and suffer from the depreciation.

@ton312 Thanks Tony, happy to hear some encouragement from the master. I wouldn't call RiRi cheap hardware in my case, but usually they use YKK I remember. I wouldn't call 750$ excessively high for a d-pocket / j-24 inspired model simply because you don't have many alternatives. You know how much I love Vanson, no way I'm going to argue that this is better value than a Vanson (there is no such thing).

@Guppy Thanks mate! I'd also say that the whole black x gold vibe that I achieved with this custom order is the highlight for me. The gold stitching, hardware and lining really make for a nice combination.

@TheHamPimp Thanks! I'm not a fan of Schott but a huge fan of Vanson. But a new Vanson runs me way over 1000$ including shipping and import taxes. That's why I exclusively buy used Vansons from JP for 200-400$. But comparing a new custom order with a used stock jacket ain't too fair either.

@BarryMcCockiner_PhD Yes the plan to jump to the high price tier is something very much worth discussing. I also wish her the best with this plan. Let's see how it works out. She mentioned that there are no issues so far getting orders for the premium stuff but I haven't seen a single review/feedback/example yet apart from her own experimental jackets from fancy leather.