There can only be one! Vanson Chopper vs Langlitz Cascade

Both are similar with the padding and zipper but which do you prefer?

I own a vanson model A in competition weight now. I must say that I always feel like I'm "fighting" the jacket and it's two years old now. I love the sense of security on my Harley but I also feel like the langlitz might break in better and not be so cumbersome. I must say though, the chopper is amazing. Do you guys think langlitz could do an exact replica that would look as good?

Found some amazing professional pics of the chopper. I mean look at this thing...

http://dfitchphotography.zenfolio.com/p150872041/h1455F526

Both great jackets. Langlitz in goat will be bullet proof, but way softer and already feel broken in. The chopper will take time, but will feel great on two wheels. I don't think Langlitz will do a copy for you...they have their own designs with heaps of room for alterations if you check out Langlitz Japan, great ideas and changes you can make, the chopper will be half the price of Langlitz.once you add padding and goat and any changes it adds up super quick, both. Awesome jackets. Iwould go a chopper off the rack and put the other $500 or $600 towards another jacket!

Maybe you just haven't worn your Vanson Model A enough to get it broken in?

I have a Vanson Enfield in Competition weight that took a year or two to break in. I got it in July about three or four years ago. It was stiff--as you well know--and uncomfortable to wear. Wore it around the house that summer trying to soften it up for the fall riding season. When fall came, the sleeves and shoulders had loosened enough to ride in, but it was still a stiff jacket, especially through the torso. I wore it every chance I got, especially off the motorcycle. Now it is loose all over and very comfortable. I wouldn't say it is an "ole softie" yet, but it is very comfortable, even for street wear.

My wife and I have a small horse farm (32 acres), so it is relatively easy for me to find opportunities during the cooler months to wear whatever leather jacket I am breaking in at the time. My rule is to get one broken in before I order another.

So, I would go with the Chopper, and find opportunities to wear it off of the motorcycle to hasten the break in process.

Peacoat said:

I have a Vanson Enfield in Competition weight that took a year or two to break in .......... So, I would go with the Chopper, and find opportunities to wear it off of the motorcycle to hasten the break in process.

Click to expand...

I agree. My two Competition Weight Vansons both took a while to break-in. I have no personal experience with Langlitz, but do know that Vanson makes awesome jackets at a much more affordable price. Their quality, design, and finish are top notch and a bargain compared to some boutique brands. So, if it was me I'd stick with the Chopper, but I must say you have a wonderful dilemma, and can't go wrong with either. Good luck with your decision.

When you order a Langlitz with the padded shoulders and elbows, the diamond stitched pad is made from an extra layer of leather sewn to the jacket. It isn't so much the 'padding' that offers protection so much as it is the doubling up on the leather. It makes it super stiff and a bit bulky but it feels like it would stop a bullet.
I've never seen a Vanson Chopper in person, but it looks as though the padding is more or less cosmetic. That is, it looks as though it's just a section of the jacket that has a diamond stitch pattern sewn in to it.
I could be wrong about the Vanson, but I have been to Langlitz in Portland to check it all out and I own a padded Cascade.
Also, the the seam on the Langlitz pads between the shoulder and upper arm is positioned outside the jacket's shoulder to arm seam to minimize bulk and maximize strength. Neat detail, but also explains the wide linebacker look of the padded cascade.
The chopper looks fantastic, but I think I'd rather crash in the Langlitz.

Hey, get both! Problem solved.

I own a Vanson Model B and love it, but yes, very stiff as it hasn't been worn much. Langlitz, being goat, are always going to be much more pliable and comfortable from the get-go.

That's the ticket my man - when in doubt just buy 'em both - one can never have too many jackets. I lucked out and found a Cascade locally on Craigslist practically brand new for $400. Its a "plain jane" that is to say no padding but I love its simplicity and it has a great feel to it. Great jacket for summer riding. Cheers!

I was asking myself this same question a while back... in my case, I wound up going with the Vanson Chopper. Would've loved to have gotten a padded Cascade in goat, but just couldn't justify it in the budget... I'm up in Canada, so with intl duty and all the extra options with Langlitz, it would've cost me almost double what the Vanson did, and sending stuff back and forth across the border if it wound up not fitting right would've been a big hassle, paying duty and/or shipping each time.

Mind you, don't know about you but in my case... Insurrection had some Choppers in-stock, so I called them and asked what the measurements were for the size M, and it was almost exactly my custom measurements. The only thing is it's a bit roomier in the torso than strict custom might've been, but for me it works out for layering purposes, and it's definitely not so roomy that it's noticeable.

When I first received the jacket, at first I was kinda disappointed because I thought the zippers seemed a bit cheap... but upon closer inspection I realized it was just because the leather was so stiff and thick that it made the zippers seem almost frail by comparison! Now that I've worn it a bit I realize the zippers are plenty sturdy too. I haven't worn it that much yet, so it's not totally broken in yet, but I try whenever I can to wear it around the apartment, or roll it and scrunch it up randomly while I'm watching TV just to help soften the leather up a bit. In a few years, I think this jacket will be perfect and hopefully wear in according to my frame, and I'm sure I'll still be wearing it decades from now.

So, overall... I'd say you can't go wrong with the Chopper. On the other hand, if you've got the money and already have a Vanson, why not live a little and try a Langlitz?

Incandenza, just wondering -- and completely independent of Vanson and Langlitz's quality and advantages -- with the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, isn't there "free trade" yet between the countries? That's one of the positive things about the European Union. I'm in Germany but can order from vendors in the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, etc., to my heart's delight and not have to worry about paying customs charges or international duties. Granted, shipping costs have are still a killer, which is probably the case between Canada and the U.S.

I can certainly understand the price difference between Vanson and Langlitz, though -- I reckon a Vanson costs about 50% the price of a Langlitz or thereabouts.
I own a Vansom Model B that I love and it is much thicker and stiffer than a Langlitz Cascade I once had (which was unfortunately way too small for me). While neither are padded, I'd probably feel safer in the thicker Vanson leather, but I imagine the Langlitz is equally robust if one is sliding on pavement.

garzo said:

Incandenza, just wondering -- and completely independent of Vanson and Langlitz's quality and advantages -- with the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, isn't there "free trade" yet between the countries? That's one of the positive things about the European Union. I'm in Germany but can order from vendors in the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, etc., to my heart's delight and not have to worry about paying customs charges or international duties. Granted, shipping costs have are still a killer, which is probably the case between Canada and the U.S.

Click to expand...

Yeah I'm not sure exactly what the rules are or how they're applied... I think maybe if I would've gone across the border myself and stayed for a certain period I could've brought the jacket back duty free... or maybe it was just "handling charges"... usually usps isn't bad from the US to Canada, although ups obviously sucks cuz they charge huge "brokerage fees"... for the Chopper, I got free shipping from Insurrection but still had to pay I think it was around 80 bucks or so, if not for duty then "intl handling" or customs charges or some-such... they (ie. the govt, or Canada Post) always seem to find a way, "free trade" or not...