Breaking in leather jackets in sauna and/or steam room?

JanW · Feb 10, 2018

Hi all,

This might be a stupid question, but my wife and I are staying in a nice hotel for a couple of days as the building we're staying in is undertaking some repairs. The hotel has both a sauna (dry heat) and a steam room (wet heat).

I think you know where this is going... Dispense with the question on appropriateness (and assuming I would be willing to make a fool of myself), would it be possible to break in a leather jacket quickly by wearing it in either the sauna or steam room? My thinking is that since humans can survive in either conditions, that it would not harm the leather to be exposed to either.

I am, in particular, thinking of ways to a) slightly shrink and set creases on a jacket (goatskin); and b) break in a tumbled CXL FQHH jacket and make it much softer (somehow).

Any views on this (very possibly stupid) plan?

Thanks!

handymike · Feb 10, 2018

Steamroom for the Fqhh.
Neither for the goat.

HoosierDaddy · Feb 10, 2018

Just wear it often my friend. It will break in nicely as you do your daily activities.

bn1966 · Feb 10, 2018

Wear it out & often and in the rain & sun

Mind you..could be fun in the sauna!!!!!

Guppy · Feb 10, 2018

I don't see it hurting the jacket, but it might get uncomfortable. Worst case, it gets soaked with your sweat and smells like your gym clothes, or gets musty. I don't know that I'd chance it, but if you try it be sure to report back the results. Take before/after photos.

seres · Feb 10, 2018

HoosierDaddy said:
Just wear it often my friend. It will break in nicely as you do your daily activities.

Agree. Why take a chance with steam or sauna. Just wear it often.

nick123 · Feb 10, 2018

Just go in there totally naked. Air out and cleanse. Screw the jacket.

SkyTurtle · Feb 10, 2018

Like Guppy said, the heat/moisture probably won't hurt the FQHH itself but the lining could be a different story. I've been buying Vanson competition weight jackets for a number of years and when I get them, the first year I roll it into a ball and sleep on it a couple nights. Then unroll it and roll it up again and sleep on it another couple of nights. Then borrowing a method from my baseball days, I use a wooden mallet wrapped in a t-shirt to gently pound the seams around the arms and shoulders to make it just a bit more comfortable to wear. Then I wear it whenever and wherever I can. I even wear it while sitting at my desk in the summer (when the A/C is running full blast!) while working on the computer. I also wear it in the rain whenever I can and then let it dry thoroughly hanging inside. By the second year it has really started to form to my body and fits like a leather suit of superhero armor.

Admittedly, this process takes some time and commitment but it produces custom-fit break-in without damaging the jacket -- inside or out.

I wouldn't do anything at all to the goat.

Davy Crockett · Feb 10, 2018

Don't bother enjoy the steam room and sauna and leave the jackets on the floor in the bedroom!

D

dubpynchon · Feb 10, 2018

SkyTurtle said:
Like Guppy said, the heat/moisture probably won't hurt the FQHH itself but the lining could be a different story. I've been buying Vanson competition weight jackets for a number of years and when I get them, the first year I roll it into a ball and sleep on it a couple nights. Then unroll it and roll it up again and sleep on it another couple of nights. Then borrowing a method from my baseball days, I use a wooden mallet wrapped in a t-shirt to gently pound the seams around the arms and shoulders to make it just a bit more comfortable to wear. Then I wear it whenever and wherever I can. I even wear it while sitting at my desk in the summer (when the A/C is running full blast!) while working on the computer. I also wear it in the rain whenever I can and then let it dry thoroughly hanging inside. By the second year it has really started to form to my body and fits like a leather suit of superhero armor.

Admittedly, this process takes some time and commitment but it produces custom-fit break-in without damaging the jacket -- inside or out.

I wouldn't do anything at all to the goat.

Man, I am impressed. If this lounge gave out an award for how best to break in a jacket I think you would win.

bn1966 · Feb 10, 2018

Beat it into submission man

bn1966 · Feb 10, 2018

Love a sauna for clearing the old pipes out, leather in the locker though

JanW · Feb 10, 2018

SkyTurtle said:
Like Guppy said, the heat/moisture probably won't hurt the FQHH itself but the lining could be a different story. I've been buying Vanson competition weight jackets for a number of years and when I get them, the first year I roll it into a ball and sleep on it a couple nights. Then unroll it and roll it up again and sleep on it another couple of nights. Then borrowing a method from my baseball days, I use a wooden mallet wrapped in a t-shirt to gently pound the seams around the arms and shoulders to make it just a bit more comfortable to wear. Then I wear it whenever and wherever I can. I even wear it while sitting at my desk in the summer (when the A/C is running full blast!) while working on the computer. I also wear it in the rain whenever I can and then let it dry thoroughly hanging inside. By the second year it has really started to form to my body and fits like a leather suit of superhero armor.

Admittedly, this process takes some time and commitment but it produces custom-fit break-in without damaging the jacket -- inside or out.

I wouldn't do anything at all to the goat.

Yes! This is exactly the kind of commitment and attention to detail that I aspire to. I might just do that for the FQFF.

Cyber Lip · Feb 10, 2018

Don't do it. You'll sweat through it. Yuk

dubpynchon · Feb 10, 2018

Rain will break in a jacket well, but heat while it’s drying can shrink the leather, so I reckon the heat from a sauna would do more harm than good.

HoosierDaddy · Feb 10, 2018

SkyTurtle said:
Like Guppy said, the heat/moisture probably won't hurt the FQHH itself but the lining could be a different story. I've been buying Vanson competition weight jackets for a number of years and when I get them, the first year I roll it into a ball and sleep on it a couple nights. Then unroll it and roll it up again and sleep on it another couple of nights. Then borrowing a method from my baseball days, I use a wooden mallet wrapped in a t-shirt to gently pound the seams around the arms and shoulders to make it just a bit more comfortable to wear. Then I wear it whenever and wherever I can. I even wear it while sitting at my desk in the summer (when the A/C is running full blast!) while working on the computer. I also wear it in the rain whenever I can and then let it dry thoroughly hanging inside. By the second year it has really started to form to my body and fits like a leather suit of superhero armor.

Admittedly, this process takes some time and commitment but it produces custom-fit break-in without damaging the jacket -- inside or out.

I wouldn't do anything at all to the goat.

My gawd man....I can't believe you didn't include dragging it behind a car at 60MPH on a gravel road full of potholes. Jeeze...I almost feel sorry for those jackets.

Vezio · Feb 10, 2018

I think that rather than soften your jacket, if the managers of the Hotel or customers see you with the jacket in the sauna, they will certainly put a video on YOUTUBE that will make you rich, with millions of views, or, in the worst case, you could have a mandatory medical treatment (on call of the nearest hospital, by the hotel staff) that will make save your money for the stay at the hotel

navetsea · Feb 11, 2018

you risk getting mold growing with trapped humidity and warm temperature between the liner and the jacket. just wear it normally, breaking in a new jacket is a rewarding process, even more if you take pictures often and compare the evolution from time to time.

Peacoat · Feb 11, 2018

Have your wife wear the jacket, with nothing underneath. Much better than you wearing it.

Doctor Damage · Feb 11, 2018

Peacoat said:
Have your wife wear the jacket, with nothing underneath. Much better than you wearing it.

And post photos, please.

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