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And it was well worth the wait. I couldn't be happier with it. Good thick leather all the way around, and very well made with an excellent finish to the hide that is water proof--or at least water resistant in a heavy downpour. Zipper teeth and pulls are heavy duty and ought to last. The zipper "box" at the end of the zipper, which was the subject of some controversy on this board a while back, is heavy duty as well, and should last the life of the zipper. This jacket is made in the USA.
I had heard Vanson used a heavy hide for its jackets, and this one is no exception. It weighs in at a hefty 7 pounds, just a little more than my Highwayman and my Fox Creek MC jacket, both at 6.5 lbs. In fact, the Vanson is the heaviest of my 6 or so dedicated MC jackets and my 3 or 4 other leather jackets.
I ordered a 44, which is one size up from my normal size, and it fits the way I wanted. It has extra room in the torso which will leave enough room for layering on those rides with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. A 42 would probably have fit OK with a vest or a sweater underneath, but I like a little more room while riding. The pictures are taken with me wearing only a light summer polo shirt under the jacket. I imagine that with my wintertime riding gear underneath, there won't be much extra room.
Even though Vanson gives extra length in the sleeves for reaching to the bars, with my long arms, I need every bit of length I can get. The 44 gives me enough length to make it fit fine in the arms when stretched for the grips. I also like the extra length in the body. It keeps those cold winter drafts from finding their way into the warm zone. When seated on the motor, the bottom of the jacket blouses out a little and forms a seal from the elements.
As you can see from the picture below, like my Highwayman when new, the Enfield stands on its own. As such it will need plenty of break in before it is comfortable enough for a ride. I think if I wear it in the house once a week for an hour or so, it should be broken in naturally by cool weather in October.
I am sure H. Johnson will approve of my "wear it to break it in" approach!
The jacket has snaps for a liner, which I didn't see when I ordered the jacket. I may get the liner so I can wear the jacket off the motor in cold weather without having to layer.
I ordered this jacket on December 12, 2009. According to Kim there was a problem with hides that came in during late Winter, and that delayed production. I told her I didn't care how long it took if the jacket was built right when I got it. She must have taken me at my word as it took 6 1/2 months to get here!
Here are the pictures:
I had heard Vanson used a heavy hide for its jackets, and this one is no exception. It weighs in at a hefty 7 pounds, just a little more than my Highwayman and my Fox Creek MC jacket, both at 6.5 lbs. In fact, the Vanson is the heaviest of my 6 or so dedicated MC jackets and my 3 or 4 other leather jackets.
I ordered a 44, which is one size up from my normal size, and it fits the way I wanted. It has extra room in the torso which will leave enough room for layering on those rides with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. A 42 would probably have fit OK with a vest or a sweater underneath, but I like a little more room while riding. The pictures are taken with me wearing only a light summer polo shirt under the jacket. I imagine that with my wintertime riding gear underneath, there won't be much extra room.
Even though Vanson gives extra length in the sleeves for reaching to the bars, with my long arms, I need every bit of length I can get. The 44 gives me enough length to make it fit fine in the arms when stretched for the grips. I also like the extra length in the body. It keeps those cold winter drafts from finding their way into the warm zone. When seated on the motor, the bottom of the jacket blouses out a little and forms a seal from the elements.
As you can see from the picture below, like my Highwayman when new, the Enfield stands on its own. As such it will need plenty of break in before it is comfortable enough for a ride. I think if I wear it in the house once a week for an hour or so, it should be broken in naturally by cool weather in October.
I am sure H. Johnson will approve of my "wear it to break it in" approach!
The jacket has snaps for a liner, which I didn't see when I ordered the jacket. I may get the liner so I can wear the jacket off the motor in cold weather without having to layer.
I ordered this jacket on December 12, 2009. According to Kim there was a problem with hides that came in during late Winter, and that delayed production. I told her I didn't care how long it took if the jacket was built right when I got it. She must have taken me at my word as it took 6 1/2 months to get here!
Here are the pictures:
