Okay, so I've been searching and searching and searching for the ideal leather jacket. You know, the one. I know lots and lots of folks on here have also made this odyssey. For those who haven't, or who are still considering vendors, I wanted to submit what I hope will be a thorough, helpful review concerning two of the leather jacket makers that seem to get talked about the most on sites like this one: Aero and Langlitz. Because of a small amount of inheritance money my dad left me this year, I was able to order a custom jacket from both these makers, and here are my results, complete with my initial concerns and customer service experiences:
Initial Concerns/Criteria: I ride, so I wanted a jacket intended for riding. However, I ride in Houston, so I wanted a jacket that was tough but light enough that I could at least wear for half the year (I'm not an ATGATT guy, because I might faint from exhaustion if I wore a jacket in the summer here). I can't do black leather jackets—sorry, I just can't—so I wanted something in the brown family. I wanted a jacket that was at least fairly rain resistant, for those times I get caught in a storm on the way home.
I ordered my Aero (Cossack) first, through the good folks at Insurrection. Both Lee and Carrie were very helpful on the phone. I'm a short, skinny dude. I think a lot of clothiers find it hard to believe that a 33 year old man can have a true 34 inch chest, so I often get told things like, "Well, a woman who works here wears the Small size, so I bet you'd do fine with that" (a verbatim comment I received years ago, when asking about jacket sizing). Lee, who took my order, talked me through sizing, based on the style and my layering needs (hardly anything, ever). Ultimately, we settled on a 36, because the 34 would "probably look plastered on."
While I was waiting for the Aero jacket to come in, I started reading more about custom leather work and discovered Langlitz. The rhetoric on their site about "being a part of the family" and blah blah really appealed to me, and I got excited about them making me a jacket as well. I primarily interacted with Scott, who was very patient with my questions and encouraged me to go with their goathide, since it would be lighter (but nearly just as tough) and a little more rain resistant. During this time, I also started worrying that my Aero, in FQHH, was going to be way too heavy for the fall and spring in Houston, which was extra incentive to try the Langlitz.
I also became concerned about the Aero because, while the Langlitz order form requires 12 specific measurements, the folks at Insurrection kind of guesstimated based on my height and weight. I thought, then, the fit on the Aero might not be as accurate, so I was glad to see Langlitz's measuring system.
Time of Completion: Both jackets were finished and shipped to me within one month. Insurrection quoted me one month and Langlitz quoted me two.
Impressions So Far: I received the Aero first. Right out of the box, it was beautiful. Though it hadn't been warn, of course, it already seemed like it had a soul. I was especially pleased with the tartan I'd picked out for it. It came with a hand-signed note from the individual who worked on it, which was great.
As many people here have noted, the FQHH was stiff. My girlfriend looked at it and said, "Does that jacket have armor in it?" Though it was stiff, slipping it on was really comfortable, and it felt good when I first threw a leg over, in about 85 degree temps.
When I received the Langlitz, I was a little surprised. The goathide looks kind of like...plastic. It does have a nice feel and is already pretty pliable, without hardly any break-in. Unfortunately, some of the sizing seems weird, and maybe that's due to a couple things. I originally ordered the Cascade with a straight zip and a dress collar without lapels. What they talked me into, though, was the traditional slanted zip Cascade with a Cossack collar (more on the zip later). The underarm sections of the jacket are really baggy/bunchy, which might come a little from the bi-swing back, but I'm not sure. The front of the jacket is quite short, barely coming to my belt. Maybe this doesn't look as odd as I think it does, but it kind of looks, to me, like I'm wearing a woman's jacket. I do like the color of the light brown goathide, but it clashes really intensely with the dark lining, the only one offered by Langlitz.
Riding: The biggest selling point for the slant zip on the Langlitz Cascade is that, when riding in hot weather, it creates a kind of ballooning effect that allows a lot of air flow, thus keeping a rider cool. When I rode in it in 85 degree temps, though, I didn't notice that it was any cooler than the Aero. What's more, something about the back of the collar butts up against the back of my helmet, which pushes my head slightly forward.
So far, riding in the Aero has been fantastic. I've been cozy in low 50's temps and not too miserably hot in the 85–90 range. It's already starting to break in a little, which is great, because now I can actually turn my head when I'm changing lanes.
Hardware/Pockets: I don't think there's a clear winner here. The Talon zipper on the Langlitz is smooth, but the bottom snap is sometimes troublesome and comes undone. The zipper on the Aero is usually okay, but sometimes it's a little sticky.
I ordered my Langlitz with a lot of pockets, many of them leather lined. I enjoy these pockets, especially the hidden armpit one, and the leather lining is nice. The pockets on the Aero seem to be lined in moleskin or cotton, as best I can tell. Whatever it is, it's pretty soft and comfy.
Customer Service: Everybody I dealt with at both companies was very pleasant and helpful. Carrie was a little faster at returning emails, but I could always get an answer by calling Scott at Langlitz. Another gentleman at Langlitz talked me out of some options I'd originally selected, thereby saving me some money, which I thought was a great gesture. They were both really nice companies to interact with.
Finishing Touches: I like the theory behind the Langlitz jacket, and having my name printed on the inside pocket is a really nice touch. However, the fit and the hide are just a little strange to me.
When I look at the Aero, or put it on, it just feels special. I do worry that, once it breaks in, the chest might be a little big and it will maybe sag on me a little. But that's nothing a few push-ups per day won't cure. Ultimately, I just feel good when I'm wearing it, as I did in a photo below.
I know this was long, but I just wanted to try to express how this went and the results I got. Hopefully, it helps someone out there who's on the fence about these two leather makers. I'll be happy to answer questions and such, and I'm going to reply and add some photos as well. Gotta switch computers to get to them.
Initial Concerns/Criteria: I ride, so I wanted a jacket intended for riding. However, I ride in Houston, so I wanted a jacket that was tough but light enough that I could at least wear for half the year (I'm not an ATGATT guy, because I might faint from exhaustion if I wore a jacket in the summer here). I can't do black leather jackets—sorry, I just can't—so I wanted something in the brown family. I wanted a jacket that was at least fairly rain resistant, for those times I get caught in a storm on the way home.
I ordered my Aero (Cossack) first, through the good folks at Insurrection. Both Lee and Carrie were very helpful on the phone. I'm a short, skinny dude. I think a lot of clothiers find it hard to believe that a 33 year old man can have a true 34 inch chest, so I often get told things like, "Well, a woman who works here wears the Small size, so I bet you'd do fine with that" (a verbatim comment I received years ago, when asking about jacket sizing). Lee, who took my order, talked me through sizing, based on the style and my layering needs (hardly anything, ever). Ultimately, we settled on a 36, because the 34 would "probably look plastered on."
While I was waiting for the Aero jacket to come in, I started reading more about custom leather work and discovered Langlitz. The rhetoric on their site about "being a part of the family" and blah blah really appealed to me, and I got excited about them making me a jacket as well. I primarily interacted with Scott, who was very patient with my questions and encouraged me to go with their goathide, since it would be lighter (but nearly just as tough) and a little more rain resistant. During this time, I also started worrying that my Aero, in FQHH, was going to be way too heavy for the fall and spring in Houston, which was extra incentive to try the Langlitz.
I also became concerned about the Aero because, while the Langlitz order form requires 12 specific measurements, the folks at Insurrection kind of guesstimated based on my height and weight. I thought, then, the fit on the Aero might not be as accurate, so I was glad to see Langlitz's measuring system.
Time of Completion: Both jackets were finished and shipped to me within one month. Insurrection quoted me one month and Langlitz quoted me two.
Impressions So Far: I received the Aero first. Right out of the box, it was beautiful. Though it hadn't been warn, of course, it already seemed like it had a soul. I was especially pleased with the tartan I'd picked out for it. It came with a hand-signed note from the individual who worked on it, which was great.
As many people here have noted, the FQHH was stiff. My girlfriend looked at it and said, "Does that jacket have armor in it?" Though it was stiff, slipping it on was really comfortable, and it felt good when I first threw a leg over, in about 85 degree temps.
When I received the Langlitz, I was a little surprised. The goathide looks kind of like...plastic. It does have a nice feel and is already pretty pliable, without hardly any break-in. Unfortunately, some of the sizing seems weird, and maybe that's due to a couple things. I originally ordered the Cascade with a straight zip and a dress collar without lapels. What they talked me into, though, was the traditional slanted zip Cascade with a Cossack collar (more on the zip later). The underarm sections of the jacket are really baggy/bunchy, which might come a little from the bi-swing back, but I'm not sure. The front of the jacket is quite short, barely coming to my belt. Maybe this doesn't look as odd as I think it does, but it kind of looks, to me, like I'm wearing a woman's jacket. I do like the color of the light brown goathide, but it clashes really intensely with the dark lining, the only one offered by Langlitz.
Riding: The biggest selling point for the slant zip on the Langlitz Cascade is that, when riding in hot weather, it creates a kind of ballooning effect that allows a lot of air flow, thus keeping a rider cool. When I rode in it in 85 degree temps, though, I didn't notice that it was any cooler than the Aero. What's more, something about the back of the collar butts up against the back of my helmet, which pushes my head slightly forward.
So far, riding in the Aero has been fantastic. I've been cozy in low 50's temps and not too miserably hot in the 85–90 range. It's already starting to break in a little, which is great, because now I can actually turn my head when I'm changing lanes.
Hardware/Pockets: I don't think there's a clear winner here. The Talon zipper on the Langlitz is smooth, but the bottom snap is sometimes troublesome and comes undone. The zipper on the Aero is usually okay, but sometimes it's a little sticky.
I ordered my Langlitz with a lot of pockets, many of them leather lined. I enjoy these pockets, especially the hidden armpit one, and the leather lining is nice. The pockets on the Aero seem to be lined in moleskin or cotton, as best I can tell. Whatever it is, it's pretty soft and comfy.
Customer Service: Everybody I dealt with at both companies was very pleasant and helpful. Carrie was a little faster at returning emails, but I could always get an answer by calling Scott at Langlitz. Another gentleman at Langlitz talked me out of some options I'd originally selected, thereby saving me some money, which I thought was a great gesture. They were both really nice companies to interact with.
Finishing Touches: I like the theory behind the Langlitz jacket, and having my name printed on the inside pocket is a really nice touch. However, the fit and the hide are just a little strange to me.
When I look at the Aero, or put it on, it just feels special. I do worry that, once it breaks in, the chest might be a little big and it will maybe sag on me a little. But that's nothing a few push-ups per day won't cure. Ultimately, I just feel good when I'm wearing it, as I did in a photo below.
I know this was long, but I just wanted to try to express how this went and the results I got. Hopefully, it helps someone out there who's on the fence about these two leather makers. I'll be happy to answer questions and such, and I'm going to reply and add some photos as well. Gotta switch computers to get to them.
