Who makes good leather and down jacket

[get_g0ing]

Hi,

I'd like to ask, what mall brand would you recommend for a real leather jacket, and down jacket for men? And what price range.

Second question: I am assuming leather jackets are wind resistant, but do they also keep you warm?

Thanks.

[David Jay]

Wilson Leather is in many malls - my Wilson jacket is 15 years old and is just starting to look “distressed”, which I understand is all the rage.

[Sandtrap]

U.S.Wings
Outstanding quality.
https://www.uswings.com

j

[get_g0ing]

Wilson Leather is in many malls - my Wilson jacket is 15 years old and is just starting to look “distressed”, which I understand is all the rage.

U.S.Wings
Outstanding quality.
https://www.uswings.com

j

Thanks for these suggestions.

[Shallowpockets]

Leather jacket is for fashion. Down for warmth. Most leather jackets are only down to your belt line. Too short for good warmth. They will need a liner. Just having the leather is not enough.
You can get a down jacket 650 fill or synthetic 650 fill for less than $50. If you are a Costco member, go look there.

[dbr]

I don't think a leather jacket keeps you warm in the extreme sense, but then I don't change from a sort of medium weight jacket for driving around in the car and going places until the temp is below about 10F. I wouldn't wear down for skiing at all because it would be too warm.

Down jackets can be had from North Face, Marmot, Columbia, REI, Bean, and probably others. I would spend $200+ on a down jacket, but there are cheaper ones. We are not talking about expedition mountaineering.

[snailderby]

What temperature range are we talking about for the down jacket? Recommendations for 20-40 degree weather will be different than recommendations for -40 to 0 weather.

[JPM]

Five years ago I picked up a used but very warm knee length lined Eddie Bauer lambskin leather coat at SalvationArmy for $40. It weighs about 10 pounds. They don't make them new anymore as far as I know.

[kevinf]

If you are looking for warm, fleece-lined nylon is the gold standard for a single layer. If you want to be fashionable and warm, fleece-line leather does just as well, at a much higher price.

If you want to be comfortable without the bulk, you need to layer.

Duluth Trading Company has good cold-weather gear.
https://www.duluthtrading.com/men/outer ... and-coats/
https://www.duluthtrading.com/mens-alas ... _color=BLK

[barnaclebob]

Feathered Friends has great down jackets.

[raveon]

For down jacket, see any of the companies that specialize in outdoor gear. North Face, Arcteryx, Marmot, Outdoor Research, etc. Backcountry.com is the place to go for better prices.

[Blue456]

Hi,

I'd like to ask, what mall brand would you recommend for a real leather jacket, and down jacket for men? And what price range.

Second question: I am assuming leather jackets are wind resistant, but do they also keep you warm?

Thanks.

Don't buy any of the fake down nonsense from the Canadian Gease. Get real down from specialized outdoor company. I got myself outdoor research: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FB ... UTF8&psc=1

[Picasso]

This weekend we purchased a Canada Goose down parka for my wife. These are top of the line and they are priced accordingly, but they are the best I’ve found for warmth.

Highly recommend.

[rustymutt]

Wilson Leather is in many malls - my Wilson jacket is 15 years old and is just starting to look “distressed”, which I understand is all the rage.

I had a leather flight jacket black, with fur collar. I had paid about 200 for it in 1975, in 1989 a friend stole it from me for 400. It was worn, and scratched and used looking, and that was the craze. I honestly wish I hadn't sold that coat, cause you can't find them made like it any more.

[David Jay]

Leather jacket is for fashion. Down for warmth.

Don’t tell WW-II bomber pilots...

[bloom2708]

I have a couple of the Columbia TurboDown Omni-Heat (860 or 890 fill) jackets with hood.

Amazing jacket. Super light. Not bulky. Incredibly warm and wind resistant. The Omni-Heat reflective material inside is intended to reflect heat back toward your body. I bike to work in down to 0 degrees F and the jacket does not let the cold in.

If we are talking -10 to -20F, then I put another jacket inside for another layer.

I haven't had a leather jacket since the early 90s. Just not my style. Wilson's is a good place to start. I see a lot of them at the nice thrift stores I check out once a month or so.

[stoptothink]

This weekend we purchased a Canada Goose down parka for my wife. These are top of the line and they are priced accordingly, but they are the best I’ve found for warmth.

Highly recommend.

If you want to spend $1200 on a jacket with a red badge, more power to you. There are options 1/5th the price that are pretty amazing.

[get_g0ing]

Wilson Leather is in many malls - my Wilson jacket is 15 years old and is just starting to look “distressed”, which I understand is all the rage.

U.S.Wings
Outstanding quality.
https://www.uswings.com

j

I'll see if I can find those stores.

So far I found leather jackets at Lucky Brand and Marc New York by Andrew Marc. They both say 100% leather, but don't specify the grain. So I'm guessing it's neither full grain nor top grain.

[get_g0ing]

I have a couple of the Columbia TurboDown Omni-Heat (860 or 890 fill) jackets with hood.

Amazing jacket. Super light. Not bulky. Incredibly warm and wind resistant. The Omni-Heat reflective material inside is intended to reflect heat back toward your body. I bike to work in down to 0 degrees F and the jacket does not let the cold in.

If we are talking -10 to -20F, then I put another jacket inside for another layer.

I haven't had a leather jacket since the early 90s. Just not my style. Wilson's is a good place to start. I see a lot of them at the nice thrift stores I check out once a month or so.

Hi, is Columbia and North Face comparable in quality for down? These two names seem familiar to me.

I see some jacket being called "puffer" jackets, are these the same as down jackets or a different category?

[get_g0ing]

If you want to spend $1200 on a jacket with a red badge, more power to you. There are options 1/5th the price that are pretty amazing.

Can you list some names please. Thanks.

[bloom2708]

Hi, is Columbia and North Face comparable in quality for down? These two names seem familiar to me.

I see some jacket being called "puffer" jackets, are these the same as down jackets or a different category.

Columbia would probably be a price step down from North Face and Marmot and other mid-high end jackets. Columbia offers good quality/value at their price point.

As for the down quality, that is hard to say. Coats are rated by the level of down. 650 is an example. Another factor is jackets change every year, so the ones I have probably aren't made any more.

Best to try a bunch of them on for size and weight. I like the light feeling of the "puffer" style and they come in a number of thicknesses.

I think you can spend $100 to $700 quite easily. Getting over $1,000 requires a serious need for a high end jacket. Like the Canada Goose Down option. Probably overkill for most.

[Alf 101]

As for the down jacket, you do have any number of options.

One consideration is how exactly do you plan to use it? Many people say things like they want a down jacket that isn't puffy, that doesn't make them look like the Michelin Man. This, in my humble opinion, kind of misses the point. You wear a down jacket because you want to stay warm, and said jackets are warm because they puff up.

If you are going on an expedition, or launching a guiding career, Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering are excellent options. They're top of the line though, and not cheap. You may almost pay as much for an Arc'Teryx or Patagonia jacket; if so, I'd look at these top two brands first.

Most outdoor clothing retailers will offer down jackets that are less expensive -- Outdoor Research, RAB, North Face, Sierra Designs, etc. I'd look at two things. First is the fill power, or down quality. I look for 800+. Fill power can be seen as an indicator of down quality -- its loft, compressibility, and insulating efficiency.

The second thing I'd look at is fill weight. A 650 fill jacket could be warmer, if it has a higher fill weight -- i.e., more down in it.

If you plan on wearing your down jacket as an outer layer, it's also worth thinking about the shell material. It doesn't have to be waterproof; that option exists, but you wouldn't wear a down jacket if it was warm enough to rain. But you'd hate to catch it on an edge and rip it.

Lastly... no hood is no good...

[apex84]

Patagonia makes a wide range of down jackets. Some used recycled materials which I prefer, but everything I've had from them is top quality and they will do minor repairs for things like zippers or torn fabric.

[lthenderson]

I'd like to ask, what mall brand would you recommend for a real leather jacket, and down jacket for men? And what price range.

Second question: I am assuming leather jackets are wind resistant, but do they also keep you warm?

Just a word of caution. I had a Wilson's leather jacket for many years (and in fact still own it) but I ... ahem... outgrew it. So about five years ago I bought another one from Wilsons. The leather tore after about two years and was very paper thin. I thought I had just been a little too rough so I went back and bought a third leather jacket from Wilson's paying about twice the price as the second one. It tore after the first year and it too had extremely thin leather compared to the original coat.

So while old Wilson leather jackets might have been great, I think their new stuff is all made from really thin leather to save on costs and you run the risk of tearing them easily. I am currently hunting for a fourth leather jacket but am not going to get it at Wilson's anymore and am trying to find one based on weight of the leather to make sure it has thicker material.

They do keep you warm and are very wind resistant.

[halfnine]

High end down jackets are overrated unless you're planning on climbing Annapurna. And if that is the case then you already know which brand to buy. If all you want to do is stay warm then you simply get the jacket thickness you need whether it's a down or synthetic jacket or whether its expensive or cheap. If you really want it be warm then you get one with an insulated hood. When I use to do winter SAR training which often involved lots of time sitting around in the cold, I'd leave my down jackets at home and take my massive hooded synthetic one instead.

[sperry8]

Hi,

I'd like to ask, what mall brand would you recommend for a real leather jacket, and down jacket for men? And what price range.

Second question: I am assuming leather jackets are wind resistant, but do they also keep you warm?

Thanks.

You haven't mentioned your use and or whether you care about style.

All Saints makes some reasonably priced leather jackets which are on sale today for 30% off. They do have some puffers too but they won't be for skiing or extreme temps.

[ohai]

Leather jacket: Have had good experience with Belfast, Coach, Cole Haan. Have had less good experience with "outdoor brands" like Orvis and so on. It's a matter of style. Companies that make actual practical outdoor gear sometimes don't make stylish clothing well. Leather jacket is all about looks; no one will buy these for practicality in a world where advanced synthetic materials exist.

Outdoor jacket: In general, yes I agree that $1000 arctic jacket is not necessary for 99% of people. I have been buying Arcteryx lately, but mostly due to design. The quality is noticeably better than North Face or such, but not enough to impact functionality. I'd say anything from a good outdoor brand in the $200 to $300 range is already going to work fine.

[stoptothink]

If you want to spend $1200 on a jacket with a red badge, more power to you. There are options 1/5th the price that are pretty amazing.

Can you list some names please. Thanks.

Many have been mentioned in this thread. I snowshoe a few hundred miles every winter in temperatures down to zero, I've never spent more than $100 on a coat and I've never been genuinely cold. My favorite jacket is made by Pajar (that I got from Sierra Trading Post for $50 a few years ago) but I've also got a Marmot and Billabong that I would never hesitate to wear in any conditions. Northface, Columbia, LL Bean, Eddie Bauer, Salomon, Mountain Hardware, Outdoor Research...all have coats that are great in temps below freezing that you can easily find <$250. I like Sierra Trading Post, but there are a number of "discount" outdoor retailers where you can get awesome gear for good prices.

[Alf 101]

Circling back to the down jacket, as many have noted, you can get by and stay warm with both high priced and lower priced options. Your best bets are to look at discount sites (e.g., Sierra Trading, Steep and Cheap), and clearance sales on other outdoor websites.

You also may need to "market time" this a little. You generally will not find killer deals on warm down jackets this time of year, but near the end of the winter, or in summer, you may find more remarkable deals. Just as you find the best prices on sandals at the end of the summer, it's the same thing with winter clothing.

As you look at name brands, I'd also recommend looking at the warranty. Some gear comes with a lifetime warranty -- if a zipper blows 8 years down the road, they'll fix it or replace it. This is part of what you get when you buy certain brands (e.g., Outdoor Research).

[Alf 101]

FYI, Eddie Bauer has a good sale right now. The quite beefy Peak XV parka is $250 -- a deal for what you get, for sure.

If the cold you face is less formidable, there are also lighter down jacket options, also half off. Not sure how much longer this particular sale will go on...

[stoptothink]

FYI, Eddie Bauer has a good sale right now. The quite beefy Peak XV parka is $250 -- a deal for what you get, for sure.

That's a decent deal, but that coat can regularly be found ~$200 not directly through Eddie Bauer. Super nice parka.

[helloeveryone]

Hi,

I'd like to ask, what mall brand would you recommend for a real leather jacket, and down jacket for men? And what price range.

Second question: I am assuming leather jackets are wind resistant, but do they also keep you warm?

Thanks.

https://m.llbean.com/llb/search/?freeTe ... ens&init=1

LL Bean has good down jackets. Currently 20% off but that sale ends today. I think I saw some prior year models on sale as well. If you scroll down there is a bright orange on that is on major sale just because it’s last year’s model. exact same down and quality but $60+ cheaper

[gator15]

Someone recommended a Canada Goose jacket earlier. They are very good jackets. I like my jacket but as someone stated earlier they are an overkill in most scenarios. I rarely wear my jacket because it’s easy to overheat in the jacket.

[Rdytoretire]

I purchased an Eddie Bauer Glacier Peak jacket and am very happy with the fit and quality for the price. I think this jacket will get me through most winter conditions. If it gets below zero a sweater or other layer will probably be required but I'm fine with that.

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/10112225/d ... Dk%20Smoke

[dbr]

I purchased an Eddie Bauer Glacier Peak jacket and am very happy with the fit and quality for the price. I think this jacket will get me through most winter conditions. If it gets below zero a sweater or other layer will probably be required but I'm fine with that.

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/10112225/d ... Dk%20Smoke

That jacket would likely be petty comfortable much below zero. I think it is an example of a good choice and a typical price for a quality item of this nature. Spending as much as $600 plus is not necessary.

[get_g0ing]

Circling back to the down jacket, as many have noted, you can get by and stay warm with both high priced and lower priced options. Your best bets are to look at discount sites (e.g., Sierra Trading, Steep and Cheap), and clearance sales on other outdoor websites.

You also may need to "market time" this a little. You generally will not find killer deals on warm down jackets this time of year, but near the end of the winter, or in summer, you may find more remarkable deals. Just as you find the best prices on sandals at the end of the summer, it's the same thing with winter clothing.

As you look at name brands, I'd also recommend looking at the warranty. Some gear comes with a lifetime warranty -- if a zipper blows 8 years down the road, they'll fix it or replace it. This is part of what you get when you buy certain brands (e.g., Outdoor Research).

Hi Alf 101,

Thanks for the suggestions and for your comment. I felt it was very sincere and helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write something helpful and informative

[dsmil]

I have a an Andrew Marc leather jacket and it's great. It was heavily discounted at Nordstrom Rack and I probably paid around $125 for it.