Wolverine all day baby! Jackets, belts, claws, oh my.

[PrimoOptimoso]

OK. So, I've been following this thread as best as I can... I'm short and stocky and love my leather jackets, but never thought about going Wolverine until this thread burned into my sockets =0)

Seems that the best bang for the buck with Wolvie jackets is Mexico (since I can't afford the really expensive ones), yes? I like the X2 best I think. Funny, my fiancee (she of the steampunk portal cosplay) obviously loves costuming and all that, but she says she likes my current cheapo jacket better than a Wolvie jacket for me. So strange...

Anyway, I'm posting also to ask a quick question: Every jacket I buy seems to have sleeves too long or my arms are just short. I mean, at my sides, my hands are barely visible at all; it's ridiculous. Obviously I am not getting fitted jackets normally, but still.
Since I don't have a bike anymore and probably won't be getting another soon: 1. would a shorter sleeve make more sense than on a rider? and 2. With respect to the "heavier leather" option mentioned, how much heavier IS it? With the lining, are we talking below-freezing comfort or is it good for a 40-50F autumn?

Sorry for the dumb Qs =0)

 

[superDrool]

No question is dumb. If you're trying to stay inexpensive, then you're best bet is the Heron X2. They custom fit you to your measurements, so you shouldn't have that too long on the sleeve issue. The thickness is 3.5mm which is thiicker than normal, but the fibers are still loose enough not to feel like you're wearing cardboard. My liner was a quilted satin that is good with a shirt or hoodie for the fall zipped open, and zipped and buttoned up with that hoodie was fine in the winter for me. I'm a little biased, I won't lie, as this was the first Heron X2 and still love it to this day as my favorite jacket.

And an old photo of Hugh and stuntwomen, Melissa Stubbs :

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

I knew you'd come through, drool. Thanks, I'll most likely go with a Heron just like yours; I'll have to comb back through and check your color selections and such, and I plan to weather it myself as well. Not to knock the Vanson jackets or anything, but I always love to hit a sweet spot between accuracy and price, especially when the higher-priced version is simply out of range for me.

Cheers!

 

[Rdmaul]

I knew you'd come through, drool. Thanks, I'll most likely go with a Heron just like yours; I'll have to comb back through and check your color selections and such, and I plan to weather it myself as well. Not to knock the Vanson jackets or anything, but I always love to hit a sweet spot between accuracy and price, especially when the higher-priced version is simply out of range for me.

Cheers!

As for distressing it I have been putting my Heron X2 in the dryer with no heat and 3-4 tennis balls. It has dulled the Yellow and Burgundy areas a ton and also beat the jacket up a bit. Its starting to look really good!

 

[joshspiderman23]

so good news seller on ebay refunded my money when I told him that it better be damn perfect when I get it, so yay $150.00+. bad news is since it near Halloween all of the metal claw prices have been inflated due to the season. so I posted a wtb so hopefully Ill get lucky. I was winning one bid but the price rose to over 250.00 the last 5 minutes.

 

[Nagano]

Hey guys, I finally got some pics uploaded. Had to wait to use my girlfriends camera phone, hers takes much better pics than mine. Anyway, this is a few shots of my recent ebay purchase of a Heron X-O. I got the small size and its fits pretty much spot on.

The first shot was taken a few weeks ago, pre-chops. (Ive had them growing for awhile now in aniticipation of Halloween.) I also tried to get a close up shot so you could see the thickness and quality of the leather, and a pic in good lighting, cuz my apt, for some reason, is super dark. Ill get a few more shots taken as soon as I can get my girlfriend up from her nap to take them of me :rolleyes

 

[Xkage824]

that doesn't look too bad
im tempted to get one of these as an appetizer before getting a Vanson

 

[Jango Wes]

Is that XO the one from the eBay link or did you talk to Jeggs directly on here?

 

[comonbub]

Man heron needs to do work on that jacket next.

 

[Hollowpond]

An update on my X-1. Spirit week at school (I'm a physics teacher) and on character day I did my full on Wolverine

LOVE this Vanson X-1!!!!! All my students could not believe I had HIS jacket!

 

[Nagano]

Jango: The jacket is from the ebay link I posted a few pages back, the sellers name is Mustafar70. I highly recommend it. Fits perfectly and the leather is of high quality.

The leather came pre-distressed, so while it doesnt look like its been through Hell, it also doesnt appear brand new either. I really like it. The photo where Im wearing the jacket, the sleeves appear to be too long, but im actually wearing black gloves and the lighting is bad. I hope to get some full costume shots up soon. The look im going for is kind of a mix between comic version and movie version. So, not super SA, but Id like to think that its "character accurate." For instance, I have an X belt buckle rather than an indian head.

 

[DanY]

OK, I took a chance and did a buy it now on the Vanson jacket that
someone here posted the link to last weekend. It had a 3 day return
so I figured the most I would be out was return shipping. Seller had
posted 2 very dark (crappy) pics. I asked about the label markings
and she described a standard Vanson label (not Logan's Closet).

It arrived today and I snapped a couple of pics. Looks genuine
Vanson. It has Vanson zippers and the serial number stamped
on the leather border on the inside pocket.

It's a 42, my X1 from Logan's Closet is a 44. The 44 feels just a
bit large on me. The 42 fits me but there is no room for much layering
underneath. Fits more like a sport bike jacket than a street jacket
in this size on me.

It's well broken in and the seams on the sleeves and zippers have some
wear, but I don't think it was intentionally distressed. Nice and soft
makes me look forward to when my 44 is actually broken in.

There is a small 1 inch horizontal tear in the liner just below and
to the left of the label.

I hope Dan will chime in and let me know when this jacket may have
been made. Obviously prior to Logan's Closet labels. The stripes are
much lighter than Dan's current X1's. Also the sleeve expanders are the
same color as the stripes while my new 44 X1 from Dan has them the
main jacket color.

It also has a extra male snap on the inside of the collar so you can fold the
collar flap back and snap it to hold it in place. My Vanson Cobra sport rider
jacket has this same arrangement while my Dan's X1 does not.

Any thoughts or comments?

 

[InLikeFlynn]

If Dan gives it a clean bill of health I'd say you got one heck of a deal!

 

[superDrool]

Seems to be a Gen 1 Wolverine jacket. When Dan first started working with Vanson, those are the designs I believe were being made back in 2005-2006 time frame, if not earlier. The snap back collar is something Vanson did on their own as well as a snap out liner, which those were all done away with once Dan had established Logan's Closet.

 

[DanY]

Seems to be a Gen 1 Wolverine jacket. When Dan first started working with Vanson, those are the designs I believe were being made back in 2005-2006 time frame, if not earlier. The snap back collar is something Vanson did on their own as well as a snap out liner, which those were all done away with once Dan had established Logan's Closet.

Drool,

Thanks, I kinda thought it was a very early X1 jacket. No sign of snaps
for a liner in this one.

I just gave it a coat of Pecard's Leather Lotion since it was a bit dry
and neglected. I'll probably hit it with another coat in a couple of
days.

 

[Cole]

I originaly posted this in the filmjackets.com forum, but it might be interesting for the rpf as well, since it is about my Vanson X1 Wolverine jacket, that had its 10th birthbay last month.

Back then I accidently stumbled over Vanson Leathers as I searched for the maker of the X1 jacket and they told me they made the movie jacket and send me pictures of what turned out later to be the red striped prototype.

Since there wasn't as much information to be found about these jackets back in early 2001 I went for the color sceme Vanson showed me, beliving that the colors in the movie where the result of some heavy distressing.

To save costum fees I ordered the jacket through a german Vanson dealer who suggested to choose horse hide because it would have a very nice patina and make some other small changes from the version of the prototype pictures. This turned out to be the best idea ever and I am realy glad I ordered through the dealer, because back in 2001 I had no idea about the different types of leather available and how they would look.

I know now that this X1 is in no way screenaccurat, but I realy love it. After 10 years and a lot of jackets added to the collection this is still my favorite jacket.

For this annivarsery I wen't through the millions of files in my pictures folder to see if I can get some pictures that show the development of the jacket throughout the years. Seems like I've got a huge gap from 2003 to 2005.

Anyways, let's start with the picture heavy tour through the years.

2001
This is the oldest picture I've got, taken in Oktober 2001 I think. Shiny new and soaking wet (it was raining and we freezed our butts off).

2002

2006

2007
The picture heavy years start here. :mrgreen:

2008

2009

2010

2011 - Today

OK, that's it. For now. :mrgreen: :shock:

 

[superDrool]

Thanks again Cole. The jacket catalog is the best, as it shows how well Vanson jackets as well as Horse Hide in general age and gain more character.

 

[InLikeFlynn]

I know I've said it before but the color of that horsehide is very appealing, a nice jacket to be sure.

 

[DanY]

How can you tell the difference between horsehide and cowhide?

My new X1 has a very smooth grain while the old one I got has a much more
wrinkly texture. I assumed that was due to the age but I'm not so sure.

The old jacket also seems to be significantly lighter than the new cowhide
jacket.

 

[enervator]

Met Dan today at NY Comic Con. Great guy, and extremely helpful. I tried on an X-2 that I was going to get, but we agreed it was a bit tight, so we went up a size. It was great to have that opportunity to try it on. I also fell in love with the red-stripe X-1. After a few hours of inner debate, I went back and ordered one.

Really great guy to do business with. Thanks for all the help.