Harley Davidson Jackets come in many different styles and materials. As a Harley biker, youre fortunate to have many excellent choices when looking for a jacket. The downside, of course, is sorting through all the options to pick out just the best one.
The two biggest camps are some type of synthetic or leather. When you've made that choice, you're half way there. There are pros and cons to both, but in the end it's probably a personal choice.
If you're searching for a timeless Harley Leather jacket, no amount of reading will sway you to opt for a synthetic. Stick around for a moment, though, and allow me to discuss the different options available.
If you are unable to wait, you can locate a variety of showcased Harley Davidson Jackets here.
Harley Leather Jackets
Leather, as you know, is well-known for its great looks and ageless style. A good leather jacket has that heavy, silky feel that calls out luxury. Leather also offers top-notch abrasion resistance. Heavier material, of course, offers better protection, but at the expense of being extremely warm in hot weather. Some leather jackets are made with tiny holes to provide additional cooling. This will offset the extra heat in the hot weather, but may be too much in cold weather.
Leather jackets are typically restricted to fewer color options than synthetics since they are trickier to colorize. They will certainly suffer from a "break in" period, when the new material is still stiff. This issue will fade over time as the material forms to the body's shape.
A quick word on leather thickness: leather measured at under one millimeter in thickness is said to be lightweight, whereas leather thicker than one and a half millimeters is very heavy. More about leather measurements can be researched at this site.
Synthetic Jackets
If you're shopping for a large variety of options, synthetics may be the way to go. A single model could have dozens of configuration options. Heavy liners, for instance, can be taken out or upgraded. Zipped vents can be opened or closed to allow for varying circulation. And body armor pads can be upgraded with a CE-rated pad or taken out.
The most popular synthetic material for a motorcycle jacket nowadays is Cordura. This is a tear-resistant canvas-like material which can often be used in outdoor gear or luggage. When it is treated with a water resistant coating, Cordura retains its ability to pass air through it to provide a combination similar to Gore-Tex. Synthetic jackets normally supply a wider (and wilder) range of color options, allowing them to be very good-looking, but for some, synthetics will never equal the classic good looks of leather.
This article offers an excellent overview of the pros and cons of synthetics and leather.
Nylon and Denim Jackets
Certainly many types of jackets just do not really fit into the aforementioned categories. Take Denim. It offers a unique proposition: a certain classic style which is appealing to some, and is cooler in the summer than leather. Nylon provides configurability and some of the cooling options of a synthetic but, according to some, may not provide the great styling of leather.
Harley Women's Jackets
A quick thought on ladies jackets...
Finding jackets that are designed specifically with women in mind is now a possibility. You'll be pleased with the options out there. Most synthetic jackets are for both men and women, but several options are specifically intended for women. Opting for a leather jacket provides a wide range of choices for fitted, classy women's jackets.
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