Men’s Ribbed Leather Biker Jacket — Black, Padded Sleeves

Description

The most heavily panelled jacket on the site. Ribbed padding runs across both shoulders, all the way down the outside of each sleeve to the cuff, and up each side of the body — against plain, flat leather through the chest and back. Asymmetric zip, snap-tipped lapels, an angled chest zip, two angled hip zips and zip cuffs.

What the ribbing is doing

Padding where a rider lands and creasing control where an arm bends. Rows of raised leather over wadding absorb impact better than a flat panel, and because the rows run across the direction of the bend, the sleeve folds between them instead of creasing through the middle. On a jacket worn off a bike it mostly does the second thing — the arms keep their shape after years of wear.

The leather

Full-grain hide, black. The contrast between the padded ribs and the flat chest is the whole visual argument of this jacket, and it only works with a hide that takes light properly: the ribs catch, the flat panels hold.

How it is cut

Slim and short, close through the chest, hem at the belt. The ribbed sections have essentially no give, so this is a jacket to size by the shoulder and to wear over a t-shirt or a thin knit. If a jumper is going underneath, take the next size.

What to wear it with

Black denim and boots. Nothing patterned, nothing textured — there is enough happening on the jacket already, and a busy shirt underneath turns the whole thing into noise.

Looking after it

Condition twice a year and work it along the ribs rather than across them, so product does not sit in the channels. Hang on a wide hanger with the lapels flat. Do not fold a jacket with this much padding; the ribs crush and stay crushed.

Shipping, duties and returns

Free worldwide shipping, 4–9 working days. Import duties are settled before dispatch where the carrier supports Delivered Duty Paid to the destination country; where it does not, duty is charged locally and we will tell you which applies before you order. Thirty days to return anything unworn with tags attached. Questions to info@cordwainleather.com or +34 614 79 27 86.

Size chart

Measure your chest around the fullest part with the tape level. Jacket chest is the finished garment measurement and runs larger than your body, because the jacket has to close over you. Between two sizes, take the larger.

Still unsure? Email your chest and shoulder measurements to info@cordwainleather.com and we will come back with one size, not a chart to guess from.

Questions about padded and panelled jackets

Why are some biker jackets padded down the arms?

It began as impact padding at the points a rider hits first — shoulder, outer arm, elbow. On a fashion jacket it is styling, and worth being clear about: padding is not armour, and quilted leather is not a substitute for rated protective gear. What it does genuinely do is stop the sleeve creasing into a permanent fold at the elbow.

Does heavy panelling make a jacket stiffer to wear?

Slightly, and mostly at the start. A padded sleeve has less stretch than a plain one, so the first week feels more structured. It softens as the leather moulds, but a jacket like this never becomes as fluid as a plain bomber — if you want something that feels like a cardigan, this is the wrong jacket.

Should you buy a plain or a detailed leather jacket?

Plain if it is your only one, detailed if it is your second. A jacket with heavy panelling and visible hardware is a strong piece that dominates an outfit — brilliant when that is what you want, limiting when you need something to throw on over anything. Most people are happier owning the plain one first.

Can you wear a backpack with a leather jacket?

Yes, but expect it to mark. Straps rub two narrow lines over the shoulders and will polish the leather there within a year — on black, that reads as a sheen rather than damage, and some people like it. If you want to avoid it, a shoulder bag worn across the body moves the wear to one line instead of two.

Why do leather jackets go shiny at the elbows?

Because repeated bending compresses and burnishes the grain, exactly as it does on the seat of leather chairs. It is normal wear on real leather and it is part of a patina rather than a fault. Light conditioning evens it out a little; nothing removes it entirely, and on full-grain leather it usually improves the jacket.

How do you get a smoke smell out of a leather jacket?

Air it outdoors in the shade for several days — this works more often than anything else. Failing that, hang it in a sealed bag with an open box of bicarbonate of soda nearby, not touching the leather, for a week. Do not spray fabric freshener on it and do not wash the lining; both leave worse problems than the smell.