Vanson CHP2 Classic Jacket with quilted padding "CHP Colorado"

Features: Available with or without quilted padding Version with quilted padding is called the "CHP Colorado" the non-padded jacket is called the "CHP2 Standard" Slant zipper, open lapel front with 2 zippered outside pockets Two inside pockets: one wallet pocket; one leather lined pocket with snap closure Action Back Shoulder gussets for comfortable action fit Dipped rear panel / safety kidney panel to keep out drafts and provide comfortable support Vanson CHP2 Jacket without quilted padding "CHP Standard" Side laces at waist to adjust fit up to 2" (5 cm) Zip down sleeves with full leather gusset Heavy, supple, top-grain black racing leather Full rayon lining Heavy duty brass zippers Flat black snaps Snap up belt loops Snaps to hold collar in place We provide detailed information on fitting Vanson classic jackets

The Jacket:

This is the classic leather jacket, hand crafted by Vanson using the finest leather and hardware. The design of this jacket is the classic one long used by California Highway Patrol (CHP) motorcycle patrol officers.

The jacket isn't simply a "fashion" item. It's built to be worn by motorcycle riders who expect a comfortable jacket which provides protection from the weather and the road.

Vanson jackets are constructed of the finest top-grain leather custom tanned to Vanson's specifications. The heavy but supple leather is hand waxed to bring out its unique character. The jacket's seams are double stitched with extremely heavy gauge nylon thread and only the heaviest brass hardware is used. The result is a heavy and sturdy leather jacket absolutely unlike the flimsy fashion jackets you'll find in your local shopping mall. This is the real thing.
Did we mention that these jackets are heavy and sturdy? The CHP jackets shown on this page each weigh about 6.5 Lbs / 3 Kg

Did we mention that they are built to last? The jackets used for the photos on this page are each several years old and have logged plenty of miles along the Big Sur coast of California.

In 2005 Vanson made a small improvement in the fit of these jackets in the shoulder area and changed the name from CHP to CHP2 to indicate the new model. There is no visible difference in the design.

The Leathers:

Cowhide

Vanson uses drum-dyed top grain cowhide which is manufactured in the USA. Vanson leather is chrome tanned, a process developed in the last half of the 1800's to create leather that is strong, durable, can be dyed and will hold that coloring. The leather is finished and waxed by hand.

Tanning is the process of converting the cellular structure of skin into a network of collagen fibers. How short or how long, how tangled or how straight is the determining factor in the stretch and the strength of the leather, and the density and complexity of that network is affected by the blend of materials used in the tanning. The random structure of this network has great tensile strength. This, as ancient toolmakers and armorers as well as modern motorcyclists know, makes for an unparalleled protective material. So good that man has been unable to duplicate or improve it for the purposes of the modern motorcyclist.

Once tanning is complete, the next step is drum dyeing where Vanson leather is tumbled for up to six hours with a mixture of oils, dyes and hot water in 12 X 12 foot oak drums. This method impregnates the leather with color and nourishes the skins making them stronger and more supple. After drum dyeing, the skins are polished and waxed to maximize the character of each hide.

Finally, finishing is the process where the leather receives its top coat and is made ready for cutting. Before finishing Vanson selects only the best tanned hides, culling out skins that don't meet their standards. Then, once the skins arrive at their cutting tables, Vanson further eliminates any inferior skins as they start the process of building your jacket.

Some manufacturers use nude leather with a smooth buttery finish. In contrast to that, Vanson leather is somewhat stiff. It is polished and its top coat, over several underlying applications of waxes, gives it Vanson's characteristically deep finish, luster and durability over time. In the worst-case scenario, when your jacket is all that's between you and the asphalt, your Vanson jacket with its different feel and hard topcoat has been proven to perform the best!

Horsehide

Vanson also offers a top grain horsehide on custom orders. The black horsehide is fully finished like the top-grain cowhide. Prices vary, so you'll need to contact us for a quote.

Why horsehide? Everyone who remembers Grandpa's leather jacket remembers it in horsehide and if that's the way it used to be then it must be better, right? Not necessarily.

Grandpa's jacket was made of horsehide primarily because in his day there were more horses around used for drayage and agricultural purposes. Horsehide, though more expensive than cowhide, is not necessarily more protective. It is unusual, nostalgic and evocative of another era. Although it is perfectly functional as a daily-driver motorcycle jacket, its high price is more representative of exclusiveness and is not relative to any inherently greater protective qualities.

The horsehide is an acquired taste. It is much stiffer than the cowhide, though it isn't that much thicker. It has a more uneven and non-uniform appearance and the match from hide to hide and among the various cuts of leather used to make the jacket is not very good.

Prices: