Michael Hsu

Thursday Boot Company are well known for their radically affordable boots, but can their line of leather jackets hold to as much scrutiny? I picked up four to find the answer. I'm not just a reviewer, I'm an actual airline pilot (check out my YouTube page) so you know that I'm deeply invested in finding great leather jackets. The styles I'm looking at four of their popular styles: the Cafe Racer, Roadster, Flight Jacket, and Trucker Jacket — each in a different leather. I've worn some of these jackets for years, and some are a bit newer. I'll walk you through the leather, features, fit, style, and price to help you find the one that'll work best for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vB_2CxU_8ZEE Why Thursday Boots' Leather Jackets? Perhaps the best value leather jackets on the market Partly because they're lambskin, which is also very soft and breaks in quickly Number one is that all their products are reasonably priced and made with high quality materials. The four leather jackets we're looking at today are all under $500, which is a great deal, as a decent leather jacket can very easily run over $700. Another reason I really like Thursday is that they sell so many varieties of leather jackets — you're bound to find one that you like, especially since they all come in quite a few different colors. Then there's one feature I've never seen from a jacket brand before: on their bestselling racer jacket (and one or two other models I didn't get), you can pick from three different fits: slim, athletic, and relaxed. That's a real bonus, especially since leather jackets can be hard to tailor. Further Reading The Best Leather for Jackets According to Experts We sat down with leather jacket expert Jason Schott to learn about the best leathers for jackets. Learn more → The Black Matte Racer Jacket Currently in seven colors, including some suedes Multiple fits: slim, athletic, and relaxed fit Low-key and minimalist style, no shiny hardware The Black Matte Racer Jacket is the first leather jacket we'll look at today. Leather Lambskin, and lamb suede Several leathers match Thursday's line of boots Much softer and more pliable than cowhide Thursday currently makes this jacket in seven colors: Black Matte, Black (which is less matte), Anaheim, Tobacco, Arizona, Adobe, Taupe, and Brandy. Expect that lineup to change (probably by the time you read this), but you're still bound to find the color that you like. And if you're a fan of Thursday's boots, a lot of those leathers match their bestsellers: the Arizona Adobe and Black Matte Captains are the most popular boots they sell. I've been wearing this jacket for a few years now, and it still holds up well. The leather is starting to patina, which is one of the reasons guys like leather jackets; they look better as they age. I know some guys worry that lambskin won't get much of a patina, but this leather does indeed pick up wear in an attractive wear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v_aL5RGJxsxM Features Very minimalist, not even a chest zipper Handwarmer pockets No seam across the chest; very clean look Mandarin style collar Snap closure wrist cuffs with two sizes There are no brand names for the hardware and the zippers, but Thursday guarantees them for life. There are two hand-warming pockets on the side, which is really nice, and they do not have zippers. They are just open for your hands to go in on top. There is the collar snap. Since it is a cafe racer-inspired jacket, I think this collar snap is a bit too short for my liking, but it still gets the job done. Another thing to note is that the cuffs have two buttons that I really like. One button lets you tighten the cuffs to fit around your wrist. Fit & Sizing Thursday has a size chart to help you find the perfect size. I have a size 44 chest, and I usually go by the chest size when I buy leather jackets — most people agree that it's the most important number to get right. So, I'd highly recommend using the size chart to make sure you get a size that fits you well. Measure a jacket you already own across the chest, "pit to pit," and you'll be set. I got the large for this jacket. I am 5 foot 8 inches and 175 pounds right now. One benefit of this particular Thursday jacket (and the Roadster, which is next up) is that they come in so many different fits and sizes. Not just small, medium, and large, but also in a slim, athletic, and relaxed fit. That's incredibly rare for any jacket from any brand. When I first got this jacket, it didn't have those three fit options, though. I got it in whatever the standard Large is (I think that's the Athletic fit, or pretty close) but if I got this jacket today I'd have gotten a large in Slim. Style Another thing that I really like about this jacket is how simple the style is. Before I got it, I'd been looking all over the Internet for a cafe-style leather jacket. All the jackets I found were made from very shiny leather. They have shiny zippers and buttons, which are very flashy. That just wasn't what I was going for, and that's why I really like this jacket and how low-key it is. You can see the zippers and buttons are black. Nothing is too flashy or shiny. This is just a very low-key jacket, and that's what I was going for, and it really fits my style. Nick and Troy in their own Thursday Racer Jackets. Read Troy's review here. Price This jacket is $349, which is a very good deal. I believe this jacket is the cheapest of the four we are looking at. As mentioned, the low price is partly because it's not cowhide, but you'd have a hard time finding a better value leather jacket even if you were looking for lambskin. What I like Great value, it's very tough to find a quality leather jacket under $350 Simple style, not too flashy, not much shiny hardware, everything is toned down Lots of sizes and fits Downsides but not dealbreakers The collar strap is too small for my neck You might prefer a jacket with more pockets The Roadster Jacket in Black Coffee The Black Coffee leather looks black from far away and brown up close Also available in three fits: Slim, Athletic, and Relaxed. Longer collar strap than the Cafe Racer fits better Feels like an upgraded (and slightly pricier) version of the Cafe Racer Next off, we are looking at the Roadster Jacket in Black Coffee, a jacket that I consider a slightly more premium version of the Racer, though it's only $11 more expensive. Leather Thursday doesn't say what kind of leather their jackets are made from, but I reached out and confirmed that they're all made of lambskin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vtoI8vmpRf0g Still, when compared to the Racer, the leather on the Roadster (at least in this Black Coffee) feels a bit more substantial and has a more rugged, grainy texture to it. I love the color as well: from afar, it looks like a black color, but when you get closer it's more of a dark brown. It also has a slightly distressed look to it straight out of the box: some areas are a little lighter and it looks like it's picked that up from wear. Further Reading Black vs. Brown Leather Jackets: Choosing Your Ultimate Style We deep dive into making the critical leather jacket purchasing decision: black or brown? Learn more → Features Zippered chest pocket Two zippered handwarmer pockets Two internal pockets Seam runs across the upper chest; the front panel is two pieces of leather This jacket has a mandarin style collar with a strap, a little like the Racer but the strap is longer. This is great for me, because the Racer's strap didn't quite fit my neck, but the Roadster's does. Also like the Racer, the wrist cuffs have snap closures that allow two levels of tightness on the wrist. There are two hand warmer pockets too, but unlike the Racer Jacket, these hand-warming pockets have zippers, which reminds me of Nick's Schott NYC Cafe Racer. Also like the Schott jacket, the Roadster has a zippered chest pocket. You could argue this one should have been called the Racer! Price This jacket is slightly more expensive than the racer jacket, at $360. This makes sense given all the extra pockets and zippers. What I like Longer collar strap than the Cafe Racer Extra functional with lots of secure pockets Black Coffee leather has a cool, slightly distressed look Three fits available Downsides but not deal breakers A bit more expensive than the Cafe Racer, but this jacket feels like an upgrade Some won't like the seam running across the chest; it's a less clean look You might not love feeling the zippers when you use the handwarmer pockets The Flight Jacket in Anthem Retro bomber-style jacket with knit cuffs and waist Comes in four colors Shearling collar makes it my warmest Thursday jacket Next, we have the flight jacket in Anthem. Because it has a knit waistband and wrist cuffs, this is what you'd call a Bomber jacket. It's the most retro (think 1940s) jacket on the list — if you like that style, this is for you. Leather This comes in four colors total, which I'm quite sure are all lambskin: Anthem, Black, Black Coffee, and Tobacco. Probably because of the more vintage style of the jacket, most of the Flight Jackets have a slightly antiqued effect that make them look well loved. The exception is the Black color, which I'd consider a very modern take on this model; a nice contrast of aesthetics. But my jacket is in the leather called Anthem, which is very soft and had no break-in period, which I think is true with all Thursday jackets — all of these were so soft right out of the box. I've said that Thursday using lambskin helps keep the price down, but then again, Thursday is also a brand that tries very hard to make heritage style footwear and apparel that's more comfortable. Their boots are famous for using thinner leather and shock absorbing insoles to limit break in, and limiting break in is probably a big reason why they use lambskin on the jackets. Fortunately for us, it also helps with the price! Features Shearling collar and wind blocking knit waistband and cuffs make it my warmest Thursday jacket Snap closure front pockets are secure and add a lot of carry space Handwarmer pockets underneath the front pockets Shearling collar isn't removable I absolutely love this jacket, especially since I am a pilot! You have to have a bomber-style leather jacket, and the shearling collar, combined with the wind blocking knit waistband and wrist cuffs, make it my warmest jacket from this brand. I go for that "pilot aviator look" every chance I get. Stridewise editor Nick had an early version of this jacket, which had a removable collar. Downside: this shearling collar is not removable. I know that it was removable on previous versions of this jacket, but it isn't anymore. It would be more versatile if it were, so fingers crossed that they reinstate this feature in future models. Note that there are handwarmer pockets underneath the two snap closure pockets on the front of the jacket. It's a nice feature, just note that they aren't as deep (or handwarming) as regular side entry handwarmers. Further Reading The Ultimate Vintage A-2 Leather Flight Jacket | Cockpit USA Review Compare with the author's review of a high end, vintage-inspired, goatskin flight jacket. Learn more → Price At $425, this jacket is the most expensive out of the four I own. It's still a great deal, and the higher price makes sense given the additions of the shearling collar, knit waistband and cuffs, and the more complex pockets. What I like Soft leather that has no break-in I love the vintage look Knitted cuffs and waistband help insulate and block wind Shearling collar makes it the warmest Thursday jacket Lots of secure pockets Downsides but not dealbreakers Shearling collar isn't removable This jacket doesn't come in the three fits of the others, but the stretchy knit waistband and cuffs make the sizing more forgiving Right now, all the non-Black colors have a slight antiquing effect on the leather; I love it, you might not Suede Trucker Jacket in Dusty Durable waxed suede holds up well compared to other suedes Six pockets, including two hand-warmers Classic trucker jacket style with adjustable waist cinches Longer than many classic trucker jackets, which are often short and boxy Last but not least, we have the suede Trucker jacket in the "Dusty" colorway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v5eYPzPumd2o Leather You get just three colors to choose from here, but this is specifically a suede product so the limited choices makes snese: you have Black, Chocolate, and Dusty. But I have to make something clear: I have an older jacket that they don't make anymore. Mine is made from snuff suede, which is the kind of soft (and somewhat stain prone) material that probably comes to mind when you hear "suede." But today the Dusty colorway, like all three versions of this jacket, comes in a waxed suede. Stridewise's editor Nick did a whole video and article on waxing his suede boots with a pair of cobblers, but fortunately, this jacket has now been waxed for you! That layer of wax makes it much more resistant to water and stains, which I know is a concern that keeps a lot of guys from enjoying suede jackets. I still love the heck out of my extra velvety snuff suede, but I'm sure the upgrade to waxed has put a lot of minds at ease. An extra bonus is that, as is the case when it's applied to canvas jackets, the wax's appearance develops highs and lows with wear, which gives worn in waxed jackets a really cool patina. Further Reading Our Picks for the 10 Best Waxed Jackets From the city to the country, we tried just about every kind of waxed jacket there is. Learn more → Features Six pockets total, three with secure button or clasp closures Lined with polyester Similar to classic denim trucker jackets, though a little longer Waist cinches allow you to adjust the silhouette This is a classic trucker jacket that's very similar to the popular Type 3 denim jacket: two flap closure chest pockets and handy waist cinches for those with more V-shaped physiques. This jacket has six pockets in total: two on the chest, two handwarmers, one large torso pocket on the inside, and another internal pocket under the chest. That internal pocket has a button snap, which is rare — and very welcome when I'm stashing my wallet in there. Price This jacket costs $360, which is not a bad deal for a nice jacket. It's worth remembering that this jacket is fully lined; it's not as simple as a regular Type 3 denim jacket! What I like The suede makes it the softest and most pliable of all my Thursday jackets Lots of functional pockets Waist cinches allow a more tapered look Wax finish provides resistance to water and stains Downsides but not dealbreakers If you love classic fits, you might not love the more modern fit here: it's a hair longer and slimmer than boxy retro cuts Some guys find that waxing suede reduces its breathability, so this might be less ideal for warmer weather than you first thought. What's My Favorite Thursday Leather Jacket? If I had to choose one of my favorites, I think the Roadster jacket would be my number one choice. I absolutely love that Black Coffee faded brown color (which, to be fair, is available on the Flight Jacket and the newer Major League jackets too). But I also love the café racer-inspired style of the Roadster and its extra functional pockets. Plus, the collar fits me better than the Racer's. And the suede Trucker Jacket might be a close second. Conclusion If you guys are thinking about getting a leather jacket, definitely go ahead and check out Thursday. As I said, they use high-quality materials, especially for the pricepoint, and they deserve accolades for the wide range of fits and colors. To play devil's advocate, I'd say the two main things the average guy might take issue with is that they're not made in the USA and they're all lambskin, not cowhide. It's true that lambskin isn't quite as durable as cowhide, but I think that the better softness, lack of break in, and lower price make it a totally fair tradeoff. One more thing that I didn't mention is the customer service: I previously got a jacket that was too big and I just printed a return label, sent it back, and quickly got the perfect size back — free of charge. They make that exchange process easy, so you can get a jacket without worrying.