I’m 66+ years old with over 50 years and 200k miles of motorcycling under my belt so looking stylish for me is, well, mostly unimportant. However, many years ago I found a used, somewhat heavy duty black leather vest with pockets everywhere, both large and small, and I fell in love with it. BUT due to some midriff bulging on my part it barely fits me any longer. Now what? Enter the Daniel Smart Men’s Economy Cowhide Leather Motorcycle Vest, size 44 (to be exact).
I did a bit of compare and contrast between my old vest (pics 1 & 2) and my new one (pics 3 & 4) and noted the following:
* I ordered my new vest on January 10th. I wanted a size 44 “Plain Sides” style, but they only had “Sides Laces” style in size 44, so I ordered that. Nearly 3 weeks later Daniel Smart (DS) still doesn’t have a “Plain Sides”, size 44. In my thinking, that’s a negative mark on DS. Bad on them.
* Mainly by touch I concluded my prior vest was heavier duty leather than the DS vest. Depending on the ambient temperature during a motorcycle trip, that may be either a negative or a positive. I live in Mesa, Arizona, summer temperatures consistently hit 110°F. Wearing my old vest around town quickly caused my undergarment (shirt) to become sweaty. However, I’m certain the DS vest, which is composed of thinner leather, will be much cooler than the prior vest.
* The DS vest has two inside and two outside pockets but none of them have any type of closure on them. On the other hand, my old vest (see pic #1) has quite the collection of pockets - 11 total - and all of them have some type of closure mechanism, e.g., zipper or Velcro. Again, depending on the circumstances, these differences could be either a positive or a negative, but my preference is more pockets with (at least some of them having) closure mechanisms.
* Looking at both picture 1 & 3 you will notice my old vest has a zipper closure in the front, the new one has snaps. Though this difference is less of a priority than the pockets and the thickness of the leather, I have a slight preference for the zipper over the snaps. However, having said that, if that zipper goes bad, the vest is basically dead; if a snap goes bad, often times that can be replaced fairly easily.
* Also, as stated initially, I actually wanted a plain side, like my old vest, versus a laced side. There is almost no functionality to my desire, just a preference in looks. Oh vanity, vanity.
* Both the old & new vests are certainly made out of genuine cowhide leather, a material long known for its durability, and I’m certain few and far between are those motorcyclists who wouldn’t like to have true leather encasing their torso.
* The new Daniel Smart vest - in the style and size I ordered – retails for ~$46; I suspect, but do not know for certain, my old vest would’ve retailed for twice that. That is a huge disparity in cost and must play a part in any consideration of which type of vest to purchase.
In summary, if I was shopping for a new vest, and it came down to a decision between a vest like my old one vs a vest like the new one, I personally would choose the old vest. But my peculiar likes & dislikes may certainly not be yours, and in that case I don’t believe you could go wrong in purchasing this Daniel Smart vest.
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