Review on Xelement B7210 Men'S 'Cool Rider' Black Vented Leather Motorcycle Jacket - Large by Jabari Campbell

Am extremely pleased with my purchase and can't say enough good things about it. The jacket is exactly as pictured and described - made with very heavy duty buffalo hide, YKK zippers and snaps, nice even stitching and finished seams throughout. The Xelement Gear web site has some some slightly higher resolution images with zoom capability that show off some of the details of the jacket a bit better. There is also a video of a model wearing the jacket and moving around that helps provide a better perspective of the quality and cut/fit of the jacket.Of course jackets of this type are usually cut to fit very closely. Keeping that in mind, the sizing still seems to be spot-on. I was tempted to follow advice and order one size up until I found another merchant advertising this same jacket (at a higher price) that posted the detailed measurements. I was able to match my size perfectly by comparing with the measurements of a couple of existing jackets I already have that I know fit well. At 5'10", 165lbs, 39" chest and 31" waist with a medium build, I ignored the advice to order one size up, and instead went with my usual medium, and found that it was a perfect fit. Yes, it fits close to the body like I expected, but I'm still able to wear a medium weight hoodie underneath without much problem. An occasional adjustment of the side laces always helps.The only minor issues I've found are that the zip-out lining is an unsubstantial, very thinly padded, quilted vest that makes little difference in the warmth provided by the jacket. It also doesn't fasten inside the jacket anywhere near the lower bottom, so it will often ride-up when first putting the jacket on. And every single zipper & snap - including main zipper, pockets, vents, the zip-out lining, etc. - all needed some lubrication to work smoothly with little effort. I can easily live without even using the zip-out lining, and lubricating all the zippers took less than 15 minutes - both issues I find almost irrelevant.So, Is there a difference between this jacket and an almost identical version(s) I've seen at 3 to 5 times the price in several local shops? Yes, of course; but not by very much at all. I still expect to easily get years of use (or abuse) out of this one, regardless of price/brand name. In fact I'd bet over 95% of people can't even tell the difference between this and the favorite USA, name-brand model. When I told my friends how much this jacket cost me - several of whom have one of those more expensive versions - their jaws all hit the floor. Everyone was in disbelief (one even asked to see my receipt!) and all wanted to know where I purchased it. As long as the jacket continues to perform well, and is able to age gracefully, then I'm happy. Even if it has to be replaced in 5 years, it's definitely still money well spent.