Freenote Cloth
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Hi fellas
I have just received a riders jacket in tobacco, it is an amazing jacket and I couldn't be more happy with the fit. Every detail on it is as described and what I was hoping for...
Except the color! It is much darker than in any photos I can find online from Freenote themselves, the retailer I purchased from, all other retailers and here/reddit etc.
I actually do like the color but it's just not what I was expecting, it is a lot darker and almost has a khaki hue to it. Having said that my partner is convinced it looks nicer than the color in pictures
Has anyone else experienced this? This is my first waxed jacket so I am not too sure what to expect over time could it just be that it has maybe a bit more wax than normal and might lighten up?
I forgot to get pics of it last night when I tried it on so will add some here when I get home from work this evening.
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@hjl360 Maybe the amount of wax, maybe the lighting when they take photos.
My previous Oak colored one lightened up significantly after just 2 weeks in England when visiting (caught in the rain).
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@hjl360 I actually just went through this myself a couple of weeks ago. I purchased the rj-1 in Tobacco back in 2020. Sold my size large two weeks ago and got an XL the next day. I compared the two side by side and the new tobacco is definitely a bit darker and has a different liner than the red one used years back. Turns out the updated version of tobacco is now "Tumbleweed". I did like the new tobacco but wanted to stick to what I had in the past.
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Thanks for the help guys, sounds like it could be a mixture of it being slightly darker than previous runs and the fact its brand new with a thick layer of fresh wax. Here's part of the response I've had form the retailer I purchased from:
"In regards to the colour the good news is the colour will lighten up. It's at its darkest as the wax is sitting on the surface and creating a shadow layer on the tobacco colourway.
Like Selvedge denim with wear the jacket will mould to your body and your body heat will also allow the wax to sink into the cotton canvas."Going to stick with it as I like the color either way and I have faith it will lighten up. Will post pictures later still.
In any case, fantastic jacket!
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@travisxray it's been a while, but how are you liking this jacket? how did it break in? Just picked up a size L (my normal freenote size) and I feel it's a bit restrictive, even though it doesn't look too small. was it that way for you, and if so, did it break in/stretch with wear?
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@hjl360 I own the tumbleweed and Oak color ways. I’d say that each year they vary slightly.
You could ask Drew or Will to send you a photo in daylight, I’m sure they’d be happy to assist.
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So yesterday I had only seen it in the evening at home and it definitely looks more like retailer shots in good lighting.
Still slightly darker than i had imagined but i think thats just my obsessive nature causing the initial concern more than anything.
Looking forward to rocking this piece at every oppurtunity
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@Mizmazzle these are old posts, but just looking through them. how do you find the sizing on the rider's jacket? i'm a L in almost everything freenote makes, but the size chart puts me between L and XL, especially if i want to wear a flannel/sweatshirt under it
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@akohut I am XL in all my Freenote shirts. I originally had a XL riders jacket and it fit quite slim in my opinion and I couldn't really layer with it unless it was a lighter weight shirt or a thermal and still the sleeves would be a little too short for me.
When I later went up a size I could layer really comfortably but the jump was so big I can't wear my XXL with a t-shirt without it looking too baggy. I guess am just between sizes but I prefer the extra room over it being too tight.
I do see it would be a great jacket just over a t-shirt as well but I don't like the feel of the satin sleeves on bare skin even though I understand their purpose is to make it easier to put the jacket on.I do wonder if there are any slight variations in the sizing with these and if they either tighten up and or stretch over the years (depending on what weather etc they are exposed to).
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@Northman yeah that's almost definitely going to be the case with me as well. may hold out for a restock of the alpaca lined 20oz version. that one's measurements in the XL seem just right
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@akohut this is just a general comment about Freenote, but I have little doubt it applies here. If you can, double check the measurements on a chart measured by a Freenote retailer that carries the same item (Franklin and Poe tends to be a good ref for me, plus they’re super nice if you have questions). I’ve found Freenote’s charts to be pretty inaccurate. Case in point: I don’t think I’ve ever seen the model listed as wearing any pair of pants other than a size 32, regardless of what the chart looks like; overall it just seems the measurements are a little vague. I’m currently trying to swap a pair I ordered from them due to this exact issue, and it’s been a bit of a pain.
Regardless, still a great company, prob my fave right below IH.
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Another Freenote customer with 2 RJ1 jackets …
I’m an XXL in IH western UHFs and I wear the XL RJ1. For reference, I’m 6’2”, 175 Lbs, 42” chest.
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It full agreement with @popvulture both with regards to their sizing charts, as well as Freenote Cloth being one of my favourite brands.
@akohut To add to the data points, I'm 6', 180 lbs and just measured my chest (with a thin T-shirt) at 44.5" / 113cm. My RJ1 is an XL and actually feels pretty roomy.
Generally I'm an XXL in most IH shirts. Typically an IH XXL in jackets as well, with some exceptions like IHM-27-BLK/IHM-27-OLV where I size down to an XL.
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thanks all and yeah @popvulture @JunkPants that's been my experience too (although more so with pants than their shirts). i'm in the netherlands, so difficult to try on anything in person, so maybe best to err on the side of "too big". just had to return a CD-4 jacket w a 23in chest and 19.5in shoulders (which was a size L), so i'm thinking i may be more of an XL in their jackets anyway
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To add some more data points, I’m 6’ and weigh around 195ish, a Freenote RJ1 Large does fit perfectly, albeit on the slightly cropped side. All of my other Freenote pieces are L as well.
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I am 5'9" and went with a medium rj2 but that was in there waxed canvas which was cut bigger. If I got a denim one I probably would have went with a large. I also have a rj1 and that is a large.
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@akohut That is almost exactly how I would describe the fit on my jacket too. I wish I would’ve got a large but at the same time the medium isn’t necessarily too small, it just feels restrictive. The fit hasn’t really change with wear, although I haven’t got a ton of wear on the jacket yet.
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@Brandrea have you ever posted fit pics of your jacket? i wear the same size UHF (although I'm a couple inches shorter than you), so would be a somehwhat good comparison i think
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@akohut
This is the best I can do … not the greatest pictures.I’m wearing it with the IH29 collarless loopwheel sweater (which they need to run again someday … but I digress).
The sweater is an xxl, and the RJ1 is xl. Roomy enough to layer, but also looks good with a tee.
