Cowhide Vs. Buffalo Hide: Which leather is best for motorcycle jackets?

There has been a long debate as to which leather hide is a more durable material for motorcycle leather jackets. Lets just take a look and compare some of the differences.

Firstly, the most common misconception is where buffalo hide comes from. It is not the north american bison, but rather the water buffalo. In it’s natural state, the buffalo hide is thicker than the cowhide. However, when manufacturers make the garments, they end up splitting the hide into several layers. Top grain is referred to the layer that had the hair on it, and all other layers are called split grain. Make sure when you choose a jacket, your getting at least a 1.1 mm thickness of hide, but the thicker the leather, the better quality and safety properties they have.

A second misconception is that a buffalo hide jacket is thicker than cowhide jacket. All leather is cut down, and measured in MM so unless it is a jacket that is 1.5 MM buffalo hide compared to 1.2 MM cowhide, the thickness of the leather is absolutely equal. One insignificant difference is that you might find the buffalo hide to be a little softer than the cowhide.

The next question is which is more durable? Cowhide or Buffalo hide? Well, if we compare similar jackets made from each, and they both have an equal thickness of leather, you will find that they are both, well, about equal. Neither cowhide nor buffalo hide leather have proven to have one supreme over another. When compared side by side, you will find they both have about the same strength and durability. Some people might disagree, but this is the truth. The only way one hide might offer better protection is (and only in this case) if one leather is made from a split grain, and the other is from a top grain. Top grain leather is a little stronger than split grain, so if your interested in getting more of a premium leather, you should be looking for a top grain (also known as full grain) leather, in either buffalo or cowhide.

Any other questions or if your interested in checking out some premium leather gear, go to Nomads Leathers and check out some of the great products. We would be happy to answer any questions you had regarding motorcycle leather gear!