Rocky Mountain Leather Supply Review
This Rocky Mountain Leather Supply review covers one of the most respected premium leather retailers in North America — known for stocking genuine shell cordovan, Horween Chromexcel, Wickett & Craig, and other named-tannery hides that serious makers seek out.
Quick Take: Rocky Mountain Leather Supply (RMLS) is a dominant US-based supplier known for its vast one-stop-shop catalog, offering everything from premium leathers to tools, hardware, and supplies. They are particularly valued for their free shipping and free leather splitting services, making them a convenient and cost-effective choice for makers who want to consolidate purchases.
Maker Angle: This review synthesizes recent community feedback and official company policies to provide a balanced view of RMLS. While historically praised, recent trends show growing pains, including slower processing times and mixed customer service experiences. We’ll explore the trade-offs between their convenient services and these emerging operational challenges, helping you decide if RMLS is the right partner for your workshop’s needs.
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Maker Notes
Rocky Mountain Leather Supply has built its brand on being the ultimate convenience store for leathercrafters. Their biggest draws are the free shipping on all domestic orders and the highly-valued free splitting service, a benefit that even extends to leathers not purchased from them. This makes RMLS an incredibly practical choice for project-based buying, allowing makers to get leather, matching hardware, tools, and thread in a single, cost-effective shipment.
However, the company’s rapid growth appears to have strained its operations. Community forums over the past year frequently mention significant delays in order processing, with wait times of 6-10 business days becoming common, even for simple orders. While RMLS has been transparent about holiday backlogs, this trend suggests a systemic issue. The key to a successful RMLS experience is to plan ahead, anticipate longer lead times, and leverage their free services to maximize value.
Best For
- One-Stop Shoppers: Makers who want to buy leather, hardware, tools, and supplies from a single vendor to save on shipping and simplify project management.
- Makers Needing Splitting: Anyone who requires precise leather thickness will find the free splitting service to be a massive value-add.
- Beginners and Hobbyists: The curated selection, starter kits, and free patterns make it an accessible entry point into the craft without the need to research dozens of specialty suppliers.
- Production Shops: The consistent catalog and free shipping make it a reliable, if sometimes slow, partner for sourcing repeatable materials.
Reputation Snapshot
Rocky Mountain Leather Supply holds a complex but generally positive reputation. For years, they were praised for excellent customer service and a great selection. More recently, their reputation has shifted. While still a go-to for many due to their free shipping and splitting, there is a growing chorus of complaints regarding slow processing times and a decline in customer service responsiveness. Allegations of review filtering on their website, where negative or lukewarm reviews are reportedly not published, have also surfaced in community discussions.
Despite these issues, they maintain a large and loyal customer base that values the convenience and breadth of their catalog. The sentiment can be summarized as a trade-off: customers are willing to tolerate slower service and occasional QC issues in exchange for the significant value offered by their free services and comprehensive product lineup.
Pricing and Value Notes
Rocky Mountain Leather Supply competes on convenience and value-added services rather than on having the absolute lowest prices. The free shipping on all domestic orders is a significant financial benefit, especially for smaller purchases that would otherwise incur hefty shipping fees. Their free leather splitting service is another major value driver, saving makers time and the expense of investing in their own splitting machine.
While individual product prices may be comparable to or slightly higher than other suppliers, the total cost of an order is often lower when factoring in these free services. The “Deal Zone” also offers opportunities for discounted leather and supplies, though these are typically final sale.
Speed, Shipping, and Returns
Officially, RMLS states a processing time of 1-4 business days, but recent customer experiences suggest planning for 6-10 business days or more, especially during sales or holidays. They offer a paid rush processing option for an additional fee. The key highlight is their free USPS First Class shipping for all domestic orders, with paid upgrades to Priority and UPS available.
Their return policy is a point of contention. While they advertise a 30-day return window for store credit, the policy has strict exceptions. Non-returnable items include sale/clearance leather, custom-split leather, and any product that has been opened or used. This has led to community complaints where customers were unable to return items they discovered were defective only after opening them, a practice that seems to contradict the advertised “hassle-free” experience.
Watch Outs
- Slow Processing Times: Be prepared for significant delays between placing your order and it shipping. Do not rely on RMLS for time-sensitive projects.
- Return Policy Strictness: The policy of not accepting returns on opened or altered items can be risky, as defects may only be apparent after use. This is the most common source of negative feedback.
- Inconsistent Customer Service: While some customers report excellent service, many recent reviews cite slow responses, unhelpful answers, or being ghosted on quality complaints.
- Review Filtering: Be aware that the reviews on their own website may not represent the full spectrum of customer experiences, as negative reviews are allegedly filtered.
- Leather Quality Variance: Some users report a decline in the quality of certain leathers, receiving pieces with more blemishes than expected for “choice” hides.
Fastest Buying Path
- Consolidate Your Cart: The primary advantage of RMLS is its one-stop-shop nature. Plan your project and add leather, hardware, tools, and supplies to a single cart to maximize the value of free shipping.
- Utilize the Splitting Service: If you need a specific leather thickness, add the free splitting service to your cart. This is one of their best features.
- Order Well in Advance: Given the well-documented shipping delays, place your order at least 2-3 weeks before you need the materials.
- Consider Rush Processing: If your order is urgent, contact them about the paid rush processing service, but be aware it may not be available during busy seasons.
- Document Everything Upon Arrival: Before opening or using any products, inspect them carefully and take photos, especially of leather hides. This will be crucial if you need to file a damage claim.
Alternatives to Rocky Mountain Leather Supply
- Maverick Leather – A strong option when you want variety and deal-driven buying from a US-based supplier with a large inventory of Horween leathers.
- OA Leather Supply – A great choice for unique, limited-run leathers and a highly visual buying experience with detailed video reviews for each hide.
- District Leather Supply – Another solid maker-focused option known for a curated selection of high-quality leathers and responsive customer service.
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