The leather bar tape from Velo Orange feels vastly better than all the synthetic variants I've tried. To be fair, I've not ridden much in the rain with leather bar tape, so I cannot say how it performs when wet, but in a rainy climate I might treat it with some type of waterproofing. Durability-wise, I've put under a thousand miles on it, so I cannot say it lasts for years, but it is showing zero wear so far. On the rides I've done, it feels better to the hands, even through gloves. For me it gives just the right cushioning, just the right grippiness and the feel to ungloved fingers is great. Think of the difference between a leather jacket or shoes and PU leather jacket and shoes. They're worlds apart, especially to something with the touch sensitivity of hands and fingers. One caveat, I guess, is you might want to ride without gloves because it feels so good to the touch! I really didn't think I'd be so enthusiastic about leather bar tape, but here I am.