Newbie About to Take Kangaroo Plunge

Jake Cutter · Post by **Jake Cutter** » Mon May 16, 2005 4:18 pm

Hi everyone. I'm an occassional lurker on this board who signed up to see if there's any recent advice/comments on the US Wings Kangaroo Indy jacket. Come the end of the month I'm going to take the plunge and finally order one after having had my eye on it for some time. I've read some of the older threats related to 'roo, but was just wondering if any current or past owners have additional insights particularly on sizing. (I usually wear an XL but may go for the L in 'roo as I've heard it runs big.) Or might there be additional pictures to share? Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon May 16, 2005 4:24 pm

The only person I know who owned one was _, and though he loved the jacket, the color wasn't right for him. It's a pretty reddish in overall color. If that's doesn't bother you, then it's a really nice jacket. In sizing, the L should work if you wear XL, but be aware of the sleeve length. I usually wear a 'L' from Wings, and have found that the sleeves work ok for me, and I require at least 25 inch sleeves. I also usually wear a 44R, if that gives you some gauge of the sizing for the 'L'.

All in all, the 'roo jacket seems to get good marks in terms of being a quality jacket. Red color, but a very strong, lightweight jacket.

Regards. Michaelson

Shawnkara · Post by **Shawnkara** » Mon May 16, 2005 5:08 pm

I can only speak for 'roo in terms of whips but honestly I can't imagine it would make a very good jacket. 'Roo is considered the best for whips because of it's tensile strength, meaning it has no "stretch" or "give" to it at all. For that reason I can't see it being very comfortable. As for durability, sorry, but I don't think 'roo is all that strong. It's amazing (and depressing) the amount of damge even the smallest brush with concrete has on 'roo. The Australian methods of whipmaking are the most widely used/emulated. The kangaroo is the largest land animal native to Australia so it was a logical choice. I think roo is used primarily as part of the tradition more than anything. Like I sad, it has amazing tensile strength but as far as surface durability is concerned, I think it's over rated.

FLATHEAD · Post by **FLATHEAD** » Tue May 17, 2005 6:50 am

Also, be aware that the base color for the kangaroo Wings jackets are a
very dark, almost black color.

So, as the jacket ages, and gets distressing marks on it, these distressed
areas will be dark/black, NOT the nice tan color you see on most other
leather jackets.

Also, the one kangaroo jacket I saw in person did not breath as well as
most other types of leathers. It seemed very hot to me, and not what I
would want in a normal leather jacket.

Like Michaelson said, if you are an off the shelf size, then the jacket
may fit you. But be aware, that if you have the jacket altered in any way,
shape, or form, then you will be stuck with a VERY expensive mistake,
as Wings will NOT accept it for a return/exchange/refund if you do
absolutely anything to it. And that includes just taking the tag off of it...

Flathead

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:26 am

Personally, I would love a kangaroo jacket - but I would't get it in an Indy styling.

Why?

Because it just doesn't look right. This might not bother some people but, for me, it just looks wrong in the kangaroo hide. I don't say this because I'm a screen-accurate kinda guy - far from it. My Wested horsehide isn't screen accurate in its colouring.

But the kangaroo? Nah, it's all wrong for an Indy jacket.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:30 am

Shawnkara wrote:The kangaroo is the largest land animal native to Australia so it was a logical choice. I think roo is used primarily as part of the tradition more than anything.

I'd disagree completely with that, given that since the first days of white settlement, we've had all sorts of beasts which could be skinned and tanned and used for different purposes. If anything, roo would have been one of the harder skins to consistently catch and "farm" in the olden days.

The reason it was used wasn't because of it being native, or being large, or anything like that - it was the tensile strength.

Shawnkara wrote:Like I sad, it has amazing tensile strength but as far as surface durability is concerned, I think it's over rated.

Well, typically, it's the tensile strength that people rave over.

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue May 17, 2005 11:18 am

Roo is the top of the heap when it comes to tensile strength vs. physical weight. Bottom line, it's the strongest leather out there in terms of tear resistance, and physically equal to or lighter in physical weight than lambskin. THAT'S why it's the favorite of the professional whip maker. It's a material that, when used in a jacket, will more than likely outlast more than one lining in it's existance. Regards! Michaelson

Richard~Buxton · Post by **Richard~Buxton** » Tue May 17, 2005 6:00 pm

Is their any news of Wested doing a roo Jacket, I was thinking for my next
Jacket going with the Horsehide or something else.

Michigan Smith · Post by **Michigan Smith** » Tue May 17, 2005 6:15 pm

US Wings Kangaroo Indy jacket.

Had one, didn't like it, sold it. It had old style "poofy" lining, strange orange coloring (not Indy-ish), side straps pulled wrong way, usual generic USW sizing problems. Wested goat is still my most often worn leather jacket.

SAB · Post by **SAB** » Wed May 18, 2005 12:28 am

The kangaroo is the largest land animal native to Australia so it was a logical choice. I think roo is used primarily as part of the tradition more than anything.

Australia has been primarily a beef eating nation for 200 years, as is America....which may be why we're right behind America in terms of obesity.

Not hard to get cowhide here.

You want to know the annoying thing though, roo hide jackets cost a fortune in Australia as well...'cause obviously that type of leather is really rare here...

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Wed May 18, 2005 7:58 am

It's more that it's a rare leather to be farmed and tanned, etc. It's a niche product. Even though the hills are full of kangaroo and every night one of my cats eats fresh kangaroo mince.

Bjones · Post by **Bjones** » Wed May 18, 2005 9:23 am

Cryptid~Explorer wrote:Is their any news of Wested doing a roo Jacket, I was thinking for my next
Jacket going with the Horsehide or something else.

I haven't heard of Wested using Roo, but I can vouch for the Horsehide - its very nice...I find it hard to take it off.

The only roo jacket I saw that looked really good was the pics of _'s jacket.

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed May 18, 2005 11:04 am

I believe the scarcity in availability is why other jacket companies don't offer jackets in roo, as it's a pretty controlled material for import. There was a time when Wings couldn't even get their quota of it a few years back, and the jacket was pulled from inventory. Regards. Michaelson