I've had a US Wings Vintage Cow for about three years now, a FS lamb, and used to have a Wested Goat. I've got to admit the Wings is probably my favorite. So I'm thinking about getting a Wings VIP but it looks to me as if the clasps are backwards. I know they're reversed from my Vintage Cow with the strap points ending up pointing forwards on mine (clasps attached to the back of the jacket), with the VIP pointing backwards (clasps attached to the front of the jacket). Anyone that can comment on this?
Jaydoc
Wings VIP
Moderators: Indiana Jeff, Mike, Indydawg
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Pitfall Harry
- Expeditionary Hero
- Posts: 2114
- Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:43 pm
Do any of you have pictures of your jackets?
I was looking at the US Wings Indy Jackets on their site but they don't have very good pics of them.
I'm really interested in the VIP and the Vintage Cowhide Jacket.
Also, as far as quality goes. Are they jackets pretty well made? I've been reading mixed things about them on this site so that's what kinda forced me to start looking around for different companies who offered the jacket.
I was looking at the US Wings Indy Jackets on their site but they don't have very good pics of them.
I'm really interested in the VIP and the Vintage Cowhide Jacket.
Also, as far as quality goes. Are they jackets pretty well made? I've been reading mixed things about them on this site so that's what kinda forced me to start looking around for different companies who offered the jacket.
I have a Wings VIP and I can tell you that everytime I wear it and see it I wish I would have bought a Wested. It is the best jacket I have ever had and it is simmilar to Indy's but now I regret not getting a Wested. The Jacket has so many non accurate features and it honestly it is not made well, at least not mine.
For one thing the sizing is too big for me, but it would have cost 60 dollars to exchange it after the tag fell off (it was ridiculous, I put it on and the hole on the tag was so close to the edge it ripped). This isn't a real fault in the Jacket but is something to consider- USwings is not nice to deal with, and the jackets are not custom.
Then there is the sitching, I had to take it some place in town to fix the lining in the hand pocket, the stiching on the bottom of the jacket was coming un-done, there were other places as well.
Then the zipper- UGLY, and again not accurate. Also it is very sharp and cuts into the leather.
Then it comes to the leather and the problem of inconsistancy. There is rough hide spots (the nap was rough), then there is big grain/small grain spots on the same arm!! The grain is inconsistant. There was also three rips in places outside the jacket and two places inside wear it glue was used in an attempt to hold it together.
Conclusion: not worth the money, get a Wested (better quality, better service, more accurate).
I was not satisfied.
For one thing the sizing is too big for me, but it would have cost 60 dollars to exchange it after the tag fell off (it was ridiculous, I put it on and the hole on the tag was so close to the edge it ripped). This isn't a real fault in the Jacket but is something to consider- USwings is not nice to deal with, and the jackets are not custom.
Then there is the sitching, I had to take it some place in town to fix the lining in the hand pocket, the stiching on the bottom of the jacket was coming un-done, there were other places as well.
Then the zipper- UGLY, and again not accurate. Also it is very sharp and cuts into the leather.
Then it comes to the leather and the problem of inconsistancy. There is rough hide spots (the nap was rough), then there is big grain/small grain spots on the same arm!! The grain is inconsistant. There was also three rips in places outside the jacket and two places inside wear it glue was used in an attempt to hold it together.
Conclusion: not worth the money, get a Wested (better quality, better service, more accurate).
I was not satisfied.
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Pitfall Harry
- Expeditionary Hero
- Posts: 2114
- Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:43 pm
Redinight wrote:I have a Wings VIP and I can tell you that everytime I wear it and see it I wish I would have bought a Wested. It is the best jacket I have ever had and it is simmilar to Indy's but now I regret not getting a Wested. The Jacket has so many non accurate features and it honestly it is not made well, at least not mine.
For one thing the sizing is too big for me, but it would have cost 60 dollars to exchange it after the tag fell off (it was ridiculous, I put it on and the hole on the tag was so close to the edge it ripped). This isn't a real fault in the Jacket but is something to consider- USwings is not nice to deal with, and the jackets are not custom.
Then there is the sitching, I had to take it some place in town to fix the lining in the hand pocket, the stiching on the bottom of the jacket was coming un-done, there were other places as well.
Then the zipper- UGLY, and again not accurate. Also it is very sharp and cuts into the leather.
Then it comes to the leather and the problem of inconsistancy. There is rough hide spots (the nap was rough), then there is big grain/small grain spots on the same arm!! The grain is inconsistant. There was also three rips in places outside the jacket and two places inside wear it glue was used in an attempt to hold it together.
Conclusion: not worth the money, get a Wested (better quality, better service, more accurate).
I was not satisfied.
Wow. I can't believe they can stay in buisness if their selling merchandise like that.
Thanks for your help. I've been doing some shopping around and I found a few other sites that offered Indy jackets. You can read about them in the "Missing Topic" post I made in this section.
I believe I'm going go try and get the Wested. I think it might be also be the cheapest in price out of all of them after all!
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binkmeisterRick
- Stealer of Wallets
- Posts: 16926
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 3:22 pm
- Location: Chattering with these old bones
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Pitfall Harry
- Expeditionary Hero
- Posts: 2114
- Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:43 pm
I'm not looking for anything special really. Just the standard Raiders jacket. I already know I want the dark brown goatskin.
The only thing I'm not sure about yet are having them add the gussets and adding an inch to the bottom. I'm still undecided if I need either really.
How far does the Raiders jacket come down normally on everyone? Just above the pockets or to the waist?
The only thing I'm not sure about yet are having them add the gussets and adding an inch to the bottom. I'm still undecided if I need either really.
How far does the Raiders jacket come down normally on everyone? Just above the pockets or to the waist?
Not doubting your unfortunate experience with your Wings VIP, Redinight, but I can tell you that I have one myself and I do love the jacket. I had a
problem with the lining of the sleeves protruding from the cuff, which I had to have tacked further up the sleeve, but other than that it has been a fine jacket. I am fortunate that off the rack 44's fit me very well. I love the smooth cowhide and the indestructible feel of the jacket.
True, there are some screen accurate inconsistencies, but I am not concerned with those features or lack of them.
Having said this, I also have a Wings Lamb, which I didn't think I was going to like, but now that the weather has turned colder, it is becoming my preferred jacket. I do love the feel of this jacket, very different from the VIP, both in look, color, and texture. Also it is beginning to get very soft. I know there were some people who had some issues with those jackets, and in fact, I discovered an area under one arm where the stitching had pulled through. A heavy needle and some brown thread took care of that. Should I have had these problems, probably not, but then again, it was priced considerably lower than my third jacket, FS goat.
This jacket was exactly what i was looking for in terms of a thin, lightweight, yet tough jacket. No quality problems here at all, but then, it was the most expensive of the three. I do have one small issue with that
jacket in that the hip measurement is larger than my Wings, and when zipped, the bottom tends to stay "open" in the front. I'm hoping in time that will go away as the leather continues to relax. I don't own a Wested, don't know if I ever will. I can't find enough hours to wear the three Indy jackets I have, as well as a few other leather jackets, including a super Wings A-2.
So, Pitfall Harry, I can say that I do like my Wings jackets, in spite of the few problems I have had. I think, overall, they are well made. I think my A-2 was made better than the Indys. I've never found anything wrong with that.
Oh, to answer your last question, my Wings jackets are to about the middle of my back pockets, the FS about 1 1/2 inches shorter to about the top of the pocket.
problem with the lining of the sleeves protruding from the cuff, which I had to have tacked further up the sleeve, but other than that it has been a fine jacket. I am fortunate that off the rack 44's fit me very well. I love the smooth cowhide and the indestructible feel of the jacket.
True, there are some screen accurate inconsistencies, but I am not concerned with those features or lack of them.
Having said this, I also have a Wings Lamb, which I didn't think I was going to like, but now that the weather has turned colder, it is becoming my preferred jacket. I do love the feel of this jacket, very different from the VIP, both in look, color, and texture. Also it is beginning to get very soft. I know there were some people who had some issues with those jackets, and in fact, I discovered an area under one arm where the stitching had pulled through. A heavy needle and some brown thread took care of that. Should I have had these problems, probably not, but then again, it was priced considerably lower than my third jacket, FS goat.
This jacket was exactly what i was looking for in terms of a thin, lightweight, yet tough jacket. No quality problems here at all, but then, it was the most expensive of the three. I do have one small issue with that
jacket in that the hip measurement is larger than my Wings, and when zipped, the bottom tends to stay "open" in the front. I'm hoping in time that will go away as the leather continues to relax. I don't own a Wested, don't know if I ever will. I can't find enough hours to wear the three Indy jackets I have, as well as a few other leather jackets, including a super Wings A-2.
So, Pitfall Harry, I can say that I do like my Wings jackets, in spite of the few problems I have had. I think, overall, they are well made. I think my A-2 was made better than the Indys. I've never found anything wrong with that.
Oh, to answer your last question, my Wings jackets are to about the middle of my back pockets, the FS about 1 1/2 inches shorter to about the top of the pocket.
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FLATHEAD
- Professor of Archaeology
- Posts: 723
- Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2002 7:18 am
- Location: Central New Jersey
You guys should do a search of this site to read about the lambskin Indy
jackets that Wings was pushing a year ago or so.
There might even still be some pictures of them. They had some of the
worst hide matching anyone has ever seen in a leather jacket.
Some panels were grainy and puffy, while the panels right next to them
were perfectly smooth and flat. Not to mention the color differences
between the panels.
Also, the pictures of the jackets on the website showed the back panel
as one piece like it should be, but when people here started to receive their jackets, the
back panels were actually made in two pieces, with a big old seam straight
down the back!! This was not disclosed at the time the people ordered
their jackets.
Wings was offering these jacket at "discount" prices to us COW members,
but they also offered them on e-bay as well. So it was no real "deal"
considering the undisclosed flaws.
There was quite a bit of backlash because of this, and it put a very bad
taste in peoples mouths about ever ordering a Wings jacket again.
I personally will never, ever, order anything from Wings due to their
terrible customer service, and the fact that they lied right to my face
about recieving a return I had sent to them.
Long story short, I had to get the post office and BBB involved in order
to get my money back on an item I sent back to them, using their very
own instructions. Even though I had proof they recieved the item, and
their own people signed for the package, they still said they never got
the package, and they would not give me back my money.
Once I got the Post office involved, and it was now a federal problem
of them saying they never got the package, well, I got my money back
in about 24 hours.
Buy from them at your own risk. If you do ANYTHING to the jacket,
like remove tag, you can not send it back.
If you have to have it altered, say to have the sleeves fit you better
due to the "one size fits many" sizing, you are screwed, and you can't
send it back, even if you find a huge flaw somewhere else on the jacket
that is not even close to the end of the sleeves.
Get yourself a Wested. You get a custom made-to-you jacket for less
than an inferior Wings copy. Once you add in the price of having to have
a Wings jacket altered to fit you, and you would not be able to get any
further customer support for you purchase, you would be much further
ahead in price and customer satisfaction by getting a real, made to fit
you Indy jacket, made by the exact same guy who made the originals!
I have a Wings Old Cow Indy jacket, but I got it 4 years ago, when
Wings did not make their own jackets, and they had most of their jackets
made by a company called Cooper. That jacket is very well made, and
I like it alot.
Wings now claims to make their own jackets "on site" but if you ask
any questions about them, they don't know the answer, and don't
even know how to find the answer. How is that for "on site" construction.
They know nothing about their own product? Hmmm...
Check the listing of the BBB and you will find many negative reports filed against
Wings for their poor customer service policies.
Again, order at your own risk. You may get a good jacket. But me
personally, I will not take that risk ever again...
Flathead
jackets that Wings was pushing a year ago or so.
There might even still be some pictures of them. They had some of the
worst hide matching anyone has ever seen in a leather jacket.
Some panels were grainy and puffy, while the panels right next to them
were perfectly smooth and flat. Not to mention the color differences
between the panels.
Also, the pictures of the jackets on the website showed the back panel
as one piece like it should be, but when people here started to receive their jackets, the
back panels were actually made in two pieces, with a big old seam straight
down the back!! This was not disclosed at the time the people ordered
their jackets.
Wings was offering these jacket at "discount" prices to us COW members,
but they also offered them on e-bay as well. So it was no real "deal"
considering the undisclosed flaws.
There was quite a bit of backlash because of this, and it put a very bad
taste in peoples mouths about ever ordering a Wings jacket again.
I personally will never, ever, order anything from Wings due to their
terrible customer service, and the fact that they lied right to my face
about recieving a return I had sent to them.
Long story short, I had to get the post office and BBB involved in order
to get my money back on an item I sent back to them, using their very
own instructions. Even though I had proof they recieved the item, and
their own people signed for the package, they still said they never got
the package, and they would not give me back my money.
Once I got the Post office involved, and it was now a federal problem
of them saying they never got the package, well, I got my money back
in about 24 hours.
Buy from them at your own risk. If you do ANYTHING to the jacket,
like remove tag, you can not send it back.
If you have to have it altered, say to have the sleeves fit you better
due to the "one size fits many" sizing, you are screwed, and you can't
send it back, even if you find a huge flaw somewhere else on the jacket
that is not even close to the end of the sleeves.
Get yourself a Wested. You get a custom made-to-you jacket for less
than an inferior Wings copy. Once you add in the price of having to have
a Wings jacket altered to fit you, and you would not be able to get any
further customer support for you purchase, you would be much further
ahead in price and customer satisfaction by getting a real, made to fit
you Indy jacket, made by the exact same guy who made the originals!
I have a Wings Old Cow Indy jacket, but I got it 4 years ago, when
Wings did not make their own jackets, and they had most of their jackets
made by a company called Cooper. That jacket is very well made, and
I like it alot.
Wings now claims to make their own jackets "on site" but if you ask
any questions about them, they don't know the answer, and don't
even know how to find the answer. How is that for "on site" construction.
They know nothing about their own product? Hmmm...
Check the listing of the BBB and you will find many negative reports filed against
Wings for their poor customer service policies.
Again, order at your own risk. You may get a good jacket. But me
personally, I will not take that risk ever again...
Flathead
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Pitfall Harry
- Expeditionary Hero
- Posts: 2114
- Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:43 pm
Thanks for the Info, Flathead.
At one time I was considering ordering from US Wings but after reading the mostly negative stuff on here about them I am no longer even considering a jacket from them.
The FS jacket is waaay to much for me to spend on a jacket so even though I'm sure there excellent I'm going to pass. I'd rather spend money on a good whip first.
It's funny how many "Indy" jackets people are making out there if you do a search on Google.
One of the sites I found had a jacket for sale for only $120 (Info about that in the Missing Topic thread) but it didn't turn out to be something I would want.
The other site I found a jacket on was Leather.Com. They have a Indy Jacket for sale too (pics for that are also in the Missing Topic thread) but there are a few things on that jacket that aren't totally accurate either.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a Wested. If I don't then I'm going to order the one from the Leather.com site.
At one time I was considering ordering from US Wings but after reading the mostly negative stuff on here about them I am no longer even considering a jacket from them.
The FS jacket is waaay to much for me to spend on a jacket so even though I'm sure there excellent I'm going to pass. I'd rather spend money on a good whip first.
It's funny how many "Indy" jackets people are making out there if you do a search on Google.
One of the sites I found had a jacket for sale for only $120 (Info about that in the Missing Topic thread) but it didn't turn out to be something I would want.
The other site I found a jacket on was Leather.Com. They have a Indy Jacket for sale too (pics for that are also in the Missing Topic thread) but there are a few things on that jacket that aren't totally accurate either.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a Wested. If I don't then I'm going to order the one from the Leather.com site.
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jaydoc1
- Archaeology Student
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2002 9:52 pm
- Location: Pueblo, Colorado-USA
It's troublesome to hear all the negativity about US Wings. As I've said earlier, I have a vintage cow and have nothing but praise for it. I also bought my father a signature series goatskin A2 and the thing is truly bombproof. Then again, I bought my jacket almost four years ago and the A2 is three years old. If they're constructing them differently now (sidestraps reversed, for example) then I'm not really interested in one.
It's all kind of academic at this point. I've just purchased Skippy's never-worn goatskin authentic brown Raider's jacket.
How lucky for me we're the same size and I don't care whether or not my jacket has gussets.
It's all kind of academic at this point. I've just purchased Skippy's never-worn goatskin authentic brown Raider's jacket.
How lucky for me we're the same size and I don't care whether or not my jacket has gussets.
