new seal goat Expo; questions

[that_dog]

After hearing so many good things about the seal goat Expedition on this forum, I wangled some funds by hawking stuff on ebay and ordered one. Much to my surprise, they had one in my size (40L) in stock, so my wait was very short (ordered Thurs., UPS tried yesterday, got it today).

The jacket is very well put together, no doubt about it. It is much heavier and stiffer than my Wested lamb (duh!). My early concern after trying it on is its drape. The goat's heaviness appears to cause the two sides of the jacket to fall away from each other at the bottom, making what should be parallel zipper halves look more like an inverted V. This in turn causes bunching at the shoulders. Neither the inverted V look nor the shoulder bunching are attractive.

My question is basically, will the goat soften up and drape more naturally? If so, how long will it take? Is there anything I can do to accelerate this process? Any Pecard product I should treat the jacket with? Is it a problem if I try to soften the jacket up myself (crumple it up, treat it, etc.), and still want to send it back within the 6 mo. return period?

Thanks for any thoughts/info/advice.

[Indydawg]

Ok...first of all, you cannot do anything to alter the state of the jacket and still return it. Wear it....and wear it alot....and if after 3 months you still aren't satisfied with the way it looks, drapes, etc, you can then send it back.

I can tell you from having seen and worn one that had been well broken in, that they WILL break in with natural wear and tear and nothing else. The question of whether or not you will like the way it looks can only be answered by your wearing it and letting it form to your body with wear.

And don't hang it up on a hangar either...just throw it in the floor and let it rest there until you're ready to wear it again.

Just wear it, man...it's built to take it.

Later!
Indydawg

[The_Edge]

Indydawg is right on the money. Wad that thing up and throw it in a corner at night. Crumple it up and sit on it while at work. You can even put some Pecards leather jell on it. You'll be surprised how well the jacket will break in and none of these things will disrupt the warranty.

[Indiana Joe]

Wear it....and wear it alot....and if after 3 months you still aren't satisfied with the way it looks, drapes, etc, you can then send it back.

I can tell you from having seen and worn one that had been well broken in, that they WILL break in with natural wear and tear and nothing else. The question of whether or not you will like the way it looks can only be answered by your wearing it and letting it form to your body with wear.

And don't hang it up on a hangar either...just throw it in the floor and let it rest there until you're ready to wear it again.

Just wear it, man...it's built to take it.

Later!
Indydawg

Ditto. Right on the money. I wore mine constantly and never added Pecards. It just takes some time and constant wear.

I.J.

[Indydawg]

I'm not really sure about the Pecards application. You might want to contact Flightsuits directly about that, as I'm not sure if Pecards applications would affect the warranty or not. I've never asked that question myself....

Just to clarify.

But anything else is fair game....just be careful you don't damage the jacket in any way that would effect them taking it back.

Later!
Indydawg

[Rixter]

My question is basically, will the goat soften up and drape more naturally? If so, how long will it take? Is there anything I can do to accelerate this process? Any Pecard product I should treat the jacket with? Is it a problem if I try to soften the jacket up myself (crumple it up, treat it, etc.), and still want to send it back within the 6 mo. return period?

Wear it....and wear it alot....and if after 3 months you still aren't satisfied with the way it looks, drapes, etc, you can then send it back.

I thought that indeed it was a 6 month 100% satisfaction guarantee replacement or refund?

I'm not really sure about the Pecards application. You might want to contact Flightsuits directly about that, as I'm not sure if Pecards applications would affect the warranty or not...But anything else is fair game....just be careful you don't damage the jacket in any way that would effect them taking it back.

That’s an interesting question about applying Pecards to the jacket. My quess is that it would not be covered under their policy, but it wouldn’t hurt to check with FS as Indydawg suggests.

[MK]

I see Sergei every couple of weeks every time I admire his seal goat. I usually would try it on and say I have to get one of those. FS has really polished the Expo close to perfection (I say close because there is always someone who comes up with some little detail......).

I just picked up my seal goat yesterday. I too was surprised at how stiff it was. It didn't drape like Sergei's. Luckily Sergei and Lee were both with me and said theirs were that stiff in the beginning too. I am setting on mine as I type this.

Another technique to get the jacket to relax is to put it in the dryier for an hour with NO HEAT. Be sure to zip up the jacket first.

I have also known a few zealots to sleep in their jackets.

[Indydawg]

Well, I thought it was 3 months....90 days....that's quite a long time to wear a jacket....but I could be totally wrong.

And yes....there ARE a few of us who have slept in them.....I'm guilty of that one myself. It really does help break them in.

Later!
Indydawg

[Sergei]

I have also known a few zealots to sleep in their jackets.

Guilty as charged. Sleeping with the windows open and a jacket zipped on is nervana.

-S

[Mike]

hmmm. I'll have to try it next time the wifes away for a weekend, otherwise, I think I'd be sleeping in my jacket.... with the dogs.



Mike

[that_dog]

Thanks for the responses. I am going to do my level best to break this sucker in over the next few weeks. Another interesting detail on this jacket is the zipper... I wanted nickel, but this one is brass (with a turnaround time of some three days I wasn't going to complain). The strange thing is the zipper pull is nickel (yep, a nickel pull on brass teeth). Is this some way to split the difference on the screen-worn brass-painted aluminum???

In general I am pleased with the Expedition. I think it has a toughness and almost military precision to it, whereas the Wested has a certain elegance that the Expedition lacks (though definitely an Indiana Jones type of elegance--rugged, masculine, adventurous). Falling back on old world-new world imagery, I'd say the Expedition is a Navy Seal, and the Wested is James Bond. They both kick ###, just in different ways.

[Michaelson]

In my opinion, that's about the best 'comparison' statement I've ever read regarding Wested/FS. Well done! Regards. Michaelson

[Indydawg]

Very well said.

High Regards!
Indydawg

[Rundquist]

In general I am pleased with the Expedition. I think it has a toughness and almost military precision to it, whereas the Wested has a certain elegance that the Expedition lacks (though definitely an Indiana Jones type of elegance--rugged, masculine, adventurous). Falling back on old world-new world imagery, I'd say the Expedition is a Navy Seal, and the Wested is James Bond. They both kick ###, just in different ways.

Personally, I would agree that the Flight Suits goatskin jacket doesn't quite have the elegance of a Wested. I in fact sent mine back the day after my original purchase because I thought it was too stiff. I then had them send it back to me the day after that. It broke in great. I love it now. As far as FS's other line of leathers goes, I would say that they are absolutely as elegant as anything out there, if not more so. The most elegant jacket I own is one of their lambskin Expeditions. Their deerskin is super fine too, but it's now extinct, so it's an irrelevant point now. Cheers