Problem with New US Wings Jacket

[Rambler]

Sent this just now to US Wings--will keep you posted:

I recently ordered (right before Christmas) and received (right after Christmas) a 2XL Lamb Indy jacket. I have only worn this jacket a little bit and have treated it fairly gently. Yet, I have already had several serious problems with it. The left handwarmer pocket stitching has come unraveled and the right handwarmer pocket end of stitching is tearing out of the leather. Also, the lining fabric has torn (the fabric itself, not the stitching) on both sides at the seams where the lining is inside the straps for the bi-swing back.
I think these problems are due to the lack of a "bar-tack" at the ends of the pocket stiching and due to the lining being undersized for the bi-swing bach in addition to it being simply stitched at the seams rather than being done with felled seams or seam tape on the backside of it. The satin lining fabric is simply too weak to take any strain without being big enough and reinforced; it needs to be cotton or something similar in the body portion.
I am very dissatisfied with the quality of construction of this jacket since it is literally falling apart after only a week of light use.
I am a member of the IndyGear website and have been eagerly following the recent emails to and from Sgt. Hack regarding upcoming changes to the Indy jacket and I would appreciate this being forwarded directly to him for his information and for resolution of this matter.
Thank you.

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[JulianK]

Yeah...what Webhead said. My USW has had the **** kicked out of it with no such problems. I'm sure if you get a straight exchange you'll be happy with it. I also think you got a rare lemon.

[Doug C]

I'm super surprised too about your experience with that jacket. I can't even imagine mine tearing like that, it seems too tough. But hey, I also see a lot of variation in the Wings jackets I wrote about it in another thread just yesterday, so this is certainly possible. Did you send pictures of your problem areas to USW? I think that would be a really good idea if you haven't already - the visual would help punctuate the problem. Heck post 'em here too, we'd like to see also. From what I understand Wings and Sgt. Hack are very fare folks. Hope you get it cleared up soon though, good luck.

Doug C

[Rambler]

I will take pictures of the jacket and get them up tonight or this weekend. I too was quite surprised given the fact that my US Wings goatskin A-2 has lasted through years of heavy use with nary a scratch. I hope it is just a fluke, but I am not so sure.
The liner problem in the Indy lamb definitely has multiple issues some of which may be jacket specific workmanship while others could be design of this product overall: liner pieces too small to account for bi-swing back, no seam reinforcement, weak nylon satin liner material (my A-2 has a much stronger cotton material). The hand warmer stitching could be workmanship or design either way as well. You should always reinforce the ends of stitching on things like pockets and flaps due to the stress on those points; this jacket had none of that kind of stitching and that is asking for trouble.
The leather is great, and I would not mind letting them repair it and send it back; but, the repair dept on the web site claims 3-4 week turnaround. I may just take a swap for a different one after they change the design.
Perhaps goat even.

[Michaelson]

I understand through channels this is going to be taken care of, but do you think it would have been a better idea, in terms of a vendor/customer relationship, if you had allowed them to respond to your email first before posting it here in the public section of the forum?

Knowing their long standing and plainly stated return policy, the fact you wore it a week before deciding to contact them was one thing, your best plan would have been to call the company asap. If David Hack is anything, he's a 'hands on' CEO of his company, and he would have been more than happy to take care of things....but posting this the way you have without any chance of input from them put them in a bad light before they could even TRY and find out what happened, let alone clear things up to everyone's satisfaction. Anything they do now will appear they did it just because you posted something bad about them and their product.

Not the best plan of attack when trying to get a vendor problem cleared up, REGARDLESS of whom you're dealing with...be it Wings, Wested, Todd's Costume, et.al.

As they say (to paraphrase) 'poo happens', and things can be fixed when it does, but you have to give them a chance first.

One thing you didn't say...was it a signature series jacket, or one of the Chinese contract jackets? Not saying it would have mattered, but I'm curious now.....

Anyway, JMO and offered in friendship, but also with concern.

Regards! Michaelson

[Rambler]

I understand through channels this is going to be taken care of, but do you think it would have been a better idea, in terms of a vendor/customer relationship, if you had allowed them to respond to your email first before posting it here in the public section of the forum?

Knowing their long standing and plainly stated return policy, the fact you wore it a week before deciding to contact them was one thing, your best plan would have been to call the company asap. If David Hack is anything, he's a 'hands on' CEO of his company, and he would have been more than happy to take care of things....but posting this the way you have without any chance of input from them put them in a bad light before they could even TRY and find out what happened, let alone clear things up to everyone's satisfaction. Anything they do now will appear they did it just because you posted something bad about them and their product.

Not the best plan of attack when trying to get a vendor problem cleared up, REGARDLESS of whom you're dealing with...be it Wings, Wested, Todd's Costume, et.al.

As they say (to paraphrase) 'poo happens', and things can be fixed when it does, but you have to give them a chance first.

One thing you didn't say...was it a signature series jacket, or one of the Chinese contract jackets? Not saying it would have mattered, but I'm curious now.....

Anyway, JMO and offered in friendship, but also with concern.

Regards! Michaelson

Sir,
Be not "concerned".
I certainly understand and respect your concern regarding this matter.
Also, regarding your comment "through channels", now I understand the tone of the email response I received today from US Wings regarding "negative feedback" on this forum. As well as the fact that they cc'd an email address at *****@utsi.edu when responding to me. Now that we have each others email addresses we can send greetings without this forum.
Regardless, I fully expect that, based upon their reputation, and others past experience, that the matter will be resolved to the satisfation of all parties.
However, rest assured and please, let all parties involved know, "through channels" if necessary, that my intent was never to embarass or shame US Wings into doing the right thing. I did not inform this forum to tell something bad about their product. Further, I posted here only with the best intent of informing all that while sometimes stuff happens, that it can and will be resolved. In other words, it was done in the spirit of full disclosure. While this is a "public forum"; I also treat it as a somewhat closed group of like-minded friends who want to know what sort of things are of concern. This sort of discorse obviously affects vendors designs considering that the US Wings Indy jacket is changing some elements based upon your communication about and upon this forum.
Also, to clarify, I did not wear it for a week before contacting them; I wore it for about a week, noticed the damage, immediately stopped wearing the jacket, contacted them FIRST, then posted the exact text of my email here to let folks what was up.
I never hide my actions because I have nothing to be ashamed of.
To answer Mr. Michaelsons curiosity, it is a signature lamb, not an import.

Please take this response in the best possible way.
I understand that some may confuse my openess and candor with bitterness or vindictiveness. This is not the case at all. I was and am just trying to be open and a part of the very open and candid discussion of all Indy jackets. I guess in the future, I shall filter my comments to be only ex post facto.

[Michaelson]

Understood, and well said.

Regards! Michaelson