Tony Nowak jackets?

[Dutch_jones]

Well thats quite reasonable no for a jacket from the original maker

I wouldnt get that. For alot less I could get a nice replica from wested which would look semi accurate. Thanks for hinting this _!

[TonyRush]

_, I'll defer to you on the issue of quality as you've actually had some up-close-and-personal experience with the jackets.

But it doesn't negate my other point: free enterprise is based on two people agreeing on an exchange of "value". And there are more kinds of value than just what a product is made of, how it's made, etc. Other factors (not relevant to this discussion) might be how fast you get a product, the expected level of customer service, a company's reputation, and other non-material considerations.

So, based on that.....if a person wants to overpay by a few hundred dollars to buy a jacket that's labeled "the official jacket of IV".....there's nothing in the world wrong with that. Why? Because that customer apparently feels that there is a certain amount of value wearing the exact same style of jacket from the exact same maker of Harrison's jacket.

I agree about Steve and Marc. They could easily charge far more for these hats. But, here's the thing: it would be completely justified. If they wanted to increase their prices by, say, $200 just because they have a huge demand and the products are hand-made.....well, that's free enterprise.

So, back to point....if you've felt the jackets and you don't believe they're any better than what Wested is selling, I believe you. And I DO appreciate knowing that.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean that the jacket isn't worth what Tony Nowak is going to charge for it. Because people are buying more than just a jacket. They're buying a name, a reputation and a great story to tell when people comment on how nice of a jacket it is.

Tony

[gmarthe]

I agree with _, but I also agree with you somewhat Tonyrush. It IS better to own 1 par of $100 shoes than 3 pairs of $30 shoes (etc, etc) and quality is something you pay for. But I think it''s taking the idea of free enterprise to the extreme ends. It's almost like being a ticket broker. Can you get an obscene amount of money for something ? Possibly. Does that make it worth it? Not necessarily. Because a select few can afford an overpriced item does not make its price justified.

[Minnesota Jones]

Not to disagree with _ (because I agree with him), but Tony Nowak may also not want to deal with a group of gearheads either. Look at Wested: custom jobs from us all the time. Emails, calls, returns, etc. Add to that his normal business of making jackets for movies, etc.

Maybe Tony doesn't want 500+ gearheads and fans calling him non-stop for jacket orders. like we'd EVER do that.... (wink) The higher the price, the less willing we are to take the "plunge." Just an idea.

[Minnesota Jones]

Thanks for jarring MY greymatter.

Anytime my friend!

[Michaelson]

...and MY point above was to 'never say never'. I don't care WHAT you're talking about, or who makes it. Nothing more.

Regards! Michaelson

[gmarthe]

I don't know Michaelson, if they put nipples on the new Indy jacket like they did to the Batsuit a few years back I think it would be safe to say I would never own one.

[IndianaSolo]

I agree with _, but I also agree with you somewhat Tonyrush. It IS better to own 1 par of $100 shoes than 3 pairs of $30 shoes (etc, etc) and quality is something you pay for. But I think it''s taking the idea of free enterprise to the extreme ends. It's almost like being a ticket broker. Can you get an obscene amount of money for something ? Possibly. Does that make it worth it? Not necessarily. Because a select few can afford an overpriced item does not make its price justified.

A good experiment would be to have 1 person with a Wested, 1 with a Expedition, and 1 with a Nowack and see HOW MANY regular people will ACTUALLY see a difference in the jacket. Lets not forget Wested made the ORIGINAL jackets. Peter could bump his price up another $150 if he wanted to but He should do so as long as it fits reason and provides the price vs. value comparison. Tony DOESN'T need to charge $1200 for his jacket, considering he's using Cow and he's only made the recent film's jacket. To me, for an Indy style jacket, my expedition WAS A LOT. You can get leather jackets for $100 these days. Since MOST people won't know the difference between the 3 jackets mentioned above, Tony's jacket only gives you bragging rights, and even if that would come up, the person with the Wested would say "Well I have the ORIGINAL jacket" and the Expedition guy would say "Well mine is more durable" etc... and it would go on and on
Bottom line to me, there will be people who WILL buy Tony's jacket, some may or may not know better. Marketing is SOO key to any products success that I bought a DP just because it said INDIANA JONES, and ended up disappointed. Like the Supply and Demand graph, there is a point when the price of an item exceeds its deemed value and while I wish Tony great success I think he's exceeded the price too much.

(WOW just realized how much I wrote) #

[Michaelson]

I don't know Michaelson, if they put nipples on the new Indy jacket like they did to the Batsuit a few years back I think it would be safe to say I would never own one.

Point still being missed....

Ah well. Never mind.

Regards! Michaelson

[Minnesota Jones]

Lets not forget Wested made the ORIGINAL jackets. Peter could bump his price up another $150 if he wanted to but He should do so as long as it fits reason and provides the price vs. value comparison. Tony DOESN'T need to charge $1200 for his jacket, considering he's using Cow and he's only made the recent film's jacket.

Yes, Peter and Wested are an "original" vendor. He also did Last Crusade. The ToD Jackets however were USWings/Cooper (with some Raiders Jackets from Peter in the movie as well). So that's an "original" vendor as well. And Tony's jacket is also an "original" vendor. And if he wants to charge $5,000, it's his choice, and right to do so. We're a rare hobby in being blessed with so many "original" AND other fantastic vendors (not to take anything away from them either!) that cater to us and our needs and most at affordable pricing.

[St. Dumas]

Michaelson, I agree with your point. It's more an issue of being able to "justify" paying a high amount rather than "afford". If taking $1,200 and throwing it toward a piece of casual clothing isn't going to negatively affect any lifestyle issues, it is easier to justify.

SD

[Michaelson]

On the nose, SD!

If and when it ever comes down to purchasing what you want rather than what you can afford, then it's just a matter of choice rather than 'justification'.

In the case of the 'nipples on the jacket', that's not a situation of monetary choice, but justification AND choice. He would not be caught 'dead' wearing one!

HIGH regard! Michaelson

[ztmario]

the biggest problem I have with price vs. value is that I have a limit to how much I want to spend for something that isn't really tangible. I understand that something is worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it, but like _ said.. there is always someone willing to pay almost anything for almost anything. personally, I don't think anyone needs a 400% profit margin.. just because there are people who will pay that much for something doesn't mean that I personally think they should be charging that much. but I guess that's just the communist in me talking

the bottom line is though that if he can make 1 jacket for every 4 jackets he'd make otherwise and still make around the same amount of money at $1400.. then it's smart for him. it's not fun to be priced out of being able to buy a product, but that's the way it is.

[Chewie Louie]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

[CM]

...and MY point above was to 'never say never'. I don't care WHAT you're talking about, or who makes it. Nothing more. :-s

Regards! Michaelson

Yes, M, I do understand your point and agree. I've paid stupid money for things I had a craving for just because I could. I suppose these days with around 10 leather jackets in my closet (9 non-Indy's) I find it hard to think about paying $2000 for a Nowak. I have mates who think spending $500 Australian on a jacket is crazy talk, but they may have $3,000 in DVD's at home. We're all different.

BIG QUESTION: Can any of you guys tell me (_?) is the Novak design a better version of the jacket than the others? It's meant to fit better and be less "twisted around" or something like that. Does the Novak jacket disappear up your neck when you lift your arms like some of the others...

SO many questions.

[Kt Templar]

BIG QUESTION: Can any of you guys tell me (_?) is the Novak design a better version of the jacket than the others? It's meant to fit better and be less "twisted around" or something like that. Does the Novak jacket disappear up your neck when you lift your arms like some of the others...

SO many questions.

That's what the bag strap over the jacket is for!

[davyjones007]

So man valid points made about what you would pay for a jacket. I think that if you had the money, you would spend it, but we are talking about a big if. Aero, Eatsman and Goodwear jackets gor for 800.00 plus and we have spent some money there. So Tony and Bellstaff could ask and receive a pretty penny for thier stuff as well.

[Cassidy]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

And I'm not ashamed to say that I will be the first to be envious of the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

...man, if I only had that much disposable income.

[Michaelson]

BIG QUESTION: Can any of you guys tell me (_?) is the Novak design a better version of the jacket than the others? It's meant to fit better and be less "twisted around" or something like that. Does the Novak jacket disappear up your neck when you lift your arms like some of the others...

SO many questions.

That's what the bag strap over the jacket is for!

You made me laugh out loud on that one, KT!

HIGH regards! Michaelson

[Castor Dioscuri]

Actually, perhaps KT maybe on to something... Perhaps the Indy-IV jacket exclusive feature will be the ability to wear a bag strap both under and over the jacket at the same time, like Ford does in that first publicity still...

[Chewie Louie]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

And I'm not ashamed to say that I will be the first to be envious of the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

...man, if I only had that much disposable income.

Not to sound arrogant, but I do make a nice living and could easily afford paying $1200-$2000 for that jacket. However, it is a matter of principle. Some people are plain ole suckers and don't mind being taken advantage of. If someone does not think this guy is placing a high premium on the jacket because of the Indy tie-in then he is a complete fool. Granted, sometimes paying more for something is worth it. The difference in quality between a $55 pair of mens shoes and a $200 pair is night and day. Chances are more likely than not the more expensive pair will be more comfortable, look nicer and last a whole lot longer than the cheaper pair.

Does anyone think a brand new pair of jeans is worth $300? Heck no! Still, make it a limited edition maybe put a desiegner label on it, and viola . . . you have fabricated a must-have, collector's item. It's B.S. Denim is denim. There is not a pair of jeans on earth that will last longer or be more comfortable on me, than my $32 Levi's.

By the way, is the new Indy jacket really coming whith the silly IJ patch on the inside of it as well? There goes SA! In any event, someone is gonna be hard pressed to convince me that that jacket is 3-4 times the jacket a Wested is.

Hey, Kudos to Wested and Adventurebilt for providing quality athentic goods and keeping prices at a reasonable level.

Finally, never ever be envious of someone over a material possession. Labels and emblems do not make the man.

[PLATON]

Levi's jeans cost EUR100 to EUR130 and they are made in Turkey.
@#$%.

[ztmario]

guess it depends on what money in general is worth to you. if you make $10 an hour, it's probably pretty hard to justify working 200 hours for a jacket. of course, if you make $100 an hour, that's only half a weeks worth of work.

[Shishak]

In any event, someone is gonna be hard pressed to convince me that that jacket is 3-4 times the jacket a Wested is.

It depends upon what you mean by that statement. If the quality, workmanship, and materials are on par with a Gibson and Barnes, then already it is 3 - 4 times the jacket that a Wested is. And his jacket is custom hand-made, which in some people's opinion would put it above a G&B. Not to mention that he is rumored to have fixed some of the design flaws of the original jacket and made it more functional. This may not be justification for a sky-high price, but I can see some people paying that amount for a custom, hand-made, fully functional jacket.

[Bruce Wayne]

Anyone heard any "un-official" rumor on the pricing?

Tony

you can have it for free, but you have to give up fortune & glory...

[Chewie Louie]

In any event, someone is gonna be hard pressed to convince me that that jacket is 3-4 times the jacket a Wested is.

It depends upon what you mean by that statement. If the quality, workmanship, and materials are on par with a Gibson and Barnes, then already it is 3 - 4 times the jacket that a Wested is. And his jacket is custom hand-made, which in some people's opinion would put it above a G&B. Not to mention that he is rumored to have fixed some of the design flaws of the original jacket and made it more functional. This may not be justification for a sky-high price, but I can see some people paying that amount for a custom, hand-made, fully functional jacket.

I suppose, but it better be one #### of a jacket.

[Kt Templar]

In any event, someone is gonna be hard pressed to convince me that that jacket is 3-4 times the jacket a Wested is.

It depends upon what you mean by that statement. If the quality, workmanship, and materials are on par with a Gibson and Barnes, then already it is 3 - 4 times the jacket that a Wested is. And his jacket is custom hand-made, which in some people's opinion would put it above a G&B. Not to mention that he is rumored to have fixed some of the design flaws of the original jacket and made it more functional. This may not be justification for a sky-high price, but I can see some people paying that amount for a custom, hand-made, fully functional jacket.

I have to call you out on that ridiculous statement.

Give me $1200 and I will buy you a G&B. You said just said it was worth it.

[St. Dumas]

Not to mention that he is rumored to have fixed some of the design flaws of the original jacket and made it more functional.

You're of course referring to Nowak's or Pollack's comments that the LC collar "wasn't working" or something to that effect and that they had to revolutionize the way the jacket was put together in order to make it work. That's the kind of talk you can expect from someone who reverse engineers someone else's product and then competes with them in the same market. There's always something wrong with the competitor's product... I think he just didn't like the look of the LC collar.

(Personally, I like the look of both the LC and Nowak's jacket collar, and this isn't a slam of your post, because you're referring to something we've all read.)

SD

[Shishak]

I have to call you out on that ridiculous statement.

You need to go back and re-read what I wrote. Maybe I wasn't clear. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is of the same quality, materials, workmanship, etc. as the G&B, then the Nowak is already 3 -4 times what a Wested is. Since in my opinion the G&B is a superior jacket by far. And, considering the fact that G&B is machine made, and under most circumstances, not custom, then some people might argue that the Nowak jacket is above even G&B since the Nowak jacket by all accounts is hand-made and custom. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is all these things - quality, workmanship, materials, hand-made, custom - then it could be argued that it is a superior jacket. Now, is it worth the $1,200? To some, considering all those points, yes.

Give me $1200 and I will buy you a G&B. You said just said it was worth it.

Thanks, but I already have one. And I really like it. And if you read my original post, I never said G&B was worth $1,200.

[Kt Templar]

*giggle*

http://www.tonynowak.com/worldgym/worldgym.html

Whatever you say mac.

[WebleyMKV]

$1400 for a jacket doesn't sound like a "factory direct price" (as it says on his website) to me. If your little bird is accurate, _, which it may be, he may shoot himself in the foot because this little collection of fans are some of the only people that may hear about them. We're the only ones that look this closely into these things. I still have friends that look at A2 style flight jackets and say, "Hey, look, just like Indy!" It just doesn't matter that much to peope who aren't true fans.

Belstaff may sell some because they are a well-known fashion company and since it is the "official" Lucasfilm licensed product, it will get some advertising. Unfortunately, even a lot of wealthy people who may know about Tony or find out he made the original jackets may not care too much if they aren't into this kind of hobby.

Unfortunately, while I have spent a lot of time and money collecting the authentically-manufactured costume items, I will never spend that sort of money (in fact never more than $500) for a jacket. It will really be too bad if Tony mis-reads his market audience so much as to price his jackets that high. Handmade is great, but with patterns and cutting machines, half the work in clothing manufacturing is done before the sewing begins. I bet it takes Steve and Marc longer to make a handmade hat than it takes Tony's staff to make one jacket. They may be "made by hand" but they are still sewn on a machine.

I'd love an authentic jacket as made for the movie, but if it is that expensive, I think I'll buy Novapelle from Peter to replace my Leather Concessionaires Jacket. Peter, it's finally falling apart but it's been 17 years! Nice craftsmanship! (Sorry for my diatribe!)

[bobjones]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

And I'm not ashamed to say that I will be the first to be envious of the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

...man, if I only had that much disposable income.

Not to sound arrogant, but I do make a nice living and could easily afford paying $1200-$2000 for that jacket. However, it is a matter of principle. Some people are plain ole suckers and don't mind being taken advantage of. If someone does not think this guy is placing a high premium on the jacket because of the Indy tie-in then he is a complete fool. Granted, sometimes paying more for something is worth it. The difference in quality between a $55 pair of mens shoes and a $200 pair is night and day. Chances are more likely than not the more expensive pair will be more comfortable, look nicer and last a whole lot longer than the cheaper pair.

Does anyone think a brand new pair of jeans is worth $300? Heck no! Still, make it a limited edition maybe put a desiegner label on it, and viola . . . you have fabricated a must-have, collector's item. It's B.S. Denim is denim. There is not a pair of jeans on earth that will last longer or be more comfortable on me, than my $32 Levi's.

By the way, is the new Indy jacket really coming whith the silly IJ patch on the inside of it as well? There goes SA! In any event, someone is gonna be hard pressed to convince me that that jacket is 3-4 times the jacket a Wested is.

Hey, Kudos to Wested and Adventurebilt for providing quality athentic goods and keeping prices at a reasonable level.

Finally, never ever be envious of someone over a material possession. Labels and emblems do not make the man.

No need to say a word more, everything that needs to be said, was said, in this post.

[Tron7960]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

Sure. If you want to laugh at the "sucker", go ahead.

It seems that a forum dedicated to gear collecting is a strange place to make such judgments, after all, it's Club Obi Wan, not Budget Club Obi Wan. No need to laugh at people or call them "sucker".

The guy with the wool DP and the guy with the Nowak are OK with me if they enjoy the gear.

[St. Dumas]

The guy with the wool DP and the guy with the Nowak are OK with me if they enjoy the gear.

And post pics!

SD

[IndianaSolo]

$1400 for a jacket doesn't sound like a "factory direct price" (as it says on his website) to me. If your little bird is accurate, _, which it may be, he may shoot himself in the foot because this little collection of fans are some of the only people that may hear about them. We're the only ones that look this closely into these things. I still have friends that look at A2 style flight jackets and say, "Hey, look, just like Indy!" It just doesn't matter that much to peope who aren't true fans.

Belstaff may sell some because they are a well-known fashion company and since it is the "official" Lucasfilm licensed product, it will get some advertising. Unfortunately, even a lot of wealthy people who may know about Tony or find out he made the original jackets may not care too much if they aren't into this kind of hobby.

Unfortunately, while I have spent a lot of time and money collecting the authentically-manufactured costume items, I will never spend that sort of money (in fact never more than $500) for a jacket. It will really be too bad if Tony mis-reads his market audience so much as to price his jackets that high. Handmade is great, but with patterns and cutting machines, half the work in clothing manufacturing is done before the sewing begins. I bet it takes Steve and Marc longer to make a handmade hat than it takes Tony's staff to make one jacket. They may be "made by hand" but they are still sewn on a machine.

I'd love an authentic jacket as made for the movie, but if it is that expensive, I think I'll buy Novapelle from Peter to replace my Leather Concessionaires Jacket. Peter, it's finally falling apart but it's been 17 years! Nice craftsmanship! (Sorry for my diatribe!)

Dude, That's EXACTLY what i've been sayin. I'm with you all the way.

[Chewie Louie]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

Sure. If you want to laugh at the "sucker", go ahead.

It seems that a forum dedicated to gear collecting is a strange place to make such judgments, after all, it's Club Obi Wan, not Budget Club Obi Wan. No need to laugh at people or call them "sucker".

The guy with the wool DP and the guy with the Nowak are OK with me if they enjoy the gear.

They're all OK with me too. I absolutely love the quest for SA in Indy gear and the efforts people have gone to in replicating movie props. However, I have been that "sucker" more than once in my life, so for me, it's an easy call to make.

Anyway, it's really more of a warning instead of a criticism. People, please don't allow yourselves to be duped out of your hard earned money in the quest to . . . keep up with the Joneses. (sorry, couldn't resist) For some, hobby collecting can be an addiction just as bad as gambling. I could be wrong, but I suspect that there are Indy fans that have spent a fair amount of money on gear, collectibles, etc. that live on limited incomes, don't have health insurance, have trouble paying the rent, etc. Why? Because the desire to obtain the "item" is too hard to resist.

If money is not an object to that person, then go for it. Even still, there is certainly nothing wrong with having nice things and occasionally treating yourself to a luxury regardless of how much you make. But not if it is at the expense of something really important, like a roof over your head, food on the table, perhaps a relationship with another person, or even a retirement plan. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps that $1200 jacket will be worth $10,000.00 when you turn 65 . . . but I doubt it.

[ortiz344]

Right on, like i said in another thread, 'just because you CAN charge xxx, doesnt mean you should'. Im sure if Nowak made a 10,000 jacket, someone would buy it...are they suckers for buying it , probably. And the converse, just because someone HAS the money to burn doesnt mean they are getting a MUCH better product , or even one worth a fraction of what they paid...

I think people (myself included) should be a little more cognizant of exactly what they are buying and how much it costs as im sure many people instantly ran out and ordered a nowak/wings/aldens without even knowing the price or what the actual product was they were getting...

[Rundquist]

I have to call you out on that ridiculous statement.

You need to go back and re-read what I wrote. Maybe I wasn't clear. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is of the same quality, materials, workmanship, etc. as the G&B, then the Nowak is already 3 -4 times what a Wested is. Since in my opinion the G&B is a superior jacket by far. And, considering the fact that G&B is machine made, and under most circumstances, not custom, then some people might argue that the Nowak jacket is above even G&B since the Nowak jacket by all accounts is hand-made and custom. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is all these things - quality, workmanship, materials, hand-made, custom - then it could be argued that it is a superior jacket. Now, is it worth the $1,200? To some, considering all those points, yes.

Give me $1200 and I will buy you a G&B. You said just said it was worth it.

Thanks, but I already have one. And I really like it. And if you read my original post, I never said G&B was worth $1,200.

I’ll only correct you on the facts regarding the Gibson & Barnes Expedition being machine made (however I do agree with your sentiments). The Expedition is hand made. You can’t machine make a leather jacket. Because G&B does use computer-guided machines for cloth jackets and the like, people have made the assumption that their leather jackets are machine made. They aren’t. Their jackets come out uniform because of their strict adherence to patterns and jacket making techniques. To me Paterson seemed to put it best when he said that a well-made Indiana Jones jacket should cost $500, tops. Of course, what is “well made” is all a matter of opinion. But it does seem strange to me to have an opinion of something that one has never owned (with regards to the Expedition and KT Templar). Cheers

[Rundquist]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

Sure. If you want to laugh at the "sucker", go ahead.

It seems that a forum dedicated to gear collecting is a strange place to make such judgments, after all, it's Club Obi Wan, not Budget Club Obi Wan. No need to laugh at people or call them "sucker".

The guy with the wool DP and the guy with the Nowak are OK with me if they enjoy the gear.

Yeah, if we're going to laugh at people, let's at least laugh at them for their funny haircuts or being ugly. 8-[


I couldn't help myself. I agree with you though. Who the heck cares if somebody wants to spend the loot. Let him. And good on him for possibly posting pics and a review.

[Kt Templar]

I have to call you out on that ridiculous statement.

You need to go back and re-read what I wrote. Maybe I wasn't clear. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is of the same quality, materials, workmanship, etc. as the G&B, then the Nowak is already 3 -4 times what a Wested is. Since in my opinion the G&B is a superior jacket by far. And, considering the fact that G&B is machine made, and under most circumstances, not custom, then some people might argue that the Nowak jacket is above even G&B since the Nowak jacket by all accounts is hand-made and custom. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is all these things - quality, workmanship, materials, hand-made, custom - then it could be argued that it is a superior jacket. Now, is it worth the $1,200? To some, considering all those points, yes.

Give me $1200 and I will buy you a G&B. You said just said it was worth it.

Thanks, but I already have one. And I really like it. And if you read my original post, I never said G&B was worth $1,200.

I’ll only correct you on the facts regarding the Gibson & Barnes Expedition being machine made (however I do agree with your sentiments). The Expedition is hand made. You can’t machine make a leather jacket. Because G&B does use computer-guided machines for cloth jackets and the like, people have made the assumption that their leather jackets are machine made. They aren’t. Their jackets come out uniform because of their strict adherence to patterns and jacket making techniques. To me Paterson seemed to put it best when he said that a well-made Indiana Jones jacket should cost $500, tops. Of course, what is “well made” is all a matter of opinion. But it does seem strange to me to have an opinion of something that one has never owned (with regards to the Expedition and KT Templar). Cheers

Oh, I can indeed have an opinion based on exactly that criteria. I've never disputed that G&B's are well made. What I did dispute was his assertation that it was 4 times better made than a Wested and ergo worth 4 times what I am entirely satisfied to have paid for each of mine, all 6 of them. (Plus other non Indy jackets from them).

[Rundquist]

I'd have to agree, an Expedition is at least 3 X's better made than a Wested. Of course that doesn't mean that it is worth 3 or 4 X's as much. But this is all opinion, obviously.

[Rundquist]

I have to call you out on that ridiculous statement.

You need to go back and re-read what I wrote. Maybe I wasn't clear. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is of the same quality, materials, workmanship, etc. as the G&B, then the Nowak is already 3 -4 times what a Wested is. Since in my opinion the G&B is a superior jacket by far. And, considering the fact that G&B is machine made, and under most circumstances, not custom, then some people might argue that the Nowak jacket is above even G&B since the Nowak jacket by all accounts is hand-made and custom. What I'm saying is that if the Nowak jacket is all these things - quality, workmanship, materials, hand-made, custom - then it could be argued that it is a superior jacket. Now, is it worth the $1,200? To some, considering all those points, yes.

Give me $1200 and I will buy you a G&B. You said just said it was worth it.

Thanks, but I already have one. And I really like it. And if you read my original post, I never said G&B was worth $1,200.

I’ll only correct you on the facts regarding the Gibson & Barnes Expedition being machine made (however I do agree with your sentiments). The Expedition is hand made. You can’t machine make a leather jacket. Because G&B does use computer-guided machines for cloth jackets and the like, people have made the assumption that their leather jackets are machine made. They aren’t. Their jackets come out uniform because of their strict adherence to patterns and jacket making techniques. To me Paterson seemed to put it best when he said that a well-made Indiana Jones jacket should cost $500, tops. Of course, what is “well made” is all a matter of opinion. But it does seem strange to me to have an opinion of something that one has never owned (with regards to the Expedition and KT Templar). Cheers

Oh, I can indeed have an opinion based on exactly that criteria. I've never disputed that G&B's are well made. What I did dispute was his assertation that it was 4 times better made than a Wested and ergo worth 4 times what I am entirely satisfied to have paid for each of mine, all 6 of them. (Plus other non Indy jackets from them).

I'd have to agree with Shishak, an Expedition is at least 3 X's better made than a Wested (I'm not kidding). Of course that doesn't mean that it is worth 3 or 4 X's as much. But this is all opinion, obviously.

[Kt Templar]

I'd have to agree with Shishak, an Expedition is at least 3 X's better made than a Wested (I'm not kidding). Of course that doesn't mean that it is worth 3 or 4 X's as much. But this is all opinion, obviously.

Of course opinion is what keeps forums alive!

One day I may very well get an expo but there are certain strikes against them as far as I am concerned. Cost, high shipping to the UK, and most importantly custom sizing, which I really need.

[Indiana G]

i'd be willing to get one if they got anything besides the chrome tanned leather....

[Tron7960]

I'm not ashamed or afraid to say, that I will be the first to laugh at the sucker that pays $1200+ for a leather jacket.

Sure. If you want to laugh at the "sucker", go ahead.

It seems that a forum dedicated to gear collecting is a strange place to make such judgments, after all, it's Club Obi Wan, not Budget Club Obi Wan. No need to laugh at people or call them "sucker".

The guy with the wool DP and the guy with the Nowak are OK with me if they enjoy the gear.

Yeah, if we're going to laugh at people, let's at least laugh at them for their funny haircuts or being ugly. 8-[


I couldn't help myself. I agree with you though. Who the heck cares if somebody wants to spend the loot. Let him. And good on him for possibly posting pics and a review.

Hey...I got rid of my "Mullet" years ago, and my mom says I'm not ugly, just "special"!

[IJJTM]

I've been searching through the forum and the Wayback Machine to try and find the original price that Tony sold the CS jackets for, but all I've come up with is that Mutt jackets were $750. Any chance someone could point me in the right direction or just say it?

[Han Jones]

Some were 700 some were 900. It usually depended on leather.

[IJJTM]

So the price changed based on the leather batch he had?

[Forrest For the Trees]

Pretty sure the CS jackets were originally offered only in that pre-distressed cowhide, similar to the novapelle hide that Wested was offering at the time. Also fairly sure the price was originally $650.

Egads, this is an old thread.

[Indiana Jeff]

My experience from emailing Tony was the “standard” CS jacket was $650. Immediately after his death the guy who took over TNO raises the price to $950.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff