The effect of a backpack on a Wested...

indiana bob · Post by **indiana bob** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:10 pm

Anyone know if having a backpack (I am in college right now) on a Wested will have any effect on the jacket, such as molding the jacket to the straps or wearing that will show the friction with the straps? I plan on wearing my jacket quite a bit once I get it and worry about the look of the jacket getting messed up if I am putting any kind of consistent wear on one spot and less on others.

Raider S · Post by **Raider S** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:15 pm

Sure it will affect it - it will wear in spots from the rubbing of the straps depending how heavy the pack is. Depends on how much you use it though. Couldn't tell until you wear it I suppose.

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:36 pm

My opinion is that a backback would affect a lambskin jacket the most. Of all the jackets that I've had, the lambskins seem to have had their top layer rub down/off the easiest. Cheers

indiana bob · Post by **indiana bob** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:38 pm

Raider S wrote:Sure it will affect it - it will wear in spots from the rubbing of the straps depending how heavy the pack is. Depends on how much you use it though. Couldn't tell until you wear it I suppose.

Hmm... may have to lighten the load a little. I usually only have a couple books in the backpack, but I'd rather be safe than sorry for when my jacket has two stupid-looking streaks on it. Thanks!

indiana bob · Post by **indiana bob** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:39 pm

Rundquist wrote:My opinion is that a backback would affect a lambskin jacket the most. Of all the jackets that I've had, the lambskins seem to have had their top layer rub down/off the easiest. Cheers

I'm getting a washed goat LC/CS. Will that be tougher?

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:42 pm

indiana bob wrote:
Rundquist wrote:My opinion is that a backback would affect a lambskin jacket the most. Of all the jackets that I've had, the lambskins seem to have had their top layer rub down/off the easiest. Cheers
I'm getting a washed goat LC/CS. Will that be tougher?

If you get that, I wouldn't even give the backpack a second thought.

Raider S · Post by **Raider S** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:44 pm

I have one of these washed goats and think it's BEAUTIFUL. However, I think it will be very easy to distress this jacket meaning I think it will show the wear. That's not to say it will wear out, but will show the wear.

Tollan · Post by **Tollan** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:20 pm

I used a backpack with an old G&B goat and there was definitely some extra wear at the shoulders but nothing too bad. Not sure how their old goat (which was very different to the one they use now) would compare to the Wested washed goat though.

crismans · Post by **crismans** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:49 pm

There was a thread where someone posted their pics of wear to a jacket from a backpack. The distressing looked really nice but it was only on one side. So if you go the backpack route and it's showing wear, switch up the sides.

indiana bob · Post by **indiana bob** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 3:42 pm

crismans wrote:There was a thread where someone posted their pics of wear to a jacket from a backpack. The distressing looked really nice but it was only on one side. So if you go the backpack route and it's showing wear, switch up the sides.

If anyone can find those pics, I would greatly appreciate it.

And thanks for all the advice guys! I think I'll try it for a while and see what the effect is and then decide what to do from there.

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 3:44 pm

Search - backpack

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?t ... t=backpack

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 3:49 pm

to add to the thread, I carry a 20 lb backpack one out of every three weeks, and try to alternate shoulders as often as I remember, I usually go on the left (and always have, before CS showed that Indy carries it that way too

)

I think it's added a bit of accelerated wear on the shoulders, as well as some nice random markings and wear on the back on my Wings CE ..

Post by **Jens** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:03 pm

I use a backpack to office everyday and for sure I noticed some traces of wear at the right shoulder (where I use to wear my bag) of my Wested Horsehide. The leather looks quite "polished" in that place ... it's nothing too noticable and it doesn't bug me at all. I just started to wear my bag over the left shoulder now to "equal" the traces of wear (besides - wearing a backpack over the left shoulder is "screen accurate" as we all know since KotCS

).

indiana bob · Post by **indiana bob** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:02 pm

Piers wrote:Search - backpack

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?t ... t=backpack

Lol, duh, never saw the search button up there. Thanks!

And my backpack has two straps (one for each shoulder of course), so I shouldn't have to worry about uneven wear.

And the jacket in that picture looks great, maybe wearing a backpack will make mine look even better.

Thanks for all the help guys!

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:18 pm

I have a lambskin Wested and have worn it through a year of high school and a year of college (looking forward to this year, too!). I started to get wear on the shoulders - not like streaks, but more like a vague area of wear right on top of the shoulder. I don't think my backpack was very heavy.

My solution? Distress the rest of the jacket.

Shane

Michigan Smith · Post by **Michigan Smith** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:37 pm

I had a Wested cowhide several years ago (since sold off) where it was getting a distinct wear pattern across the left shoulder diagonally across the chest from the car seatbelt. My Wested goatskin shows no wear and likely never will from what I've seen thus far.

Don't Call Me Junior! · Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:12 am

I have frequently worn a backpack with my Wested lambskin jacket. As others have said, the shoulders definitely showed earlier signs of wear. My backpack is usually in the 30-40 pound and sometimes more.

I often have a laptop or two and other field gear with me often traveling by motorcycle. It wasn't even a week after pairing the backpack with the jacket that the accelerated wear became noticeable not that I really cared. When walking with the pack I often carry it on just one shoulder so the wear is not really uniform from side to side. It's all character to me anyway.

Nowadays I've only been wearing my TN which has yet to show any signs that the wear was influenced by the pack but that's a predistressed jacket to start with.

Tremolo · Post by **Tremolo** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:59 pm

From 7 years of frequently wearing a backpack with my Cowhide Wested the shoulders and some bits on the sides are looking really worn. But to me it adds a bit of character and doesn´t stop me from wearing my Wested with a backpack.
In a certain way I like that look, because the jacket distresses the way I wear it