One newbie and his Todd's

[Fox Harrison]

Greetings all,

New guy here , love the site and forum and finally got my registration approved. Nice to see so many fellow Indy fans in one place, and I just love how much information there is for the gearhead on here.



This is my new Todd's OTR (hope the link works!). Had I been on these boards at time of purchase I may have known to buy a larger jacket (this is medium and pretty small on the shoulders!). I have a 41.5 inch chest, but I do weights so I find this a little small on the back and around the shoulder area. When I got it out of the box it felt as if I were to suddendly stretch forward it would just tear straight off me! I didn't change it though, as I'm in the UK and it would have cost me over 40 pounds (I guess that's around 60 bucks right now) in postage, so I gave it a chance, with some anticipation...

HOWEVER, thankfully the beautiful soft leather has stretched out nicely! it now feels snug but comfortable, and is so light that I know it will be the perfect summer jacket (especially when I'm digging around the Med). I can't wear a sweater under it as it pads out the top and makes the arms too small, but I have a fix for that....the money I saved by not posting it back is going towards a Wested, hopefully next month. I plan to go down there and try on a bunch in store, just to be sure.

I'll make sure and take some pictures for you.

Anyway, hello again, I look forward to talking to you all,

Best

Fox

[Michaelson]

Welcome to the madness! Your jacket looks GREAT! Keep making it your 'own' by wearing it like you do. That's one of the mistakes a lot of folks make around here....they don't give gear a chance to take on their own personalities by USE. Looks like you've got it going the right way.

Glad to have you aboard!

HIGH regards! Michaelson

[Fox Harrison]

Thanks Michaelson!

You're absolutely right, it's all about wearing it in. I've barely taken this thing off for the past week, I just love it (much to my girlfriend and friends' amusement!)

I'm only getting a second because I want to get a thicker winter version in a larger size to fit a sweater under. I'm looking at the Wested washed goat Raiders jacket, as it looks thick and sturdy...I'll have to grab my padded lumberjack shirt and head on down there to try some fittings!

All the best!

Fox

[Browncoat]

Great choice! The leather does soften and stretch with wear.

My Todd's is actually my favorite go to jacket because it fits right, looks the part and so light weight that when it heats up as the current weather cannot make up its mind I can still wear it.

[Kt Templar]

Welcome aboard Fox.

You'll find yourself like a kid in a candy store at Wested. SO many styles, SO many leathers. All VERY different to the Todd.

(Word of warning, people have been known to walk out having bought 2, 3 or more jackets).

Let us know how you get on!

[Dutch_jones]

Plus ! You have Indy from TOD as your avatar, Wested has copied that exact jacket Ford is wearing in that picture!

[Fox Harrison]

Thanks for the welcome guys, and thanks for the warning, KT. I'll be sure to watch my wallet in there, if my last excursion to the Indiana Jones adventure outpost in Disney is anything to go by! ...And they didn't even have the proper jackets!

Browncoat, I have the feeling that this jacket is going become very dear to me...if not an outright part of me!

Dutch_Jones - I really want a TOD now that I've seen some really nice offerings on this board. The TOD washed goat looks just great...


I think I'm going to have a pre-emptive ebay clearout to make sure I have enough dough. Won't part with any Indy stuff right now, so you won't see anything in the bazzar. Musn't go too crazy though. I just ordered my Akubra Fed IV, paid the car tax, bills etc. Like the famous frog sang: It's not easy bein' green

[IndianaJack91]

Welcome aboard!
I have had my Todd's for almost a year and a half and its the only jacket i'll ever wear. I wear at least once everyday.

[RCSignals]

Fox Harrison, in your picture at least your jacket appears to fit well at the top area, and has the 'shoulder droop' too.

Looks good to me. Keep wearing it and it will get even better.

[thedurdens]

Jacket looks great! I love my Todd's standard as well and I hope to get some more use out of it as the weather warms up.

Thanks and welcome,
Frank

[crismans]

I'm only getting a second because I want to get a thicker winter version in a larger size to fit a sweater under. I'm looking at the Wested washed goat Raiders jacket, as it looks thick and sturdy...I'll have to grab my padded lumberjack shirt and head on down there to try some fittings!


Fox

For a while, I was only going to get two jackets: one for fall/spring use and a thicker one for winter use. That was 6 or 7 jackets ago. Trust me, the jacket bug is very contagious.

[Fox Harrison]

Thanks for the kind words, everybody!

The jacket is really settling in now, the leather has warmed up and stretched up nicely. We are now in a 'safe to flex' zone, so I'm very pleased I def will not be shrinking this one in the bath though!

As for the Jacket bug, Crismans, yeah I hear you! I've *always* had a thing for jackets, even before I got into the Indy gear. In fact I already had ten perfectly good coats before the indy jacket. May not sound like that much, but worth bearing in mind that I lost all my clothes when I moved here from Florida in Nov '02! So I pretty much started with a blank slate (seriously guys, I had two sets of clothes for months, it was crazy!).

A few of the jackets were already very 'Indy-esque' but one that I lost was an Indy jacket from Disneyworld FL that I got in my youth. It had the map on the inside lining with the red plane lines on it, cheesy but awesome. I miss that Jacket...but it was no comparison to the Todd's! Anyone remember those jackets? There was a leather (cow I think) and a rougher, more suede-like version

Best,

Fox

[PSBIndy]

I liked my Todds as well.....at least when it was intact. A few months after receiving it, the stitching in several areas (sleeves, pockets, pleats) disintegrated (and I hardly wore it). To me, it's a good costume jacket, nothing more. I have to no reason to wear it anymore ever since my TN Raiders came into my life.

[Fox Harrison]

Ha! To be honest, had I been on the boards when I got it I may have gone straight for a Wested! But life's too short to worry about spilt milk (and spent cash... )

Stitching is as important as leather type, and I will be keeping an eye on it (esp. after your horror story, PSB), but right now this is one great jacket, and feels and looks good. If it breaks I'll just have to pull out a needle and thread...

I'm curious though, how well DO the Todd's hold up to 'real' world wear? Are they as lasting as other jacket types? I'm an archaeologist (what a coincidence) and even though I'm not currently digging I'm usually scrabbling around some ruin or building for kicks...I also have a habit of leaving jackets on the floor

[jacksdad]

welcome, my first jacket was a raiders otr goat from wested and I wear it everyday. It's great and the leather is tuff. I also own a wings goat, but I had some time off form work and now my wings jacket is a little tight, but it does become a fun obsession. You'll find the first few months your wallet gets really small. But we're ok right? ha ha welcome.

[bigrex]

Welcome, that was my first jacket, good choice. Yeah, when I first stumbled across the forum I didn't even know there were that many die-hard Indiana Jones fans out there, or forums like this one, little did I know.

[Fox Harrison]

I think fun obsession sums it up nicely, jacksdad! Can't wait to try out some washed goat at Wested...soon, oh yes...

I gotta say, Bigrex, I've learned so much about Indygear just from a week on this forum. I've always had the indybug (with the exception of a brief Indy hangover post-CS) but a few days on here and I knew what hat I *should have been looking for (instead of wasting tons on imperfect Dorfman's (*though a couple of them are very nice to wear)) and what jacket type I was after etc. I hope I can stop at two...but I can see it snowballing. I do like to have the right gear for every occasion (preparation is in the details...)

Have ordered my Fed IV, looking forward to putting my own bash on that. I'm thinking Cairo market scene...will have to re-read the shaping posts

Real great to meet you all, thanks for making the new guy feel welcome,


Best!

Foxy

[Weston]

That's a fine looking jacket there Fox! I have enjoyed mine for nearly a year so far. I wear mine to work daily, in a fairly rowdy blue collar type job, and just gave it it's first coat of Pecard's tonight. It may seem light and fragile, but mine has been surprisingly robust. The jacket has a little room to let the cuffs out if they come up short after some wear. Enjoy it, it can handle more than you may think it can (and looks great doing it)!

Weston

[Fox Harrison]

Good to know that I don't have to get pecard's right away as they don't have it here (far as I know)...I'm enjoying wearing this badboy in so far, anyways. Haven't gone to another jacket yet, though it was cold enough tonight to make me wish harder for my imaginary Wested Goat

Cheers Weston, best!

Fox

[scot2525]

I am eagerly awaiting some warmer temps in March and April so I can begin wearing my Todd's standard again. It could use a good soaking from an April shower as well. You have a great looking jacket there Fox, wear it with pride.

[basilbakerst]

I just got a Todd's custom in a 44L from one of our fellow COW members through the Cario Bazaar. It's the perfect fit, and the sleeves are just right. I hate when jacket sleeves are too short so that was a big concern of mine. Is there a Todd's display thread similar to that of the Fed IV display thread for the Fedora board? I'd like to post pics, but I don't want to create a new thread to do so. Cheers.

basilbakerst

[Fox Harrison]

I have no objection to you posting them on here Basil. At least until we have an 'official' Todd's display thread...maybe we should just start one!

Actually I've been meaning to post pics of the jacket after some wear. It's stretched out a full two inches now (not including that pleat opening). So it now measures 46 inches instead of 44 (which I'm not sure it ever was tbh). This is great as the shoulders have relaxed nicely and the sleeves (also a concern for me, I'm like an ape in arm span!!!) have dropped to a more comfortable length. If I did it over I may have gone for a large, but I'm happy with the way the jacket has stretch out, for sure.

Sadly my Wested may be delayed. The suspension coil on my car snapped and cost me £150 (coincidentally the amount I had saved for my Wested ToD ). Could have been worse though. Had it slipped off the roll bar the car would have front ended into the tarmac! *thanking the powers that be*


Cheers guys,

Best

Fox