And a Merry New Year it is! NEW ROLA Special Offer Arrives!

[Ravenswood]

This is what I did with my Christmas money! I was in dire need of a new Indy Jacket, and I have been circling the Wested wagons for a couple years now, fancying the Special Offer Raiders ROLA Authentic Lambskin, I decided to take the plunge. Here she is in all her glory! I can't think of a more Screen Accurate way to go, almost by the fit alone! (size 38, OTR)
You'd never guess I had a gripe about it...but it's a SMALL gripe at best. Ready *takes a deep breath* the pockets are just a teensy too tall, not that that matters, but it gives the impression that the side-straps are placed just a BIT too low, like within an inch. There, I said it. Such a small gripe, and such a GREAT fit, I wouldn't return this puppy for the world! I'm practically in LOVE with the finish, and finally a lighter brown, like I always thought they were! On that note, someone mentioned in this forum that one of the jackets he got (can't recall which vendor) was so ambiguously brown that it looked gray. Funnily enough, that's what I always thought about the hero jacket(s). Sometimes it seemed you couldn't tell WHAT color they were. Is it black? is it gray? is it brown?...is it GREEN!?! LOL so forth and so on...anyhoo, here are the pics!

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... 3485-1.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... 3486-1.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... CN3499.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... CN3500.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... CN3490.jpg

Thanks for looking!
Ravenswood

[Holt]

looks very nice. looks like one of my first Indy jackets.

now, wear it alot it will only get better with age.

congrats.

[Hatch]

What do those pockets measure ??

[ron521]

That looks absolutely great! Just for reference, what are the dimensions (shoulder width, pit to pit width, sleeve length, and back length)?

[Ravenswood]

THANKS everybody!
Finally found my tape measure!
Here are the measurements:
pockets: 8" by 6"
the pockets are placed (aaalmost) 2.5" above the bottom of the front panel hem, which, imo is just a TEENSy but high, lending to the impression that the side buckles might be a teensy bit too low....I should state at this point that I am not an absolute "stitch Nazi", but I play one on TV...ok moving right along
The back panel: 20.5" from bottom of yoke seam to bottom of hem seam, and 25.5" from the center/bottom of the collar stand seam to bottom of back panel hem.
Pit to pit: 21.5"
shoulder: 19"
Sleeve: 24.25"

Bests!
Ravenswood

[Ravenswood]

I'm still pondering the aesthetic of the pocket size/placement, but I'll tell you this, on THIS jacket, I'm liking it more and more each time I look at it...for some reason, it STILL looks like the real mccoy...or at least gives off the impression. Needless to say, I think the drape and "crinkles" are working out well, and trust me, from the moment I got it, i RARELY took it off...'cept to sleep, lol.
I like the little imperfections that are in the otherwise buttery smooth leather. THIS is what I always envisioned the jacket to be...ever since I laid eyes on it that "fateful" summer day in '81.

[Holt]

just soak it and let it dry about 80% then put it on until its dry. you'l love it even more.

and the water really toughens up the leather aswell.

[Dragonlady Jones]

I think it looks great...makes me want a Wested.

[Ravenswood]

Thanks DJ! I really LOVE it!
And Holt, part of me REALLY wants to take a walk to the store in the pouring rain while wearing it---there's another part of me that wants to go the whole nine yards and dunk it like you say....althought, I'm still in the "infatuation phase" re: the "new jacket look, new jacket smell (and OMG this one REALLY smells good!!!), so I'm just gonna wait and see. Most likely I will just let it wear naturally, not care if I get caught in the rain, so forth.
Here's the kicker...I am having a hard time getting past the fact that those straps are just an inch or so too low ...out of ALL the killer-diller screen accurate details this particular jacket posesses (like the ultra-thin yoke), Wested seems to have slipped on the placement of the side-straps...they've been doing it right all this time though, so I'm slightly stumped...no bother. I'm more chagrined at how much I pay attention to these kinds of details...but that's why we are here.
Somebody tell me that the straps being a bit too low is OK, and that I shouldn't be so detail oriented. I made it this far so I should just buckle down and appreciate this jacket for what it is....AWESOME!
But then again, WHO am I asking here...on the COW....in THIS forum

[Forrest For the Trees]

I don't think your straps are too low. I think the body length of the jacket is an inch longer than I would prefer for myself, and therefore the straps seem to be lower. Just my opinion.

[Holt]

hehe. Ive been theres myself... just wear it a few moths and you wont care about it aymore in what weather it gets caught in.etc,etc.

but your wrong about that wested has put them on the right height all along. on the custom made jackets yes, they are on the righ height IF you ask them to put it on the right height. but your jacket is an of the rack, meaning some of the details are not in place. some are but some arent. your jacket is outsourced from a ''wested'' company in India. the jacket made in India are made by the machinist who used to work at wested some years ago. he moved back to India but he still kept his jacket making job. thats how it was told to me when I had peter on the phone last year.

so, the straps are a tad too low, yes. they should be a 5 inch from bottom. you will also notice that the pockets are alittle too high up. they should be 2 inch from bottom.

you will also notice that the jacket is alittle too long. but that doesnt matter if the wearer likes a little longer jacket. many do.

but again, if you dont care too much about screen accuracy then why botther thinking about it if you like the jacket and the way it fits.

but I will recommend you to go custom one day. you WILL notice a HUGE difference in the jacket details, fit AND construction. Guaranteed!

[Ravenswood]

That will be "the next step"
Lord knows, I've been through six jackets prior, (2 Coopers, 3 late nineties Westeds, & one early 2000's Wested) but this one screams "Raiders" the loudest by far.

[Holt]

then wait until you get a custom

[Ravenswood]

[Ravenswood]

Here's some zipped shots I think this is where some of the pocket size/placement effects become more apparent. NOT complaining!

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... CN3741.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... CN3742.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... N3747o.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa49 ... CN3745.jpg

Wore it out on the town today. It's looking/feeling better by the hour!

[Holt]

very nice!

[Ravenswood]

Thanks again Holt!

[Ravenswood]

...Just a thought, but I most likely would have bit the bullet and gone custom if I had understood the OTR Special Offer to be cut long as opposed to regular.

[moses]

SA or not, I think that length looks good on you.

[Holt]

yep. thats why I go custom.

the special offer rola is a really nice jacket for the price. it should be shorter in length and a few more correct details. like the arm seam 1'' under the yoke and the correct pocket specs. Im sure the jacket would be even more popular then what it allready is.

[Ravenswood]

Thanks very much, Moses!
Thankfully, I have a slightly longer torso--that's gotta help, heheh
And Yea, Holt. Can't wait to get that custom model, knowing just how many steps away I am from getting "that look".
That being said, it truly is a nice jacket. I can only say it's nice so many times! (Well SAY it again anyway!).....It's nice!