Thank you Peter: Wested Last Crusade

[jamesdell]

Less than two weeks after placing my order, Peter has gotten me my Last Crusade Jacket . This is my first Indy jacket and I couldn't be happier .

Soft seal brown cowhide (available from Wested when the novapelle ran out) size 40 with 25" sleeves and 25" back. Measures 22" pit to pit and fits like a glove. Underarm gussets, extra inside pockets, but no additional requests.

Everything came out exactly as I measured it. I'm surprised at how short the length seems in the front but I think it looks great (probably because I've been wearing a jacket that is too big for the last 10 years). I also have just enough room for a sweater underneath (I'm hoping that will fit a little better with some wear.







This is my in my "close enough" gear that I've got so far (includes a DP hat, got that a year ago, before I knew about COW. There will be better pictures when I can get outside in the sunlight.

A very special thanks to Peter for my first jacket.
Additional thanks to everyone who reviewed their jackets and asked questions. I wouldn't have gotten a jacket this great without all the info on the previous pages.

Let me know what you think.

James

[Noah]

Congrats jamesdell!

Looks really nice! It fits you well

[Indydawg]

It will relax and break in with wear....so, I wouldn't worry about extra room...it looks like it fits you quite well!

Back strap placement looks good, too....very nice.

And the leather looks ready for YEARS of service....it should take quite some time before that starts to show any wear!

Nice jacket!
Wear it well...and don't baby it! ENJOY it!
Cheers!
Indydawg

[singsingjohnny]

Looks great, nice fit on you!

Now go break it in and make it your own!

Congrats on your first Wested...be careful, I'm already up to three...

[RCSignals]

Looks good. The front length is fine.
If you didn't ask for special specs they must have changed the pattern.

[Chewbacca Jones]

I don't know. It looks pretty standard to me. What would be new?

My feeling about the front length is that Westeds always come out too short, but many people prefer that look. If it makes you happy, that's all that counts! Congats, James!

[CM]

Nice jacket - great leather. A better pattern then my LC from 2003. But the pockets are still terribly wrong. They need to be shorter with a deep pocket flap. I really wish Peter would just focus and make a reasonable fascimile of each jacket as a standard issue. And forget all the custom work, which goes South so often.

[Restless Dreamer]

Nice jacket - great leather. A better pattern then my LC from 2003. But the pockets are still terribly wrong.

It's what I was going to say I'm no jacket expert, but when I saw the pockets I thought "hey, are they really supposed to be THAT huge?"

And from my point of view, your sleeves are a bit too long

BUT the most important thing is that you are happy with your jacket. You see, the more you get obsessed with details, the more you will probably get something you don't like. You choose wisely, adding no special requests, because I can tell from my BAD experience (and from what I've read in these days about Wested) that Wested tends to mess things up, when coming to "laundry lists" of specs.

So, congratulations on you purchase

[jamesdell]

Thanks everyone !!

I'm no jacket expert, but when I saw the pockets I thought "hey, are they really supposed to be THAT huge?"

They are, but I can get my hands in. I'm not concerned with SA so I'm happy.

And from my point of view, your sleeves are a bit too long

I read a lot on the forums about sleeves getting shorter with wear, so I added some length to them before my final order. If after a year or so they're not where I want them, I may stop into a tailor to have them shortened, but I'll let the leather do it's thing first.

[Holt]

Looks good. The front length is fine.
If you didn't ask for special specs they must have changed the pattern.

why? what do you mean?

[Restless Dreamer]

And from my point of view, your sleeves are a bit too long

I read a lot on the forums about sleeves getting shorter with wear, so I added some length to them before my final order. If after a year or so they're not where I want them, I may stop into a tailor to have them shortened, but I'll let the leather do it's thing first.

good point. after all, a longer sleeve can be shortened, but you can't invert the process

[Kt Templar]

I read a lot on the forums about sleeves getting shorter with wear, so I added some length to them before my final order. If after a year or so they're not where I want them, I may stop into a tailor to have them shortened, but I'll let the leather do it's thing first.

Wise move.

[whipwarrior]

Yes, the pockets are too large, but the pocket placement (in relation to the storm flap and the bottom of the jacket) looks to be spot-on. I remember when they used to put them so close to the waistline, and it always drove me crazy. My CS novapelle turned out perfect because I requested the higher pocket placement, but it should be standard for the LC jackets.

[jamesdell]

Since my pockets have become a focus, I will provide some info for people who are interested. As mentioned I requested no changes to the normal pattern. They are 8" tall by 6.5" wide, the flap is 2" on the outside, and 3" in the middle. This can be used as a reference for others to use in the future.

I'm still in love with this jacket, and see it as a next step in a long career of collecting.

Regards,
James

[nicktheguy]

James,
I think you are approaching this the right way. All that matters is that YOU are happy with your jacket. Each one of us has our own likes and dislikes with the Indy jackets (one of the reasons I try not to post too often in the jacket section) and at times opinions get quite heated over what others (outside the forum) think insignificant. I think your jacket fits you well and I think you were smart to have longer sleeves as the leather will ride up with wear (at least in my experience). As for the pockets, I once ordered a wested with "proper" pockets, and was unable to fit my big hands into them without fear of ripping the pocket seams, so again I think you made a good choice there. The main thing is for you to enjoy your jacket and wear it with Indy pride I don't think this will be your last jacket by the way..... (it's addicting)

[jamesdell]

James,
I think you are approaching this the right way. All that matters is that YOU are happy with your jacket.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I decided a few weeks ago that I would post my jacket when it came in, and not take anything personally. I know when I was researching, other peoples posts helped me with all the information they had. I wanted to contribute one of those.

I don't think this will be your last jacket by the way..... (it's addicting)

Boy don't I know it. Next one will have to wait a while though. Other gear needs to be collected too in the meantime.

James

[JC1972]

James,
Welcome to COW. I like the jacket, it looks good on you. I think we may tend to think the Indy jacket is "short" on us initially since we're accustomed to longer jackets. Anyways, enjoy it and wear it well. BTW I know you have other gear to get first but I'm sure you've heard that US Wings (check the Vendor Announcements) has a cowhide and lamb jacket on the way. Not sure on the price of the lamb but the cow is $195. Mighty tempting.

Jim

[Forrest For the Trees]

The leather you got appears different than Tremolo's jacket, seen here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=45148

I thought these would be the same leather...

[jamesdell]

The leather you got appears different than Tremolo's jacket, seen here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=45148

I thought these would be the same leather...

It could be the light, but maybe it is a different leather. Mine is a nice brown, thin, very soft leather. It looks shiny like a new leather jacket that you would buy in a store.

I am going to post pictures in nice outdoor light, just as soon as the clouds decide to agree with my schedule .

[crismans]

I really like the color of that leather and it truly looks nice, soft, and "drapey". Good idea on adding a little to the sleeves as they will shrink (especially a soft leather). The fit looks good on you as well.

To be honest, the pockets bug me. Not for the overall appearance of your jacket, it looks great. But the pockets aren't LC pockets. They look like the same pockets you find on Wested's Raiders offerings.

As I've said before, I don't know why Wested doesn't alter their pockets on this model. It seems like it would be just a little effort but would pay big dividends as far as looking more SA. I'm not a true stitch Nazi, but the pockets on the LC are one of its defining characteristics.

[RCSignals]

Looks good. The front length is fine.
If you didn't ask for special specs they must have changed the pattern.

why? what do you mean?

Just looks different pattern from other Wested LCs. You don't see that?

[theman]

The overall fit is awesome on this one...and I agree the sleeves will crease and break in to the perfect length.
Pockets definitely aren't any Indy I recognize, but nice jacket overall!

[jamesdell]

To be honest, the pockets bug me. Not for the overall appearance of your jacket, it looks great. But the pockets aren't LC pockets. They look like the same pockets you find on Wested's Raiders offerings.

I respect your opinion, but I think they're OK. That's part of the reason I started the thread. People who read this can make up their own mind about what they like or not. I was cool with the fact that my jacket wouldn't be considered screen accurate by everyone here. At least people who read this later will know what to expect if they order no changes, and can make an informed decisions based on what they see here.

Regards,
James

[lc_fan]

I think those pockets are LC pockets. They are too long for the raiders-style.

Congratulations James!

[Texan Scott]

Since my pockets have become a focus, I will provide some info for people who are interested. As mentioned I requested no changes to the normal pattern. They are 8" tall by 6.5" wide, the flap is 2" on the outside, and 3" in the middle. This can be used as a reference for others to use in the future.

I'm still in love with this jacket, and see it as a next step in a long career of collecting.

Regards,
James

That's the deal. It just has to work for you. Really that's the only thing that is important...."and don't let anyone tell you any different".
Wear it in good health.

[crismans]

To be honest, the pockets bug me. Not for the overall appearance of your jacket, it looks great. But the pockets aren't LC pockets. They look like the same pockets you find on Wested's Raiders offerings.

I respect your opinion, but I think they're OK. That's part of the reason I started the thread. People who read this can make up their own mind about what they like or not. I was cool with the fact that my jacket wouldn't be considered screen accurate by everyone here. At least people who read this later will know what to expect if they order no changes, and can make an informed decisions based on what they see here.

Regards,
James

And the fact that you like it is really all that matters for your jacket. Please don't take my quote as a knock on your jacket. I think it's one of the nicest Westeds I've seen in a while (like I said, I'm a big fan of the color, for instance). But, for me, I would want the pockets more SA. Different strokes and all that...

I think those pockets are LC pockets. They are too long for the raiders-style.

If they're too long to be Raiders, then they're definitely too long to be LC. Like CM said, the LC pockets are shorter and have a deeper flap which extends almost halfway down the pocket.

[Tremolo]

The leather you got appears different than Tremolo's jacket, seen here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=45148

I thought these would be the same leather...

I thought the same, but it´s really different. My jacket could never look that dark in a picture, no matter what kind of light I use. When I look at jamesdell´s pictures, the colour looks quite similar to my horse hide Wested. I think this leather looks really nice!

[lc_fan]

@James: Could you post some makro-pictures of the leather / jacket details? That would be very cool. ) So I could compare it to my horse hide.

[Holt]

here it is.

bottom skin is authenic lambskin to compare the grain and color

[Indyzane]

jamesdell,

Very nice jacket! Thanks for sharing, enjoy your new purchase.

[Indyzane]

Forgot,

Welcome to the Club!

[lc_fan]

@Indiana Holt: Thank you. Did you do some distressing to it? I heard that this "soft seal brown cowhide" is exactly the same leather like novapelle. BUT: It is not coloured "through and through". That means only the upper surface / layers are coloured and underneath there's still the natural leather-color....any experiences with this?

P.S. I'd love to have also such sample-pieces. Would they mail them to me if I just asked them to?

[Holt]

yes the corner is distressed

[Raider S]

Wow, those pockets do seem to take up nearly the whole front of the jacket. The almost start at the armpit. Maybe adding an inch to the length of the front and moving them down would make the looks better.

[jamesdell]

As promised here are some images of me outside in the sun (not in full gear anymore, some of it needed a washing).







Better angle too, I think you get a better view of the jacket in these. And here is a link to the image of a closeup of the leather for lc_fan and anyone else interested.

http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad26 ... 1271610519

Thanks for all the compliments!!

James

[Indydawg]

It looks better outdoors! The natural light does it good!

Very nice!
Indydawg

[CM]

Looks way better outdoors, not to mention a better angle which improves the look of the pockets. Nice fit.