2010 jacket updates

[pilgrim_in_an_unholy_land]

Ok, so I'm looking for a new jacket, and have been delving into the search function here to look up the various types. I thought I was decided on the Wested Raiders 80s fit in washed goat, but after reading so many horror stories of people recieving jackets that fell apart or were the wrong measurements, it gave me pause. But I see so many killer westeds on here. Did they fix their QC recently? Also, I see US Wings touted all the time here, but I have yet to seen pics of someone actually wearing it or even discussions about the fit. Durability is obviously important, but for the price of the wings, I can order a custom fit from wested, and me being 6'4 on a thin frame, the fit is tricky and important.

[djd]

Most of the time Wested produce good stuff - especially for the price. What I would say, is that it's worth doing your business with them by phone rather than trusting to email. If you talk your order through with them you are more likely to get what you really want. Quality control wise they're generally good. There have been a few problems here and there but generally they're spot on. All vendors here make mistakes now and then

[ron521]

Here are three threads containing images of people wearing US Wings jackets....

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=47398&start=350

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44634

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=48449

Generally, US Wings is considered to be a tough (depending on the leather chosen) and well made garment. Their military grade nylon liner may possibly be the MOST durable lining material used by anyone.
They basically offer three lines of jackets:
Their original "Signature Series" is thought to be a good LC/KOTCS jacket, and recently discovered to be made in the US by Schott.
The "Hero" line is essentially the same pattern as the "Signature Series" but cost less, are imported, and made of different leathers.
The newer "Legend" has been enthusiastically received by those who prefer the "ROTLA" style. It is offered in US made and imported versions.

[Lao Feng]

Hi Ron --

Great recapitulation on USW jackets. Much appreciated.

I must not have been paying attention to previous threads:are we saying that the USW goat Indy adventurer is actually made by Schott? Wow. That's an important piece of intel.

[Holt]

You'r from England right?

If you are not far away from wested I recommend paying a visit to the man himself and let him take care of you. he will! if you'r far away form wested? I still recommend calling Peter and telling him you want a custom made jacket. he will take your order and help you the best way he can.

about wested quality. ordering a wested has more or less become like 'rolling the dice'. saddly I have seen a few westeds that are made with bad construction, lack of ordered detail or weird detail like missing a stormflap.etc. but, luckily those westeds arent too many of. However, they shouldnt be sent out in the first place! but sometimes they slipp thru the QC and thats the risk you take with wested. I personally have never had one wested that fell apart.....and I have had a few. I always have had good stitching with good reinforcements on all of them. Everytime I ordered a wested I really pointed out what I want and usually I got what I ordered...but, I to did get some bad service... its the risk we take with them.

I personally would not be scared off by all the horror stories. try first and see if you get what you want. if they deliever then what is better? and the good part about you being in england is that it will get to you faster.

[pilgrim_in_an_unholy_land]

Looking at the pics, something just seems off about the Wings. I love the leather, but does anyone else think the collar is extremely wide?

[Rick Deckard]

Yeah, I think you're right, the collars on the Wings' jackets are wide. That's one of the reasons why I think that the Hero line has more of a LC vibe than a Raiders vibe. I think that the Raiders jacket had a smaller collar, whereas the LC jacket had a wider collar.



That reminds me of the Wings Hero line, all the way from looser fit to big collar. Comparison:





The last image comes from COW - Weston, hope you don't mind, I used your pic from the Naked Cow thread to show how similar the collars and the fit in general are.

[Holt]

the collar isone of the best featues about the USW jacket. the raiders HAD a wide collar. well at least the one shown in the imam house. what I think is the wested 'hero' had the smaller collar.

here is the wide collar raiders with the taller collarstand. I see a wings collar. now look at the left collar side of the hero and look at weston left collar side. what do you see? exactly!....

[pilgrim_in_an_unholy_land]

yeah, I remember reading on another forum agent5 did a jacket breakdown, and said the imam jacket had the wider, squared off collar stand, as opposed to the hero's rounded one. So many tough decisions, I love both the raiders and last crusade look, and can't decide which I like more. The raider's narrower fit would probably compliment me because I'm slim and tall, but come on, LC is the best one, and he looks like a weathered BAMF. I think I'm shooting for a hybrid indy, with a Raven bar hat just with a slightly less exaggerated pinch, but the swooping brim of the raiders, and a Jacket with the LC look and raiders fit.

[pilgrim_in_an_unholy_land]

I gotta say though, as much as I look at all the leathers, I keep coming back to the washed goat. Thin enough for a good drape, but durable and distresses easily and beautifully. I mean, that's just a win win, or a win win win?

[pilgrim_in_an_unholy_land]

Final note before I release the floor, as I don't mean to triple post. But how do they get that wonderful dark color on all of the film jackets? I love the darker almost black brown with the weathered brown scratches.

[Holt]

stage ligths. case closed.

[Tennessee Smith]

That is an awesome pic Holt because That is the Iman jacket That was created by Cooper.


Good find, even if it's 1 inch it collar is in question, this proves at least 1 jacket did have a large collar stand.



-TS

[Holt]

I know.

[Kentucky Blues]

stage ligths. case closed.

I coulda SWORN leather dye had SOMEthing to do with it...

-KB

[Weston]

I don't mind Rick Deckard. In fact, I think that was a great way to compare. As to the LC jacket always having a larger collar, and the Raider jacket always having a smaller, I think it can be said that that is not always the case!

Weston

[Tibor]

Final note before I release the floor, as I don't mean to triple post. But how do they get that wonderful dark color on all of the film jackets? I love the darker almost black brown with the weathered brown scratches.

I'm right there with you. I have always, in my mind's eye, seen a really dark jacket in Raiders. Todd's jackets capture the color, but they may be lighter weight leather than you'd prefer. I finally got it with a Nowak goat Raiders jacket. I remember talking to Tony about it and after going through all the swatches, I wanted the darkest stuff he had that was substantial.

Some of it is the stage lights no doubt, but I'm interested in capturing what I see, not what it actually was.

[Holt]

I too see mostly a dark almost black jacket but that brown jacket in the raven bar is SO sweet! but if I had to choose between the two I'd go with dark.

If you go with the USW they also will be offering an 1.5/1.7MM Soft American Dark brown cowhide. would be pretty good for Raiders I think.

[Texan Scott]

now look at the left collar side of the hero and look at weston left collar side. what do you see? exactly!....

...an older man deciphering what is written on the headpiece...?

[Texan Scott]

I think you have something there, Holt, the possibility of the link between Immam's house scene and possibly the Hawaii scenes. Also the flying wing jacket and the Raven bar jacket. What is puzzling is the Bantu dock jacket, with the wide yoke? pos?