Indiana Croft wrote:Nice lookin jacket my friend, love how the wires are holding you down like that, like your tie to the earth, are the little people just out of camera range.
Croft
...just wired up my friend!
I think you guys are really going to like this jacket! Slim fit, as well, but if you are looking for a jacket that really gives off that Raiders vibe, this could very well be the one.
I just did the water treatment and will post photos when it had dried sufficiently. This original dark goatskin is quality leather and thin. Small grain, looks like lamb, with the toughness of goat. In fact, its thinness sets it apart from the dark goat of the past. When they sent me the LC horsehide jacket, Peter enclosed samples of both lamb touch cowhide and original dark goat. Once I saw and handled the dark goat though, it was all over but the shoutin'...quite a shout across the great pond. Had to have one and glad the chain was pulled on that particular hide.
The two new lamb offerings, now that's a different story. We'll have to wait for the first of the new orders to chime in and......you know the drill.....
looking at the jacket some more pluss whiskymans pictures I actually find it looking VERY similiar to my wested goatskin I got back 3 years ago. The one that had that big pattern makeover at wested. it has the collar, the yoke, falling of the shoulder spec, the narrow sleeves. I'll post some pictures of it later today.
anyway, again, congrats with this nice looking jacket
Looks a lot like the Nowak Raiders 000 with the wider storm flap and the pocket placement, which is no bad thing Whether the "new" pattern is a combo of many factors I don't know. Looks good tho' (and certainly a lot cheaper than a TNO)
When Peter talked with me about it last year, it seemed he had looked at a Nowak, a Todds as well as the various requests that customers were sending him along with his old patterns. I think aspects of all of these are probably included in this Hero offering.
For the most part, I think this is what we wanted was simply to provide three measurements and then receive a super accurate jacket. The sleeves are little tight, but I'm working with this old goat on that one.
That just means that I'm actually talking about a jacket instead of an 'ol goat...a person.
word of advice, these jackets are made to be slim fitting, similar to the fit of TNO Raiders jackets, so order accordingly. also, these are slightly off the shoulders jackets, so you might wish to adjust the sleeve length slightly, 1/4-1/2...?
Texan Scott wrote:That just means that I'm actually talking about a jacket instead of an 'ol goat...a person.
word of advice, these jackets are made to be slim fitting, similar to the fit of TNO Raiders jackets, so order accordingly. also, these are slightly off the shoulders jackets, so you might wish to adjust the sleeve length slightly, 1/4-1/2...?
I can second what Tex is saying, the arms do run a little longer than other Wested patterns due to the way the shoulders hang.
Also agree on the arms been a touch on the slim side but otherwise the Hero does it for me!
Managed to get a few pics of mine check em out.
ZOLTAR
Last edited by Zoltar on Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Very nice. A general question/observation: the impression is that the yoke is a bit low. It may be because the shoulders are a bit wide and hang down, altering the visual placement of the yoke. For me, the pleat should extend up into the back of the arm to aid movement. I think in this example, if the shoulders were narrowed the yoke could be brought up a bit which would carry the pleat a little higher relative to the arm.
Also, the sleeve seam and yoke seam look like they're lined up. The sleeve should be rotated a bit shouldn't it? It doesn't so much bother me but I know others have commented on that point before.
You're right Tex. Yours looks spot on. Possibly your shoulders are broader and hold the yoke out correctly for the cut. When you have narrower shoulders, you shouldn't just cut off the ends. Because the seam from the collar to the shoulder is "diagonal" (if you will), when sizing down the entire yoke should be reduced proportionally, so the point where the yoke meets the arm is still relatively small (2.5 - 3 inches or so).
I was talking about the 5th pic of Zoltar's jacket.
Last edited by Tibor on Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
Texan Scott wrote:Good pics Zoltar! Looks just like original dark goat? Great leather choice. I have to agree, this one is a keeper!
Yep Old dark goat
Size 40
Shoulder seam to yolk seam 3.5"
Collar stand to arm seam 6.5" (along shoulder seam)
Yolk seam to collar stand 6" (between shoulders)
Zoltar wrote:Size 40
Shoulder seam to yolk seam 3.5"
Collar stand to arm seam 6.5" (along shoulder seam)
Yolk seam to collar stand 6" (between shoulders)
Texan Scott , would you mind providing us the same measures and the size of your jacket ? It would allow us to try and check how they proportionally modify the yoke from one size to another .
Thanks
Texan Scott wrote:Good pics Zoltar! Looks just like original dark goat? Great leather choice. I have to agree, this one is a keeper!
Yep Old dark goat
Size 40
Shoulder seam to yolk seam 3.5"
Collar stand to arm seam 6.5" (along shoulder seam)
Yolk seam to collar stand 6" (between shoulders)
Hi Zoltar,
NICE jacket!!!
Looking your pics, and these measurements, is the back lenght 25" ?
And how about the stormflap lenght?
I'm curious about the proportions.
Thanks for sharing!
Regards.-
That does look like very nice jacket. Have I posted this already?
How does the stitching seem? I wonder how the durability will be. It looks great and I know that there are Westeds that have been around the block a couple of times.
Zoltar wrote:Size 40
Shoulder seam to yolk seam 3.5"
Collar stand to arm seam 6.5" (along shoulder seam)
Yolk seam to collar stand 6" (between shoulders)
Texan Scott , would you mind providing us the same measures and the size of your jacket ? It would allow us to try and check how they proportionally modify the yoke from one size to another .
Thanks
TMFR
Sure!
Size 44, sleeves: 24 1/4", pits: 23"
Back length: 25 1/2"
Collar stand: 1 3/16"
Storm flap: exactly 1 1/2"
Pockets: 7 7/8" high x 6 1/2"
Strap width: 1"
single piece Gussets
Shoulder to Yoke: 3 1/4"
Collar stand to arm seam: 7"
Yoke seam to collar stand: just under 5 1/2"
hmm. looks good but I kinda feel it looks alittle too dark. almost balck. no brown hint at al. may be the lighting. great detail only the sleeves look alittle too slim, well at least for me anyways...
Definitely a nice looking jacket, and the new, lower price is awesome. I recently bought a custom LC and it was put together very well. The stiching was great. I got it in Novapelle. The grain, in places, has a real nice Raiders look. I'd say it would be a good choice for the Hero jacket. If I was in the market for yet another Indy jacket, I'd be pulling the trigger on one of these, because I'm sure they're gonna be sewn well. $500, no. $300? Most definitely.
After receiving my shrunken lamb Raiders jacket from TNO, I thought I was going to be done with Raiders jackets... but this new Wested Hero looks very interesting. I could use a nice back up jacket!
Can any of the new Hero owners comment on the weight? I need a very lightweight jacket cuz as I've said a million times, it gets hot and humid most of the year down here in Texas. My current Wested is the superthin dark lambskin and the current temps are in the high 80s early 90's and I can still get away with wearing it comfortably. If this new vegtanned shrunken lamb is lightweight, I may bite!
Indiana Holt wrote:hmm. looks good but I kinda feel it looks alittle too dark. almost balck. no brown hint at al. may be the lighting. great detail only the sleeves look alittle too slim, well at least for me anyways...
_ could fit two fingers thru that sleeve. lol.
Mine's not as dark as it looks in the picks I had it hung next to my authentic brown goat TOD this morning and was surprised the difference was only a shade darker. Lighter than the dark lamb sample I've got. It's got a kind of plumby red/brown kind of shade to it.
Sorry Gorak can't comment on the veg tanned I've not handled any, I really fancied it but Peter was quoting £280 when I orderd this and I didn't want to risk a new pattern and new skin in one go fro that outlay. If £195 is the final price I may be tempted to go it next.
Indiana Holt wrote:hmm. looks good but I kinda feel it looks alittle too dark. almost balck. no brown hint at al. may be the lighting. great detail only the sleeves look alittle too slim, well at least for me anyways...
_ could fit two fingers thru that sleeve. lol.
Mine's not as dark as it looks in the picks I had it hung next to my authentic brown goat TOD this morning and was surprised the difference was only a shade darker. Lighter than the dark lamb sample I've got. It's got a kind of plumby red/brown kind of shade to it.
Sorry Gorak can't comment on the veg tanned I've not handled any, I really fancied it but Peter was quoting £280 when I orderd this and I didn't want to risk a new pattern and new skin in one go fro that outlay. If £195 is the final price I may be tempted to go it next.
If I had to pick from one of the lamb choices, I might be tempted to go shrunken lamb. Nice skins coming out of the barn, lately.
Gorak wrote:Can any of the new Hero owners comment on the weight? I need a very lightweight jacket cuz as I've said a million times, it gets hot and humid most of the year down here in Texas. My current Wested is the superthin dark lambskin and the current temps are in the high 80s early 90's and I can still get away with wearing it comfortably. If this new vegtanned shrunken lamb is lightweight, I may bite!
Gorak, for your part of the nation of TX, I'd say a Todd's Std. might be just the thing, or Wested's cloth jacket. But if we are talking skins, the original dark goat is a thin hide and a fine choice. As to the lamb options, I don't know, but would suspect that if you called Peter, he might be able to source a thin skin for you?
Thanks guys for the quick responses. I almost pulled the triggers on one these last night but then remembered the local heat. I have a Todds standard which I love and yes, I can wear it most year round. I tried the cotton and it just never felt right. I am thinking of just going with the lambskin of my last Wested but I was also interested in mixing things up a little so that I just didnt have a near clone of my other jackets.
My only grief with this, and its only because of my posture, is the front length. For example, the above jackets were quoted at 25" back length, and 22" front length. Its been adjusted to be a proper fitted jacket. That's not a problem at all to me, that its been adjusted like that. Its the fact that the 22" is too short for me with a back length of 25". I need at least 23.5" front length to hit my belt length properly when standing etc. Wested has never really addressed this on any of their jackets because they claim its a pattern change. If that was adjustable, I'd be all over this jacket. Love the look otherwise, and the new lamb options.
Just wanted to mention that as of late, they now ship DHL, so you are hit with an import fee. What if we could have the jackets sent so that it enters the USPS system, as before, and avoid the fees?
Last edited by Texan Scott on Fri Jun 24, 2011 6:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
...and I realize I still owe you ONE! 
