Wested's HERO jacket...

baddates1 · Post by **baddates1** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 2:37 pm

CM wrote:
baddates1 wrote:
Kt Templar wrote:

The prototype...and that was with no mussing in anyway to try and make it look like the shot. The pocket flaps were shortened a bit after that.
Those has bothered me for awhile but why have the pockets grown straighter and bigger then the original raiders jacket? And everybody knows that the buttons where higher up in the raiders movie then they are now, why is that? As you can see, the raiders jackets have me a bit miffed.

Years back Wested's Raiders was inaccurate with massive pockets. Some called them clown pockets.

After lots of feedback and access to a Nowak, the Wested Hero Raiders is now pretty good.

You mean Wested forgot how to do their own accurate jackets?

ThatManFromRio · Post by **ThatManFromRio** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 3:04 pm

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 6:10 pm

Novapelle - fresh out of the bag

Not strictly screen accurate- it's a heavy weight leather and I opted for a brass zip. My thin lambtouch cowhide is a more accurate Raiders looking jacket, but this jacket is more along the lines of what I need as a general Indy-style jacket - tough, substantial and with the back shorter than the front which is what I love about the Hero pattern. So it's not accurate to any movie, but it works for me.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 6:56 pm

I never really thought of NP for a Hero.

Looks great, should look even better with a few miles on it. NP picks up scuffs and marks really well.

CM · Post by CM » Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:44 pm

baddates1 wrote:
CM wrote:
baddates1 wrote:
Kt Templar wrote:

The prototype...and that was with no mussing in anyway to try and make it look like the shot. The pocket flaps were shortened a bit after that.
Those has bothered me for awhile but why have the pockets grown straighter and bigger then the original raiders jacket? And everybody knows that the buttons where higher up in the raiders movie then they are now, why is that? As you can see, the raiders jackets have me a bit miffed.

Years back Wested's Raiders was inaccurate with massive pockets. Some called them clown pockets.

After lots of feedback and access to a Nowak, the Wested Hero Raiders is now pretty good.
You mean Wested forgot how to do their own accurate jackets?

With some research you'll find a bunch of information about this here. Essentially Wested did a costume job for a film called Raiders and moved on. Years later fans wanted the jacket. Wested didn't have the patterns it seems and in a process over years, involving constant fan input, Wested gradually started to make a jacket that looked similar to the film jacket. Their first iteration was called, unkindly by some, the "bellhop jacket" - in other words it didn't look very accurate at all. After Tony Nowak got access to a film used jacket, everyone's idea of accurate, including the Wested version, changed. The Hero is the same pattern at the Nowak.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:27 pm

Kt Templar wrote:I never really thought of NP for a Hero.

Looks great, should look even better with a few miles on it. NP picks up scuffs and marks really well.

I seriously beileve this is the best jacket I've owned - and you know I've owned a lot! It ticks ALL the boxes for me. I really like my lambtouch, but this is something else. Can't believe I waited so long to try this hide, it's exactly what I've been looking for.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:45 pm

...for 10 seconds!

Dark N/P is a great hide for a Raiders jacket. What I like about it most is the color. As a Raiders jacket, it could be a tad thinner and not quite as heavy (for a RoLA). Other than that, it is a formidable choice.

In terms of the thickness-thinness of the leather, texture, color, Todd could be about the closest with his newest version.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:49 pm

I'm not talking about screen accuracy..just what meets MY needs the most.

Mountaineer · Post by **Mountaineer** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:28 pm

Well, after buying a novapelle Hero from the bazaar this Spring and really liking it, I opted to add another to my closet.

If you've never seen the novapelle, it's a heavier leather, but man it looks nice in this pattern. It got me wanting to try one of the lighter (lamb) options Wested offers.

So after much deliberation, I just ordered one out of Wested's clearance section, the nappa leather one.

Based on the measurements Wested listed, and comparing them to the size 40 Hero I have on-hand, I feel I'm going to be good with those dimensions.

(Actually I recently measured all my jackets and found something interesting. They all fit relatively the same, but their dimensions are not at all the same. See this chart: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jprestwmz32nb ... 0sizes.png" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

So, now the wait begins.

Mountaineer · Post by **Mountaineer** » Wed Jul 09, 2014 5:30 pm

The wait is over!

New Chestnut Brown nappa Hero is on my back! Using my on-hand Hero to measure and compare, the new jacket fits just like I thought it would. Sweet.

Did quite a bit of research on nappa leather. As I could gather; it is usually found in high-end leather goods, because it's typically un-split top grain, with few blemishes. However nappa has good characteristics for what I wanted; a light leather that is stretchy, yet tough/resilient for its having a light weight. Best of all it's very breathable. A common use being the leather for high-end car upholstery.

I say typical on all above because there are some who throw the label "nappa" on things that aren't nappa, but I figured Wested wouldn't call it nappa if it wasn't nappa. Dice roll? I don't think so in this case.

I've never owned a Wested lambskin jacket. I can safely say this: this jacket is on the TOTAL opposite end of the spectrum to the novapelle Hero in terms of weight. Just what I was looking for.

To the touch it is very soft, not coarse at all, and there is more visible gain on this than the early (2008) Todd's "pleathery-look" jackets, but less than the later Todd's jackets. Not too worried about that; over time and with wear it may develop. If not, I'm still fine with it as is.

I had to pay a customs fee as it was shipped via UPS, and it was just under $22 USD. When it hit customs (I got tracking info via email as it traveled), I did a live chat with UPS explaining I knew there was probably customs due and I wanted to pay if there were any fees. Live chat confirmed there were fees and they gave me the number for the UPS Brokerage Team so I could pay with card. I then called the Brokerage Team and paid the customs with a card. Total time, maybe 20 minutes.

Today the driver shows up, says the package is COD and asks for a check. My wife paid with a check (she was the one home at the time) and I had forgotten to tell her last night about already paying. So today I made another call to the Brokerage Team; they confirmed I had paid Tuesday, but an in-house email wasn't sent to my local office, so UPS will be issuing a credit check. Turnaround time for the check? Two weeks.

Pics to follow.

Tyrloch · Post by **Tyrloch** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 5:11 pm

If it's been mentioned before, then I missed it - does the Hero have gussets? And how much do I need to shorten the back (and sleeves) from my usual measurements? I'm growing tired of waiting for a G&B in my size to surface, so I'm thinking I may just order a Hero in goatskin...thanks guys.

~Jace

Mountaineer · Post by **Mountaineer** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 7:02 pm

If by gussets, you mean extra material under the arm in the pit area; yes, it has those.

I don't have anything but Hero patterns from Wested, so I can't help there.

However, having a Hero to compare made my mind up to order what would normally be considered a too short jacket. I don't feel it's too short.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:02 pm

Texan Scott wrote:...for 10 seconds!

Dark N/P is a great hide for a Raiders jacket. What I like about it most is the color. As a Raiders jacket, it could be a tad thinner and not quite as heavy (for a RoLA). Other than that, it is a formidable choice.

STILL in love with it! Also still love the thin cowhide. The former is the perfect generic Indy/adventure jacket, while the latter is an (almost - there is no) perfect Raiders jacket.

Unfortunately, it's been too bloody hot here to wear any kind of jacket for past couple of weeks!!!

Gorak · Post by **Gorak** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 3:00 pm

WESTED HERO IN SHURUNKEN LAMB!
An AMAZING leather I have to say! In person, it appeared very grainy and my first thought was that it was that Veg Tanned in heavy grain. It was very soft and lightweight. It wasn`t until I began to photograph it that I was absolutely sure it was their fabled Shrunken Lamb.
Color wise? It is exactly the same as my Relic Hunter.
Softness? Same as Relic Hunter
Weight? Same as the Relic Hunter
The only difference aside from the obvious individual vender productions is that Hero is very grainy looking in the hand. I do not mean to compare the two specifically but my Relic Hunter is the only jacket in my collection that this particular Hero measures up to. But the best part was when I put it in the washing machine and ran it for half a cycle under Cold/ Delicate. Then took it out dripping wet and hung it(sleeves spread) on the fence outside in the sun. After awhile I then wrung it out and wore it a while, then layed it flat on the concrete in the sun. It as it was nearing complete dryness, it felt as if it was starting to stiffen up. I planned on getting some leather conditioner on it but wore it the rest of the evening and by nightfall, it was as soft as it was when it arrived.
The edges were crumbling a bit but I just flattened and stretched them by hand. The only part that it giving me a little problem is the pockets but I am gently working on them and they are responding well.
The really interesting part is that some areas are beggining to smooth out and, even from the beggining, you could see how, in pictures and on film, it appears smooth in some parts. I will let the pictures speak for themselves so without further ado......
Here it is before the wash.....in the bottom left hand pic is my Relic Hunter
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h304/ ... x0uizz.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also notice how in different pics the color changes from light to dark....just like the RH.

Here are pure sunlight pics taken after the wash and wear with some action shots so you can see how fluid the jacket moves....

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h304/ ... aebqa3.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h304/ ... xgyqmf.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h304/ ... 0y93yu.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h304/ ... adsppg.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is truly a leather to experience if you are searching for a screen accurate look. Even if you just borrow someones to look at, I think you will be convinced. And I think it is only going to get better in the coming day. I am going to hit it with some sandpaper tomorrow and will post results. I was going to wait until then to show you guys but I was so smitten with today pictures that I just had to share.

Indiego Jones · Post by **Indiego Jones** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 3:17 pm

Congrats! Excelent leather choice by WESTED!

moses · Post by **moses** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 5:24 pm

To my eyes it's not the Raiders colour. I know behind the scenes pics show a lighter brown, but to me the jacket in the movie is dark - which is what i associate with Raiders. That jacket looks very nice, but it doesn't say Raiders to me.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 5:42 pm

In the outside scenes, the Raiders Hero looked virtually black. I thought it was black for several years after its release. In some of the studio shots, though, basically it appears authentic brown.

Gorak's and my jacket photos look kinda' rusty brown, but I tell you, this is about the best leather I have ever received from Wested, and there have been some VERY good choices over the years.

When I first received it, I kept thinking...where have I seen this type of leather before? It is very soft, but has some heft to it, in between their db lamb and a novapelle. The jacket leather that most resembled it was on a Ralph Lauren/Polo leather windbreaker. The fact that it is veg tanned gives it a more natural, earthy tone, ie gives it life.

Gorak · Post by **Gorak** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 6:11 pm

I actually had some pics where it appeared black but then when I chose to post , I wanted to focus on the texture of this particular leather. And in the darker shades, the detail doesn't display. I like that it matches the behind the scenes jacket more as when that jacket is filmed on the particular filming they did, it would appear dark brown, black and even red ( raven bar) under those conditions. I have always said and stood by the belief that until we have the true hero jacket in hand, it will always be subjective to what each of us sees on screen and how we interpret it. I, for one, think that this is the absolute closest to the real deal that Wested has ever offered.

Obi Sean Kenobi · Post by **Obi Sean Kenobi** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:17 pm

Hands down BEST wested hero I've seen.

Beautiful jacket.

The other shrunken lambs I've seen have an inconsistent color throughout that I've found "off". Yours seems to have a very consistent color throughout.

I'm curious about your post - you seem uncertain that it's actually shrunken lamb. How'd you come by the jacket?

Again, great jacket.

Regards,
Sean

rickraptor · Post by **rickraptor** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:48 am

Is really the jacket pictured here: http://s67.photobucket.com/user/kokoros ... z.jpg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The same one pictured here: http://s67.photobucket.com/user/kokoros ... f.jpg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

????

The color is rather quite different. Were those pictures taken at different times of day or with different cameras?

Gorak · Post by **Gorak** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:04 am

Yes, that is the same jacket! The only different one in in the lower left hand corner, that one is my Relic Hunter just for color comparison. The darker one was taken mid afternoon when the sun was overhead. The others were taken early morning with the sun on the horizon.
I was saving up to get a newer Relic Hunter as I was curious about the new lamb being even thinner than the original one I have. But I had some financial setbacks and it was just getting longer and longer to save up those kinds of funds. So, I was always curious about Wested Shrunken Lamb so I caved in and got one. I was a little worried as I read the Hero thread over and over and was worried about the different types if skins of shrunken lamb that were coming out of Wested but it looked to me like they were looking and trying and the last few had good reviews so I decided to give it a go as I do like me a Wested jacket. But from the pics I had seen, I didn't realize it had so much grain and that was what threw me off in the begginjng just as I opened the box. Once I felt how soft it was and layer it next to my Relic Hunter, I knew I was in.good company!

_Zoltar_ · Post by **_Zoltar_** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:31 am

Gorak wrote:WESTED HERO IN SHURUNKEN LAMB!
An AMAZING leather I have to say! In person, it appeared very grainy and my first thought was that it was that Veg Tanned in heavy grain. It was very soft and lightweight. It wasn`t until I began to photograph it that I was absolutely sure it was their fabled Shrunken Lamb.

Hi there Gorak, great looking jacket!

Could you post the size you ordered chest/back/arm and your height/normal jacket size?

Thanks!

Gorak · Post by **Gorak** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:21 pm

Ordered a size 40. I usually wear a size 38 but I have a 40 that I bought from Wested clearance and with the new weight I put on, it seemed like a better fit.
Arm length was 24.5 , back was 24. and that`s all. Standard order form. All cotton lining. Sent the obligatory email afew days later asking kindly that if it was ay all possible, that they use the most thinnest skins available. Reply was that the current Shrunken lamb they were using was very thin and very breathable but that they would still try to get the thinnest for my order!

_Zoltar_ · Post by **_Zoltar_** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 2:57 pm

Gorak wrote:Ordered a size 40. I usually wear a size 38 but I have a 40 that I bought from Wested clearance and with the new weight I put on, it seemed like a better fit.
Arm length was 24.5 , back was 24. and that`s all.

Thank you for the reply! Earlier this week I ordered the SL Hero in 42 with back length 24 and arms 24.5... It was an educated guess after reading everything I could find here at COW... Please tell me you are somewhere close to 6 feet tall

Gorak · Post by **Gorak** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 5:00 pm

Haha.... 5'9 actually...
But remember, a big portion of it is how wide, short, long or thin your torso is!

_Zoltar_ · Post by **_Zoltar_** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 5:08 pm

Gorak wrote:Haha.... 5'9 actually...
But remember, a big portion of it is how wide, short, long or thin your torso is!

oh, man. I think I just threw away 25% of my jacket fund... Your jacket length fits exactly how I wanted mine to fit, but I'm 3 inches taller. I'll hold out hope that perhaps it will all work out. Thanks for the info!

rickraptor · Post by **rickraptor** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 5:57 pm

Gorak wrote:Yes, that is the same jacket! The only different one in in the lower left hand corner, that one is my Relic Hunter just for color comparison. The darker one was taken mid afternoon when the sun was overhead. The others were taken early morning with the sun on the horizon.

That's impressive: how different lights can affect the color of the jackets

Do you happen to own any jacket in authentic brown lambskin to see how does it compare under different light conditions to the Shrunken Lamb?

Thank you

rayman · Post by **rayman** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 10:49 pm

Gorak wrote:Yes, that is the same jacket! The only different one in in the lower left hand corner, that one is my Relic Hunter just for color comparison. The darker one was taken mid afternoon when the sun was overhead. The others were taken early morning with the sun on the horizon.
I was saving up to get a newer Relic Hunter as I was curious about the new lamb being even thinner than the original one I have. But I had some financial setbacks and it was just getting longer and longer to save up those kinds of funds. So, I was always curious about Wested Shrunken Lamb so I caved in and got one. I was a little worried as I read the Hero thread over and over and was worried about the different types if skins of shrunken lamb that were coming out of Wested but it looked to me like they were looking and trying and the last few had good reviews so I decided to give it a go as I do like me a Wested jacket. But from the pics I had seen, I didn't realize it had so much grain and that was what threw me off in the begginjng just as I opened the box. Once I felt how soft it was and layer it next to my Relic Hunter, I knew I was in.good company!

I have the exact same shrunken lamb hero from Wested and it is sized correctly for me, but my only complain with the jacket is the over-sized collar, which does not seem screen accurate to Raiders. From all the Wested pictures on this site, including your own, it seems like it is common among the Heroes. The collar is so large and floppy that it almost bounces when you walk, like elephant ears, and can catch the wind.

Is there a method for stressing/wearing/rolling the Hero collar in a certain way to get it to be less oversized and floppy? The shrunken lamb is so lightweight that the collar isnt weighed-down by its own thickness like most leather jacket collars.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sat Sep 27, 2014 11:23 am

Several years ago, Peter made a couple of posts that detailed exactly how the leather was sourced and tanned for Raiders, and I am just wondering if someone over there could possibly: 1. source this leather 2. reproduce the technique? Just wondering out loud in terms of a suggestion? If so, I think we could all say that we can safely stop there, as it would be the closest repro method ever attempted. Once the leather was sourced and tanned, then it really comes down to the details. The posts:

We always wondered why we never could get the same type of texture from any other leather source, past or present? Here are the reason(s):

PETER wrote:LETS BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS.
I MADE THE ORIGINAL RAIDERS JACKETS. I BOUGHT THE SKINS AS NEW ZEALAND LAMB IN CRUST FROM JIM HUME (FELLMONGERS) IN SCOTLAND. I SENT THE SKINS TO MR JEFF CLARK OF TURN LEATHERS TANNERY AT TODMORDEN IN YORKSHIRE. THEY CONTRACT TANNED THE SKIN TO MY SPECIFICATION WHICH WAS A WORN LOOK FINISH.
THE RIB MARKS ,TICK MARKS AND MACHINE SKINNING STRETCH MARKS ARE TYPICAL OF NEWZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN SKINS AND WERE ALL PUT INTO THE JACKETS TO ADD CHARACTOR WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE.
IT WAS NOT SHRUNKEN LAMB. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF SHRUNKEN LAMB UNTIL RECENTLY AND JEF CLARKE IN 1980 WOULD HAVE SCRATCHED HIS HEAD AS HE ONLY TANNED IN THE TRADIONAL WAY OF PEGGING OUT TO DRY NATURALLY WHICH PRODUCED A FIRM SKIN TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO MODERN TANNING SYSYTEMS WHICH CAN CREATE BEAUTIFUL VARIATIES YOU CAN GET NOW.
I DONT USUALLY QUOTE NAMES BUT FACTS ARE FACTS.
CHEERS
PETER

PETER wrote:I know l dont usually but it seemed the thing to do and stop all the speculation.
The crust cost about $1 a foot and 50c per foot to contract tan. total $1.50
in those days. About 75p in English.
Modern tanning systems cannot make leather like that, it was tanned in vast wooden drums and then pegged out on wooden frames to dry naturally before pigmentation and pressing but a jacket made from it could stand in a corner by itself. which is why the film jackets were put into old tumble dryers with no heat and a few large pebbles to soften and rough up a bit.
I have been experimenting to recreate the effect and the washed lamb is close but still too soft. Itailians only know soft.We are getting there though
Sorry, Michaelson. my manners are terrible 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' to you and all.
Cheers
Peter

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sat Sep 27, 2014 11:26 am

It may be a pipe dream, but it would be nice to have a special run of Raiders jackets, for one final run at it....

Peter has said over and over that it was not shrunken lamb, and in truth, SL does not look like it, in terms of texture, or surface appearance. About the only similarity is that it was veg tanned. It's something closer to what BK, Diego and even Todd's has been sourcing for the past few years, but as Peter stated, was tanned in the rough, and the technique was much different, more hands on, than modern day methods, as he amply put.

As he described, it must have been really stiff, after it was pegged out to dry, and not super-soft, like Italian leather. Cow leather is initially stiff like that, but breaks in fast and becomes very soft. I go back to it, but if you look at the still of his cuff in Raiders, when he is looking at the map, it has that really crusty look.

Frederick · Post by **Frederick** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 9:18 pm

Urgent Help!

Hy guys, I'm on the verge of ordering my first Wested Hero but am a bit nervous about sizes even though I have consulted the team there.

I am 5'6", 160lbs (73kgs) and have a measured chest of 39" and a sleeve of 23".

I am thinking of putting in an order with the following measurements:

Sleeve: 23" Shortest sleeve they offer
Back: 23.5" (At first I thought 25" but Wested said to remember the jacket falls longer)
Size: 38" (I've tried a 38 jacket and it suits me well + Wested says the HEro is a looser fit than their raiders)

Is there anyone out there with a similar size to me that can comment, any other tips?

Thanks a lot!

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 12:26 am

Nice looking jacket. I have 4 Wested Indy jackets but at 6 feet 4 inches and 240 pounds, I think the Hero is just nice to look at........

CM · Post by CM » Wed Dec 31, 2014 1:33 am

Glenville86 wrote:Nice looking jacket. I have 4 Wested Indy jackets but at 6 feet 4 inches and 240 pounds, I think the Hero is just nice to look at........

Not sure I follow - surely they can make a hero in your size. Or do you mean you already have four and it's time to stop?

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 4:18 am

CM wrote:
Glenville86 wrote:Nice looking jacket. I have 4 Wested Indy jackets but at 6 feet 4 inches and 240 pounds, I think the Hero is just nice to look at........
Not sure I follow - surely they can make a hero in your size. Or do you mean you already have four and it's time to stop?

A little of both. I have 2-Wested Raiders jackets. One from before the current standard model and one of the current standard models. The older jacket fits everywhere but the armholes are snug. Can only wear a thin shirt with it. The later standard model fits fine. Both are 48. I am not overweight but pretty thick in the upper body. My concern is the Hero would be a slimmer fit and I would have to custom anyway for the length.

Canuck Digger · Post by **Canuck Digger** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 12:57 pm

I'm 6'4" too and my hero fits fine.

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 1:57 pm

Canuck Digger wrote:I'm 6'4" too and my hero fits fine.

Good to know.

Forrest For the Trees · Wed Dec 31, 2014 7:24 pm

I really think a Last Crusade/Crystal Skull jacket is a better choice for those with a broad chest. Bigger arm holes and wider yoke seem to look more natural on the larger sizes, while the narrow sleeves and yoke of the Raiders hero seems a better fit for those with slender builds. Just my opinion.

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 2:10 am

The Hero Jacket does look good.

I have a few Wested Jackets in my normal outerwear coat size and a few US Wings Indy in 2XL. The US Wings have a better fit for me in the upper body. I actually ordered a US Wings Adventurer Jacket awhile back in black goat in a 2xl long that I gave to a co-worker. It fit me like a tight body suit in the upper body.

My friend wears a medium long and it fit him great.

My Wested jackets fit but just fit differently than the USW and WPG I have. I like the length of the body and sleeves in the Wested I have. Next up is a Indy G&B.

Harrison_Davies · Post by **Harrison_Davies** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:55 am

My Wested Raiders Goat Hero arrived today.

23" sleeve (My arm is actually 24" to first knuckle of thumb), 24" back (My back is actually 25"), 44" chest. Cut run's approx. one inch long, hence shortened sleeve and back.

Amazing cut and feel. The leather almost looks black in some lights and this is the authentic brown.

How different to the eight year old Wested below.

Couple of snaps.

Harrison

donovan · Post by **donovan** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 2:50 pm

congrats on a great looking jacket - those side straps look a bit long, is that length of strap standard on the hero ? that dark goat looks a good choice for the raiders jacket colour.

Harrison_Davies · Post by **Harrison_Davies** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:14 pm

donovan wrote:congrats on a great looking jacket - those side straps look a bit long, is that length of strap standard on the hero ? that dark goat looks a good choice for the raiders jacket colour.

I believe the length of the strap is standard. I thought it was authentic brown goat. It is considerably darker than the authentic brown lamb I purchased 8 years ago.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:54 pm

That's a great looking older Wested. Looks like a keeper.

Harrison_Davies · Post by **Harrison_Davies** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:58 pm

Texan Scott wrote:That's a great looking older Wested. Looks like a keeper.

If only I could fit into it. I've grown some four inches in the chest since then.

I've donated it to the mother in law.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:15 pm

I like the colour and the slight grain on that goat... I may have to investigate!

Leigh · Post by **Leigh** » Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:19 am

Hi all,

I hope this is the right place to make a post like this. Unfortunately, some rather sad circumstances have led to me coming here, as I'll explain shortly, but it does mean I'm interested in getting one of these jackets. Seven years ago, for my twenty first birthday, my mother decided (since I was an obsessive Indiana Jones and always dressed in vaguely 'Indyish' clothes, including a huge range of brown jackets), to buy me a replica of his 'real' jacket. We ended up going to visit the Wested barn and having a weekend in Kent, and I bought a horsehide jacket, which I loved, and have worn almost daily (when it's not too warm anyway) for the last seven years. I know horsehide is a totally non-SA hide for this jacket, but I wasn't really costuming, I wanted a practical jacket, and it's done me well all this time.

That jacket is still fine (although the lining is trashed thanks to my habit to overstuff the pockets), but sadly things have become rather tragic for my mother. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer back in December, and hasn't been given long to live. Spending a lot of time with her (and with my birthday coming up), she often talks about how that weekend away to Kent was one of the happiest of her life, how excited I was, what a nice time we had, and since it's highly likely to be my last birthday with her, she very much wants to buy me another Indy jacket. Sadly, she's in no condition to travel, so this time I'll be looking at an online order, but obviously I'd always love another jacket, and it's a very touching idea, and I know it'll be something I'd treasure.

Looking on Wested's website, it seems things have moved along a bit in seven years, and they now offer the 'Hero' jacket, the subject of this thread. It's something I'm interested in, as having a lighter jacket would actually suit me anyway (meaning I could wear both at different times of the year), and I'd probably be looking at the shrunken lambskin, as that seems the best option. But I was wondering if people could offer opinions/answer a few questions for me, please?

Obviously, I look at wearing this as a day to day garment, not as a costume piece, so I'm not overly bothered about screen accuracy, but at the same time, if you're going to go for an Indy jacket, it's nice to get one that's as accurate as possible. I'm assuming though for the price (and living in England) Wested is still the best option around? I also notice that you need to provide your arm measurements and back measurements. Does anybody have any advice on how to do this? Do you measure your own body, or would I be better off measuring my old jacket's sleeve length/back length? (My old jacket is a custom, but not made for me, by coincidence it was one that had been sent back and actually fitted me absolutely perfectly when I visited). I notice a few posts about maybe adjusting your sleeve length request in this thread (I have to confess, I haven't read the whole thing). And is the shrunken lamb skin a good option? I like the look of it on the site, and I like leather that naturally distresses (the only real thing I never really liked about my horsehide is that it's nearly bullet proof, after seven years, its wrinkled but still looks reasonably new, apart from the odd mark I've given it through natural clumsiness and some wear on the back), and I want something light that I can wear during warmer months, but I'm worried about it being fragile. For obvious reasons, I want this to be something I treasure for a very long time, not something that will tear too easily.

Does anybody have any advice they can offer me? Thanks for any out there

. And apologies if this is the wrong place to post this.

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:50 am

I'm very sorry to hear of your challenges and wish your Mother all the best possible. Regarding the Hero questions, in my experience the back length of the hero should be adjusted 1.5 to 2 inches shorter than your horsehide jacket, and the sleeves about an inch shorter. The Hero drapes lower at the neck and the shoulders are a bit wider and droop down making the sleeves hang longer.

Leigh · Post by **Leigh** » Sun Jan 04, 2015 2:23 pm

Thank you for the prompt response, and kind words.

So it's best to measure the length of the existing jacket and adjust, rather than measure my own proportions? Thanks again for the help.

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Sun Jan 04, 2015 5:14 pm

Well, assuming your horsehide Wested fits well, these are the main considerations with the Hero version. As for the hide, the shrunken lamb is nice, but it won't be as durable as your horsehide. A nice compromise might be goatskin.

Forrest For the Trees · Sun Jan 04, 2015 5:42 pm

Sorry to hear of your mother's illness. Yes, Tibor's advice is spot on. Measure your existing jacket and adjust from there.

The hero pattern fits differently. Take up to two inches off the back length (bottom of collar stand to bottom hem) and take one inch off of the sleeve length.

As to leather, you already have horse hide, so get something different for variety. THE Indy jacket is lamb, so why not, right? Otherwise, goat or soft cowhide are both durable options.

Also, request shorter straps. Not sure why Wested's making them so long on the Hero jacket.