advice for my first Wested

[last]

hey fellas. GREAT forum you've got here. love how obsessive everyone is with all the details and SA, as i'm a very particular person and really get into minutia with all my interests. i've really enjoyed reading though the countless amounts of information here.

that being said, i'm looking to get a Wested jacket with SA not being quite at the top of my priority list. i'm looking for comfort with a great range of arm-movement. i'm a pretty slim guy with somewhat broad shoulders and a bit of muscle in my arms. not looking to Chris Farley the thing. i also need a jacket i don't have to worry about ripping or tearing or falling apart with a fair amount of abuse (which seems lambskin may). out of the leather jackets i currently own, my Cooper goat A-2 is the one that fits the bill best for me.

i honestly love all the jackets (Raiders, TOD, LC), so i'm very open to opinions on the different fits. as far as SA, the more the merrier, but i really just want a jacket that has THE look and i think leather choice is a big part of that, especially color-wise. i wouldn't be distressing it . . . only naturally as it wears with me, but i'd be fine with it coming pre-distressed or not. any and all advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated.

i'll leave you with a photo (because hey, we all love photos) of the type of thing i plan on doing while wearing this jacket. obviously, i'm wearing a pair of Aldens.

[Texan Scott]

For fit, Id recommend the RoLA pattern. You would need to provide specs and actual measurements with a good tape. Soun. ds like you may be looking for a slinder fit with slim arms. There is nothing like a jacket that fits properly. If you just wear a jacket, even lamb would be fine. You would need to hone it down to a leather you most prefer.

[Charybdis]

I have to recommend the Wested ROLA in goat. Great leather, moves great, has some heft but not too heavy and will last. Nice darkish brown leather too, goes great with any hat...

[Forrest For the Trees]

Yeah, I'd say custom Raiders instead of the Hero jacket. Personally, if I wanted to make an all purpose Raiders jacket, unconcerned about SA, I'd request no leather facings (unnecessary), brass D-rings with simple box stitch, stick with the standard 8 gauge brass zipper, and maybe try out their brown horsehide. Seems like a good, tough leather that would be fun to beat up a bit. One inside pocket, as the jacket already has plenty. Also, I'd request that Wested NOT include their "Raiders Jackets by Peter Botwright, original patterns" signage inside the jacket. It's just distracting, and was something that Tony Nowak did that I thought looked kind of silly. Have fun!

[last]

I'm actually a bit surprised by the Raiders suggestions. from what I had read, I would have assumed the LC/CS was a more comfortable fit. (that's why I asked the experts!) i was planning on the custom fit, as I'm only 5'6" and based on my other jackets, I know about where I want my measurements. I had thought goat, since I like the feel of mine and it is tough. it really does go with other browns well too. wouldn't lamb be too soft for beating around in? I'd hate to damage the jacket. and is the horse stiff? I have some cow jackets that are stiff after years and others that are very soft. the only thing I don't love about goat is the fact it pretty much never distresses. but I can live with that.

what exactly are leather facings? the leather on the inside pockets? are gussets a plus? not sure what their purpose serves.

thanks for the replies thus far!

[Texan Scott]

For moving around in it, RoLA, would give you a good range of motion, and be comfortable. Gussets are recommended. Mention that you want a slimmer sleeve opening and you might want to give actual bicep and forearm measurements. Leather facings appear on the inside of the jacket, about 2-3 inches outlining the zipper. Not recommended for SA.

[Forrest For the Trees]

As to the LC/CS jacket, I like it too. A bit easier fitting, and the bottom snap on the storm flap is quite functional. The dark brown or copper novapelle (cowhide) is a good leather for that, very much like the jacket in CS.

Leather facings are the strips of leather on the inside of the jacket that border the zipper, which give the jacket more structure and prevent the lining from getting caught in the zipper. I have jackets with and without leather facings, and I greatly prefer those without. The facings kind of stiffen up the front of the jacket too much, in my opinion, and I have never had a problem with the lining getting caught in the zipper. I think the best way to prevent that is to make sure the lining is properly installed and not baggy.

[Arch Stanton]

Can I get some clarification as well as to why RotLA over Hero? Is it because of that strange forward shoulder tug people talk about in the Hero and how the shoulder seams hang lower? This impedes movement?

[CM]

Not having facing isn't just a Raiders thing. The famous A2 leather flight jacket doesn't have facings. The Indy is heavily based on an A2.

[Mountaineer]

Last,
If you're just getting into this Indy Jacket thing, I may have a couple of extra jackets I can let go to a new home. They're not all Wested-made, but they may be a good fit for you. I'm slightly taller, but they may fit you better than me. Prices would be very reasonable.

Drop me a PM if you'd like.

Last but no least, welcome to the funhouse.

[last]

Last,
If you're just getting into this Indy Jacket thing, I may have a couple of extra jackets I can let go to a new home. They're not all Wested-made, but they may be a good fit for you. I'm slightly taller, but they may fit you better than me. Prices would be very reasonable.

Drop me a PM if you'd like.

Last but no least, welcome to the funhouse.

thanks, really enjoying this place. not sure your jackets would fit me. i'm 5'6" and pretty particular about sleeve length. if there's one thing i hate, it's sleeves that are too long.

[Mountaineer]

I'm only a tick over 5'7" so I get where you're coming from with the sleeves. I never bought a Wested off the rack because they told me the back length was 26 or so inches when I emailed. For me, that was almost the length of a sports coat. So I passed. This was before the "Hero" was an option, and I couldn't afford a custom jacket.

I've never been happy giving sleeve measurements via the sleeve seam to cuff because that seems VERY subjective to me. A longer/shorter shoulder measurement/construction will cause two jackets with the same length of sleeve to hit the hand in very different places. I usually go from center back to cuff. It requires someone else to assist you, but I find it more accurate.

I've bought multiple jackets here because I like the different hides and makes, but I never cease to be amazed how different jackets all hit me about the same, no matter the maker.