Wested Raiders advice

[IndyRich]

Hi all. Been a long time since I owned an Indy Jacket, so have just taken the plunge and purchased a custom Raiders in Horse from Wested. I normally go for The LC model, but fancied a change this time.

Specs
Standard custom raiders (not hero)
Horse
Chest 46”
Sleeve 26.25
Back 27.25

Additional measurements
Height:- 6ft
Waist:- 38"
Collar:- 16.5

Special requests
Silver zip

Still have apprehensions about the length, and am tempted to change to a 27.5. What do you guys think?? (Measurements are diving me crazy!!) anyone of a similar build please advise, and post pictures for reference

[Canasta]

Well, I'm 6'1" with a 36 waist and I have a 25" back, with 26.5" sleeves
27.5" seems really long.

C

[CM]

This kind of depends what look you are going for. There are a lot of folk here who wear the jacket on the long side. I am 6ft 1 and mine is 25.5 inches. I believe Harrison Ford, who is the same height, wore his Raiders jacket at around 24 inches. It's "not a long jacket" as Peter Botwright once told me.

For those with bit of a weight issue out front then you may need a longer jacket so it will sit more naturally. There are a range of variables here.

[IndyRich]

Here’s my dilemma.

A Wested that a purchased a while back. 44” chest, and a 27” back. It was too small in the chest as should of ordered a 46 at the time.



Looks way too short when comparing to this screen grab

[Tibor]

That’s more to do with cut, I think. The jacket on Harrison is unzipped with the collar close to the back of his neck. That artificially drops the front at the zipper down. If it were zipped up it would appear a good bit shorter on him. All that said, I agree you need a larger jacket to provide that additional front leather to drape.

Also, I think the Imam jacket is the largest overall of the jackets used on screen

[IndyRich]

Thanks Guys, your opinion is greatly appreciated. Found a couple of pics of a 46" LC Off The Rack in Lamb that I owned about 4 years ago. Question, dose this look too long? Think the first pic looks okish, but the second, not too sure

Brand New


After some Distressing

[indy1936]

I have similar measurements. I owned a Wested Raiders with measurements:

Chest 46”
Sleeve 26.75
Back 27.50

I am 6'1" and these were fine. I could have gone a little longer or a little shorter. All in the preference.

[xmasters]

Looks way too short when comparing to this screen grab

Well firstly his trouser/pants are pulled up higher. (you actually see him pulling them up in the scene.) Also the jacket is hanging low at the front, not the back. This is a quirk of the Hero jacket, not the standard Raiders jacket, which is a more conventional jacket. Hope that helps.

My advice to anybody getting a jacket is don't just look at one picture. Get the movie out and watch the scene to which the picture pertains.

[CM]

Yep - there are also photos that show the jacket as looking short. But yes, higher pants, posture and camera angle can make a jacket look all kinds of things.

Another problem with jacket sizing is that Harrison is about 175 pounds in the film and the fit of the jacket is very much the product of his build not easy for everyone to replicate.

I think your second photo looks ok but it is on the longer side, if the size is ok a 26 inch back would be better IMO.

[IndyRich]

Ok, so the jacket was delivered today, and have to say that it's a really poor fit, think the back panel that is causing it to look over sized. Ordered a 46 this fits more like a 48+ chest. Pit to pit measurements is 26" (wish I'd ordered a 44 now, not my normal size, but would have fit better)

Going to email wested and ask for advice, as can't wear it as is (I know it needs time to bed in, but anymore gape on those side pleats and I'd take off in a light breeze ). Screams to me that the solders/back panel are waaay too big. I did request under arm gussets, would this make the pleat gape?

Here are some pics for reference.

Back unzipped



Back Zipped (With Side tabs pulled in, as bottom of jacket bellows out at the front)



Side unzipped



Side Zipped



Arm Raised un zipped

[Forrest For the Trees]

Eek. Sorry to see that. Yeah, a 46 standard Wested should have a pit-to-pit measurement of 25 inches. Doubled, that makes 50 inches, which would be 46 + 4 inches of extra wiggle room. What is your actual chest measurement?

[IndyRich]

Eek. Sorry to see that. Yeah, a 46 standard Wested should have a pit-to-pit measurement of 25 inches. Doubled, that makes 50 inches, which would be 46 + 4 inches of extra wiggle room. What is your actual chest measurement?

I normally measure around 46.5”. Glad I didn’t go for a 48”.

Wested thinks that the over sized feel of the back it due to the horse leather, and have asked for measurements. I tend to parcially agree, horse is naturally stiff, but to my eyes, the shoulders/back panel seem to be a little over sized. Where as the front dosn’t look too bad

[xmasters]

The first picture of the back looks a bit roomy but the side and front look ok. Jacket has to break in to look more natural of course.

How is the weight and thickness of the horsehide?

[IndyRich]

How is the weight and thickness of the horsehide?

It makes lamb feel like paper in comparason, strong solid hide, but not that much thicker (cross section) than lamb. Heavy to lift/carry, but not noticeable when wearing. The good point is this will literally last for decades, the only down side that I can see is due to it being a heavy duty hide, it’s a little too stiff for an indy jacket, I know that mine is new, but makes me wonder how the side pleats will sit after some wear.

In my honest opinion, really amazing strong leather, but wrong for an indy jacket of my size. Should have gone for goat

[IndyRich]

Have had an update from wested. They have said that their jackets have a 6 inch body to jacket tolerance, and that the gussets have added additional material around chest and back panel yoke area. They have advised that I re order asking for either a smaller shoulder of to go a chest size down. Bummer.

[xmasters]

Good to know. I'm sure it will break in and feel much better. Am tempted by the Horsehide for a jacket.

[IndyRich]

Good to know. I'm sure it will break in and feel much better. Am tempted by the Horsehide for a jacket.

Want to buy this one?

Little cheesed with westeds sizing. The site advises to order your exact chest size. Heck going off there pit to pit measurements I could most probably go down to a 42 and it would still fit.

[xmasters]

Have had an update from wested. They have said that their jackets have a 6 inch body to jacket tolerance, and that the gussets have added additional material around chest and back panel yoke area. They have advised that I re order asking for either a smaller shoulder of to go a chest size down. Bummer.

What does a body to jacket tolerance mean exactly? I suppose I could understand the gussets making more room. I remember ordering a custom Raiders in size 42" in 2016 with gussets and I recall thinking why does this feel so large in the shoulder area. I sold the jacket but regret it as I really needed a layering up jacket recently.


Their current standard Raiders pattern does have a broader boxey shoulder design compared to the Hero version of the jacket which hangs off the shoulders more severely than the Last Crusade jacket.

[IndyRich]

What does a body to jacket tolerance mean exactly? I suppose I could understand the gussets making more room. I remember ordering a custom Raiders in size 42" in 2016 with gussets and I recall thinking why does this feel so large in the shoulder area. I sold the jacket but regret it as I really needed a layering up jacket recently.


Their current standard Raiders pattern does have a broader boxey shoulder design compared to the Hero version of the jacket which hangs off the shoulders more severely than the Last Crusade jacket.

I think it's their way of politely saying "we cut em larger for bigger blokes"
Just wish they had some info on the site to say how much extra room a gusset adds to the over all size of the jacket, as looking at there sizing chart, and comparing measurements to another jacket that fits, the current Raiders is over sized to begin with.

I am tempted to have it remade to a LC, I've owned a number of these in the past and the cut seems a little more forgiving, and closer to what I would normally buy in the high street.

[Kt Templar]

The new one is too big for you, it's definitely too wide in the shoulders. The underarm gussets won't affect that.

Get a jacket that fits you the way you like and check the pit to pit and the shoulder measurement. I'm guessing that the new jacket is a good couple of inches too wide.

[Forrest For the Trees]

6 inches? That's news to me. I've had two Westeds, both had 4 inches of extra room. The 6 inch thing is baloney. Who would want that much extra room? I think they are just trying to avoid accepting your jacket as a return.

[Jeremiah]

So glad I went with Steele and jones.

[xmasters]

So glad I went with Steele and jones.

You haven't received the jacket yet, let's hope you haven't jinxed it.

[IndyRich]

6 inches? That's news to me. I've had two Westeds, both had 4 inches of extra room. The 6 inch thing is baloney. Who would want that much extra room? I think they are just trying to avoid accepting your jacket as a return.

Feelings mutual. They’ve basically turned around and said “yes it’s too big, but we’ve made it to your specifications, so not our fault”. Kind of annoyed as they have actuay admitted that the shoulder is too big, yet it’s wested who determin the shoulder size.

The shoulder is not an essential measurement as it is usually defined by what chest size you chose. Sometimes we will not take your shoulder or we will round it up

Dissapointing, but they aren’t going to accept it back without me forking out. But thats a moot pount now, as westeds current raiders is oversized, a 46 is actually more like a 52, sooo will need to cough up anyway to have a smaller chest size. Should have stuck with an LC

[xmasters]

What's the jacket backlength? Is it accurate to what you ordered?

[IndyRich]

What's the jacket backlength? Is it accurate to what you ordered?

Back length 27.25
Sleeve 26.25
There measurements are spot on to what I requested.

Now then, this is where it’s really annoying me. wested’s site says order YOUR chest size, which i did, measured my chest and came out as about 47”. Knowing that wested do upsize I ordered a 46 from the drop down, now I have a massively oversized jacket. After speaking to wested they have advised me to measure a different jacket that fits me, and match the closest pit to pit size on their sizing guide. This kind of contradicts their measuring guide which says

Measurement 1: The Chest
We are no longer accepting armpit to armpit measurements from a jacket. We would ask you to either take your chest size as above (in the measuring from a person section) or simply use the labelled size inside the jacket.

This is why I ordered a 46 from the drop down and not a 44, #### i could most probable fit into a 42. Frustrating!!!

[Jeremiah]

So glad I went with Steele and jones.

You haven't received the jacket yet, let's hope you haven't jinxed it.

I don’t roll that way. Ha.

I have one of their jackets. A raiders. I was meaning more the quality and overall customer care.

[xmasters]

I don’t roll that way. Ha.

I have one their jackets. A raiders. I was meaning more the quality and overall customer care.

Of course, but you're paying double the price for that, I wouldn't expect anything less.

Just to balance things out I received a wested jacket the week before last and it was exactly what I ordered. If it went wrong I might have to front a return fee and pay for a remake, I'm still paying less than some other vendors for a jacket.

[Jeremiah]

True.

[xmasters]

What's the jacket backlength? Is it accurate to what you ordered?

Back length 27.25
Sleeve 26.25
There measurements are spot on to what I requested.

Now then, this is where it’s really annoying me. wested’s site says order YOUR chest size, which i did, measured my chest and came out as about 47”. Knowing that wested do upsize I ordered a 46 from the drop down, now I have a massively oversized jacket. After speaking to wested they have advised me to measure a different jacket that fits me, and match the closest pit to pit size on their sizing guide. This kind of contradicts their measuring guide which says

Measurement 1: The Chest
We are no longer accepting armpit to armpit measurements from a jacket. We would ask you to either take your chest size as above (in the measuring from a person section) or simply use the labelled size inside the jacket.

This is why I ordered a 46 from the drop down and not a 44, #### i could most probable fit into a 42. Frustrating!!!

You can also ask them to make a custom jacket in stock sizing. Like, can you make me a stock size 42 in this skin, with a silver zip. For example.

[IndyRich]

You can also ask them to make a custom jacket in stock sizing. Like, can you make me a stock size 42 in this skin, with a silver zip. For example.

I know, but off the rack is too short in the arm for me, so have to order custom. Besides even if i’d have ordered a 46 off the rack, I would still have an over sized jacket, as they use the same base cutting templates, so a 46 would still have a 52” chest.

[xmasters]

I don't think the pit to pit measurement even if it is an inch bigger than it should be is causing the problem, because it looks ok from the front.



You can see the big V shape on the behind pictures is because of the excess panel material. I don't know if too much has been used or if it's Horsehide is very thick.

[IndyRich]

I don't think the pit to pit measurement even if it is an inch bigger than it should be is causing the problem, because it looks ok from the front.



You can see the big V shape on the behind pictures is because of the excess panel material. I don't know if too much has been used or if it's Horsehide is very thick.

I think it’s a combination of the both to be honest, not worth breaking it in to find out. Also not worth arguing the tos with wested, will just have to take the hit and get it remade in a smaller size.

[Metallicuda]

Super old thread but I’m reviving it because I’m curious what happened with the jacket Indyrich? Did you keep it? Sell it? Send it back?