Wested Lamb: 44 or 46?

[Rosenet]

Hello Indy Nation!

I live near Boston and when I bought my Wested in 2004 I decided to go goat to have a jacket that could stand up to New England winter. Its been a great jacket, but after 14 years (!) has barely distressed at all. Also, I now bike to work and in the winter I need a coat with a hood so I don't get as much use out my Wested. So I'm thinking of getting an OTR Raiders lamb to have a jacket I can wear more when its warm enough I don't need a hood or hat. I also like the sounds of the softer, thinner feel of the lamb and the fact that it weathers more quickly.

My question for the community: my goat is a custom size 46 but when I measured myself I get 44 inch chest. My goat does have some room in the chest but otherwise fits well. Do I size down for a nicely fitted jacket or stay with the 46 with some extra room?

Thanks!

[Blackadder]

I measure almost exactly 44 in chest , and as its mentioned , they leave extra room just in case. I can fit jumper underneath with no problem.

[pdraycott]

I would go for a 44. They allow for some room.

[xmasters]

The eternal debate, they do leave a little bit of room, but my advice now would be stay with the 46". If wearing a jacket a lot as an actual jacket I favour a relaxed fit, not always but most of the time, so I can layer and still be relaxed with it.

[pdraycott]

The eternal debate, they do leave a little bit of room, but my advice now would be stay with the 46". If wearing a jacket a lot as an actual jacket I favour a relaxed fit, not always but most of the time, so I can layer and still be relaxed with it.

I agree with you to a point. It’s all about personal preference ... one persons bit of room is another persons baggy fit.

[xmasters]

It depends which model of jacket you go with as well. The LC jacket has larger armholes so you can comfortably fit layering under it, not need to upsize. The Raiders Hero jacket, well, let's put it this way. I just purchased a size up for comfortable layering.

[bearbeast]

Well, I have LC in horsehide in size 46. I also measure 46 and I can fit a hoodie underneath, but not anything else. Or at least with the hoodie my movement is already restricted.

Cheers,
Bear

[indymassilia]

My size is a 44 for a standard Indy at Wested,but when i ordered a hero jacket it was like a 46,so for a hero i think it's better to choose a size down ,for me a size 42 was exactly a size 44,for the hero jacket only..

[Texan Scott]

this would appear to be a pov question. In the past, Wested has usually built in a tolerance of 4-5 inches (in the chest), to their jackets. The important measurement is actual chest. Next, do you want to layer or wear a sweater under? If you want something more form fitting, go with your true size, if you want a more relaxed fit or want to layer it, the size up may be a better option?

[Rosenet]

Thanks for the responses, folks. Seems like a split vote here, but based on the Wested FAQ and measurements on my custom Raiders goat, I decided to go 44. Arrives in 2 days so I'll report back and maybe take some photos to compare the two.

[C.A.K. Comedy Props]

Any updates? Been wanting to get a Raiders Wested for my birthday in August so I want to do as much research as possible. Also I like looking at stuff.

[Rosenet]

Got the Wested Authentic Lamb Raiders on Wednesday and its a beauty. I wanted a lighter jacket than my goat and that's exactly what lamb provides. Some people describe it as "thin" and like it would rip easily, but it feels plenty durable to me. From a sizing perspective, I'm very glad I ordered a 44 (my measurement) and not a 46. I have enough room for a light sweater, button down or t-#### and both the sleeve and should lengths are spot on. If you want to do warm water distressing (which can cause shrinkage it seems), want a looser fit or want room for a thick hoodie you should consider sizing up.

I've done two rounds of scotch brite and cold water to take the shine off, and I'm liking how that's looking. I'm not ready to go the alcohol/acetone route or even steel wool/sandpaper.

I promise that as soon as I get a weekend day with some sun I will do a photo shoot and share pics of the lamb vs. goat.

[Metallicuda]

I promise that as soon as I get a weekend day with some sun I will do a photo shoot and share pics of the lamb vs. goat.

I’d love to see this comparison. I’m currently debating between goat or lamb myself.

[Rosenet]

I promise that as soon as I get a weekend day with some sun I will do a photo shoot and share pics of the lamb vs. goat.

I’d love to see this comparison. I’m currently debating between goat or lamb myself.

If you can wait until maybe next weekend I can do a photo shoot. Current weather in New England is 40s and rainy.

Overall here are my impressions:

Goat: I've had my goat since the early 2000s and love it, but its very thick and not suitable for weather warmer than maybe the high 50s or 60s (though with a sweater its also wearable well into freezing temps). Despite its thickness the leather is very soft and supple. As people have mentioned, its very tough which means it resists wear and tear - mine has very little weathering though it has wrinkled nicely. It feels like what I'd think soft leather armor might feel like, and I bet it would provide pretty decent protection in a fall but not much against punctures.

Lamb: I've seen people describe the standard lamb as being thin, fragile and "like a windbreaker" and I completely disagree. I don't think it would hold up against a serious fall, but its help up to normal wear and tear (daily train commute, light yard work) just fine and I wouldn't call it at all fragile. I hit it with a scouring pad a couple of times which took the shine down nicely, and have done some light sanding with 320 fine sandpaper to give it some personality. I'm very happy I went ahead and got the lamb, and I think it looks and feels awesome.

Sizing: My chest measures 44 and my goat is a 46 and my lamb a 44. The advice from Wested is correct: order your correct size. My lamb is a better fit and I have plenty of room for a sweater.

Verdict: f I had it to do again, I would have gotten a 44 lamb originally. It's light enough that I was able to wear it all fall but warm enough I was comfortable with a sweather until it got below freezing. It looks, drapes and feels like what I want from an indy jacket. If you want an incredibly durable, warmer jacket then go for goat.

Happy to answer specific questions if anyone has any.

-R

[Rosenet]

I went ahead and took some pics with my phones. Goat on the left, lamb on the right.

[Kladdagh]

Thanks for the comparaison pics

[xmasters]

Also interesting to compare the pocket flap style. How Wested used to do it compared to how they do them now.

[Metallicuda]

Also interesting to compare the pocket flap style. How Wested used to do it compared to how they do them now.

I think the new pockets and flaps are a big improvement. I prefer them. Could just be me though.

[xmasters]

The current scallopped pocket flaps are more film accurate. I didn't purchase my first wested until the current era of (Post Hero discovery) jackets, so it's interesting to see how different they used to be.

[Indiana Croft]

I’ve owned a Wested goat in Raiders and while I loved it size was off. So I went with the hero in lamb. And love it.

One my goat I sanded ever so slightly to get some distressing. Toughest jacket I’ve owned. Lamb does distress on it’s own.

Croft

[whipwarrior]

My first 2 Indy jackets (late 90's / early 2000's) were Wested original lamb Raiders style, which had a nice, comfortable easy fit. Then in 2016 I decided to pick up a Raiders Hero in novapelle just to see what all the hype was about. Incredibly durable jacket - very heavy - but those narrow sleeves were so uncomfortable! They dug into my armpits, and I disliked the mile-long side straps and rectangle slide buckles. After 3 years of barely wearing the jacket, I sold it and grabbed a custom Raiders in washed lamb, and boy am I glad I did! It's easily the best looking and most comfortable lambskin Indy jacket I've ever worn! So I know exactly why folks sing the praises of lambskin jackets!