Wested LC Hero jacket!

Jeremiah · Post by **Jeremiah** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 9:23 pm

Ha. Btw. That looks great on you man. My S&J LC should be here any day now.

Dr. Jones, Jr. · Post by **Dr. Jones, Jr.** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:32 pm

Jeremiah wrote:Ha. Btw. That looks great on you man. My S&J LC should be here any day now.

Thanks man! That's awesome, I've been hearing a lot of good stuff about their LC jackets lately.

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:13 am

Hey dude. The jacket does indeed look great. Looking forward to take it for a spin.

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:09 am

I gave this jacket a try in shrunken lamb. Jacket fit fine but the lining was wonky. It stuck out the end of the sleeves by about 2-inches. Lining on the bottom also went past the leather. Gave it to a friend who loves it.

Have plenty of Raiders jackets, so no big deal.

CM · Post by CM » Fri Mar 09, 2018 6:57 pm

Stefan Hills wrote:When Tony decided he wanted to do a limited run of all three jackets from the trilogy he used 2 condition report images from the Smithsonian which I had sent him of the front and back of the jacket for his L.C. jacket. Copies are in the possession of both Wested and Magnoli Clothiers and have been used as a reference by gearheads to distress their own jackets.

Ah ha! So Stefan, are you responsible for making Wested's LC pattern more screen accurate? I thought you were going to work closely with Bill Kelso or some of the other mob on this with some good photos and measurements? What happened to that project?

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 1:04 am

Far from it. I am NOT responsible for what WESTED created and claimed was the HERO Last Crusade jacket recently. During the last indy gear summit I attended in D.C. many, many moons ago I was able to obtain the condition report of the jacket donated to the SMITHSONIAN. At the time PETER was still the only game in town who I felt was up to the challenge and the report was sent to him, which he never seemed to use because the jackets that followed continued to have inaccuracies. The LC Hero pattern has fixed some of them, but there is still quite a few details which are still wrong. As for BILL KELSO, I honestly don’t know when the jacket will see the light of day, even though apparently everything needed to make it has been sourced, and names were taken to fill the initial run to get the ball rolling last year. I did my part and provided all the relavent information, the ball is in their court now. In the mean time, Dan at Logan’s closest is slowly developing the pattern and sourcing hides which would be acceptable.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 3:10 pm

Not sure what Stefan's problem is, but I am proud to say that I corresponded with Sally back in November / December to advise her about correct details after seeing photos of the first LC Hero prototype jacket. She was happy for fan input (we are the experts, she said), she worked very hard to make this jacket as screen-accurate as possible for us, and I think she did a fantastic job. I am extremely pleased with the final product, and wear it proudly in honor of Mr. Botwright and his contribution to Indy history. For anyone displeased with Wested's amazing new Indy jacket: plenty of other options exist in the market, so go find one that makes you happy and quit complaining. Life is too short for that bullsh*t.

Jeremiah · Post by **Jeremiah** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 5:22 pm

I think I enjoy the gear more now that I am not as obsessed about the SA. I love this Steele and Jones LC jacket I just received. It fits me, it looks good on me and thats what matters to me. Sure is pretty SA to my eyes though. I know I am not Harrison Ford so nothing will look on me like it looks on him.

Its all meant to be fun. When we stop having fun and we do more arguing, then whats the point?

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 5:29 pm

Well said, Sir!

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:56 pm

whipwarrior wrote:Not sure what Stefan's problem is, but I am proud to say that I corresponded with Sally back in November / December to advise her about correct details after seeing photos of the first LC Hero prototype jacket. She was happy for fan input (we are the experts, she said), she worked very hard to make this jacket as screen-accurate as possible for us, and I think she did a fantastic job. I am extremely pleased with the final product, and wear it proudly in honor of Mr. Botwright and his contribution to Indy history. For anyone displeased with Wested's amazing new Indy jacket: plenty of other options exist in the market, so go find one that makes you happy and quit complaining. Life is too short for that bullsh*t.

Dale, I do not have problem, I was merely responding to a question I was asked about my possible involvement and stated my opinion. What is this forum if not a collection of opinions? I am merely stating my opinion just as you are entitled to yours.

After seeing a hero jacket made by Wested in person from the first wave in the limited edition lambkin skin, it still needs work in both accuracy and fit if it claims to be screen accurate hero jacket like what is seen on screen. You yourself posted your limited edition hero jacket for sale, and ordered another hero jacket because the first was either too short in terms of front length, or the wrong requested lining used. So why I am not allowed to say it’s not accurate?

Wested may have intented to make an accurate jacket but the final product fell short in my opinion. That’s not me having a problem with the company, it’s me stating a fact. The Wested hero jacket I had a chance to see was too short in the front like yours, had mis matched hardware in that the press studs were brass and did not match the d rings which were black, and though the owner asked for an a simple straight pocket received something else.

The jacket in terms of other details did not have the correct side strap construction, correct construction on how the d rings are attached to the back panel, the correct inside pocket, the correct lining, the correct hardware, the correct front pocket shape and flap and even pocket placement in relation to storm flap was wrong too.
Your second jacket you received is a marked improvement from what you and others received as part of the first wave of hero jackets. This was the jacket you and others deserved to receive in exchange for your hard earned money the first time around last year.

Talking all this into account, me saying the hero pattern needs work is not a baseless accusation to slander a company who claimed to deliver a product but clearly missed the mark. Gear heads on COW I am sure will exercise their own opinions in terms of what they chose to purchase and what ultimately makes them “giddy as a school boy.” or girl.

IndyFan89 · Post by **IndyFan89** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 1:03 am

So is the LC Hero not based on the original pattern used for the films? What’s the story?

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Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 1:14 am

IndyFan89 wrote:So is the LC Hero not based on the original pattern used for the films? What’s the story?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

According to Sally Kirk, at WESTED, the Hero Last Crusade jacket is based on recovered hand written notes taken by her father, Peter Botwright, when he made the jackets for production and information also provided by gear heads for further clarification of details which were perhaps unclear.

xmasters · Post by **xmasters** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:50 pm

Press studs and jacket lining notwithstanding, it's a pretty accurate pattern they are working from now. Whether your jacket turns out well is another issue however. For the more fanatical details like misaligned pocket flaps and correct studs and lining you may have to go other vendors for the jacket, and of course pay more.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 7:34 pm

Well, we know that roughly a dozen jackets were manufactured per film, and the order fulfillment required a team of leather tailors to meet a production deadline. They didn't have the luxury of time to meticulously duplicate each jacket, hence the variations from scene to scene in the movie. While I definitely appreciate screen accuracy in the Hero pattern, replicating every little imperfection in the screen-used jacket is just splitting hairs. Yes, the wrong colored lining & hardware bothered me greatly, but I'm not losing sleep over precise storm flap width, collar angle, or pocket placement. It's not a big deal. However, I can understand how the LC Hero might not check all the boxes for more detail-obsessed folks, which is fine. Unless you get your hands on a LC production jacket—THE jacket—all we have are copies in varying degrees. For me personally, the Wested LC Hero is the fulfillment of a 20-year quest for the perfect Indy jacket.

CM · Post by CM » Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:48 am

Sorry Stefan I didn't intend to start an argument between folks here. We had a few of these bar fights in the old days. I was just aware that you had some great information and had tried to get an LC made by a range of makers. Wested historically did a bad job in accuracy with the LC (I had one in 2002) and even the Raiders jacket was inaccurate until Todd and Nowak came on the scene. This is what drove me to Gibson and Barnes, my only Indy jacket.

This new Wested LC looks close enough for me, but like Whip I'm not fanatical about accuracy. But I understand that there are fans that want a stitch for stitch copy. And why not? That's the nature of fans.

I was stunned when I got my Wested LC years ago only to find that it really did not look like the movie version and yet it meant to be made by the same place. Even my friend who didn't care for Indy very much asked me why my LC pocket flaps were wrong (we'd been watching movie). If I'd received this new Wested LC back then I would have been very satisfied.

I agree it is still not quite right. The shape of the flaps need work and in some photos look too pointy and odd (which I think Holt already observed). But Magnoli's isn't quite right either. Very few makers can get that subtle scalloping in the right shape. Am I too fussy? I prefer to think of myself as discerning. Part of the fun is getting the details just so. If they didn't matter we'd just buy a Banana Republic A2.

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:36 am

So I have a question, and I am genuinely curious and to be clear I am not trying to be condescending but since the Wested Hero Last Crusade is now in it’s second wave so to speak, do customers who place orders now receive a jacket that looks like version one from the limited edition run or version 2 like that of Dale’s?

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 10:26 am

Version 2. After the limited release in December, Sally received a lot of feedback on aspects of the initial Hero jacket that weren’t up to snuff, and she promised they would be corrected on the standard production run. The pocket flap sculpting was a particular issue cited, and she said they were re-shaping them to conform better with photos of the Smithsonian jacket, whereas the pockets on V1 were clones of the Raiders Hero pocket. Blackadder and I both ordered the first novapelle LC Hero jackets in January, featuring the updated pockets, which look spot-on to the movie jacket.

CM · Post by CM » Fri Mar 16, 2018 6:49 am

Those pockets are better. Nice work.

Blackadder · Post by **Blackadder** » Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:11 am

Lame thing is , I got to wear mine about 7 times , snow is gone and its too warm for it now.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:15 pm

That’s the downside of novapelle: awesomely thick leather, but you can only wear it in the winter months. The rest of the year, it just hangs in the closet looking good.

CM · Post by CM » Fri Mar 16, 2018 6:52 pm

Blackadder wrote:Lame thing is , I got to wear mine about 7 times , snow is gone and its too warm for it now.

What's too warm for you? I wear my heavy leathers up to 25C degrees. Here it gets to around 45C in summer, so 25C is cool in these parts. 15 qualifies as bloody cold.

Blackadder · Post by **Blackadder** » Sat Mar 17, 2018 3:02 am

25C was way too warm to wear it here.

xmasters · Post by **xmasters** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 4:40 pm

If the Dark Novapelle is heavy and too warm for non winter climate, maybe I'll order a LC Hero in Goatskin after all.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 6:27 pm

Novapelle is Wested's heaviest cowhide, according to the literature. It's definitely a winter-only jacket, so yes, I would opt for something lighter if you want to extend its use during the year.

Bogie1943 · Post by **Bogie1943** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:42 pm

Wanted to share my LC Hero in authentic lamb.

DiCatania · Post by **DiCatania** » Sun May 13, 2018 11:20 am

I did some distressing of my Hero LC in the limited dark brown lamb skin and it has become my favorite jacket! Here are some images. Thanks[img]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201805 ... 6beb56.jpg[/img]

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DiCatania · Post by **DiCatania** » Sun May 13, 2018 11:20 am

[img]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201805 ... cefe15.jpg[/img]

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nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Wed May 23, 2018 4:40 pm

I ordered the LC Hero from Wested right now in dark novapelle!

And I think I will distress it like my regular LC here...

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Blackadder · Post by **Blackadder** » Thu May 24, 2018 2:50 am

nephilo wrote:I ordered the LC Hero from Wested right now in dark novapelle!

And I think I will distress it like my regular LC here...

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Good choice , unless you are going for complete SA , a light distress is all it needs since I hear from people it ages nicely.

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Sat Jun 02, 2018 1:07 pm

After just one week my LC Hero arrived today!

Outside I order the dark novapelle but it is much thinner than my copper novapelle! It feels a little bit different but it looks like novapelle.

Inside it is not what I have ordered! Standart satin lining. I ordered the dark one. Triangle inside pocket. I ordered the standart one.

What do you guys think:

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sat Jun 02, 2018 1:57 pm

They did the same with my jacket: I ordered black lining with piped inside pocket, and they sent brown lining with a triangle pocket. I contacted Sally and she promised to fix the mistakes free of charge, except I had to pay return shipping on my end. I sent my jacket to England, and received it back 3 weeks later, with my original specs fulfilled. Wested did the changes gratis, and paid for shipping. Just send them a polite e-mail to explain that your jacket did not include the details as specified in your order, and they will take care of the problem.

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:23 am

Thank you whip!

I wrote a email to wested yesterday and this was the answer today:

„ Yes the Novapelle is thinner in feel and texture than the copper novapelle.

The lining is the new one we use now as we have found it to be tougher and more durable than the older one we used to use.

In regards to the pocket our crusade does have the triangle pocket.

Hope that helps a little.“

???

???

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 5:40 am

So....this is my LC Hero with distressing:

The dark novapelle becomes more grey than brown/red like the copper novapelle with distressing.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:38 am

That's all well and good, but the lining and pockets are not as you specified when you placed your order. Why even have an options menu when the company ignores your detail choices and just gives you their default lining?

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 9:21 am

You‘re right!

pdraycott · Post by **pdraycott** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:58 am

nephilo wrote:Thank you whip!

I wrote a email to wested yesterday and this was the answer today:

„ Yes the Novapelle is thinner in feel and texture than the copper novapelle.

The lining is the new one we use now as we have found it to be tougher and more durable than the older one we used to use.

In regards to the pocket our crusade does have the triangle pocket.

Hope that helps a little.“

??? ???

I would email them back and say you want this fixing foc as you didn’t get what you asked for.
Unless you don’t live in the U.K. then the cost for postage may be too much to pay.

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 12:50 pm

The answer of my second email to wested:

„Very occasionally these things do happen as you can appreciate we are a very well know company and always want our customers to be very happy with there jackets.

If you don’t
Mind sending the jacket back to us we will of course put right what has gone wrong for you.

If you send us the bill for the shipping I will also refund this to you as I would not expect you to have to pay for this.

Again my sincere apologies and we will get this all sorted for you as soon as we have the jacket back at the shop.“

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 3:13 pm

Do it. Never settle for less than you paid for. The minor inconvenience of shipping it back is worth the satisfaction of knowing that you received exactly the jacket you asked for.

xmasters · Post by **xmasters** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 4:30 am

Send it back, but I prefer the triangle pocket though and that normally costs £5 extra .

I'll know not to order the satin lining if that's what they are using now. Looks wrong for any Indy jacket if that's the colour.

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 5:36 am

My jacket is on the way back to Wested to make the changes.

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:57 pm

My jacket is back. Wested have made everything right now!

$\:D/$

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:56 pm

Post updated pics!

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 4:43 am

Here it is:

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 4:44 am

Beside the standart LC/CS in copper novapelle:

Blackadder · Post by **Blackadder** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 3:52 pm

That copper novapelle actually looks great.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:43 pm

I just noticed you opted for the Leather Concessionaires label for vintage accuracy. Nice!

nephilo · Post by **nephilo** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 2:31 am

Darkjedi007 · Post by **Darkjedi007** » Sun Jun 24, 2018 1:39 am

Hi everyone! Great pics and reviews of the LC Hero jacket. It looks awesome!

I just joined COW this week and am trying to pull the trigger on ordering a Wested. My biggest question is how do you determine back length for Raiders Standard, LC/CS, and LC Hero? I’m 5’10 and fit into standard sizes for most jackets.

@Whipwarrior: I saw you ordered the LC Hero with a 24” back length but found it to be too short. Did you change your back length for your LC Hero Novapelle?

I appreciate any help I can get with this.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sun Jun 24, 2018 10:41 am

Darkjedi (very cool name, btw!), yes, I did lengthen the back when I ordered my novapelle LC Hero jacket. Sally advised me that the standard (default) back length on the Hero is 26", but I was unaware of this in December when ordering the limited edition NZ lamb Hero jacket. In that instance, I used the length measurement of my previous Wested jacket, a Raiders Hero, which was 23.5 inches long. It didn't occur to me that the LC jacket has a longer body by design, and the error resulted in a jacket much too short for my 5'11" frame. The 26" back length turned out perfect, so that's what I would also recommend for you, since we are nearly the same height.

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sun Jun 24, 2018 11:49 am

P.S.- A word to the wise: If you want screen-accurate black lining (and vintage Leather Concessionaires label), you must request those details in a follow-up e-mail after placing your order.