Club Obi Wan

Thanks Whip! I was thinking 26” for the back, and I appreciate your recommendation!

I’ve decided on the LC Hero. I just need to figure out the leather and lining. I like that the arm holes are smaller. It seems like it would work better for movement and have a more tailored fit.

@whip... Would you mind grabbing the arm hole measurement from your LC Hero and CS? Just trying to get a conceptual idea. Also, is the black lining cotton, satin or both? I could go either way for the lining. Any advice on the pros & cons of cotton vs satin vs combo?

Before I ask for leather recommendations, let me give you all a little background. I’ve been more of a flight jacket guy even since I got my Navy issued Cooper G-1. It’s goat and has an all nylon lining. Basically, it’s indestructible and doesn’t show any wear. I would like a jacket that would age, patina, and show character, so not leaning towards goat. I also picked up an imported US Wings G-2 (a G-1 without the fur collar) in lamb a while back. When I put it on, it feels like a nylon or costume jacket; not real substantial. I think it’s because the lamb is so thin and I’m used to milspec goat. But it’s biasing me away from lamb.

So, I’m trying to keep an open mind and looking for leather advice for the LC Hero. I’m leaning towards authentic brown lamb, HD lamb, and novapelle.

I’ve read that the authentic brown lamb is thicker than shrunken lamb and the NZ lamb from the original batch of LC Hero jackets. Can anyone chime in on that? Does it wear well? Does the light weight make it feel costumey?

The HD lamb seems like it might be a good choice for the LC Hero. I’ve read it’s almost as thick as cowhide, but lighter. I found some pics, and it looks nice on the ”Havok” Hybrid jacket. Can anyone weigh in on that?

@whip... If I go with cow, the dark brown or copper novapelle seems like the way to go. As dark brown is the only option now, are there any secrets to getting a brown vs the black/gray like nephilo got?

@nephilo... Awesome job with the distressing and doing the comparison pics for the LC Hero vs standard and dark brown vs copper novapelle. Not sure if it’s just the lighting, but it seems like a huge difference in the color.

I know the answer will be 1 of each, but I appreciate all of the wisdom and advice I can get.

I wear a size 40R, and the arm hole inner diameter of both the LC Hero and CS jacket is about 10 inches from top of shoulder to armpit, providing a roomier fit than the narrow sleeves of the Raiders Hero jacket, which tend to dig into your armpits. The LC Hero is a more casual fit jacket, and slides on very easily.

With regards to the lining, I have always opted for 100% cotton on all of my Indy jackets for better insulation (warmth in winter), and durability. Satin / rayon linings have a tendency to tear and fray easily, and the material does not breathe well. If you sweat, it sticks to your skin uncomfortably. The caveat to the lining material is that if you wear a long sleeved shirt with the jacket, your arms will slide smoothly into a satin-lined sleeve, whereas it will bunch up in a cotton sleeve lining, requiring you to pinch the shirt cuff in your fingers as you slip the jacket on, and then tug your sleeves into place. So, it's a trade-off unless you choose cotton body lining with satin sleeves. I'm not sure if that's an option when selecting the custom black lining for the LC Hero, so you'll have to ask Wested in advance of your order.

As for the jacket shell, cowhide and goat are the best options for overall durability. Any type of lambskin is rather insubstantial for a hard-wearing jacket for daily use in the real world. The Indy film jackets were lambskin costume jackets. They're lightweight, distress easily, and look good on film. I had lamb jackets in the beginning, and one of them was torn after snagging on a metal s-hook. After that incident, I swore off lamb jackets forever. Novapelle is the thickest hide offered by Wested. It is soft and has a very substantial weight, which limits wearing the jacket for only the coldest part of the year. You cannot wear novapelle in the warm spring and summer months at all. It is a solid, heavy jacket, not the featherweight plasticky feel of a lamb jacket. Novapelle gains character & patina with natural age and use. The dark brown will gradually lighten after nearly a decade of regular wear, so dark brown is your best option for consistent color.

I hope this helps make your decision easier.

Thanks Whip! Getting another perspective helps to talk it through. Thank you for the advice and recommendations.

Now, let’s get back to seeing pics of more LC Hero jackets!

@Darkjedi007 Thank you! Yes, the copper novapelle color is lighter and the color after the distressing is getting more brown/red and the hide is thicker than the actual dark brown novapelle.
And the distressed areas of the dark brown one became grey.

I didn't know we could order a Leather Concessionaires patch ... =O

You have to specify that in a follow-up e-mail after placing your order, although IMO it should be standard on the LC Hero jacket, just as it is on the Raiders Hero.

Anyone bought one of these more recently? How is the jacket holding up? Is Wested correctly delivering the the ordered specifications?

I have a S&J LC I love wearing but something in me says I still need a Wested!

S&J jackets are more accurate so I can't imagine why you would.

I received my LC hero at the end of November and it's holding up flawlessly and already starting to break in very nicely. It took a little under two weeks and arrived to my exact requests, down to alternate black lining and their classic label.

Anyone have any pics of their LC Hero jackets?

I I just received my first Wested LC Hero jacket and it fits a little odd. I ordered 44” chest, 26.5” sleeve with 26.5” back but the front seems to rise up much higher than expected. Anyone have any thoughts? I’m thinking of reordering in the max 28” length.

FYI: I’m 6’0” and 210lb


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Forgot to post a pic:



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Don, one quirky thing about these jackets is that when you zip them all the way up, these can appear that way. Looks like your measurements are good, sleeves, length and shoulders (if not a bit relaxed in the shoulders, not uncommon for LC though). It could be that the jacket is brand new and needs to be lived in some. After awhile, the leather will relax and give you a better fit, much like new leather shoes need to be lived in before they fit more comfortably. Zip it down to the top of the pockets and see how that fits? Try wearing a sweater under, or layer for awhile and stretch the leather some. Looks like you have distressed cow? It can be a bit stiff right out of the box, as the collar indicates, and just needs some time and wear.

I do find this to be an issue with the wested custom LCs I've had. The back length always seems ok, but the front is very short and always seems to hit above the belt when zipped. I don't know why, my Bill Kelso LC Grail jacket is perfect and doesn't have that problem at all.

Having the jacket 1" longer would probably fix it, but first measure the backlength yourself to check it is actually what you ordered.

For this reason I prefer Westeds Raiders or Doom jacket. The front never seems too short on those, in relation to the back.

Thanks for the replies.

I was also thinking that break in could help with the fall line. I just need to decide if I want to return it for the 50% credit toward a new one with the added 1-1/2” back (longest available). It’s a tough decision. I was also thinking about going with the Raiders instead. I’m just concerned that the measurements will end up fitting different and be another fit issue.

Either way, I do think the quality is great for the price. I very much like the dark brown novapelle. It is very soft but still on the heavier side. I think will break in nicely.


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If I can add to my comment, if you were to add any length anywhere, I would think you may want to add length to the front, not the back. There could be a few things at work here. The chest could be slightly too tight. The straps could be cinched up too tightly. A guy could have a gut. For which, the remedy for the latter is to go easy on the buffets.

Based on your photos, it is possible to see that the jacket sleeves fit correctly and end at the first knuckle of the thumb, as is customary. The back length falls where it should, and personally, I would not change that. The shoulder width is slightly relaxed, with a fall, just off the shoulders, near perfect.

The film jackets were made to be props, not everyday wearable jackets, and just are not so pretty when zipped all the way. Attribute it to a design flaw, or call it what you will, but zip it down some and it's virtually a different look, almost a different jacket.

If you opt for another Wested, and they will not work with you on the potential addition, you might consider Diego (S&J), as they are doing some excellent work, down there in deep, deep south Texas.

I hear ya. I’ll take a peek at s&j. Here’s a pic unzipped — as I thought it could be a gut issue myself.

I’m wondering about the chest now. I wonder if going from a 44 to a 45 could do the job. I measure 44 but, who knows.

I sent some pics to Wested and they only said I could stand to go longer. I don’t think they have an option to only go longer in front, as I believe they simply scale the pattern. I can’t say for sure.


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I think if you ll go longer the back will be too much long... neither go bigger in the chest... seems to be a lot of room there already.. the rise of the front up is a issue of the Indy model itself and it is visible in the wested more then other vendors imho.
That said... your jacket is good, maybe need, as other said before, of a little “live in” treatment to lose its stiffness; but it’s not weird!

Thank you for your input. I’m going to give it some time. I will post updates here for others looking for information. Any other input is also welcome.


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You can see in that final picture , in profile, that the front is too short (just a little bit). Like I said this isn't an issue on my Kelso Grail jacket, but I've found it to be like yours on my only Custom LC Wested that I had made. Either it's a pattern issue they need to look at or whoever cut the jacket messed up on the front. This doesn't seem to be a thing on their LC OTR jackets, but those jackets generally have a longer length by default so it's less noticeable.

I mean this is nit picking, overall the jacket looks fine, but I know how it is when a jacket is just a bit too short and doesn't feel right.

1" would make all the difference, and it would still look ok:

Dom27s@comcast.net wrote:Forgot to post a pic:



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You're wearing trim, low rise jeans which is wrong for this jacket and totally distorts the jacket width and length. The jacket already looks too broad compared to your skinny legs underneath. I'd want to see it worn with pants that are mid rise at least and have a bit more fabric in the leg. This jacket already appears to be too wide and baggy, but that could be partly an illusion brought on by your narrow jean legs. From the back there appears to be too much loose material indicating a size too large form where I am sitting. The sleeves seem ok. In my view a size larger would look crazy massive on you.

Low rise jeans never help an Indy jacket, but a lot of fans interested in just the jacket want to wear it with normal clothes and it is possible to get something that fits right and isn't miles away from the film accuracy.

xmasters wrote:Low rise jeans never help an Indy jacket, but a lot of fans interested in just the jacket want to wear it with normal clothes and it is possible to get something that fits right and isn't miles away from the film accuracy.

Yep, I know this. I'm one of these - I have little interest in the costume, except for the jacket. But herein lies a different problem. Low rise trim jeans require a trim jacket or it looks... as above. If this jacket were trimmer and longer it could work with these jeans but it would no longer resemble an Indy so much as a trim car-coat. Or it, as above, could be worn with mid-rise chinos and perhaps look less odd. Even if you don't wear the Indy costume it helps to wear clothing that suits jacket's cut. There's a wide range of "normal clothes" to match with this style of jacket.

I think you also have such good posture that your neck pushes the collar back. Some of the back length would be taken up by a weary slouch which would level out the front and back a bit

It's funny, wearing Indy leather jackets and Alden boots has slowly caused me to upgrade my entire wardrobe. And it has been a change for the better! Low-rise pants are a thing of the past for me. Wearing crisp jeans that sit higher up closer to the true waist, and same with khaki slacks, does wonders for the look of these jackets. Same goes with the boots. I just picked up a pair of Alden wingtip boots, and again, I am inspired to pick up some nicer clothes to with them.

Forrest For the Trees wrote:It's funny, wearing Indy leather jackets and Alden boots has slowly caused me to upgrade my entire wardrobe. And it has been a change for the better! Low-rise pants are a thing of the past for me. Wearing crisp jeans that sit higher up closer to the true waist, and same with khaki slacks, does wonders for the look of these jackets. Same goes with the boots. I just picked up a pair of Alden wingtip boots, and again, I am inspired to pick up some nicer clothes to with them.

Same - I've found getting into A-2 jackets has had an even more profound effect, since it's pretty hard to get away with low-rise pants in a WW2 jacket.

Can you post front and back of the jacket measurements?

Texan Scott wrote:Can you post front and back of the jacket measurements?

From the seem that connects the collar: front is 23, back is 26.5.

That explains the lift. Not sure if that’s a mistake or as it is intended.


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Dom27s@comcast.net wrote:

Texan Scott wrote:Can you post front and back of the jacket measurements?

From the seem that connects the collar: front is 23, back is 26.5.

That explains the lift. Not sure if that’s a mistake or as it is intended.


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Those measurements are correct and standard. Jackets are generally longer at back. The measurements you have posted fit me perfectly. I am six two and 185 pounds. My pit to pit is 23 inches.

Dom27s@comcast.net wrote:

Texan Scott wrote:Can you post front and back of the jacket measurements?

From the seem that connects the collar: front is 23, back is 26.5.

That explains the lift. Not sure if that’s a mistake or as it is intended.


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Whats the shoulder seam to seam and underarm to underarm? Thanks

By way of contrast my BK Grail jacket has a 25" back and 23" front. So yes the front should be shorter, but it seems wested's front is too short in relation to the back. Hence the issue.

xmasters wrote:By way of contrast my BK Grail jacket has a 25" back and 23" front. So yes the front should be shorter, but it seems wested's front is too short in relation to the back. Hence the issue.

Unlikely. I have over a dozen leather jackets. Most of them have a back length that is 3 inches longer than the front - generally 27 inches versus 23.5 inches. If there is an issue here it is more likely to be the pattern making that has't been able to make the front and back sit right - possibly to do with the shoulder/yoke seam. My Wested ToD is 26.5 at back and 23 at front but it sits fine. Sometimes a jacket can sit so badly that it rides up at front creating this effect.

Thanks for everyone’s input on this. It’s good for anyone looking at purchasing the Wested LC Hero jacket to understand the fit.

I think for me, the fit issue comes from the collar and shoulders. I have a long neck and big shoulders. I think that contributes to the raise in front.

I did order a Wested Raiders Hero an 1” longer than the LC. I will post when it comes for comparison.

I am by no means unhappy with the jacket — to be clear. I think it’s amazing. I will continue to wear it in attempt to break it in to my posture more. I will also follow up with the process and outcome. As well as answer any questions anyone has about my size and the order measurements.



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ON another note:

Where do I get a fedora that is OG LC? Sorry if that should be a different thread...



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CM wrote:

xmasters wrote:By way of contrast my BK Grail jacket has a 25" back and 23" front. So yes the front should be shorter, but it seems wested's front is too short in relation to the back. Hence the issue.

Unlikely. I have over a dozen leather jackets. Most of them have a back length that is 3 inches longer than the front - generally 27 inches versus 23.5 inches. If there is an issue here it is more likely to be the pattern making that has't been able to make the front and back sit right - possibly to do with the shoulder/yoke seam. My Wested ToD is 26.5 at back and 23 at front but it sits fine. Sometimes a jacket can sit so badly that it rides up at front creating this effect.

No, I measured my Wested Raiders Hero and Wested ToD jacket. Only a 2" difference between the front and back. And the Kelso LC jacket is patterned directly from the film jacket in the museum.

xmasters wrote:

CM wrote:

xmasters wrote:By way of contrast my BK Grail jacket has a 25" back and 23" front. So yes the front should be shorter, but it seems wested's front is too short in relation to the back. Hence the issue.

Unlikely. I have over a dozen leather jackets. Most of them have a back length that is 3 inches longer than the front - generally 27 inches versus 23.5 inches. If there is an issue here it is more likely to be the pattern making that has't been able to make the front and back sit right - possibly to do with the shoulder/yoke seam. My Wested ToD is 26.5 at back and 23 at front but it sits fine. Sometimes a jacket can sit so badly that it rides up at front creating this effect.

No, I measured my Wested Raiders Hero and Wested ToD jacket. Only a 2" difference between the front and back. And the Kelso LC jacket is patterned directly from the film jacket in the museum.

I see. Funny that all my jackets are 3 to 3.5 inches difference, only one being a Wested. I was referring to how jackets are often patterned in general - 3 inches is conventional. A well put together jacket doesn't show the difference in length even if it is 3 inches.

Of course, I am skeptical about any claim about a jacket being a 100% accurate copy - but let's not get bogged down. I would need actual evidence, not fan site argument - "We know a guy, etc...." I'm not saying they didn't copy it, I'm simply saying I don't currently have sufficient reason to accept the claim.

Curiously the film used Raiders jacket Tony Nowak supposedly handled had the same back length and front length -23 or 24 I think it was. Tony remarked how strange that was.

Anyway, regardless of claims and how jackets are generally patterned, this one is simply a case of if you don't like it, sell it and order a new one the way how want it. Maybe Wested will do it right.

I have had 4 wested's , 3 of which were made for me and one I bought used. All four fit differently (all Last Crusade style) even though measurements are same.

Probably the best fitting is the used one that is labeled a size "44" I am more of a 48...go figure.

They produce so many jackets and offer a good product. Once you get into this hobby though you learn a few things.

I would agree that the low rise jeans are probably 85% of the problem here. Get some regular mid rise jeans or khakis and this will improve the look immensely. Definitely do not go up a size as that's going to be too big on you.

If I were you, I would simply try to adjust the positioning of the jacket on my shoulders and your posture. Pull down on the front of the jacket to raise the back of the jacket up a bit and see how that fits on your body. As is, it seems you're posture is almost "pushing" the back of the jacket down further towards your rear in turn raising and emphasizing the shorter front even more.

The leather will also conform better to your body and drape better after you've worn it and broken it in which will naturally lower the front to your midsection instead of sort of sticking out as it is now, so I would simply give it time.

Excellent choice by the way! I am thinking about a Hero LC in DB novapelle for my next Wested as well.




Since I'm here: How do you guys size your LC Hero jacket in body and sleeve length compared to the Raiders Hero? My Raiders Hero is 24" body and 24.5" sleeves and fits perfectly and I honestly wouldn't mind placing an order for the LC Hero soon.

I JUST received my Raiders hero from Wested moments ago with the same dimensions as the LC except I went an inch longer. What a HUGE difference in fit. I haven’t looked in the mirror enough to figure out what makes the difference in the front drape but, I can tell you it sits level on me in comparison to the LC.

I agree that the LC could stand some wear on the collar and shoulders to bring the front down. I’m on the fence about selling it or giving it time. We shall see.



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CM wrote:

Dom27s@comcast.net wrote:Forgot to post a pic:



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You're wearing trim, low rise jeans which is wrong for this jacket and totally distorts the jacket width and length. The jacket already looks too broad compared to your skinny legs underneath. I'd want to see it worn with pants that are mid rise at least and have a bit more fabric in the leg. This jacket already appears to be too wide and baggy, but that could be partly an illusion brought on by your narrow jean legs. From the back there appears to be too much loose material indicating a size too large form where I am sitting. The sleeves seem ok. In my view a size larger would look crazy massive on you.

This is the problem with most wested jackets, they don't look right in real world clothing. This looks way too short in the front for a regular jacket. I got lucky and bought a used raiders here from a guy who was about 6'2". It fit great on me in the length and I'm 5"11. I think the front was 25 and the back was 26.5 on the raiders hero..
The jacket you have on would look better in the front if it were about 1-2 inch shorter than the sleeves, imo..

There's some lens distortion in this pic which may be affecting the way the jacket looks on camera. Actually, there's a lot of lens distortion in this pic.

Note the cabinets in the background and the door frame and counter to screen right. To get an accurate pic of the way the jacket fits, those background vertical lines need to be straight. Verticals need to be vertical and horizontals need to be horizontal. It looks like the camera is tilted downward, making things at the top of the frame appear closer, those at the bottom appear further away. The effect will be exaggerated closer to the lens. That would account for the "big jacket, skinny legs" effect.

Also, the verticals splay outwards. That is the "fisheye" effect of a wide-angle lens, like most phone cameras employ.

To get an accurate photo, the photographer should step back further away and zoom in slightly to reduce the wide-angle or fish-eye effect. Then the photographer should align the camera based on the vertical lines - the cabinets, the door frames - in the image to make sure the camera is parallel to the figure.

Without that, it is almost impossible to accurately gauge the fit of this jacket because of the lens distortion that affects the picture.

I'm guessing the fit of this jacket looks better in person than it does in these images. They say the camera doesn't lie, but actually, when used incorrectly, it often mis-represents.

Before making any big decisions, I would encourage you to step outside for your photos, under natural light. Have you photographer stand further away and zoom in (about 1/3 the total zoom of the camera should be about right). I realize you were trying to crop out your face to focus on the jacket, but the camera is being tilted to achieve that. Lower the camera, don't tilt it. Keep the camera parallel to the figure. Use background lines for guidance - if you're outside, use trees, fences, the corners of buildings, whatever has vertical (most important) and horizontal lines in it. Make sure the lines look straight up and down. Then your photo will give you a more accurate representation of the fit of the jacket.

You're getting a lot of the "funhouse mirror effect" in these pics. These images are not giving you an accurate representation of how the jacket looks on you. It looks like a very nice jacket, and I imagine it wasn't inexpensive, so it's worth the effort to get some better photos before making any decisions about whether to keep it or what else to order.

Yeah, but there is no denying that the the bottom hem of the jacket is well above his belt. That isn't right. Yes, having pants that sit a bit higher would help, and yes, there's quite a bit of wide angle distortion in the photo, but still, the front length is a bit off compared to the back length.

Here is a question. So around 52 mins into the film Elsa takes the grail diary from Indy's pocket...
How wrong is the size of Wested's pockets??? Because I own a grail diary replica, which should be the correct size. And the book does not fit into the left pocket of my Wested LC jacket(from 2014).

Should this detail be overlooked?

Asking because I'm thinking of buying a new jacket, a custom LC Hero.

I do recall that one of the requirements by Spielberg to Peter Botwright was the jacket pockets HAD to be sized for the journal to fit, so it was a pre-determined design that was built into that particular jacket pattern, but specifically the LC jacket only.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:I do recall that one of the requirements by Spielberg to Peter Botwright was the jacket pockets HAD to be sized for the journal to fit, so it was a pre-determined design that was built into that particular jacket pattern, but specifically the LC jacket only.

Regards! Michaelson

Even bigger reason to ask: why doesn't it??

My hands don’t even fit in mine. Let alone the diary. Why...anybody’s guess.


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as Peter would have said, 'wear and be happy'.

pockets about 6 1/2 wide, I think