Club Obi Wan

Anyone know how much total cash a Wested is going to cost once it goes thru customs and what not, to have it delivered to the states?

Trying to decide if a Flight Suit would be cheaper in this regard.

Thanks!!

Just to add to the above question...and this relates to cost so i figured id just sick this here...
When paying for a custom jacket from wested (not an off the rack size) how much do you pay? im not sure what the sizes like 38 or 42 mean. the cost seems to vary depending on how big your size is, so do you pay for which ever 'size' is closest to your custom fit? or does it cost more for a custom size jacket than off the rack?

hope that all makes sense

Dre

I think the only thing that makes the Wested itself cost more is if its a significantly larger size as that means more leather/hide has to be used but there shouldnt be a differenc ein cost between and 38 or 42 or some custom size in that area unless it is exceedingly specialised in its modifications.

Ken

All of this information is available on the Wested website, and you can
easily find a currency calculator and customs charges dollar amount
on the web as well. I did a 5 minute search, and came up with the
following information. Its really quite easy to find.

The cost of a Wested as of today, 5-10-05 would be the following:

1. Jacket (up to size 46): 145 British pounds, which equals $273.00
american

2. Shipping: 20 British pounds, which equals $38.00 american

3. Gussets: 5 British pounds, which equals $9.50 american

4. Extra inside pockets: 5 British pounds, which equals $9.50 american

5. Customs charges (if you get hit with them): $25.00 american

So, if you get yourself a regular Wested, with no other options, and have
it shipped to you here in the United States, and you get hit with the
Customs Charges, you will pay $336.00 today for a custom made jacket,
that is made only for you, in any one of 5 different leather choices, at no
additional cost. Flightsuits charges MUCH more if you deviate from their
few leather choices.

If you get yourself a regular Wested, but add in gussets under the
arms, and the extra inside pocket, you have it shipped to you here in
the United States, and you get hit with the Customs charges, you will pay
$355.00 today for a custom made Wested jacket, from your choice of the leathers
they offer.

You have to remember that Wested has posted an american dollar
amount next to their british pound amount, but that is not the actual
american amount you are going to pay.

It is all determined by the conversion factor between the two currencies
on any given day. You HAVE to go to a good currency calculator to see
what you will be paying on any given day.

What I have posted is the price for a jacket on May 10th, 2005. This
price WILL vary from day to day, and is in no way meant to be the
actual jacket dollar amount all the time.

Also, it states on the Wested website that some custom details can
cost you extra. What those are, it does not state exactly. So you will
have to call to find out.

But most custom details, like getting the sleeves altered, or adding in
an extra 1.5 inches to the front of the jacket, or getting an extra inch
or so in the chest if your between sizes, does not usually cost more, as
long as you are still under the regular size 46 dimensions for these
things. If you go over, then you WILL probably pay more for those
custom features.

Flathead

size 46 is quite large isnt it?
i dont know how sizes around the world are...but in australia i usually fit a medium or a small..usually around the middle of them. would over 46 be considered a large?
i havent measured myself and i just wanted to find out as i probably wont measure myself until it's closer to the time when i order it

Dre, here's the website, check it out for yourself.
http://www.indyjacket.com

Just give them all the measurements and they determine the size. I usually wear a small to medium too and I ended up with what was tagged a 42, but then all the other things like sleeve length etc. are customised to you as per your measurements.

FLATHEAD wrote:
Flightsuits charges MUCH more if you deviate from their
few leather choices

Flathead

To add to the mix, we're not even sure you CAN deviate from their choices or request special sizing, now that there's new management at FS. We've read and/or been told it's no longer available. What's listed is all you can get the Expedition made in now, or at least that was the last thing I read. If there's new info, someone please chime in.

Still a great jacket,and very high quality, regardless of the cutbacks, but it's not the product it was 2 years ago.

Regards! Michaelson

Wested sends their items to the states by post. All the packages that I have recently received have come with the discription as gift or alteration, which basically means that there is no customs charge as customs only charges for new items purchased out of the country. I have yet to receive a bill for customs charges and I don't believe that the post office will not deliver if there is money due for customs. If you e-mail Peter or Gemma and ask them how they ship and about possible customs charges, I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you.

but it's not the product it was 2 years ago.

Very well put.

I asked FlightSuits a question about making a jacket from their horsehide
about a year ago.

They said they could do it, but it would cost $178.00 EXTRA! That was
above and beyond the $408.00 they want for the standard goatskin.

Then, they told me that it would cost another $50.00 to shorten the
sleeves 1.5 inches that I needed because I have short arms!

So, when you added in the shipping, the different hide, and the alteration
of the sleeves, a jacket from them would have set me back a whopping
$656.00!!!!!!!!!!

That was over TWICE the price of a Wested at the time!

You can get a Wested in horsehide at no additional cost to you. Wested
will alter your sleeves for free too!!

So, my next Indy jacket, in horsehide will come from Wested, with
custom length sleeves, a costom length body, and all the other little
tweeks I need, and I will pocket the remaining $300.00 to spend on other
essentials, like food and beer!!

Flathead

Good plan Flathead...I'm quite happy with my Wested Horsehide.

FLATHEAD wrote:
So, when you added in the shipping, the different hide, and the alteration
of the sleeves, a jacket from them would have set me back a whopping
$656.00!!!!!!!!!!

Flathead

MERCY!!! Regards! Michaelson

wow, I must have gotten a great deal my labbskin west I bought last year only cost me 245 dollars total and I live in the states. Have thing changed that much in a year?

Did you order yours, or was it a clearance item? Regards. Michaelson

it was a order of there site., no discount at all.

Interesting. Regards! Michaelson

I paid $309 for my Wested last August. I took me till November to get it though because Peter was having a hard time getting a piece big enough to make the back panel for a 46L. You know, I never though that I was that big.

I just went to there site and it say's 240 dollars for the jacket and 30 dollars for shipping. I didn't price anything esle for it but, can't make the price go up that far.

I was very shocked on how fast in arrived.

FLATHEAD wrote: <Snip - Rip - Cut - Tear> ...So, if you get yourself a regular Wested, with no other options, and have it shipped to you here in the United States, and you get hit with the Customs Charges, you will pay $336.00 today for a custom made jacket that is made only for you, in any one of 5 different leather choices, at no additional cost. Flightsuits charges MUCH more if you deviate from their few leather choices... Flathead

As you state, the price you pay for a Wested whether it is today or next month will always vary according to the strength of the dollar for those living in the States. However, fluctuating currency rate or not (baring any further unforeseen decline in the dollar), it would appear that soon Wested will have won the jacket wars by default if it hasn't already done so in the eyes of many people on this forum judging from the responses to Koreana Jones recent post. And it will have done so 'mainly' by default because of the management decisions by those competitors here in the United States. And, with that said, the only 'real' competitor, IMO, was, and always has been FS; possibly USWings was once in the running years back for a close enough Indy style jacket that was well made, but recent comments by others here would seem to suggest that they are at best a distant third.

So what about the Expedition?¿? It is true that it is considerably more expensive than a Wested, and to my knowledge always has been. But supporters of the Expedition who have purchased them in the past could always point to the quality of the hides and the excellent overall workmanship and customer service as well as the uniformity of fit from one jacket to the other with pride. They could also always, if needed, purchase a custom jacket albeit at an additional cost. But after some questionable changes in management/policy, they have alienated many of those old customers who can no longer get a jacket in any hide they want, or a custom fit if needed, or any of the other earlier options that were once offered. Even certain seemingly minor alterations need to be done by someone else now, and thus void any chance of a return, or else they might be able to have it taken care of by G&B, but at a rather substantial extra cost apparently to discourage the work from being done by them and thus cutting down on the number of returns that they've been reportedly been burdened with in the past which seems to be one of their main issues with custom made Expeditions in particular, although not exclusively.

Soon we can look forward to yet another G&B catalog in a few months (at least so I've heard) which will be intended to reflect their final determination as to what exactly they will offer in regards to ALL of their jackets and hides and purportedly will spell out exactly what their policy will be in regards to alterations or made-to-measure items so there will be no further confusion on that subject. But, from what I understand, for those looking for any substantial changes in their current policy they will undoubtedly be disappointed. It now appears unlikely that they will allow any accommodation in the choice of hides that will be available for any specific jacket, while Wested seems to be expanding theirs. And should they relax their policy on made-to-measure jackets it will come at a high price to the consumer, and simply put, make it highly unlikely that even their most ardent Expedition supporters will be willing to spend an extra $160 just for a made-to-measure fit on an already expensive jacket, which is even higher than what they once charged. From what I understand they may relax their policy on sleeve lengths only, meaning that you can get the 'basic' off the rack body size they offer, but may have the option of having 'just' the sleeve in a longer length instead of having to purchase the body in a long as well at no additional cost, but they will not alter sleeves that are longer than wanted. All other options that were once offered, and listed in their current catalog seem destined to be permanently discontinued.

It's sad when customers are virtually left with 'no' real choice other than to get what is cheaper in price, and from only one source. We here at COW are the ultimate losers when that happens.

Very VERY well stated. High regards! Michaelson