Club Obi Wan

Just got into the indygear hobby and have been lurking on this forum for some time.

I was in the UK, visiting family, and dropped by Wested to buy a Raiders Jacket off the rack-size 42 R, perfect fit.

I also met Peter. Lovely gent and does his best to the demands of you all.

My point: I have seen that some people have a rant at Peter for delivery or service problems. Like it or not it is a small business and I think it gets a bit overwhelming at times. Clearly Peter has been a pillar of the indy gear community for many years, cut the man some slack for this! His jackets are top notch, and even with the strong pound are great value for those of you in the US.

Those you don't want the wait could order off the rack. I did and I'm very happy. At some stage I will order a custom made as I fancy a HH LOD style with a few personal modifications. If I do have any problems you won't see them posted on this forum.

"Viene tormenta."

Well, did not wish to start a fight, it's just that Peter stuck me as the sort of chap who would do his best to sort out problems as they occur.

I meant TOD. My mistake. Still trying to get the indygear lingo?


A small aside. I saw the denim raiders jacket before Peter put it up on his site and announced it on the forum. It looks good. I will be back for one in the Spring.

I agree - I have only dealt with Peter on the phone and via email. If there ever was a problem he was always quick to fix. I look forward to seeing his shop someday soon.

Welcome IndyBrit.

...


...


So, pics? We like pics!


No pressure.


Honest.

I post some pictures later. I saw you had the HH. Happy with it?

_ wrote:FYI - I also own a HH LC. Nobody but Peter has been able to make the Indy jacket work with HH and I have to say it is probably my favorite hide he has ever used... JMO...

_:
THis is good to know. I am seriously considering the HH myself. Peter's jackets really do look sharp. On my want list.

You know the funny thing about service is that some of this may depend on the time of year etc. for a particular company. Might be a busy time and require more patience. Like walking into an ice cream store on the hottest day of the summer will get you different service if you return on a cold winter day.

Or perhaps there are email issues. I know my email filters a lot of my emails and I miss all kinds. I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt when emailing. Ultimately though it is about the product. If the product is good then that is what is most important to me.

Oh and on the Wested front. I had great service from Peter and think incredibly highly of him and his product.
just my 2 cents.
Canada

This is my first time posting, however I have been using the site for a couple of months now.

I would first like to say that I blame all of you for getting me into this obsession. I started with the hat, then the shirt, now I have a Horsehide Raiders jacket en route to me from Wested and an IOAB being made. I can't wait.

Hopefully I will be able to get some pics on the site before too long.

Geriatric Jones wrote:I would first like to say that I blame all of you for getting me into this obsession. I started with the hat, then the shirt, now I have a Horsehide Raiders jacket en route to me from Wested and an IOAB being made. I can't wait.

My sentiments exactly...

IndyGear is like Pringles Potato Chips... "Once you pop, you can't stop!"

Geriatric Jones wrote:This is my first time posting, however I have been using the site for a couple of months now.

I would first like to say that I blame all of you for getting me into this obsession. I started with the hat, then the shirt, now I have a Horsehide Raiders jacket en route to me from Wested and an IOAB being made. I can't wait.

Hopefully I will be able to get some pics on the site before too long.

What is an IOAB? thanks
Canada

Indy-on-a-Budget Whip.

Geriatric Jones wrote:This is my first time posting, however I have been using the site for a couple of months now.

I would first like to say that I blame all of you for getting me into this obsession. I started with the hat, then the shirt, now I have a Horsehide Raiders jacket en route to me from Wested and an IOAB being made. I can't wait.

Hopefully I will be able to get some pics on the site before too long.

sorry, I tried to blame all them too, it did not work for me and it won't work for you

welcome put your feet up and stay awhile.

As for Peter, I find that ALL the COW member/vendors will bend over backwards to make sure their customers are happy, and many are doing for the love NOT to feed the family [as much as they would like to ] and I look forward to buying a Indy jacket when I get to my goal weight . I suspect for me I will need to have a semi custom as my arms are usually shorter than off the shelf would dictate

Well I've already reached the point where I want or have multiples of each items (shirt, pants, boots, hat). Still getting there on whip and jacket.

Someone really needs to post a pic of the Wested "barn" - I think it is quite a charming location and I am happy to wear a product of British craftsmanship.

(I'm in Madrid today, then Wales then Munich - yes I travel a bit - and my jacket has received some admiring glances. Which reminds me to roll in some Spanish dirt for Last Crusade distressing!!)

What is an IOAB? thanks

From what I've heard you can't go wrong for the price!

http://www.winrichwhips.com/indy.html

Castor Dioscuri wrote:Indy-on-a-Budget Whip.

Thanks Castor...

JulianK wrote:

What is an IOAB? thanks

From what I've heard you can't go wrong for the price!

http://www.winrichwhips.com/indy.html

I just picked one up a few weeks ago and i have been really happy with it. It is a super nice whip for a super nice price. If like the indy look but dont like the indy cost i would recomend em 100%

Guys, this is the jacket area. Whip discussions belong in the whip area, if you please.

Regard! Michaelson

sorry michaelson...guess we managed to get a bit off topic aye. Anyway....ummmmm.....I never had a problem with my wested. It was a short wait, perfect fit, and got exactly what i ordered. Guess i might have been one of the lucky ones but I love the jacket and never had any complaints with the customer service.

I think I started it with my question about an IOAB. I did not know that was a whip nor did I mean to take us off topic here.
apologies.
Canada

I ordered a 42R off the rack that shipped to my house instead of my dorm and from what my parents are saying, the thing is WAY smaller than a 42R. My stepdad is about 10 inches shorter than me and about the same size around and the jacket is supposedly tight on him. I'm driving home this weekend to try it on, but I'm not expecting it to fit. Is it true that Wested makes you pay $80 for their mistake if they ship you the wrong size?

Risu wrote:I ordered a 42R off the rack that shipped to my house instead of my dorm and from what my parents are saying, the thing is WAY smaller than a 42R. My stepdad is about 10 inches shorter than me and about the same size around and the jacket is supposedly tight on him. I'm driving home this weekend to try it on, but I'm not expecting it to fit. Is it true that Wested makes you pay $80 for their mistake if they ship you the wrong size?

I'm pretty sure they do... but hey, just consider that $80 the price you pay to have British Craftsmen finally ship you the right jacket the second (or third) time around.

That is a really #### way to do business.

Here's the return policy verbatim:

Return Policy - Please read before returning

Whilst every effort is made to make the jacket to your specification things sometimes do go wrong.

If there is a problem and it needs to be returned do not wear it but return it to us. Enclose full details of the problem so we can remedy it.

From outside UK. Package & Customs Documentation clearly marked ' JACKET PURCHASED FROM ENGLAND AND BEING RETURNED FOR ALTERATION/REPAIR' and 'RETURNED GOODS' box (on customs declaration) ticked otherwise it will treated as an import and incur customs charges.

PAY for the postage as we will not except charges and if the problem is our fault we will refund the cost. Do not use FEDEX or UPS as they charge a handling fee in the UK.

If you wish to return the garment for a refund please note the delivery costs will be deducted.

In all other cases where there is a problem we will do our best to carry out remedial work as soon as possible and reserve the right to charge at our discretion. However we at WESTED are proud of our label and our customers and strive to keep costs to a minimum.

Not sure where that $80 figure is coming from, though. That's never been my cost from Tennessee to send anything back to Wested.

From what I'm reading above, if you haven't worn the jacket, and it is their fault, they will refund the cost of shipping back to them, essentially making the cost to you virtually nill. Just follow the instructions to the letter, and it should be fine.

Regards! Michaelson

Can you check if an error has been made before you go off the deep end please.

Lay the jacket down zip it up, measure across the front from pit to pit, if it is 23 inches across you've got a 42. You can't go by what you are used to in normal jacket for fit, most mall jackets are way bigger than the size they have on them, it's called vanity sizing.

I didn't mean to insult anybody. From what I've read here, some people end up spending a fortune on return shipping for the Wested jackets. I'll measure it as soon as I get home and I hope it's the right size, but I'm not gonna get my hopes up. Thanks for posting that info Michaelson, I don't remember exactly where I saw the $80 estimate, somebody stated that's what it cost them to return their jacket. I'll find out on Friday whether or not the jacket is the right size.

Shipping has become much more expensive in the last couple of years, that's a fact of life. A lot of our vendors already subisidise our shipping.

The ones who charge a premium far above what it actually costs are the ones who should be villified. (They know who they are - NOT Wested BTW).

If the jacket is the incorrect size and it's my fault I have no problem with paying for the shipping, but if it's the company's fault I don't think the customer should have to cover it. As far as it being my fault, I doubt "vanity sizing" has anything to do with it seeing as how I ordered the 42R because the measurements on their site for that jacket perfectly matched my own.

well, I would know less than anyone.. but I thought I remembered reading quite a few threads where people ate the shipping cost, even after being sent a jacket with screwy stitching, or wrong size, etc.

Could be, but then if they did not follow the instructions as stated in the post above, that may have very well occurred.

Regard !Michaelson

My goat had the sleeves too short, sent it back - I paid shipping to send - and it came back with correct sleeve length but the seams were not aligned. Sent it back to get the seams aligned (paid shipping again). It came back with seams fixed. Was told shipping would be covered to and from on that last fix but that never happened. Was having to remind Gemma now about the promise of paying shipping to and from - never got it. When I realised the sleeves were darker than the rest of the coat, wasn't about to go through trying to get that resolved after having sent it back and forth already. Got tired of having to QC my own jacket each time. My letterman goat sits nicely in my closet - I still don't have shipping reimbursed, and too much time has passed to address the sleeves being a darker dye match than the rest of the body. ::shrug::

well, there's stuff along the lines of that. there don't really seem to be any rules besides don't use UPS. personally, I don't know if I'd be as ok with that as him, but what choices do you have? you're here, they're in england, they have your money, and you have your jacket (happy with it or not).

I'd like to share the story of my expedition, briefly:

I contacted GB about a goatskin expo, and was told that if I placed the order by that friday, I'd have it for the 22nd of october. That friday ended up being sept 20th.. I spoke with Nyla (in charge of clearance items) and she told me about a goatskin they had with slightly crooked side straps for 50% off. I ordered it on sep 20th. (want to point out that Nyla called me several times over the course of the day while measuring various jackets to the dimensions I gave her).

the jacket arrived on the 26th, and unfortunately, was too short. I called nyla and explained the problem, and admitted I realized there was no time for me to get the jacket by the 20th, which was now when I needed it by. Nyla offered to extend the return policy on the original jacket to as long as I needed to get through halloween, and said if I wanted she would have a new jacket made when I sent back the clearance item.

in the end, I decided to hold on to the clearance jacket and placed an order for a new 41 Tall expo. Nyla said she would do her best to get the jacket to me for the 20th.. and said she thought she could get it finished by the 16th. so imagine my surprise when today, the 10th, I found a package from GB sitting on my porch. a full TEN days before they said they would get it to me.. which was still a full week and a half earlier than the website states.

I also had $40 credited back to me on the purchase of the jacket to honor their website price, which is different than the actual jacket price. I still haven't sent back the clearance jacket, and probably won't.. and as far as I'm concerned, THAT is above and beyond the kind of customer service I'd expect from any vendor.

I've emailed and PM'd wested two or three times trying to find out information about his jackets.. like the sleeve length on the OTR raiders jacket. not once have I gotten a response.. and I know he read the PM's. so, what? I'm supposed to call england at $2 a minute to talk to some guy who doesn't even want my business enough to answer an email? and then what.. roll the dice as whether or not I'll even get what I order, or flip a coin to see who's going to pay for any possible screw ups? I'm sure they make great jackets and all, and of course I'd like to have one, but that's not how you run a business. of course, maybe I'm just hyper critical... I'm also kind of ticked that I just got my shipping confirmation from todd's costume's TODAY when I placed the order last wed......

If a mistake was made on our part, we will pay up to $10.00 for return shipping. For customer mistakes (wrong size ordered, wrong color ordered, etc.), customer must pay for return shipping.

that's from USWings return policy.. and that's not bad, considering that shipping on a jacket is only $15.

Likewise, GB personally offered a full refund on the clearance jacket they sold me.. basically, I pay to ship it back, they refund the original shipping cost.

then again, magnoli doesn't refund return shipping.. but how many threads are there complaining about his customer service? I can personally vouch for it.. and if he somehow manages to get my shirt here a week early like he said he'll try to do, I'll vouch for it even more!

if wested doesn't want to eat return shipping fees for their own errors, then fine... but acknowledge the fact that a LOT of their clients live outside the UK, and return shipping can be EXPENSIVE. the least they could do is stick a monkey by the front door to double check every jacket that goes out. that would be a lot nicer than sitting on their hands and figuring "hey, we made the original jacket.. they're gonna buy em whether we give a #### about their orders or not".

and believe me.. I KNOW they have plenty of happy customers... and sometimes they're just sweethearts to deal with. but they have more complaints than probably all other Indy vendors combined.... and not just the jacket ones.

Aeris: as far as todd's... I understand that it's the busy season, and I'm not really that miffed, I was just a little annoyed because I was expecting the gloves to come today, and then I get an email that they just shipped em. but no, a week is nothing.. just goes to show why I wouldn't have the patience to order a custom wested.

ztmario wrote:I've emailed and PM'd wested two or three times trying to find out information about his jackets.. like the sleeve length on the OTR raiders jacket. not once have I gotten a response.. and I know he read the PM's. so, what? I'm supposed to call england at $2 a minute to talk to some guy who doesn't even want my business enough to answer an email? and then what.. roll the dice as whether or not I'll even get what I order, or flip a coin to see who's going to pay for any possible screw ups? I'm sure they make great jackets and all, and of course I'd like to have one, but that's not how you run a business. of course, maybe I'm just hyper critical... I'm also kind of ticked that I just got my shipping confirmation from todd's costume's TODAY when I placed the order last wed......

The only reason I went for the Wested jacket was because they supposedly make the most accurate one and I didn't like the look of the others. Their bad reviews did make me very nervous, but I placed the order anyways, [Mod edit: Watch your language as this is a family-friendly forum! Posting such language is NOT acceptable and can lead to unwanted punishment.] I know it costs a lot to ship a jacket overseas, but as stated above, that's not how you run a business. Before ordering, I sent them a few emails and when they finally did get back to me their reply offered no answer to my questions and was so hastily written it made almost no sense whatsoever. It's not a question of cost, it's simply common courtesy. It's unfortunate that they deal so poorly with their customers and once this jacket situation is resolved I think I'll be avoiding doing business with them again.

So I finally got home to check out my jacket today. All this fuss over my mother's paranoia. The jacket fits perfectly. It really looks great, too.

I can't recall if the straps are supposed to have D-rings or sliders to be SA, could somebody fill me in please?

IMO

ROTLA - black center bar buckle 1/2" x 1"
TOD - 2 pronged center bar buckle (per NH's jacket)
LC - d-rings

there is a camp that believes in black rectangular sliders were used in ROTLA and they probably were. i see buckles used in the truck chase scene and the flying wing scene.

Hm. Well, the D-rings on my Wested fit perfectly with my gear then. Should be a good match for the Raiders/LC hybrid AB I recently ordered from Steve.

Not posted for a while. You are all correct about the addictive side of indy gear. I ordred another Wested, LC HH new collar style, this time, yesterday. Gemma confirmed the order this morning.

I give her indoors a new Sony camera for Chritmas so I will post pics of the new arrival and the raiders I picked up in September, which by the way is wearing in nicely.

IndyBrit wrote:Just got into the indygear hobby and have been lurking on this forum for some time.

I know that feeling!

Received my ROLA lamb skin from Wested (42R) for Xmas and I couldn't be happier with it!

Beautifully made jacket, lovely feel and it smells SUPERB!

Pics to follow soon!

Steve

Hey SR5150 when did you order your jacket? As for what I think of Wested I cannot really comment on the jacket yet since mine should be arriving soon I hope. I really did like the pants and the shirt, really does look about as SA as anyone could get. Unless your really picky and want to get a shirt from Noel Howard. I hope to get my Raiders jacket soon, my order got processed a few days after I had put my order through because Gemma wanted to make sure my specs were confirmed. I have talked to Peter on the phone twice, seems like a real nice gentleman, seems like both times I called he seemed like he was busy. I can't wait to get my jacket though, I hope it turns out just as good as yours SR5150, sounds like your really enjoying your jacket.

IndianaChris

IndianaChris711 wrote:Hey SR5150 when did you order your jacket? As for what I think of Wested I cannot really comment on the jacket yet since mine should be arriving soon I hope. I really did like the pants and the shirt, really does look about as SA as anyone could get. Unless your really picky and want to get a shirt from Noel Howard. I hope to get my Raiders jacket soon, my order got processed a few days after I had put my order through because Gemma wanted to make sure my specs were confirmed. I have talked to Peter on the phone twice, seems like a real nice gentleman, seems like both times I called he seemed like he was busy. I can't wait to get my jacket though, I hope it turns out just as good as yours SR5150, sounds like your really enjoying your jacket.

IndianaChris

Just so we can compare, I ordered an off the rack one on December 28. Hasn't arrived yet.

Well I can only say I was more than impressed with Peter and the quality of his Jackets and service. I went to the barn before christmas, and was going to discuss a custom jacket, as I am not a standard size. Peter had found a Jacket off the rack which suited me perfectly and we talked about the custom Jacket. Suffuce to sat latter this year I will be getting a cowhide or horse hide jacket that will take some rough and toumble. But fot now my lambskin is just what I have wanted and suits my needs.

I envy you folks who can just walk in their door and do that, Indigo. The VAST majority of us are totally internet sales, and all our jackets are ordered by either 'word of mouth' or the written word. Sure, we get great service, but just can't get that one- to- one personal attention that you experienced.

Heck, sometimes we can't even get Peter to respond to emails! I've sent 3 to him in the last month and a half trying to get a promised answer on his planned inventory of old cotton twill Indy jackets left in stock as I wanted to pick up at least one more before they were all gone, and not a word back.

So, experience dealing with Wested goes from one end of the scale to the other.

Regards! Michaelson

Sorry Michaelson,
Just swtched on and saw this post, will troll back through my emails to find you. Meantime 'Happy New Year' to you and all the members.
Cheers
Peter

Much appreciated, Peter, and the very same to you!

Regards! Michaelson

RockBottom, I did not order one off the rack, mine is a custom jacket. I ordered mine on December 9th, but Gemma wanted to make sure all the specs were correct for my Radiers jacket so it did not get processed til the 12th of December, so it should be coming soon but it is not here yet since it takes about a month or so for a jacket to get done. Hope you get yours soon too Rock Bottom, did you get a special Raiders offer or what off the rack jacket did you get?

Thanks Peter, Happy New Year to you too, hope all is well in England.

IndianaChris

IndianaChris711 wrote:RockBottom, I did not order one off the rack, mine is a custom jacket. I ordered mine on December 9th, but Gemma wanted to make sure all the specs were correct for my Radiers jacket so it did not get processed til the 12th of December, so it should be coming soon but it is not here yet since it takes about a month or so for a jacket to get done. Hope you get yours soon too Rock Bottom, did you get a special Raiders offer or what off the rack jacket did you get?

Thanks Peter, Happy New Year to you too, hope all is well in England.

IndianaChris

I just ordered the standard distressed cowhide one http://www.ekmpowershop4.com/ekmps/shop ... et-3-p.asp

The cowhide should be a great choice if you really want to distress that jacket really good in time. Hopefully it will be a great jacket when you get it RockBottom. Looking forward to seeing some pics of it when you get it. I went with Lambskin on my Raiders, may go novapelle or cowhide on next jacket, I will have to look at the samples when I get my jacket.

Best,

IndianaChris

Speaking to Peter, he said JFYI his postage bill a month at the moment is something like £4000.

Yes going there and looing around is interesting, he has some great jackets.

IndianaChris711 wrote:Hey SR5150 when did you order your jacket? As for what I think of Wested I cannot really comment on the jacket yet since mine should be arriving soon I hope. I really did like the pants and the shirt, really does look about as SA as anyone could get. Unless your really picky and want to get a shirt from Noel Howard. I hope to get my Raiders jacket soon, my order got processed a few days after I had put my order through because Gemma wanted to make sure my specs were confirmed. I have talked to Peter on the phone twice, seems like a real nice gentleman, seems like both times I called he seemed like he was busy. I can't wait to get my jacket though, I hope it turns out just as good as yours SR5150, sounds like your really enjoying your jacket.

IndianaChris

Hi!

Just before Xmas '07 (mid-Dec).

I simply phoned up, checked stock and ordered.....it arrived 3 working days later in A1 condition. I really can't fault them.

I ordered my Indy shirt from them the day the jacket arrived - such was my confidence in Wested.

The jacket ROCKS! I've hadrly had it off my back since! )

Steve

IndianaChris711 wrote:Hey SR5150 when did you order your jacket? As for what I think of Wested I cannot really comment on the jacket yet since mine should be arriving soon I hope. I really did like the pants and the shirt, really does look about as SA as anyone could get. Unless your really picky and want to get a shirt from Noel Howard. I hope to get my Raiders jacket soon, my order got processed a few days after I had put my order through because Gemma wanted to make sure my specs were confirmed. I have talked to Peter on the phone twice, seems like a real nice gentleman, seems like both times I called he seemed like he was busy. I can't wait to get my jacket though, I hope it turns out just as good as yours SR5150, sounds like your really enjoying your jacket.

IndianaChris

Ordered mine 28 December, arrived 12 January. Not bad.