Wested shoulder pads?

Kokopelli · Post by **Kokopelli** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:26 pm

Since I just ordered Wested April 1st, I've been pouring over all the threads, and I see several discussing shoulder pads. Does Wested still put them in as a standard, or have they stopped putting those in? -I still have time to 'adjust' my order if they do. Thanks all-

Rom Hunter · Post by **Rom Hunter** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:40 pm

AFAIK they were only in the ROTLA special offer.

morganswift · Post by **morganswift** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:50 pm

I got my Wested 'off the rack' authentic lambskin about a month ago and NO shoulder pads.

Alex

Kokopelli · Post by **Kokopelli** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:18 pm

Sheeew! Thanks!

SR5150 · Post by **SR5150** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 6:28 pm

Yeah, mine has them.

Gotta wonder "why" really....

Has anyone got any experience of removing them? Tough job?

My missus is quiet handy with a needle and thread!

Steve

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:51 pm

They are called shoulder "pads", but to me they are more like what you would find on a structured suit jacket. Not big and bulky at all. I've considered having mine removed, but not a priority at this time. Here's a pic of mine with pads in!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/238 ... 8e.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2025/238 ... 0b.jpg?v=0

Not advocating for them, just saying they are not as bad as they sound

rigor · Post by **rigor** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:10 pm

I ordered two Special Offer Raiders jackets, sizes 44 and 42. The jackets arrived just two weeks apart last month. The 44 had shoulder pads, and the 42 didn't. There were other small differences in the two jackets too. The shoulder pads weren't terribly noticeable or very big. Tron's comment about being like what you'd find in a structured suit jacket was spot on.

I think I guessed why one jacket had pads and the other didn't, and after figuring it out (I think!) I'm considering having small shoulder pads placed in my 42. The pads improve the look of the action pleats. With the pads the last inch or two of the jacket's shoulder is held up straight; it can't sag as easily. Without the pads the jacket shoulder area can sag. If the shoulders sag, the ends of the yoke panel sags. If the yoke sags, the pleats either open or go wavy or both. My 42 jacket is rather snug so the shoulders fit me nicely, but when I hang my jacket on a regular hangar I noticed the hangar doesn't support the jacket shoulders all the way to where the shoulders connect to the sleeves, and I can see the yoke ends sagging. I've worn the jacket just four days now, and I can already see the leather of the pleats starting to waver a bit the last four or five inches by the yoke.

Indiana Blooze · Post by **Indiana Blooze** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:01 pm

SR5150 wrote:Yeah, mine has them.

Gotta wonder "why" really....

Has anyone got any experience of removing them? Tough job?

My missus is quiet handy with a needle and thread!

Steve

Mrs. Blooze removed mine with no problem at all.

Red Dust · Post by **Red Dust** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:41 pm

The shoulders on my wested seem quite squared off so the shoulder are a major concern of mine when ordering my next wested.. is it possible for anyone to do a shot comparison between the two.. sorry i cant really understand how they differ through words, i think that pics will only help me to understand.

Red Dust

Rom Hunter · Post by **Rom Hunter** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:31 am

Red Dust wrote:is it possible for anyone to do a shot comparison between the two.. sorry i cant really understand how they differ through words, i think that pics will only help me to understand.

It's very simple: a jacket without pads fits better around your shoulders.

I really felt the difference after removing them from my special offer ROTLA.

It just didn't feel right with the pads still in.

Adey · Post by **Adey** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:37 pm

i really hope mine arrives without pads, i hate them, i wore a suit on the weekend that had slight padding and it drove me mad.

on another note its being allmost two weeks since i ordered my wested, time seems to be dragging on, i cant wait.

morganswift · Post by **morganswift** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:15 pm

Can't do a side by side comparison (as I only have one jacket!) but here's mine without shoulder pads...

Alex

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:17 pm

I removed them last night.

They weren't bad but It's drapes better without them.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:38 am

I'm thinking of removing mine - how does one do it? How are they attatched under the liner?

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:03 pm

whiskyman wrote:I'm thinking of removing mine - how does one do it? How are they attatched under the liner?

I pulled apart the seam inside where the sleeve meets the back just enough to pull the pad through. Then I cut the stitching that runs down the centre of the foam pad (single line of stitching) and removed it. Then it's just a matter of sewing up the open seam. I did mine by hand (doesn't look pretty but nobody sees it) but of course a machine would do the job as well.

A tailor is I'm sure an inexpensive option, but I did mine on a whim!

Tron

Nicolas Jones · Post by **Nicolas Jones** » Wed May 14, 2008 7:10 am

rigor wrote :
"I think I guessed why one jacket had pads and the other didn't, and after figuring it out (I think!) I'm considering having small shoulder pads placed in my 42. The pads improve the look of the action pleats."

Yep, I think you are right Rigor, the pleat on my jacket are quite open, i think I'll put small shoulder pads in it in order to close those.

Nicolas Jones

Chewie Louie · Post by **Chewie Louie** » Wed May 14, 2008 10:17 am

My Special ROTLA size 40 has them. I think I would have preferred it without, but I don't think I will go to the trouble of having them removed.

Bardoon · Post by **Bardoon** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:32 pm

####...forgot to mention the shoulder pads on mine.

Why do they have the shoulder pads on the RotLA special order? I might have missed it..is it because of the 80's look? Is it screen-accurate? What's the deal?