Club Obi Wan

Okay guys. It was a total of only 16 days (including weekends) from order placement until arrival on my doorstep. Since is my first Indy jacket and first Wested, let me give you my review....

1. The horsehide is substantial, but nowhere close to as thick and stiff as a front quarter Aero, for example. Not much grain out of the package, but even wearing it for a half hour was starting to bring it out. I'm not complaining about the lack of stiffness. The break-in on this will be a breeze compared to a FQHH jacket. The color is a pretty dark brown, but I haven't taken it outside yet, so I don't know how it looks in the sun.

2. I think they nailed the fit pretty well. I'm 6' 4" and 230 lbs, with long arms, so I was concerned that the body and arm length would be correct, but no problems.

3. Here's something I wasn't expecting: The zipper pull is on the left hand side instead of the right hand. Must be a British thing, because even my Aero's don't have that.

4. I am very pleased with the overall quality. I can't imagine that this jacket won't last a long time. Try to find a custom-made horsehide jacket by anybody for anywhere close to the price of a Wested. This is a great value.

5. Is it screen accurate? I don't know, and don't really care. Looks good to me.

6. I think wearing this jacket in a few rainstorms will be the ticket for softening it up, bringing out the grain, and making it drape better.

7. Being the obsessive sort that I am, I have a feeling that this won't be my last Indy jacket, but I'm pretty pleased. Now if it weren't in the 90's with high humidity and I could actually wear it outside the house!


I have no way of getting photos of me wearing it just yet, so I'm just enclosing photos of the jacket itself.

My compliments to Wested. Nice job.



[/img]
[/img]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on a fantastic purchase. Nice job Road Warrior. Looks absolutely fantastic. Nice going Wested!

Looks great!

I am chomping at the bit for mine... Still need measurements!

I am duly impressed with the (apparent) quality of Wested's work as well as the comments of owners over the last few months.

Looks great! HH is awesome!

That is a terrific looking jacket! I've never seriously considered HH before but all of these great looking jackets is certainly making it an attractive option.

Yes, it is a nice, jacket. I received my Wested HH a week ago. I loved it as soon as I unpacked it, and that love is growing every time I put it on! It fits perfectly, and is already starting to mould itself to my shape. It drapes really well, and I find it adds a bit of flattering bulk to my 5 foot 6 frame! The most impressive thing for me was that I didn't really need to give them anything other than my standard measurements. I didn't ask them to tweak or adapt anything - I trusted them to just get on with it and do an excellent job. The only slight concern was with the length of the sleeves. Gemma at Wested thought my arms seemed a bit short for my height! However we stuck with the measurements, and they're absolutely spot on - the sleeves some down just to end of my wrist where the palm of my hand starts. I really can't praise them highly enough.

The leather is lovely too - especially the colour (which to me looks almost black in direct sunlight). It is tough and heavy, but ready to wear (I used to own a vintage '40s HH hunting jacket up until it succumbed to a nasty case of mildew recently! Even after 60 odd years it was still stiff enough to stand up on its own.) My only prblem with it is it looks too nice and new at the moment. I'm a bit impatient for it to start acquiring a bit of character!

And since this is my first post - allow me to say hello!

Welcome aboard, and congradulations on your purchase!

That is a fine jacket that will serve you for many years.

That old HH may be rejuvinated with a dosing of Neatsfoot oil. Let it soak overnight, and buff of the excess. Then a day in the sun will remove the last of the mildew...

Or, just send it to me and I'll take care of it!

Looks great and congrats. I have a wested goat and I think in the future I may have to get a horse. I have 2 horsehide A-2's which are thick,but let me tell ya they are very warm in the cold. Congrads and wear it in good health.

Thanks!

J!m wrote: That old HH may be rejuvinated with a dosing of Neatsfoot oil. Let it soak overnight, and buff of the excess. Then a day in the sun will remove the last of the mildew...

Or, just send it to me and I'll take care of it!

Alas, I had to let it go to the great round-up in the sky, it was too far gone! (though after reading your post I now doubt that and totally regret it!) It was so gross and damp it really made my skin crawl. I was heart-broken too. I bought it way back in '88, and it saw me right through my student days. From the waist up it did kind of resemble and Indy jacket, especially round the collar (it had leather laced side vents though).

The Wested is helping me get over my loss.

Well, sorry to se that old one go...

You have a nice replacement!