Club Obi Wan

My US Wings VIP came today!!
It is a Large Long. First off, the color is AWESOME! It's a milk chocolate brown. -look at the difference in the pics vs my Wested Horse. -(those pics inside w/ fluorescent lighting and flash, The last pic is outside, and I'm holding it since it had just rained.) It is unbelievably soft, feels like lambskin. Things I notice right off the bat- no bottom seam, single stitch shoulders and the pockets are on the 'outside' of the jacket- your hands don't go inside the lining. Feels really nice.
The only dislike is the lining. It's a heavy, coarse nylon.
Oh, you'll see a 'line' or crease running vertically- I'm guessing being folded- will that go away?

[/img]

[/img]

SWEET! That looks like a TOUGH jacket. Can't comment on the shorts, though!

Glad you like this one - it will last a lifetime!

looks great.

now remember...when you send it back...dotn send to USW...send it my way

bests
Holt

Indiana Holt wrote:looks great.

now remember...when you send it back...dotn send to USW...send it my way

bests
Holt

Ha! I deserved that one. -Nope, this baby is stayin' put! -No 'suede' feel on this one! I keep rubbing this thing, it is so soft!
I am going to look into having a tailor replace the lining, though, with something less 'sticky', but that's not a necessity, either.
On the last pic- see that vertical 'line' alongside the zipper from it being folded? That will relax out, won't it?

citRon wrote:On the last pic- see that vertical 'line' alongside the zipper from it being folded? That will relax out, won't it?

Don't sweat that - just from being in the shipping box.

citRon wrote:No 'suede' feel on this one! I keep rubbing this thing, it is so soft!

Dude, you are killing me. Between the outfit in the photos and this...

Raider S wrote:

citRon wrote:On the last pic- see that vertical 'line' alongside the zipper from it being folded? That will relax out, won't it?

Don't sweat that - just from being in the shipping box.

citRon wrote:No 'suede' feel on this one! I keep rubbing this thing, it is so soft!

Dude, you are killing me. Between the outfit in the photos and this...

I wore this outfit to the mall...what's wrong with it? I did notice a lot of admirers checking out my new jacket -people would just stop and stare...

....don't like "milk chocolate"............too sweet!

citRon wrote
On the last pic- see that vertical 'line' alongside the zipper from it being folded? That will relax out, won't it?





or what? you'll send it back ..no worries and let the linnen stay in there..it looks good but of course its up o you..


since you have a large..mind measuring the center of the bottom neckband down to the yolk center for me?

I think it should beat 7.5'' or 8'' on a Large.

bests
Holt

Indiana Holt wrote:citRon wrote
On the last pic- see that vertical 'line' alongside the zipper from it being folded? That will relax out, won't it?





or what? you'll send it back ..no worries and let the linnen stay in there..it looks good but of course its up o you..


since you have a large..mind measuring the center of the bottom neckband down to the yolk center for me?

I think it should beat 7.5'' or 8'' on a Large.

bests
Holt

"I do solemnly hereby and to forthwith do declare and proclaim that I shall not, nay, I say, shant return aformentioned garment"!

As far as the lining, I'll leave it as is if I can't match it with my shorts.

Holt- it's a Large LONG...if that matters, but the measurements are:
from the collar to jacket seam to the yoke seam stitching -7 1/2" and then another 1/4" to the bottom of the leather of the yoke,
is that what you meant?

PSBIndy wrote:....don't like "milk chocolate"............too sweet!

well, it could pass for a semi-sweet confectioners chocolate!

First off, wow, you're a tall guy. Second, the flash makes your shorts look very light, which, mixed with your height versus the shorts, makes them look like boxers And that jacket looks amazing, I'm loving that chocolate brown. I'd love to get that jacket in an XS Tall... but I'll probably end up with the goatskin, WHENEVER I can afford that. And I'm sure that the crease will wear away, especially if you play with it a bit.

-KB

Kentucky Blues wrote:First off, wow, you're a tall guy. Second, the flash makes your shorts look very light, which, mixed with your height versus the shorts, makes them look like boxers And that jacket looks amazing, I'm loving that chocolate brown. I'd love to get that jacket in an XS Tall... but I'll probably end up with the goatskin, WHENEVER I can afford that. And I'm sure that the crease will wear away, especially if you play with it a bit.

-KB

I promise I am not in my underwear!!
yeah, those shorts actually are yellow and blue plaid, but it kinda washed out in the flash. -I'm 6'3.
I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and saw that color! I was expecting a much darker brown. This is the best color I've seen in person.

ok thanks.


bests
Holt

Nice CitRon...as you know i have the same one, the color is awesome. The smell is incredible isn't it ? My entire bedroom smells like leather.

citRon wrote: "I do solemnly hereby and to forthwith do declare and proclaim that I shall not, nay, I say, shant return aformentioned garment"!

We've got it in writing! Enjoy your jacket, citRon!

The color looks like a russet brown? I had assumed it was a darker brown jacket, according to the website? D-rings only on the USW? Heavy? Looks like a good fitting jacket!

Texan Scott wrote:The color looks like a russet brown? I had assumed it was a darker brown jacket, according to the website? D-rings only on the USW? Heavy? Looks like a good fitting jacket!

A little more than a russett, but not a super dark brown. The pics on the Wings website are darker than it is in person. If you look at my last picture, out in the sun -look at the top part of the left collar, which doesn't have direct sunlight on it, and that's a good representation of what the color looks like to me (on my monitor) Honestly this is the best color I've seen on an Indy jacket in person. It looks like the brown jacket from the films, if that makes sense. D- rings, yep on the Wings. Heavy? -not really heavy, but substantial, if that makes sense, but the leather itself is silky soft, it drapes beautifully. This fits wonderfully. The arm holes aren't way up on it. The big difference as far as fit vs the Wested, as I an tell, is the arm holes, and an extra 1" from the arm/jacket seam to the zipper.

At first I thought the shorts were boxers too. All kidding aside, how tall are you? I may need to go the large long route. I'm 6'3", about 215 lbs. Great looking jacket! Love the color too!

Its interesting b/c it reminds me of Rundquist's pics of his G&Bs, the dark seal and the regular seal which closely match it seems the colors of your wested and the US Wings' VIP.

Regardless of whether one likes the lighter brown, one thing that is very obvious from the picture of the US Wings is the leather quality is excellent.

Did anybody notice the pocketflaps? They're scalloped! I have always been led to believe that Wings pocket flaps were more triangular. Those have a very nice contour to them. Nice jacket, way nice jacket!

JC1972 wrote:At first I thought the shorts were boxers too. All kidding aside, how tall are you? I may need to go the large long route. I'm 6'3", about 215 lbs. Great looking jacket! Love the color too!

6'3" ~195-ish

And a pic with PANTS ON!

[img][img]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b341/ ... 0_4180.jpg[/img][/img]

Consider the lining as a mixed blessing.

My VIP is over 3 years old, and came with the shiny nylon lining. Great for cold weather, but too dang hot for anything else, so it's been my winter coat for quite a while.

Last winter I hung it over one of our old wooden kitchen chairs, and when I pulled it off to hang it up, the lining snagged on a splinter on the chair and ripped a ragged line right down the back of the nylon lining!

I did a rough whip stitch job on the lining, and thought 'I'll just have it relined at my local leather jacket tailor shop.'

Long story short, they shyed away from the job, as the jacket lining pattern is a bit more complicated than their usual A-2 jacket linings, and they didn't want to get in over their heads.

So, my beloved VIP has a ragged repair on the lining that I can't seem to get it fixed. I contacted Wings, and they were kind enough to send me the cotton material to effect a repair, but no offers to see if they could do the 'fix' for me, even after an appeal for help directly to David Hack after my local shop turned the job down. Ah well. I can't say that I blame them, as they're in the business of selling new jackets....not necessarily keeping old ones 'on the road', per se. Still.....

Sounds to me like YOUR lining is what is needed for these jackets, as once it's worn in, it should wear like iron....unlike the OLD nylon linings that rip, then shred as nylon tends to do.

Personally I'd recommend you give that lining a chance before you start having someone rip it out then possibly botch the new lining.

Regards! Michaelson

that is an awesome jacket, it looks so much differnt from the standard goat skin wings jacket that I have seen and the one I hard for a brief time. The sleeves are they baggy? from what I saw they looked very slim and the pocket flaps are great. That is one nice jacket and the fit, it's right on the money, wings can be hit or miss on sizing but looks great on you my friend, enjoy your jacket.

jacksdad wrote:wings can be hit or miss

WHAT is hit or miss with USW? You continue to diss USW because the jacket you had was the wrong size and you didn't like the sleeves. Why can't you let that go?

Michaelson, this lining sure seems like it will hold up! It's weird, I've never felt anything like it -it has a 'texture'. I am gonna leave it until we have the weather to weather it and determine wether or not I like it.
If I can figure out the bizillion settings on my camera, I'll post a close-up shot of the lining.
The sleeves are not baggy, but there's room for more than my arm in there too.

Raider S wrote:SWEET! That looks like a TOUGH jacket. Can't comment on the shorts, though!

This is how Indy looks when he gets out of bed in the morning, SA!

Texan Scott wrote: This is how Indy looks when he gets out of bed in the morning, SA!

The new action figure: Wake-up Jones with fedora and coffee cup accessories!

Fantastic looking jacket!! I really love that color, enough to consider getting one of these. You know I kind of like the detail of it not having a bottom seam around the bottom of the jacket, for some reason.. I think that looks cool. It's interesting too about the color, most folks comment on the russet looking color but in the shots you posted of you wearing it, it looks as dark as the wested you posted. Just goes to show how camera and lighting can effect what ends up on screen I guess. Another note, I see that USWings has come to their sences and started attaching the buckles to the back panel instead of the front of the jacket (pocket area). As for the lineing, I'd be interested to see it in a good picture, one of the Wings jackets I had (the chinese clearance jacket) had a satiny lineing that sort of had a twill texture to it, diagonal pattern. I really enjoyed that lineing after washing the jacket it softened up and was great, tuff too. Congrats on this jacket!!

Doug C

Jacket looks great on you but please, please please, tell me that the Kids Adventurer jacket I ordered for my son won't be that color.

scot2525 wrote:Jacket looks great on you but please, please please, tell me that the Kids Adventurer jacket I ordered for my son won't be that color.

Oh, no. I believe those are deer hunter orange.

WOW!!!! I really like that color.

Is this a lambskin or goatskin VIP. Excuse me if I missed it, but I don't remember where you said which it is.

Many Thanks
Randall

rrhanselka wrote:WOW!!!! I really like that color.

Is this a lambskin or goatskin VIP. Excuse me if I missed it, but I don't remember where you said which it is.

Many Thanks
Randall

fluffy baa-baa? nope. Billy goat? nope.

VIP is good ole' moo cow!

One of the best USW jackets I've seen. Have they changed their pockets? They look... (hides behind a tree)... scalloped. Nice colour too. The leather looks of a very high quality. That shot of the back looks great too. Good substitute for a Nowak, I'd say.

I have never found a jacket I like from USW ----until this one - it looks great. The color really makes it.

Very nice. I'll concur that it looks like very nice leather & looks well built. I would side with Michaelson to be very sure that you want to have the lining replaced. However, if you do decide to have it done (and they do a good job), it would be well worth it. I bought a Wings goatskin back in 1999 and I absolutely hated the nylon lining (or whatever it was) that they used. I have no idea if they still use the same material or if yours is a different variety. I had the lining switched out by a tailor. The tailor did a great job and it made a world of difference. Unfortunately I never really gave that jacket it's due. I gave it to a family member and went off buying other jackets. But it was a good jacket. Cheers

Do you get a choice of lining, like the G&B, or all one color/material?

The standard lining is nylon acetate...no choices as far as I know but I really like the lining.

I had a US wings but got rid of it because the sizing was way off. What is the sizing like on this? Accurate - or American sizing?

the lining on this is not a slick, satiny type of nylon. It is a heavy-ish textured feeling nylon. Kinda weird, but seems a lot tougher than a silky nylon. We'll have to see how it wears.
As far as sizing goes, My Large Long fits me great, and I normally wear a 44 long (US)