Club Obi Wan

I just put in an order for a G&B expo. The plan is to get an OTR, then if I like it, return it and have them make me a custom one with the little touches I’m looking for. My Wested is less than a year old, however. Why the change?

Let me start by saying that I don’t care about SA. I just want a really great jacket that looks like Indy’s.

At first I was thrilled by Wested. I mean, a custom made jacket for just a few hundred bucks. (very different exchange rate when I bought it a year ago) And it is good looking and it does fit amazingly well. But there are a bunch of little things that just annoy me about it.

First, there’s the sewing thread issue. http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38150 I value strength and longevity in a leather jacket. Already the stitching in one of the pocket flaps has disintegrated and needs to be repaired. Next time will it be somewhere more critical?

Then there’s the issue of Wested’s relatively slack fulfillment. They got the jacket right, but they forgot to include the second inside pocket I’d requested. When I called them on it, Gemma said “we didn’t charge you for it,” and considered the matter dropped. But I still don’t have a pocket. You go to the time and expense to have a custom jacket made, it’s a bit of a bummer that it’s not exactly what you had specified. Forget that it’s not what you wanted, this is something you had actually specified, but it didn’t happen. And the fact that Wested is expensive shipping and customs away means that returning it just isn’t practical.

So it’s cool that the Wested is made by the actual company that made the movie jacket, but at the end of the day, I feel like it’s more of a costume than a custom-built, ready for serious use leather jacket.

I’ll let you all know how it goes with the G&B.

Adam,

What were you hoping to customize on the G&B? As far as I know, the only things you can really do are: 1) get a Reg body with S or L sleeves sewn on it 2) get a S or L body with Reg, S or L sleeves 3) add another pocket 4) add a liner. I don't think they'll do much more -- their jackets are pretty much take or leave it...

~Jace

Adam, he's right. My understanding is they'll work with you on the basic fit of the jacket (and maybe the items Jace mentioned), but they don't do custom work anymore. If I remember correctly, after a number of customers went overboard with custom requests, they deemed it too much trouble and expense to deal with, so they dropped that service. You might want to contact G&B and tell them up front what you're really hoping for in the jacket. That might prevent some unnecessary headaches in the future.

I totally agree. The downside with G&B is basically no customization (compared to other vendors), but the upside is very high quality & a very consistent product -- a 40R bought a year or 2 ago will be the exact same size as one bought today.

~Jace

G&B shot my custom requests down many moons ago........even when i told them i was willing to pay a really ridiculous price for it......i was quite insulted at the time.

now, i admire them for sticking to their guns.

If G&B offered just a couple more choices - nickle zipper being a big one - which were simple choose "A or B" or "Yes or No" questions, the jacket would be much more appealing. Things like moving a pocket or changing the collar shape I'm all in favor of them saying NO on. But let me have a different zip or broader selection of leather.

If I'm going to spend $500 (and their Indy jacket costs over $100 more than their standard A2 or G1's) I want just a couple more options.

So, does G&B charge extra for sizing customizations? ex., long body length w/ reg sleeves?

For tall sizes standard prices. For larger sizes you add $30 or whatever. For custom, from their site:

Made-to-Measure

When you order a made-to measure jacket, our pattern makers will make a complete jacket pattern for you and we will do the alterations necessary to be sure your jacket fits correctly. Add $150 to the price of the closest standard size for a made-to-measure jacket. We guarantee the fit of your made-to-measure jacket, but we cannot refund the purchase price of made-to-measure jackets.

For Tall Indy's from their site:

Standard Sizes: Sizes - Men's sizes 36 to 48, regular & tall.
Other sizes are made-to-measure.

My guess is a standard tall with short sleeves or the opposite would be normal pricing.

C3,

I'm not completely sure, but I don't think so. I know that the Shorts & Talls are the same price as Regulars, and they are still returnable if they don't fit. I think things like an added map pocket, etc. are the chargeable extras. But it's probably worth a call to them to be sure -- they even have a toll-free number!

~Jace

The problem that G&B has had with requests has always been the guess-work involved. Customers ask for stuff (they pay extra), and then when G&B delivers, many times the customer finds out that their request was not what they wanted after all. Even I, who know their product well, messed up on my sleeve length on the first of my last set of expeditions from them. Luckily they were able to squeeze some extra length out of the sleeve of the first one for me. But that’s indicative I think of why they don’t do it.

However, from what I’ve gathered, G&B seems willing to work with you a bit if you buy an off the rack jacket first for reference, and then send it back and have a few changes made based off of it. Cheers

BTW, AdaminNYC has followed the exact same path that I did many years ago. When the expedition first came out, I still went with Wested, even though I knew that G&B (Flightsuits) produced great stuff. I had an A-2 from them from 1990, so was familiar with their work. I was reeled in from the Wested "propaganda" (for lack of a better word) at the time. The Wested was also about $200 cheaper at the time. That may not sound like much in these days of $1000 Indy jackets, but it was a lot back then (hey, with the recesion, it's a lot now). Anyway, the long and short of it was that I was not really satisfied with the 2 Westeds that I purchased concurently. I did give them another shot when they first released their "authentic brown". I got a jacket without snaps on the pockets. I do admit that their jackets have come a long way on screen accuracy, from the ones that I've seen here.

Even with that said, Wested is still the right choice for many people (just not for me). Likewise, some people will really be satisfied with a G&B expo. and some will not. With G&B though, it will never be an issue of quality. They pretty much stand alone atop the mountain of Indy jacket makers with regards to quality. TN is right there, but if I had to choose, I'd take G&B all the way on quality.

I have to agree with pretty much everything Rundquist posted. I'm not knocking Wested Or TN, I've had my share of Westeds, 2 of which I still own & am happy with them for the most part. I mean, I would change a little thing here or there, but overall I like them. And the price is very reasonable. As far as the TN jackets go, I think he is producing a very nice jacket, his customer service is excellent (from what I've heard), and is fully open to any special request you have. But starting at $750, it's just a little more than I would like to spen right now. Don't get me wrong -- if I had the expendable $$, I would place an order pronto! The G&B's are right in the middle of these other 2 jackets price-wise, their quality is second to none, and they are in fact about 85-90% SA off-the-rack. If they would offer a small list of options like aluminum or brass zipper, etc., as Raider S suggested, then I wouldn't think about going with anyone else. All that being said, I have started a side-fund to save up for a TN Raiders 1 in goatskin. Maybe I'll have enough beofre all the serial #'s run out, maybe not...

~Jace

Hi all,
Don't worry, I don't have a crazy laundry list of customizations: cadmium plated snaps and octagonal stitching on straps. I just like a regular body length with a short sleeve. And an extra inside pocket.

Ah, the extra inside pocket. You see, that's something I told Gemma about on the phone, then followed up with an email, and they still forgot. Part of the whole Wested thing. I could have sent it back, sure, but how much do I really want to pay in shipping? I'm a man of few wants in this world, but an extra inside pocket so I can carry an iPod AND a little notebook is really nice.

Oh, also G&B sent me some leather swatches so I can have a sense of what the jacket will be made of. That would have been great before I bought my Wested, since the leather was something of a surprise; it was unlike other cowhide jackets I've had in the past.

But leather swatches notwithstanding, I can order a whole jacket and see what it translates to in the real world, then return it relatively inexpensively. Of course, this is the American perspective.

Tyrloch wrote:I have to agree with pretty much everything Rundquist posted. I'm not knocking Wested Or TN, I've had my share of Westeds, 2 of which I still own & am happy with them for the most part. I mean, I would change a little thing here or there, but overall I like them. And the price is very reasonable. As far as the TN jackets go, I think he is producing a very nice jacket, his customer service is excellent (from what I've heard), and is fully open to any special request you have. But starting at $750, it's just a little more than I would like to spen right now. Don't get me wrong -- if I had the expendable $$, I would place an order pronto! The G&B's are right in the middle of these other 2 jackets price-wise, their quality is second to none, and they are in fact about 85-90% SA off-the-rack. If they would offer a small list of options like aluminum or brass zipper, etc., as Raider S suggested, then I wouldn't think about going with anyone else. All that being said, I have started a side-fund to save up for a TN Raiders 1 in goatskin. Maybe I'll have enough beofre all the serial #'s run out, maybe not...

~Jace

also remember with the TN, customisation and changes, additional inside pockets, heavier zipper, etc are inclusive of the jacket price. Not an extra charge.

Rundquist wrote:......... I'd take G&B all the way on quality.

I can only recall one post about a problem with a G+B, over collar stitching.

RCSignals wrote:

Rundquist wrote:......... I'd take G&B all the way on quality.

I can only recall one post about a problem with a G+B, over collar stitching.

And if it's the post that I'm thinking of, it was on a jacket that they didn't want to sell to begin with. It was an Expedition done in their "nappa" cowhide. It was thought that the hide was too thick to configure the collar properly, but they made the jacket as a special request anyway. The customer brought it to the board and all "heck" broke loose (man do I hate that word filter ). This is not to say that one never slips past the goalie with them, but it's rare.

Indiana G wrote:G&B shot my custom requests down many moons ago........even when i told them i was willing to pay a really ridiculous price for it......i was quite insulted at the time.

now, i admire them for sticking to their guns.

The good thing about the G&B,,,,they're perfect the way they are! They don't NEED any customizing!

TR

Texas Raider wrote:

Indiana G wrote:G&B shot my custom requests down many moons ago........even when i told them i was willing to pay a really ridiculous price for it......i was quite insulted at the time.

now, i admire them for sticking to their guns.

The good thing about the G&B,,,,they're perfect the way they are! They don't NEED any customizing!

TR

they need a tonne of customization to get it screen authentic (zipper, strap anchors, hardware, leather, collar stitching, pocket stitching, yadda, yadda, yadda), at least to the level that i want in an indiana jones jacket.......but the way the are now is probably the best way to make 'em so tough and resilient.

For all around-right out of the box-no worries about anything being wrong perfection- G&B cannot be beat, period. For the most part, the G&B is idistinguishable from a screen jacket (as we all know, one was used to make the design), and so many different ones were used on screen- but this one runs the gammut in covering all the bases. Not to mention, I've taken some pretty serious spills in my jacket, and it just keeps going strong! They're built to last! This ain't no make-believe, costume jacket

TR

I've got a G&B and I can't say one bad thing about it.

Even factoring in the lack of customization, you will be more than pleased with a G and B. I absolutely love mine and only my TNs can vie with it as the favorite jacket I've owned.

Well, if your main concern is a well built, indy style jacket that won't fall apart, looks great, feels wonderful and will withstand nearly anything, then I think you'll like the G&B. I have one and I absolutely love it...wouldn't trade it for any other!