Club Obi Wan

it's a 40 ROLA washed goat. Here are the measurements:

sleeves: 25
shoulder: 6.5
pit to pit: 21.5
pockets: 6.5 x 8.25 (counting flap) or 7.5 (pocket only)
stormflap: 22 without stand, 23 with
back: 25.5


at first, it felt really constricting in the shoulders, especially bringing my arms forward. I'm used to a USW and it felt small in comparison. It's also pretty stiff out of the box, I think. You can see in the pics how the front just hangs really straight. That makes it so that when I move or raise my arms the whole jacket moves.


The pockets look kinda long to me. I think it's because the flaps don't come down far enough.
I'm torn between keeping it or getting a size up. It looks good and I like the tighter fit versus the USW. I'm hoping with the stiffness being gone with use that it will feel a little more comfortable, but that may be wishful thinking.
If I did opt for a roomier jacket, should I get the same model (ROLA) just a size up (42) or should I keep the size at 40 and get a standard cut which I understand is not as tight under the arms and on the shoulders?
Also, as you can see from the side pics, the front wants to stick out and up. Will that go away once the leather is broken in? I expected it to hang closer to my body.


And finally, as we know, these are the outsourced jackets. I'm not an expert on stitching, but it looks ok to me. The only thing is that one of the shoulder stitches has some thread hanging. I don't see a hole, so it may be just some excess thread that didn't get trimmed. Should I be concerned or just take the scissors to it?

Is this an OTR or a custom? I believe I've heard the custom ROLA is not restrictive like the OTR is in the arms and shoulders. I'd say go with the Raiders 40.

If I did opt for a roomier jacket, should I get the same model (ROLA) just a size up (42) or should I keep the size at 40 and get a standard cut which I understand is not as tight under the arms and on the shoulders?

Tough question. I wish I had the answer.

Yeah, pockets look big.

I agree, tough call. The arms and body length look great, sizing up might give too much length. The Raiders cut might be better but you do sacrifice those nice high armholes!

If you can live with the body and arms maybe being slightly longer then I suggest getting the next size up Rola. Arms will probably shorten a bit to creases... especially as it is washed goat. See if you can persuade Gemma to pic you out one with slightly less tall pockets.

KT, I am convinced that the temple jacket had high armholes and narrow sleeves (narrower than the OTR wested)

Do you think it's possible on a custom order to ask for body of OTR and sleeves of ROLA combination?

Regards,

PLATON wrote:KT, I am convinced that the temple jacket had high armholes and narrow sleeves (narrower than the OTR wested)

Do you think it's possible on a custom order to ask for body of OTR and sleeves of ROLA combination?

Regards,

The Rola is also an OTR.

Remember 1) OTR Raiders bigger 2) OTR Rola Narrower (Basically a 80's fit).

If you phone and have a chat with Peter, I would imagine so.

Kt Templar wrote: If you can live with the body and arms maybe being slightly longer then I suggest getting the next size up Rola.

I can live with a little extra length (keep it clean, please). In fact I'd welcome it both on sleeves and body. But I wonder how wider the 42 would be. The thing I like about this jacket versus my Wings is the fact that it's not baggy.

Kt Templar wrote:See if you can persuade Gemma to pic you out one with slightly less tall pockets.

How close are they to the jackets? Same room? Do I just tell her I'd like a 42 ROLA with pockets shorter than 8" if possible? I'm just wondering how long of a conversation that would be via long distance calling.

Yup, she can just dig through the rail for you.

then my next question is, does anyone know approximately how much the return postage is from the US? Would they exchange it for the larger size, or should I try selling it here?

I'd send it back and get the ROLA in 42. That is a sure "money in you pocket" thing.... If you sell it here, it may take weeks or even months.

The return shipping shouldn't be more than $25 or so.

Send it back, save some more money, and buy a TN......you'll be 1000X more happy. Trust me.

Why is everyone's answer to a jacket question or a jacket complaint..
"send it back and get a Tony Nowak!"
some people dont have that kinda money to spend on 5 Nowaks and have a huge array of jackets just lined up... i see alot of youngins on here that really cant afford a Tony and we are also in a bad economy now.. not excusing anything but if i were to ask a question and someone responded, save up and get a nowak.. i would kinda be urked..
please dont take this to offense just and observation

Heyjude7 wrote:Why is everyone's answer to a jacket question or a jacket complaint..
"send it back and get a Tony Nowak!"
some people dont have that kinda money to spend on 5 Nowaks and have a huge array of jackets just lined up... i see alot of youngins on here that really cant afford a Tony and we are also in a bad economy now.. not excusing anything but if i were to ask a question and someone responded, save up and get a nowak.. i would kinda be urked..
please dont take this to offense just and observation

You make a good point

Kyle

to be quite honest, i like Wested's jackets.. they may not be totally "Screen Accurate" but you can get a custom for a few bucks more then the off the rack. communication may not be top notch but it's not horrible..
Wested to me is a great jacket!

HeyJude7,
I'm with you. Not everyone has the dough to spend money on a Nowak jacket. Why can't people realize that and not criticize us that get US Wings or Westeds?!?

To all,
im not tryin to shift this tread off topic, i just wanted to state what some members do here is annoying, the whole, Nowak is the best and dont waist your time on a Wested is insulting and should not be a response to a question that has nothing to do with the jacket maker.
thank you all that see my side and feel my pain

I would probably opt for the next size. The jacket, itself, looks good (the washed goat is a very nice hide) but the pockets do look a little tall. I think KTs advice would be the best bet.

If you can afford it, you could opt for a custom. It's not a whole lot more and you can specify pocket size and fit.

Crismans = Great Advice
Crismans = Great Guy

I 2nd that Jude!

Thanks C3

Also, as you can see from the side pics, the front wants to stick out and up. Will that go away once the leather is broken in? I expected it to hang closer to my body.

I've got a washed goat too and it did this for a few days, but its settled down. I've not had the jacket all that long and its already developing good character. I scrunch it up every night before bed which is helping.

If you can afford it, you could opt for a custom. It's not a whole lot more and you can specify pocket size and fit

If you can, go the custom route. I almost went OTR, but figured its really not that much more for custom. Thos pockets seem massive and what are the chances of actually getting an OTR picked out with significantly smaller pockets?

Scott

As a side note... look at how closely fitted this jacket actually is.

On second look at Arcas jacket mine maybe didnt have quite as much room as that.

When unzipped though it did tend to swoop out at the bottom.

A good jacket can still be got from Wested for cheap $$$, but it just means going CUSTOM and dealing with Peter only - as direct as possible, then ride their a#$% to make sure you get EXACTLY what you want. Otherwise its a lottery.

Yup, I'm very happy with mines. At 24" long

Heyjude7 wrote:Crismans = Great Advice
Crismans = Great Guy

You guys are making me blush.

Kt Templar wrote:As a side note... look at how closely fitted this jacket actually is.

and the second after it looks like this.

so its just the way he stands or moves that makes the jacket fitted.

Part of me wants to wear it and see if loosening up the leather will make it drape better and solve the bell shape problem. And possibly the tight arms. It's not pinching or anything. But if it also results in shrinkage, especially in length of sleeves and body, then I'd prefer going up a size. Of course, there's still nothing I can do about the pockets other than getting a different jacket.
Sending back is a hassle. The extra shipping cost, the wait and the uncertainty of whether or not the second jacket would still have some of the same problems.
Custom would be another option, but sounds like an even bigger hassle. Longer wait, more money and still a chance of not getting it right.
Well, I got the weekend to think about it since they're closed anyway.

From experience, I would get another jacket. Custom or another OTR is up to you. But I've had jackets that the fit was just a little off. I kept thinking that "It's not that bad off, I'll wear it and it will give some." But they don't, not enough to make the jacket comfortable anyway. I never wore those jackets and ended up selling them for a loss later. Of course, it's all up to you but my advice is it's worth the hassle to get a jacket that you really like.

I know. I'm in the same denial that many others suffer from when they wait so long for their jacket and it doesn't fit like they thought it would.
I'll see what my options are on Monday.

So, folks. If I go the custom route, how much do you think I need to add and where? Someone said that on the customs, the arms and chest are not as tight. But I still want the fitted ROLA, just not restricting movement. Is it safe to assume that the custom ROLA pattern is the same as the ROLA OTR?
If so, I was thinking of adding another half inch to the pit-to-pit measurement, an inch to the sleeves to account for later shrinkage, half inch to the back and another inch to the front. This is what it would look like versus the one pictured here:

sleeves: 26" (25" now)
shoulder: 6.5" (same)
pit to pit: 22" (21.5" now)
pockets: need help here. Just know that they look big now (currently 6.5" wide x 8.25" tall including flap or 7.5" without flap)
pockets placed 2" from hem (same)
stormflap: 23" without stand, 24" with (currently 22" w/o stand, 23" with)
back: 26" (25.5" now)

What do you all think?

Arca Perdida wrote:So, folks. If I go the custom route, how much do you think I need to add and where? Someone said that on the customs, the arms and chest are not as tight. But I still want the fitted ROLA, just not restricting movement. Is it safe to assume that the custom ROLA pattern is the same as the ROLA OTR?
If so, I was thinking of adding another half inch to the pit-to-pit measurement, an inch to the sleeves to account for later shrinkage, half inch to the back and another inch to the front. This is what it would look like versus the one pictured here:

sleeves: 26" (25" now)
shoulder: 6.5" (same)
pit to pit: 22" (21.5" now)
pockets: need help here. Just know that they look big now (currently 6.5" wide x 8.25" tall including flap or 7.5" without flap)
pockets placed 2" from hem (same)
stormflap: 23" without stand, 24" with (currently 22" w/o stand, 23" with)
back: 26" (25.5" now)

What do you all think?

If it's a Custom you get instead it should be sized to your specification so there shouldn't be concerns about "the arms and chest are not as tight". It's not an 'off the rack' general size.

Does the current jacket feel just stiff across the shoulders or around the underarm as well?

Looking at your photos I'd say the sleeve length is not bad, the front length is good. The back might be a touch long.
I don't think you should go up in the pit to pit measurement. That jacket already looks to have more than enough room there. You may need slightly larger upper arm in the sleeve, and maybe across the back at the shoulder. You might try the shoulder at 7" instead of 6.5"

JMO

coronado3 wrote:I'd send it back and get the ROLA in 42. That is a sure "money in you pocket" thing.... If you sell it here, it may take weeks or even months.

The return shipping shouldn't be more than $25 or so.

I don't know about that. I just sold one in a matter of a weekend.

Randy

Heyjude7 wrote:Why is everyone's answer to a jacket question or a jacket complaint..
"send it back and get a Tony Nowak!"
some people dont have that kinda money to spend on 5 Nowaks and have a huge array of jackets just lined up

Also there are those like me who'd never justify spending that much on ONE jacket.

Randy

RCSignals wrote: Does the current jacket feel just stiff across the shoulders or around the underarm as well?

It really only feels bad when I move my arms forward. I can make a T extending them out away from my sides and feels fine. I even have more movement putting them behind my back than in front of me or crossing them. It doesn't pinch the underarm. In fact, it doesn't feel tight there at all. It's more in front, right on my bicep area. If you look at this pic (my sixth, I counting ) I've marked where it feels like it's pulling my arms back. It's where it bunches up.

RCSignals wrote:Looking at your photos I'd say the sleeve length is not bad, the front length is good. The back might be a touch long.
I don't think you should go up in the pit to pit measurement. That jacket already looks to have more than enough room there. You may need slightly larger upper arm in the sleeve, and maybe across the back at the shoulder. You might try the shoulder at 7" instead of 6.5"
JMO

I like where the shoulder seams fall on this one. I don't like it when it's way below my shoulder. I guess another .5 inch wouldn't be terrible. Maybe it's just the high armholes that I'm not used to doing the pulling. Not sure.

Heyjude7 wrote:Why is everyone's answer to a jacket question or a jacket complaint..
"send it back and get a Tony Nowak!"
some people dont have that kinda money to spend on 5 Nowaks and have a huge array of jackets just lined up... i see alot of youngins on here that really cant afford a Tony and we are also in a bad economy now.. not excusing anything but if i were to ask a question and someone responded, save up and get a nowak.. i would kinda be urked..
please dont take this to offense just and observation

Heyjude7 wrote:To all,
im not tryin to shift this tread off topic, i just wanted to state what some members do here is annoying, the whole, Nowak is the best and dont waist your time on a Wested is insulting and should not be a response to a question that has nothing to do with the jacket maker.
thank you all that see my side and feel my pain

OK. first off, that isn't "everyone's" answer. It's very few in fact.

Second, wasn't it you, and others who make comments to people in Nowak threads about owners must be rich, or other such unnecessary comments?
That is annoying, unnecessary, and has nothing to do with a jacket maker.

Now lets get back to helping Arca Perdida if we can

Arca Perdida wrote:

RCSignals wrote: Does the current jacket feel just stiff across the shoulders or around the underarm as well?

It really only feels bad when I move my arms forward. I can make a T extending them out away from my sides and feels fine. I even have more movement putting them behind my back than in front of me or crossing them. It doesn't pinch the underarm. In fact, it doesn't feel tight there at all. It's more in front, right on my bicep area. If you look at this pic (my sixth, I counting ) I've marked where it feels like it's pulling my arms back. It's where it bunches up.

RCSignals wrote:Looking at your photos I'd say the sleeve length is not bad, the front length is good. The back might be a touch long.
I don't think you should go up in the pit to pit measurement. That jacket already looks to have more than enough room there. You may need slightly larger upper arm in the sleeve, and maybe across the back at the shoulder. You might try the shoulder at 7" instead of 6.5"
JMO

I like where the shoulder seams fall on this one. I don't like it when it's way below my shoulder. I guess another .5 inch wouldn't be terrible. Maybe it's just the high armholes that I'm not used to doing the pulling. Not sure.

What you are experiencing sounds much like what I did in the fit of my ToD.

I think if you ask for slightly more room in the upper arm, go with the 7" (or even maybe as little extra as 6.75" if you like,) shoulder, and perhaps slightly larger back between the arms, you'll have a good feeling fit.

Pocket size is up to you.

sleeves: 26" (25" now)
shoulder: 6.5" (same)
pit to pit: 22" (21.5" now)
pockets: need help here. Just know that they look big now (currently 6.5" wide x 8.25" tall including flap or 7.5" without flap)
pockets placed 2" from hem (same)
stormflap: 23" without stand, 24" with (currently 22" w/o stand, 23" with)
back: 26" (25.5" now)

What do you all think?

The length looks fine to me, but its you thats wearing it and if you feel uncomfortable at that length then get it to suit what YOU want. As far as pockets, RC is right, its upto you. They just seem a little tall on this one, the pockets on mine are 6x7, but then my jacket is a 38 so a bit smaller than yours I would imagine.

Hey Arca Perdida,

What's your height and weight?

6"1', 165 lbs.

RCSignals wrote:

Heyjude7 wrote:Why is everyone's answer to a jacket question or a jacket complaint..
"send it back and get a Tony Nowak!"
some people dont have that kinda money to spend on 5 Nowaks and have a huge array of jackets just lined up... i see alot of youngins on here that really cant afford a Tony and we are also in a bad economy now.. not excusing anything but if i were to ask a question and someone responded, save up and get a nowak.. i would kinda be urked..
please dont take this to offense just and observation

Heyjude7 wrote:To all,
im not tryin to shift this tread off topic, i just wanted to state what some members do here is annoying, the whole, Nowak is the best and dont waist your time on a Wested is insulting and should not be a response to a question that has nothing to do with the jacket maker.
thank you all that see my side and feel my pain

OK. first off, that isn't "everyone's" answer. It's very few in fact.

Second, wasn't it you, and others who make comments to people in Nowak threads about owners must be rich, or other such unnecessary comments?
That is annoying, unnecessary, and has nothing to do with a jacket maker.

Now lets get back to helping Arca Perdida if we can

ok.. 3 days later!
look, every1 makes comments on someones jacket and i was making one on that Nowak owner's thread.
Like you never make unnecessary comments.......rightttttt! im sure

In the first series of photos, the jacket looks to be a near perfect fit, except for maybe the tightness around the pecs. Some of it could be that you are used to the relaxed, USW fit. Question is...can you live with the imperfections, ie pocket sizing, etc. Considering the exchange rate, it is a good time to buy a Wested if you want a custom, about $227US inc. shipping.

custom today is more like $270, but I see your point.

I got my custom w/ 6.5" X 7.5" pockets on a 42 reg jacket and they look fantastic. I used PLATONS model but made them 7.5" tall instead of his 7.25". I emailed the model to Peter when I ordered.

C3

I think your jacket looks okay in terms of size. The pockets are too long to my taste - I'd go the G&B/TN size of 8 inches by 6.5 inches. The thread is a non issue, just cut it. Most of the problem to me looks like the jacket needs to loosen up. Nothing more strange looking and feeling than a brand new jacket.

Having said that, if you think it is too tight, it probably is..

...have you washed your goat, lately?

Texan Scott wrote:...have you washed your goat, lately?

No, but do you think it would loosen it up without shrinking it?

Washing shouldn't be necessary to et a jacket to fit.

If you wash it I doubt there is any sending it back. Many of the jackets people have on eBay are listed as new but look like they've been washed.

I was just kidding guys, just a little attempt at humor there. Sorry if I mis-directed anyone.

Texan Scott wrote:I was just kidding guys, just a little attempt at humor there. Sorry if I mis-directed anyone.

I thought you were kidding, but so often here that is taken seriously, and it looked like Arca Perdida was headed to the laundry room.