Help me pick out a Wested!

[danmartin26]

Hi.

I've got a Todd's Standard jacket and I love to wear it in the Spring and Fall. But now I'm in the market for something heavier, for the colder months.

I also want something that's more substantial and a little more durable. (I'm not saying that Todd's isn't durable. It's just that it's so thin that I'm not confident in it, so I find myself babying it.) I've also read some concerns about the stitching on Todd's.

For price reasons, I've decided on a Wested. I need to decide on the options. Most importantly, what leather should I get? I want this to be a kicking-around jacket that I wear with jeans and a sweatshirt. It'll need to be up to a lot of wear.

I'm leaning towards the novapelle. Good idea?

What about water concerns? I'd like something that could handle a light rain, even if that means I have to treat it.

What about the other options?

I've read a lot of the posts on here over the last few months, but I still don't know anything compared to the lot of you, so any advice you can offer would be appreciated.

[Holt]

Hi there.

giving you my personal opinion is that I would go for the soft goat. this hide will work for the whole year. it looks great wih everything you put on due its darkness.

the Novapella isnt a jacket I would wear in the rain becasue its like a dry sponge. you get the idea...

just my 2c

[danmartin26]

Thanks. So, I might be interested in this one, Raiders Jacket in Goatskin.

It looks good, too (and is less expensive). I see what you're saying about the color; it's darker than the novapelle above.


Goat's heavier than lamb, I guess. How does it compare in that regard to horse and cow?

[Holt]

I would suggest to use the search option.

there are tons of info on how goat is compared to lamb, cow and horse. and the other way around.

second, that picture of the goat jacket is the old goat jacket which is sligthly heavier then what they use today. its called soft goat.

the old goat would weigh about 1.5 kilo to 2 kilo's depedending size.

my soft goat weighs about 1 kilo and its a size 44.

and the soft goat drapes almost like lamb but has the strength of steel.

[crismans]

I agree with Holt that an afternoon spent with the search option will turn up a wealth of info so that you can make an informed decision based on your needs.

I've not seen the soft goat myself but, if Holt recommends it, then it's great quality. I've got a HH (well I sold it but I bought it back ) and that hide has a lot to recommend it as far as toughness and being a little heavier (although virtually no leather jacket, by itself, will stand up to real cold weather) so that is certainly an option based on the criteria you've mentioned.

[danmartin26]

Thanks.

I've already done quite a bit of searching, and it's really a lot of info to process.

Right now, all I know for sure is that horse, goat and cow would each be an improvement on lamb, for my needs.

Not only are there the major types of hides, then there are modifiers. It's not just goat, it's "regular goat", "soft goat" or "washed goat".

And then there are the differences between the different manufacturers. This guy's leather is usually thicker than this other guy's, for example.

Add into that the fact that this place is full of differences of opinion. Some swear goat is tougher than cow. Others are sure of the reverse.

My head hurts from all the leather reading.

Fortunately, I don't need to rush my decision. Time for a drink.

[Yojimbo Jones]

I've got a Wested Horsehide. Thicker and tougher than goat. Drapes really well once you throw it in the washing machine. If you need a colder weather jacket that handles rain REALLY well, and is the opposite of your lamb, its the way to go IMO.

[Holt]

nice pictures jim. all I see is red x's

[Yojimbo Jones]

Sorted.

[Holt]

hey jim. just a tip. I checked your sleeve length in the other thread.

they are a bit short...

what you can do is this. wetten the sleeves in hot water from the elbow down to soften the leather up but do not soak them thruout. Then put it on, then start pulling them downwards by the cuff. use a little force and you have longer sleeves by 1 to 1,5in.

works like a charm everytime I have done it.

just a small tip.

[Kt Templar]

Here are 3 of mine.

Washed goat, Novapelle and lamb.



All 3 are thicker than a todd standard. The NP feels very substantial after the Todd. But you get used to it in seconds.

The Novapelle is a good 3 season jacket. Give it a coat of pecard occasionally and it's good to go. Washed goat benefits for a little pecard too.

The lamb and washed goat are similar in weight so can be worn a lot of the time in temperate areas, not good when it gets below 5°C or so for any length of time.

I also REALLY like the way the washed goat drapes.

[Holt]

now in THAT picture I can see a temple of doom jacket.

nice

[Chewbacca Jones]

I would say go with horsehide or cowhide, but not novapel. I say avoid the goat only because goatskin is not the best for cold winter weather wear, unless you like layering. In that case, order a size large so you can.

Horse and undistressed cowhide will be durable, handle the elements, and are the warmest hides.

[Kt Templar]

Here are pics of a cowhide and a horsehide. Both relatively heavy jackets, I found the cow to be too heavy for my tastes (I also did not like the 'lay flat' collar). Although th horse is nice, I wear the other 3 far more.

COW


HORSE

[moses]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend the soft goat - I hated mine so much I sold it after a week. The colour was a lifeless non descript brown and the leather itself was like plastic. Just my opinion though as others seem to like it.

[danmartin26]

My Horsehide Wested LC just arrived. Somehow, I managed to give them good sizes. I love it.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice in this thread and through PM.

[JC1972]

My Horsehide Wested LC just arrived. Somehow, I managed to give them good sizes. I love it.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice in this thread and through PM.

C'mon man, pics!

;0

[danmartin26]

Will do.

I'll post something tonight.

[danmartin26]

I think it might be a looser fit than most of you like, but it's what I wanted. I was going for more of a Crystal Skull look. I need some room for a sweater/sweatshirt under there.

[Holt]

you call that a loose fit?

it looks molded on you, great fit

Nice jacket, just wait until it breaks in and loosend up a little. you'l love it.

[danmartin26]

Thanks. It's very comfortable.

There's stiffness to the leather, visible in the collar especially. But that'll work itself out.

[TheExit148]

Fit looks great! Looks perfect on you! Love the length too, it hits nicely at the waist. Great purchase

[RCSignals]

Looks good, nice fit and great length

[JC1972]

Looks like a great jacket you have there. Enjoy it!

[TheExit148]

Not sure if I missed this, but is this a custom jacket or is it OTR?

[danmartin26]

Not sure if I missed this, but is this a custom jacket or is it OTR?

Custom.

I took the 42R measurements from Wested's site and added just a bit of length. I'm really glad I did. Any less would have been too short for me.

Horsehide
D-Rings with X-Box stitch

[Kevin Anderson]

It does seem incredibly short... It looks like if you stood up really straight, with the jacket zipped, it would sit right at your belt-line.
Too short for a Last Crusade jacket, I'm afraid. It looks like Wested have used the measurements for a Wolverine jacket..
My Wested LC was the same, though it was in lamb. Did you get gussets, out of interest? If so, maybe measure the distance
from the armpit to the hem; on my jacket, that one was a doozy! And why on earth do Wested insist on putting a hem stitch
on their LC jackets?

[danmartin26]

I don't think it's "incredibly short". It's definitely an inch or two below my belt, at least.

I do think it would've been too short if I hadn't asked for more length. As-is, it seems right to me.

No gussets.

[Michaelson]

Looks good to me, Dan. That's the difference between a 'jacket' and 'car coat' length. Yours is a true jacket to my eyes.

To the question at hand, not knowing where you live, I, too, agree that the best middle ground hide is goatskin. It's durable, water resistant, breaks in quickly, and is at the top of the tensile strength scale just below horsehide in terms of tear resistance. It's warm enough for cool weather, and yet thin enough to wear in warm seasons.

Best of all worlds in comparison. JMO, but one that has served me well.

Regards! Michaelson

[Holt]

It looks like Wested have used the measurements for a Wolverine jacket..
My Wested LC was the same, though it was in lamb. Did you get gussets, out of interest? If so, maybe measure the distance
from the armpit to the hem; on my jacket, that one was a doozy! And why on earth do Wested insist on putting a hem stitch
on their LC jackets?

Nope wrong. they dont use the wolvie pattern. the reason why this jacket seems short is becasue the armholes go low on the jacket and becaseu the jacket patterns in lack of the 1'' longr front like the raiders jacket.

I have both a raiders with 25.5'' backlength and the LC with 25.5'' backlength. they both end at the same place on my back, but the LC feels much shorther then the raiders. but it isnt.. its just shorter at the front.

the reason why they put the hemstitch on the jackets is becasue their LC prototype they copied had a hem stitch.So they might think the LC jacket had a stitch. but it sisnt... but the hem stitch makes the jacket more real life durable.

[Kevin Anderson]

I was only kidding about the Wolverine bit, Holt.
Your LC jackets we've seen in the past have been ridiculously short too, Holt. Don't kid yourself; Wested's current LC pattern is awful.
My Crystal Skull jacket from TN looks more 'LC' than anything I've seen from Wested, without even trying.

[Holt]

well I read your post serious, no smilie, no wink, no nothing, so you tell me how I should have read it?...and especially after your bitterness towards wested lately, I read your comment negative and sarcastic.

[gwyddion]

I totaly agree with Holt on this jacket: It looks good on you. Congrats!

Though there might be some details that might be a bit off SA wise (probably some CS influences as they are calling it their LC/CS now), IMO the cut of the LC from Wested is quite good and pretty close to the film jackets. The bottom hem stitch, while not SA, is much more durable then a glued hem and therefore to be prefered if you want to wear the jacket a lot.

Regards, Geert

[Yojimbo Jones]

I read the Wolverine thing as a joke.

I too actually like the length, though. Mine is about the same. The fit's also as good as you're going to get from Wested. Their cut is too boxy IMO, but it fits you very well in the right spots. Congrats. Now rub it over with acetone, throw it in your washing machine and you'll be sorted!

[Holt]

lets not get into the ''joke'' to much shall we.



appreciated....