I was a lurker on the boards a long time ago researching for a Raiders jacket and quickly found this was the place to be. But at the time the jacket, or at least the jacket I wanted, was a wish not a reality and I had to stop checking the forums, as it was torture plain and simple to look but not touch. I’ve never been one to window shop unless I can buy as it just hurts too much.
Fast-forward 5-6 years…
It was birthday time this past October and my wife; bless her soul, asked “Whatever became of that Raider’s jacket you wanted years ago?” Hmmm… what was that website’s name again… ah yes, Indygear. I immediately registered on the forums and a week later, once I was given a key to asylum, I started looking at jackets again. But this time, ah yes, this time I’d be getting one, but which one? Where did all these jackets come from? I don’t recall all these options last time I was here. This calls for research, research and more research. In my first afternoon browsing in the forums three hours disappeared without notice and I'd barely scratched the surface. This is going to take longer than I thought but that’s OK because not only will this be my first Indy jacket, this will also be my first leather jacket. Ever. This can’t be rushed because this is the quest for, as so many of you who have gone before me have put it, MY perfect Indy jacket.
After a week and many hours reading in the forums and browsing various vendors I think I’m almost ready to order but something inside tells me to wait and just research a little bit more. I dug back through some older posts that talk about the fit of the jackets from the different films. ROTLA will always be my favourite movie but I discover that the 80’s fit is not for me (6'4", 250lbs). Last Crusade seems to be a looser fit but after much reading and viewing of photos the distressing of a LC jacket is probably a bit too much for the everyday use I want out it. Moving along the Crystal Skull jackets seems pretty much the same fit/style of the LC jacket but not as distressed and appears darker. Hmmm… I may be getting somewhere. Seems only one vendor does a CS jacket but the price is a little scary. Lets keep looking and reading and see what else is out there. Three weeks into my search I keep seeing great pictures, reviews and the vendor telling new owners to “Beat the &#@% out of it”.
Sigh… like a fish looking at the worm and knowing how tasty it will be but also knowing there is a painful hook in there too... swim away, come back, bump it, retreat, nibble at it, and pull back, it beckons and seduces. AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!! CHOMP! It hurts but not as much as I thought it would.
To all the TN jackets owners out there I’d like to say this is all your fault 
Another week passes as I continue to check the forum but I’m not looking at other options. In my mind I’ve bought this jacket and now it’s just a matter of obsessing over measurements, inscription, inscription location, leather patch name plate showing through over time, measurements, moving the name patch around, one inner pocket or two, measurements… Who would have thought that picking the jacket was the easy part?
Many of the questions I had have been answered in other posts. Sizing and measuring I'll discuss and trust to Tony once I place my order. My question to the owners of TN CS jacket is how do you find it in the winter? I know I’ll be wearing a sweater or fleece under it but how does it handle snow? I’m hoping this will be a three season jacket for me Fall / Winter / Spring and if I can squeeze a few days out of the summer great. So for all you owners who deal with snow 4 months a year or cold temperatures how does it handle winter?
Thanks in advance for reading my long post and for any comments, thoughts or recommendations you may have.
Cheers,
Swiftfoot
You'll choose wisely I am sure of that just have fun! Again welcome to the club.
Say farewell to your wallet 
for strength to hold at one. Now a fedora is another topic, with any luck I"ll hold out til birthday time next year 
for the compliment on the post. Times flies when we're obsessing, doesn't it?