Club Obi Wan

Do the action pleats on a Flightsuits stay open like on a Wested?

I LOVE my Wested...but those darn action pleats...

I had Peter make mine 3-and-a-half inches deep...but instead of solving the problem, they just puff out even more.

Flash Gordon wrote:Do the action pleats on a Flightsuits stay open like on a Wested?

I LOVE my Wested...but those darn action pleats...

I had Peter make mine 3-and-a-half inches deep...but instead of solving the problem, they just puff out even more.

The action pleats on the Expeditions open and close all the time. Why? FS uses elastic bands hidden underneath the liner to ensure the proper closing and opening. This is the same design that was used for WW2 military jackets that have pleats. So this is an old solution for current jackets that have pleats. Just something to think about.

-Sergei

Can't really comment about the question Flash as I don't own a Flightsuits.

I too love my lambskin Wested dearly, but I agree - those darn things just don't sit right sometimes.

I rewatched TOD today as I was off sick from work, and I noticed that Indy's action pleats just don't stay open like mine. Why is that I wonder?

The pattern is said to be the same now as then, with a few tweaks. If not that, is it perhaps the difference between mail order sizing and actual in the person sizing? Harrison's just seems to 'fit' him great.

Expecting my new goat any day now, wonder if there will be any difference between that and the lambskin pleats?

Alan.

No they do not stay open on an Expedition. They've got two strips of elastic running from pleat to pleat underneath the lining just like on a military G-1. The Expedition also has pleats built into the lining, which is also necessary to reap the benefits from a pleated back. Everything on an Expedition works. Cheers

I could be mistaken, but if I recall from watching the ending of Temple of Doom, Indy's pleats "seem" to be open somewhat when he snaps the whip around Willie's waist. If you have the widescreen video format, and look directly at the pleats, I think that you can, perhaps, see them......I'll have to watch it again just to make sure though.....

Captain D

Rundquist wrote:Everything on an Expedition works. Cheers

I can attest to this as well. The pleats function perfectly.

Furthermore, I attended a men's retreat with my church this past weekend where I had the opportunity to do some hiking. As I tend to do I went off trail many times and found myself pushing and chopping through thorns and underbrush all the while wearing my goatskin FS Expo. There were times where I had to crawl on my stomach underneath said brush as well. I even shimmied up a tree with the help of my bullwhip. Let me tell you, the Expo is one tough jacket. I walked out of the woods with thorns sticking out of the leather, scratches all over, dirt on the front and arms, etc. and all of it just brused right off. If you want an Indy jacket that lives up to it's namesake then your only choice is FlightSuits.

What a coincidence, Kyle, I did something quite similar yesterday with some guys from Church. Only we were doing real archaeology (at first ), looking for Civil War stuff. We're trying again next weekend. Oh and to stay on topic, this talk about the action pleats is starting to make me consider a Flightsuits for my next jacket

Regards, Daryl.

Well, I've got to admit that the first deerskin FS I received had action pleats that did NOT work. As a matter of fact, they stayed open most of the time, and so much so that once I even snagged a store display and almost pulled the whole thing over in the middle of the floor. Dave said he had never seen one do this before, but agreed there was a problem. I returned the deerskin and had one made in the then new chrome goatskin, and have never had anymore problems with open pleats. I did have to get the strap re-attached in the goatskin over a year ago, but once again, once fixed, no further problems. Growing pains of the new design at the time, I'm sure. Regards. Michaelson

This alone is worth the extra cost for an Expo. The extra spent will prove wise in the long haul. Remember, the film jackets were made to last and look right for a few weeks, days or even for only a few takes. This is why the pleat problem goes unnoticed on film. It hasn't has time to develop the pleat disease...cured only by elastic straps.

junior

Civil War? Did someone say "Civil War"?......lol

i have a wested lambskin from 99 and one from 2003. the older model
has pleats that stay open. however the pleats on the newer jackets
work great.

I have to agree - the pleats at my new Wested goat also work perfectly!
Well, I asked Peter for elastic bands (like mentioned above for the FS) - and he did ...

i'm not sure if i have it better off, or worse off than some of you other wested lamb owners. One of my pleats stays closed great, but the other doesn't. The end result is funky.


I'm convinced that with some minute adjustments, I can fix this however.

One way to help with the Wested Pleats is to lay the jacket
down on a flat surface, with the pleats nice and tucked in
the way the should be, and the jacket all zipped up.

Then lay something flat and somewhat heavy on top of the
jacket or just the pleat itself, and leave it there for awhile.

This will help to press the pleat back into shape. You may
have to do this every now and again, but it does help to
keep it straighter and better tucked in when your wearing
the jacket. It beats having it all wavy and what-not all the
time.

Flathead

I could care less if the pleats stay open because I see them that way in Raiders in certain scenes and my first Wested does this. However, my last Wested had one wavy pleat and I didn't care for that. I'm very, very picky as some of you may know but it's not all too bad. I think if Wested would have shortened the yoke it may have made a difference on my body type. Reason I say this is because I've had others try the jacket on and it looked fine with no wave.

My new Wested Raiders (goat) is not having any pleat problems. They work just fine...and I have given them a heck of a work out...breaking in the jacket with the dreaded "hug yourself" move.

Agent5 is right, just watch Raiders and youll see, they stayed open all the time!



IJ

IndyJens wrote:I have to agree - the pleats at my new Wested goat also work perfectly!
Well, I asked Peter for elastic bands (like mentioned above for the FS) - and he did ...

Are you serious? I thought to do that for my order earlier this year but didn't want to upset Peter because of a statement he made last year about Harrison not having elastic on his back in the films so he doesn't make 'em that way now. Guess you should always ask! The worst that could happen is he'd have said no.

Anyway, I figured Harry's stayed closed when he was relaxed (obviously open when needed, in action) because he got a fitting for the costume.

I.J.

i thought the pleat problem was fixed by peter within the past year or so.
i didnt ask for any modifications and the pleats stay shut just fine.

harry

Indiana Joe wrote:

IndyJens wrote:I have to agree - the pleats at my new Wested goat also work perfectly!
Well, I asked Peter for elastic bands (like mentioned above for the FS) - and he did ...

Are you serious? I thought to do that for my order earlier this year but didn't want to upset Peter because of a statement he made last year about Harrison not having elastic on his back in the films so he doesn't make 'em that way now. Guess you should always ask! The worst that could happen is he'd have said no.

Well, lucky me, i didn't know Peter doesn't like the wohl "elastic-thing" - and so I asked him for ...
But he included them without saying a word - he even did not extra charge them!

Oh and @ Lao Feng: What about this "hug youself" move What's this?

I kind of like the character it gives the jacket, to have the pleats open.
I actually think it looks better in that photo.

For Indyjens--

To loosen up the back seam a bit I sort of wrap my arms around myself at the front, as if giving oneself a bear hug. The pleat will fan out, but then move back again in place...but the idea was to loosen the back up a bit on the seam.

Hmmm. After reading my own post above it is cleaelry time for me to seek professional help. I gotta stop eating Chinese food with MSG. No doubt about it.

SAB wrote:I kind of like the character it gives the jacket, to have the pleats open.
I actually think it looks better in that photo.

Is it me or are Harrison's pleats closed in the picture?

If my Wested pleats are closed (I have to move my shoulders around to get them to) then they look like the ones in the picture above. Otherewise, they are open. I mean, it's "let's look around inside this action pleat" open.

Lao Feng wrote:For Indyjens--

To loosen up the back seam a bit I sort of wrap my arms around myself at the front, as if giving oneself a bear hug. The pleat will fan out, but then move back again in place...but the idea was to loosen the back up a bit on the seam.

Hmmm. After reading my own post above it is cleaelry time for me to seek professional help. I gotta stop eating Chinese food with MSG. No doubt about it.

Haha - I'll try that speacial move. Hopefully nobody will see me while doing so