Club Obi Wan

Having recently received my US Wings Legend in Bison I had to do the side-by-side with my Wested circa spring of 2000.

Wested on the left, US Wings on the right











Wested on the "outside" US Wings on the "inside"



I hadn't realized how broken in my Wested was until handling it alongside the Wings. The Wings felt like cardboard in comparison. That's not meant to be a knock against the Bison leather - I LOVE IT - it's just hasn't had a decade of use, yet.

The Wested is a 42 and the Wings a Large and both fit nearly the same on me. Generally they measure to spot on or within .5" of each other, with the exception of the storm flap. The Wings comes in 2" shorter.

On gross inspection the two patterns are extremely close. The collar and overall cut, including the back gaps and sleeve seams are very, very close. To me it's apparent they share a common 'ancestral' jacket.

Obviously the two major differences are with the pockets and straps. The Wested has D rings and the strap is sewn into the back panel seam. A feature I always really liked about the design.

The other difference I'm having to get used to is the leather collar stand on the Wings. It makes the entire collar more rigid. Not uncomfortable and as stated, hard to compare to the well broken-in Wested, but there's definitely 'more' there.

A difference that is not visible is the depth of the action pleat. The Wings pleat is roughly .5" deeper than the Wested. Makes no difference to me, but thought I'd note it.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

The backpiece seems to taper more on the Wings instead of staying one width all the way down like the wested, and I like the shape of the pockets a lot more on the wested, more square versus long and rectangular.

LOVE that side-by-side, Jeff! Thanks!

And LOVE that old pattern Wested, too! I'm trying to get Peter to make me one using those old patterns with just a couple of tweaks...like bringing the top yoke down to LC size so that the yoke seam will line up with the sleeves, and scalloping the pocket flaps like the Legend's...

But VERY cool!


Indydawg

I own a few westeds that are a year or two newer, it seems wested went to the long pockets too, at least for the jackets that I own

It's interesting how the Wested pockets angle up at the bottom where they meet the side straps.

For as long as I've owned the Wested, I've never notices the pocket corners being different until I took these picture.

Dawg, If you want/need any measurements off my jacket let me know and I'll do what I can.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Im with dawg here. I LOVE the old pattern myself. Very alusive and very aluring. Im jealous!! Actually this pattern looks to be IDENTICAL to the original raiders jacket shown at the Butterfields auction. Dude hang on to it forever!

Jeff, those are great looking jackets! The pocket comparison kind of reminds me of the Expedition and Nowak comparison in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=48646&p=709675&hili ... ak#p709675

I'm surprised how much the Wings' pockets remind me of the Nowak's pockets in those photos (to my untrained eye).

Best wishes,
NS

Thanks, Jeff! I may have to take you up on that!!!

Regards!
Indydawg

Very good pics and comparison Jeff! I also have one of those old Westeds, though a few years older. Looks like you've taken excellent care of yours.

Weston

bobcatmvp1 wrote:The backpiece seems to taper more on the Wings instead of staying one width all the way down like the wested, and I like the shape of the pockets a lot more on the wested, more square versus long and rectangular.

The tapered backpiece on the wings really makes the wearer look quite slim, even if he's wearing a 2XL. I agree on the shape of the pockets, but Wested sent me a jacket with hideously elongated pockets a few years ago.


I've never noticed a jacket that has the straps so far forward. They're practically coming out of the pockets on that Wested! Overall, I prefer the Wings jacket, but they both look great. It'll be intereting to see what the bison does after you wear it for a decade.

I've never noticed a jacket that has the straps so far forward. They're practically coming out of the pockets on that Wested!

That's actually one of the things I like most about that pattern!!!

Yep. That and that they are hidden under the backpanel on the the buckle strap.

Btw. I love the pre distressed cowhide. I still have not ordered the new jacket and i may change the skin. peter has the same skin you have only darker version. How would you say the weight is? You recommend it?

Weston wrote:Very good pics and comparison Jeff! I also have one of those old Westeds, though a few years older. Looks like you've taken excellent care of yours.

Weston

Thanks. It's a 'street-wear' jacket for me, but I've never done anything exceptional to care for it. In fact, it just got it's first treatment of Pecards last spring.

Nebraska Schulte wrote:Jeff, those are great looking jackets! The pocket comparison kind of reminds me of the Expedition and Nowak comparison in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=48646&p=709675&hili ... ak#p709675

I'm surprised how much the Wings' pockets remind me of the Nowak's pockets in those photos (to my untrained eye).

Best wishes,
NS

You're very right. The pockets of my two patterns would seem to support the Wested as stunt jackets and Cooper/Wings as hero jackets.

Indiana Holt wrote:Btw. I love the pre distressed cowhide. I still have not ordered the new jacket and i may change the skin. peter has the same skin you have only darker version. How would you say the weight is? You recommend it?

Without putting them on the scale, the Wings jacket feels heavier. That being said, the Wested weight has been great for 'three season' wear. I generally have pulled it out when the temps have been in the 40-50F (5-10C) range and unless there are gale force winds I've been comfortable. I've never layered under it, but would think I could drop several more degrees if I did. I've had this jacket for over 10 years and will never part with it, so yeah, I definitely recommend it.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Looking at these pics, I must say that I really like the old Wested pattern. I also find it interesting that this old pattern shares some details with the US Wings - details often criticized. Maybe that explains the profound changes in Wested's patterns since then.

As for the Wings jacket, I would change one thing; make the pockets like the Wested.

Beautiful jackets, in any event.

Excellent - and informative - comparison photos, I J ...
Thanks for taking these photos and sharing them with us!


These jackets are decidedly different in some ways and surprisingly similar in others... but they're both beautiful works of leather that you're obviously proud to own (and you SHOULD be!)

Having recieved a Wested goat circa 2003 today (and having owned a Legend SL since December), I would like to echo what has been said here. With the exceptions of the collar, pockets and straps it is virtually an IDENTICAL pattern...gaps and all. The Wested does seem to have the top of the yoke end a little bit further on the back and does give the illusion of an off the shoulder fit (without the crappy off the shoulder fit... ).
It truly is uncanny, and they AT THE VERY LEAST share an ancestral pattern. That said, I love it!

Travis

One other thing I'm just noticing. The arm seam and the yoke seam don't match up on the Wested, but it doesn't look quite as deliberate as the Wings. The Wings miss by a good 1-1.5 inches. The Wested is decidedly smaller but noticeably there..

''crappy'' of the shoulder????


thats the part I love most about the jacket. I miss that in my legend jacket.

Perhaps I should be more diplomatic!
Don't get me wrong, I like the way it looks. Just hate the way it feels on me!

perhaps you should.

I really don't like that old Wested pattern. Looks like someone's mum tried to make an Indy jacket at home from her son's poor drawings. Those pockets and their ppoorly executed flaps really annoy me. I got one like that in 2002 but it was called an exact copy of an LC jacket. I really prefer the latest Westeds.

Hollowpond wrote:One other thing I'm just noticing. The arm seam and the yoke seam don't match up on the Wested, but it doesn't look quite as deliberate as the Wings. The Wings miss by a good 1-1.5 inches. The Wested is decidedly smaller but noticeably there..

My Wested sleeve seam-to-yoke misalignment measure approximately 1" on the right arm and 3/4" on the left. On the Legend both sleeves seams measure about 1 1/2. So, yeah, the Wested seems less precise than the Legend it the sewing.

Hollowpond wrote:The Wested does seem to have the top of the yoke end a little bit further on the back and does give the illusion of an off the shoulder fit...Travis

Both of my jackets measure approximately 5 1/2" from the collar seam to the yoke seam.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

But you know, I kinda prefer that imprecision. It seems more organic and indicative of a custom made jacket.
I think Holt was the one talking the other day about these little idiosyncrasies and how they really are awesome and make a jacket feel even more Indy, given all of the little imperfections we see on the film jacket.

Travis

yep

I'm definitely in agreement. As mentioned above, I never noticed the pocket corners being different and never worried about the measurements of the gaps or seams. Not worried about them now, in fact. It's my jacket and any and all 'imperfections' just make it all the more mine.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff