Club Obi Wan

I found out that US Wings is about 1 1/2 hrs from where I live so in the morning I am planning a trip out to the retail shop to hopefully pick out a new jacket. Over the last 5 months I have been working out and eating healthy and managed to lose over 65 pounds! I am going to reward myself with an early Christmas present and can't wait to start trying on jacket! I will post pics as soon as possible!!

Congrads on these personal victories! After that, you might as well treat yourself to a nice jacket. You know about the aged/distressed cow USW Legend that should be available in a month?

Good for you man!


There's nothing better than setting a goal and achieving it. Be sure to take plenty of pics of the trip.


Abiding,

-The Dude

It's about time you take care of yourself you lazy bum. Enjoy the trip buddy.

Yes, congratulations. An accomplishment, considering most of us change jacket sizes for exactly the opposite reason!

Seriously consider a Legend!

Congrats on your successful lifestyle changes.

I wish I knew sooner you were heading over to USW. They are only about 30 minutes from where I'm sitting right now. I've been to visit a couple of times and it's cool to see the shop. Ask if Sgt. Hack is around and be sure to introduce yourself as a member of COW. He took me on a tour of the whole facility and showed some new leathers they were considering for jackets. This was right before the Legends were introduced and I got to handle some of the sample bison leather they were considering. Now that I have a Legend in bison it's even cooler (to me at least). If you get to meet David, be ready for him to have you try on every jacket in the place!


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Congratulations on the weight loss and the trip! Have fun with both.

Hello there,

All I can saw about my trip is Wow!! The drive was flat and boring..but the anticipation of trying on jackets made it go by quickly. I arrived at US Wings and was greeted by Rita, heck, she remembered me from my phone call the week before. She showed me the indy section of jackets and took my coat and said try on whatever you like and if you see something you like but not in your size let me know and I will go in the back and find a few! Let me tell you first off...the smell of leather in this store was amazing.....the shear number of jackets in the retail section was unbelievable! I was almost overwhelmed at the number of choices there were. Going in I had my mind made up on an import cowhide and found them right away. Since I own a XXL import striated lamb I decided with the weight loss to grab an XL in the cowhide....the size I would have ordered online, and I am so glad I DIDN'T! The XL import was snug on my arms and shoulders...and was about 2 inches from reaching my waist. I was kinda disapointed that it didnt fit....so I milled around and found a XL US made cowhide...slipped it on and it was like they had made it for me...PERFECT. I milled some more and tried on a few more. I asked Rita what she thought of the different styles and tried them on for her. I kept going back to the US cowhide. That was it...done deal.

I paid for my jacket and asked Rita if Sarge might be around..she checked the lot and said yes...give me a sec. I ran out and got my camera and as I returned Sarge walked out with his Bison Indy jacket and fedora on! He came over and shook my hand and said "follow me!" He took me on a tour of the whole facility and I couldn't believe how many jackets are housed in there place. It was incredible! He told me some stories about the jackets and about a few members here at COW. He is truly a nice guy and I can say a good friend now. He told me he wishes more COW members if they have the chance would stop in and check the place out..he would love that!

So I got my pic taken with Sarge and he liked the jacket I picked out and told me it would probably outlast me. So what jacket did I get? Sarge told me it was made by his partner Roz Schott in the USA out of Antique CowHide. I have to say this jacket exceeds everything I imagined when I put it on. The weight, fit and distressing. Its a home run for me and I cant be any happier with the whole experience.
I respect all of you guys that want total screen accuracy and your keen eye for the details...but for me....I just wanted what I wanted...a comfortable Indy jacket that had some weight and didn't look perfectly new....and I got just that!

Thanks again to Sarge and the whole team over there at US WINGS. Your customer service is outstanding and something that is a rarity these days. Keep up the good work.

Great looking jacket, it looks like it fits you perfectly!

It sounds like you had a good time.

Thanks for sharing.


-The Dude

Would love to go there one day, it's a five hour drive at the least for me.

Matt, you looking good buddy. When are you getting yourself out my way? Congrats on the jacket, visit, and the weight loss.

A great experience, and the jacket looks excellent!

Weston

Thanks a lot guys, I have to say I am loving this jacket. Its what I always wanted in a jacket. Like I said I have that import lamb which is way to big for me but when I wore it, it just didnt hang right and it was very thin. It was an Indy style jacket but I almost lost hope in finding one that would fit right and look right. It didnt help I was way over weight but now when wearing this jacket I seek out mirrors to check it out. I wore it on the trip home and I stopped twice at the rest stops to stretch and grab lunch and both times I had people compliment my jacket. There were surprised to find out that I bought it "just down the road aways".

Here is a pic of me in my lamb import in January down at my sons Nat Guard Grad in Georgia. I was the heaviest I had ever been and still in denial about it.

BendingOak wrote:Matt, you looking good buddy. When are you getting yourself out my way? Congrats on the jacket, visit, and the weight loss.

Oak...I am so wanting to come out and hang with you and I am looking into some time soon when I can do it. I was so close to buying a ticket and finding out when you were going to be available and then "look into it" then just show up knocking on the shop door...lol. I will figure it out soon...I need a change of scenery for a few days.

If you find yourself in Ohio (why would you unless you are being punished) try and get to US WINGS....its really a cool place to check out and Sarge would love it.

Thanks again guys!

Ohio, that lamb import drapes really nicely. The fit is good as well.

Jacket pilgrimage stories are always the best. I even did my own to G&B last year. Very rewarding to get a jacket from the source itself. Congratulations! On both your personal victory and jacket success.

Ohio - really enjoyed this post on numerous levels. Thanks for sharing this story with us. You look great in that jacket and congrats on the weight loss. The photos you posted show a real difference. On the jacket - I think you made a great choice. I have a US made US wings goatskin Indy jacket. Style - its their signature jacket... Schott made. EXCELLENT quality. Very nice jacket. A pleasure to wear.
best
Canada

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I have to say I really just love this jacket. It was affordable...it was the look I wanted and the weight is spot on..light enough for jacket need weather and heavy enough to wear on these cold days here in NW Ohio. It was 8 degrees last night and had a long sleeve tee and my jacket on and was just fine.

I love the way this style (Indy) jacket lends itself to just about what ever you want to wear. Jeans and sneakers or kakis and dress shoes. It rocks...and the mild distressing is a nice, not new or super shiny look. It is breaking in wonderfully and every time I put it on it feels even better.

Love it!

Ohio

I made the trip west to U.S. Wings while in Buffalo on other business two years ago. The drive was worth it because I've learned you have to try things on. Two or three jackets may "seem" to fit, but only one is perfect. I love their product line.

Gerry

Like the way your jacket fits in the picture w/ Sarge...

Great story, great looking jacket!