Club Obi Wan

Summary: Great jacket. Captures the Indy essence beautifully. Buffalo hide has a rich dark brown color and varied grain, and a wonderful weight and drape. Highly recommended.

The Purchaser: I turned 15 the year Raiders came out (1981), so my formative years were spent under the Indy spell. Much to my family’s amusement, I have a leather jacket ‘collection’ that has swollen to about thirty, most of them military (A2, B3, B6, G-1, Irvin, etc.); several originals, several high-end reproductions. So far, only three are Indys but it is my favourite style.

The Impulse: I saw Michaelson’s notification about the new offering from US Wings the first night it was up (October 18), opened the link, and was struck by how good the jacket looked on Sarge - something about the color, fit and drape that seemed very cool. I emailed Sarge at 10:30 p.m. or so to ask about it, and he got back to me a few minutes later. Shortly afterward, I was (he advised) the first to pre-order one.

Sizing: I am 5’11”, with a 43” chest, and a 32” waist. With Sarge’s advice, I ordered a medium. Actual measurements of the jacket: 23” front pit-to-pit, 26” front length, 27.5” back length, 19” shoulder width, 24.75” sleeve length. Jacket fits great - relaxed but not too loose. It has enough room to put a winter-weight vest underneath but doesn’t look too loose with just a t-shirt. It is longer by 3” or so than my other Indy (Raiders) jackets, so at my height it fits a bit more like a 3/4 length than a relaxed waist jacket.

Hide: I have not owned or handled buffalo hide so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It is noticeably thicker and heavier than the screen accurate (lambskin) jackets, and much more in line with the substance I always imagined an adventurer from the Indy era would have chosen. It feels like it should be able to survive lots of abuse. My medium weighs roughly 4.5 lbs. It is strong and supple, and drapes wonderfully, which is how (I think) it manages to conform to my shape with or without layers underneath. The grain is varied, including a couple of spots of subtle lamb-like 'elephant' grain. The color is a rich, dark chocolate brown with russet undertones, which will show through with natural wear or artificial distressing.

Value: A genuine bargain. I have spent a lot more for a lot less jacket.

Service: Sarge is exceptionally responsive, knows his stuff and has a way of making you feel like you are his only customer. I would buy from him again in an instant.

Pics: The first photo shows the front of the jacket (after a light distressing with a warm-water-soaked wash cloth) next to a large photo of the (much more distressed) Last Crusade jacket at the Smithsonian. The second shows the back. The last three show some of the the variation in the grain.

Great! Now it's time to show us your fit photos!

By the way, 4.5 lbs is exactly same weight as my signature cowhide jacket

Sorry for the delayed response. Here are some fit shots I tricked the photographer (my daughter) into thinking were of the dog at play. I tried to select images that would show the drape of the hide; how it adjusts to motion in such a fluid, organic way. The weirdest shot - the one with my arms high in the air (after tossing the dog's toy straight upward) - captures it particularly well in the back panel.

Very nice... very pleased to see the small shoulder yoke. I’d like to see a shorter body length overall, but very impressed with how the jacket takes to distressing. Looks great!

Thanks. Agree it's long - 3 to 4 inches longer than my two Raiders jackets. Adds a bit of variety to my Indy wardrobe. And it really is easy to distress with a bit of warm water and a wash cloth.

God......that's a beautiful jacket and great fit as well, I am 6 ft and 173 lbs wondering if I should get size S for snug fit

There is lots of extra room in the chest and across the middle of the back, so I'm sure I could have gone to a small there. The trick would be making sure the arm length and shoulder width (which are both perfect for me in the medium) would be enough for you. Check out the measurements I noted in the review. I am sure US Wings could give you the measurements for a small.

Great review and pictures. Really like mine as well. I am 6 feet, 4 inches tall and went with the XXL. Shoulders and sleeves are dead on. Being an off the rack jacket, it is slightly larger in the chest and overall length than my custom ones. Still not a big deal for me as all off the rack XXL jackets fit like this one.

That's a very helpful review. Thanks. Nice pics. It is a very long Indy but a nice 3/4 length jacket. I'm actually tempted.

Thanks. Three quarter length Indy is a good way to describe it. The pattern would never pass for screen accurate but the jacket still manages to capture the Indy essence.

Never understand the obsession of longer length by USW, it should be called indy style car coat.

That description also works!

Hammerklavier wrote:Never understand the obsession of longer length by USW, it should be called indy style car coat.

I'm not sure I would call it an obsession - it's just their established practice to make them longer. But this one is taking a new, bold step entirely - I guess it is Schott, maybe that goes there since I understand they manufacture the jackets. A lot of people think the jacket is longer than it is - I was one of those.

What I never got in relation to USW is why they wouldn't just use the Legend pattern they got from Cooper (that is their most accurate) and never deviate from there. Surely it costs them more to keep re-patterning the jacket to different specs.

CM wrote:

Hammerklavier wrote:Never understand the obsession of longer length by USW, it should be called indy style car coat.

I'm not sure I would call it an obsession - it's just their established practice to make them longer. But this one is taking a new, bold step entirely - I guess it is Schott, maybe that goes there since I understand they manufacture the jackets. A lot of people think the jacket is longer than it is - I was one of those.

What I never got in relation to USW is why they wouldn't just use the Legend pattern they got from Cooper (that is their most accurate) and never deviate from there. Surely it costs them more to keep re-patterning the jacket to different specs.

Thier buffalo and russet cowhide are imported, so it's not made by Schott.

What's really frustrated to me is they refuse to tell you any measurement of jacket. Is it military thing??

Hammerklavier wrote:

CM wrote:

Hammerklavier wrote:Never understand the obsession of longer length by USW, it should be called indy style car coat.

I'm not sure I would call it an obsession - it's just their established practice to make them longer. But this one is taking a new, bold step entirely - I guess it is Schott, maybe that goes there since I understand they manufacture the jackets. A lot of people think the jacket is longer than it is - I was one of those.

What I never got in relation to USW is why they wouldn't just use the Legend pattern they got from Cooper (that is their most accurate) and never deviate from there. Surely it costs them more to keep re-patterning the jacket to different specs.

Thier buffalo and russet cowhide are imported, so it's not made by Schott.

What's really frustrated to me is they refuse to tell you any measurement of jacket. Is it military thing??

They have the size of an XL up on the website. But I hear you. Schott make imported stuff too.

After seeing these pictures, I pulled the trigger on one of these! I’m super excited to get mine (hopefully on Thursday). So all you did to distress it was warm water?

Yes. Warm water on a dish cloth, and scrub the areas you want to lighten (seams, collar edge, elbows, etc.). It doesn't take much, and it is hard to see the progress you are making when the leather has been darkened by the water, so I would recommend you go easy, let it dry and see how it is coming along, rather than trying to do it all at once.

Awesome! I’ll consider that, thank you so much. If it distresses so easily, I may just let it go naturally. Thanks so much

Just heard that the new USW cape buffalo Indy will be appearing on the back of the actor in the Disney World Indy Stunt show in the next couple days.

Here's the official word/write up from USW's site:

https://www.uswings.com/product/us-wing ... er-jacket/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regards! Michaelson

Very cool. Good for USW.


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

I can't believe how beautiful that leather is. Do they still offer a veterans discount? I may have to sell an old Wested I never wear.

Drop a line to David Hack and ask!

Also received, just as an FYI:

The Thickness of the Cape Buffalo Leather is 1.2 to 1.3 mm .. To give the Indy Fans an idea of what the real weight of a size XL Reg. Indy Cape Buffalo is 4.5 to 4.8 Lbs. and yes all of our Jackets are Drum dyed and this Jacket is a 3 season jacket as seen being worn on Stage at Disney World FL at the Indy Show .
Regards,
Sarge

Regards! Michaelson

In the first set of pictures, the undertones have a peanut color, but in the second set, the undertones seem more red. Which color is more accurate?

I gotta say, this is a really cool looking jacket. I like their russet cowhide version, too. I owned a few Legends in 2011/2012 but sold them. I didn't like the tall pockets back then, but the leather was amazing. It looks like they changed the pockets and collar up a bit. Maybe it's just my imagination.

Sorry for the delayed response. Just seeing this now. The answer is, it depends on the light - lots of really cool color variation in the leather. Having said that, the predominant undertone is peanut with a light orange (rather than red) hue.

Very, VERY nice.

Glenville86 wrote:Great review and pictures. Really like mine as well. I am 6 feet, 4 inches tall and went with the XXL. Shoulders and sleeves are dead on. Being an off the rack jacket, it is slightly larger in the chest and overall length than my custom ones. Still not a big deal for me as all off the rack XXL jackets fit like this one.

Been looking at getting one myself and im torn between regular and long versions-- I'm 6'6" so XXL is a no-brainer, but seeing as this jacket looks like its long already should i get the long version?

Give them a call and ask!

Regard! Michaelson

At 6'6, I'd go with the regular version if you are hoping for a more screen-accurate-ish look. A long would probably fit you how 4T2's jacket fits, if not longer, if that's what you're going for. Just a guess, but I doubt an XXL regular would be too short for someone your height, especially looking at how long and car-coatish the regulars are already...

Castor Dioscuri wrote:At 6'6, I'd go with the regular version if you are hoping for a more screen-accurate-ish look. A long would probably fit you how 4T2's jacket fits, if not longer, if that's what you're going for. Just a guess, but I doubt an XXL regular would be too short for someone your height, especially looking at how long and car-coatish the regulars are already...

I'd be afraid of not the body length for a regular, but the sleeve length. I'd fear it would be too short in the sleeves. I'm 6'4", and am thinking about a Large long.

I am 6 feet 4 inches and the 2XL regular was plenty long in the sleeves and extra in the body length. Wore it a good bit last winter but gave it and the russet USW to a friend a couple weeks ago.

Glenville86 wrote:I am 6 feet 4 inches and the 2XL regular was plenty long in the sleeves and extra in the body length. Wore it a good bit last winter but gave it and the russet USW to a friend a couple weeks ago.

I'm about 225-230 lbs. I'd think the XXL would be swimming on me.

JC1972 wrote:

Glenville86 wrote:I am 6 feet 4 inches and the 2XL regular was plenty long in the sleeves and extra in the body length. Wore it a good bit last winter but gave it and the russet USW to a friend a couple weeks ago.

I'm about 225-230 lbs. I'd think the XXL would be swimming on me.

I am around 225-230. Jacket fit fine on me. I don't like snug fitting jackets but the Wings ones fit just like other 2xl jackets I own. What size sport coat do you wear? I usually wear a 48L.

I'm waiting on a reply from Wings....but I'm 6'3 and 190 pounds, with monkey long arms. Would a medium or Large be right for me?

The terms 'normal' and 'trim' fit on their site are confusing; I just got a Large Long in the import goatskin, which is touted as a trim fit on the site, and the chest and sleeves are PERFECT, but the body of it was waaaaaay long- 29.5" long!
Sleeve from shoulder seam is 26", Armpit to armpit is 22.5", and shoulder width 19.5"

I called and talked o Rosita, and she offered to take some measurements of the Cape and the Goat for me, and this is what she replied:

Here are the measurements to the following jackets:

Large Large Long
Cape Buffalo
Shoulder seam to shoulder seam 21 / 21
Arm pit to arm pit 24.5 / 24.5
Sleeve (shoulder seam to cuff) 25.5 / 26.5
Back Length (collar seam to bottom) 27.5 / 29.5

Goatskin
Shoulder seam to shoulder seam 20.5 / 20.5
Arm pit to arm pit 25 / 25
Sleeve (shoulder seam to cuff) 26 / 27
Back Length (collar seam to bottom) 26.5 / 28.5



My guess is that she measured a US made goat, which have the 'normal' fit same as the Cape.

Thanks for the review! That leather looks fantastic! I've been waffling on this one for a while now because of the length. Not that I mind a longer jacket as I like my jackets longer than what Indy wore, but the extra length makes the patch pockets further from the bottom of the jacket and I just can't get over that. Oh, to have this leather in the Legend cut!

Kokopelli wrote:I'm waiting on a reply from Wings....but I'm 6'3 and 190 pounds, with monkey long arms. Would a medium or Large be right for me?

The terms 'normal' and 'trim' fit on their site are confusing; I just got a Large Long in the import goatskin, which is touted as a trim fit on the site, and the chest and sleeves are PERFECT, but the body of it was waaaaaay long- 29.5" long!
Sleeve from shoulder seam is 26", Armpit to armpit is 22.5", and shoulder width 19.5"

I called and talked o Rosita, and she offered to take some measurements of the Cape and the Goat for me, and this is what she replied:

Here are the measurements to the following jackets:

Large Large Long
Cape Buffalo
Shoulder seam to shoulder seam 21 / 21
Arm pit to arm pit 24.5 / 24.5
Sleeve (shoulder seam to cuff) 25.5 / 26.5
Back Length (collar seam to bottom) 27.5 / 29.5

Goatskin
Shoulder seam to shoulder seam 20.5 / 20.5
Arm pit to arm pit 25 / 25
Sleeve (shoulder seam to cuff) 26 / 27
Back Length (collar seam to bottom) 26.5 / 28.5



My guess is that she measured a US made goat, which have the 'normal' fit same as the Cape.

Shoot. I just ordered the standard Indy jacket in goat. I got the large tall...(I'm 6'2 200lb) It fits perfectly in the arms /chestbut hangs a couple inches below the belt. I'd like to order this buffalo, but don't want to wear a trench coat nor a shorter jacket that looks like a suit coat (too short in the arms). Dang it. Why did I have to open this Pandora's box again after so many years of not ordering any jackets?

As a side note, my favorite jacket was my expedition in goat..... But it doesn't fit anymore since I was 40 lbs heavier.

Ok just got mine in yesterday evening... I’m 6’6” 265 and the regular 2xl fits like a glove. Bottom of the jacket comes down just below my belt. Zipped up its snug but not tight. Looks like the Nepal bar scene jacket which is more or less what I was going for...I’ll post some pictures when I get a chance.

These are now the official jackets used at the Disney World Indy stunt show.

Regards! Michaelson

I'll be in the store this Friday! This is the jacket I'm most excited about, and hoping to find a good fit.

https://espygolfapp.com/blog/walt-disne ... le-jacket/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regards! Michaelson

mdalbrit wrote:Ok just got mine in yesterday evening... I’m 6’6” 265 and the regular 2xl fits like a glove. Bottom of the jacket comes down just below my belt. Zipped up its snug but not tight. Looks like the Nepal bar scene jacket which is more or less what I was going for...I’ll post some pictures when I get a chance.

Would love to see some “just standing” pics of that, please!

Just received from USWings today:

Hello My Friends,
Here is a way to save 15 % until 2400 Sunday (November 3rd) on all in-house Cape Buffalo Jackets … No rain CKs…… Meaning a $ 295.00 jacket is discounted down $ 45.00.. First come first serve… Again no rain cks on sizes and or models.
Regards,
Sarge

Regards! Michaelson

This jacket hasn’t gotten a lot of love recently, so I wanted to show mine off a little.

I have let my jacket age naturally since I got it in early 2019, and I really think it’s gorgeous now. The color underneath is a really really nice copper tone, and I think it contrasts super well with how dark the jacket is. It has weathered quite a few light rains here and there, and a couple insanely wet days where it was soaked through. I condition it with a product called Leather CPR, which I can’t recommend enough.

Here is the Imgur link: https://imgur.com/a/4yQvAcQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That leather is fantastic!

If they weren't sooooooo long, that would be the last jacket I ever bought.

The leather really is great! As for length, mine fits wonderfully. I wear a 44L in blazers and my BK Relic Hunter, and my USW is a regular large! It’s great as long as I don’t extend my arms a lot, the lack of gussets make the sleeves look short if I reach too far.

I do love the leather and I keep trying to talk myself into getting one and seeing if a super-skilled tailor can shorten it 1-1.5". I'm convinced it could be done since the pockets and straps are so high and it would make a good LC style jacket, but it's an expensive mistake if I'm wrong.

Illinois_Jones wrote:I do love the leather and I keep trying to talk myself into getting one and seeing if a super-skilled tailor can shorten it 1-1.5". I'm convinced it could be done since the pockets and straps are so high and it would make a good LC style jacket, but it's an expensive mistake if I'm wrong.

I used to think that the straps would be the problem on shortening a jacket because of the old sewing holes, but after modifying other leather things, small thread holes can close up to be pretty much unseeable...

Hammerklavier wrote:Never understand the obsession of longer length by USW, it should be called indy style car coat.

I agree, it looks outright ridiculous

Their sizing conventions are definitely different than others, they do seem to fall more in line with modern military sizing than more traditional cuts. Knowing how I wanted the jacket to fit, and also knowing that my OCP size of L/L would be too long, I knew the L/R would fit close to how I wanted. For me, a perfect fit would probably be long sleeves with a regular body. Unfortunately, they don’t do customizations like this... I’d have gladly payed for a jacket made like that.

At that length it’s a very nice coat, but loses its Indy vibe entirely for me. With this length I’d be inclined to get an insulated lining and use it for more wintry days.