Club Obi Wan

Has anybody got an 'Indy' jacket from US Authentic? US Authentic are a US (NY) based Comapny who make mainly WW2 Type flight jackets I think as well as few others including the 'Indy' type jackets they do.

They do a vintage goatskin 'Indy' and I have a second hand (bought at a fair price on e bay) one which I quite like. It is not a 'Wested' jacket which you could argue is the 'authentic' type? However, arguably, the authentic Indiana Jones jacket is modelled on some of the civilian flight type jackets of the 1930s.

Anyway, I'd be interested to know if anybody else has a US Authentic 'Indy' jacket and how they rate them. One advantage of them is that I can wear it to work and still look smart, whereas with my normal flight type jacket it looks too rough for the smart office environment.

Capt. Farrell

Welcome, Capt.! Can you post pics of this jacket? It sounds like a nice one, though I'm not familiar with the company.

bink

Is this the jacket?
http://www.flightjacket.com/detail.aspx?ID=9

I did a little online research. Actually, I have heard of this company. In fact, I even had thoughts about ordering a G8 or a Barnstormer from them at one point in time.

bink

Welcome to COW Capt Farrell, always nice to see another UK based fan!

It looks like a nice jacket - the vintage goatskin in the link that Bink posted looks like a nice colour, but it says it is available in different shades of brown. Is yours lighter or darker? Do you have any pics you could post?

BTW - are you aware of the European Summit taking place in London next month? You may be interested in attending some or all of the days t o compare jacket notes in person...and drink beer. Check out Canyon's UK Summit thread over in events for more details,

Regards

Alan

Not a bad lookin' jacket.....although I would like to see, perhaps, some better close-ups of the back of this jacket....

I was reading through some of the "testimonies" from people who have purchased the jacket, and I read that a a man who doubled Harrison Ford in Last Crusade, complimented this jacket.....interesting.... How many gearheads here have this jacket?

Kind Regards,
Captain D

BTW- I've never seen this jacket before....is it listed on the Indygear main site as "jacket alternatives?"

Dear Indy fans,

The website for the Indy Jacket (not the Wested of course)I have got is:

WWW.usauthentic.com

I would say its well worth a look, if you're looking at jackets of the WW2 type as well (A2s etc etc)for an Indy type jacket.

A little bit pricey but certainly my Indy jacket is well made and I got it at a bargain price on e bay so I'm not complaining!

Capt. Farrell

He said he bought it on ebay for a fair price. Why would anyone around here want to buy one new? It costs more than a Wested.

I was just thinking the same. It's a lovely jacket -- it truly is. But Wested is authentic, it's tailored, and it costs less. If my Wested were a woman, I'd marry it.

Today we have had people have religious experiences at COW and people wanting to marry their gear. Boy, has it been a heck of a day on the forum!

Flattery: "Gee, honey, your skin is so soft and... leather like."

Even though I've never seen one of these Indy jackets in person, you could always argue that price isn't everything. I mean, I love my Wested, but there are people who have Flightsuits and G&B (is that right?) and other Indy jackets which they paid lots for, but are just as happy as us Wested fans. I'll always likely be price conscious in my buying habbits, but an item is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. That being said, I'm glad Capt. got a great bargain on it!

bink

True....the price is, well, rather "pricey" ....I too would rather put my money for a Wested. Or if I was gonna put out that much money, I would go for the Flightsuits. However, I suppose its always good to see, and to have, as many options as possible in choosing an Indy jacket....

Kind Regards,
Captain D

I'm glad Capt. got a great bargain on it!

Indeed, it's a great find.

"Gee, honey, your skin is so soft and... leather like."

"Hey, whatcha doin' today, Flat?" "Oh, nothing. Just wearing my wife around. *whistles* Look, honey! Pecards! I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

...perhaps I've gone too far.

So would a jacket wife be "Naturally Distressing?"

*looks around* ...yes...yes, it would be.

Flattery wrote:If my Wested were a woman, I'd marry it.

Wouldn't that be considered a mail order bride?

Hm... I guess it would be. But these come tailored.

I totally hijacked this thread -- my apologies.

Thanks guys, for all the replies to my question. Yes it is that one sold at www.usauthentic.com

I'd love to come to the London do, but I get drunk on a lager-shandy (a half pint glass at that) and not only my jacket is vintage goatskin........... - so am I!!!!(well a 40 something).

By the way for you historical afficionados the Indy Jacket is based on (in my opinion - you probably know more than me on this) the classic flight jackets of the 1930s (of which the G-1 is a successor and the ubiquitous A -2 of course).

I would hasten to therefore add that the 'Indy Jacket' is an (eclectic) amalgam of styles sourced from the 1930s. But certainly a very attractive mix (in my view) at that.

For those of you who collect/sell jackets etc, in addition to the US Authentic site there is the Scottish firm Aero Leathers, who in my view make very good jackets, Eastman based in Devon England and finally Cirrus in East Anglia England. I also have a Cirrus Irvin type jacket and they are definately authentic RAF flight jackets. Very cool indeed, again quite expensive, but my Cirrus Irvin is the real thing. The only trouble is it has to be rather chilly to wear one as they were originally designed for RAF flyers in (unpressurised)1940s bombers and fighters at 20,000 feet plus!!!!

Take care you Indy fans - if you see any roving Temple of Dooms stay well clear man!

Capt Farrell

Flattery wrote:But Wested is authentic, it's tailored, and it costs less. If my Wested were a woman, I'd marry it.

At least it'ld be a women that has no problems with you buying gear ..

I guess you can hijack a 'thread' in a discussion about jackets

....mind you the statement 'If my jacket was a woman I'd marry it'. Thats rather sad...the word 'anorak' comes to mind a UK expression which pertains to 'train spotters' who stand on the end of cold damp railway stations taking railway engine numbers (no insult meant of course...just jokin').

They are usually aged up to their mid 40s still live at home never married and push supermarket trollies for a living (sorry for the sterotypes here!!!)



Take care Indy fans....

Capt Farrell

Well, most of us appear to be "Indy Spotters," so what's the difference?

bink

I spot Indy's here all the time.

Well thankfully, my girlfriend loves the jacket, so if I can't marry it, it'd at least make a good concubine.

We've crossed paths with this particular jacket maker on and off for years. One was purchased by our own _, and he stated that the details were WAY off in terms of an 'Indy' jacket, to much so to justify the price for a new one. He sold it not long after purchasing it, as I recall. The company was the A-2 jacket supplier for the now defunct Willis and Geiger co., and apparently the many returns of their jacket to that company did a great deal of damage to the bottom line. At least this is what I was told back then by LandsEnd when they acquired Willis and Geiger.
I guess bottom line is, when they're on, they make a very good jacket, but for the price, considering the lack of attention to details, they are not one for consideration for the budget and detail minded fan. That was the 'report' we have, and there's been nothing to change it all these years.
Regards. Michaelson

I guess bottom line is, when they're on, they make a very good jacket, but for the price, considering the lack of attention to details, they are not one for consideration for the budget and detail minded fan. That was the 'report' we have, and there's been nothing to change it all these years.

Agreed. The Wested is definitely more suited to those with fine attention to detail, or those who desire a down-to-the-last-stitch authentic replica. All of the Indy style jackets I've seen quite nice, and I probably would have bought one or seven if I had not known about Wested.

1 down, many to go.

What's funny is that the guy who claims to have doubled for HF in LC states "From what I AM TOLD your Indy jacket is very nice."

How is that a testimonial, if he's never even seen one, just was told it was nice??

"Nice" can be a terrible word. Sometimes people throw it around when they mean the exact opposite. Say, when I saw my girlfriend in a bright pink peacoat. "That's very... nice..."

I think, in this instance, he meant it's a very "decent" jacket.

Indiana Gater wrote:What's funny is that the guy who claims to have doubled for HF in LC states "From what I AM TOLD your Indy jacket is very nice."

How is that a testimonial, if he's never even seen one, just was told it was nice??

Hey, stick a big enough wad of cash in my paws and I'll endorse about anything...

Wonder who told him...the owner of the company? I receive a marketing email from these guys about once a month, and haven't seen anything change for years, with the exception of the price increasing with time. I'm sure it really IS a nice jacket for what it is, but for reasons already given, it's not one I'd personally endorse, unless you can find one on sale somewhere, like our friend did. We couldn't even get this company to send us samples of the leather to determine what this 'aged leather' was supposed to be. Regards. Michaelson

Thanks guys for all your input, as I said I got a second hand 'Indy', which was good value at the price on e bay (second hand) made by US Authentic. At the end of the day it is like a piece of art - what someone would pay a million dollars for another thinks it a pile of manure.

Basically, if you're happy with what you've got thats fine. I was just interested in other peoples views. I'm happy with mine, mainly cos I can wear it to work if I want to. Whereas I couldn't really wear a flight jacket with knitted cuffs etc.

I have a Schott A-2 flight jacket and a Cirrus RAF flying jacket although that is really for when it gets very very cold as it its so warm.

As I mentioned there are some very good jacket manufacterers in the UK including of course Wested, there is Aero leathers (Scotland), Cirrus (East Anglia), Eastman (Devon) and one or two others, what I regard first rate makers of repro vintage jackets etc. It 'horses for courses' really - you get what you pay for basically.

Thanks again you Indy fans, keep your pistol hand ready and your eyes sharp!

Tally ho!



Capt. Farrell

Hey, Capt. I don't think anyone is really bashing your jacket, in case you might take it that way. It sounds like it's a great jacket in and of itself despite opinions of the actual company. I'm glad you're happy with it -- that's all that matters! Wear it in good health!

bink

Bashing?Absolutely NOT. You asked how they were rated, and that's their known track record as passing through COW. That's all. Glad you found one, and so far from home too! High regards. Michaelson

I'm from the lovely South Downs here in West Sussex. Its so cool down here!