Club Obi Wan

Is there any difference in the movement allowed by two or one piece gussets? They both look as though they use the same amount of extra leather. Anybody have one of each type that can comment?

Regards, Walker

I actually think the two-piece looks exactly as it is called. It's two pieces of the same one-piece of leather.

As for the movement difference, I can't comment as I've only had one piece and find that more than enough. Some people, however, just get the two-piece for screen accuracy.

The biggest difference in the gusset styles is the that the two piece
gusset will fold up into the armpit of the jacket when you lower your
arms. And when you raise them, the gusset will expand outward to
give you a few extra inches of room in your armpit area, and give
the jacket better freedom of movement.

The one piece is supposed to do this also, but because its only made from
one piece, it can actually fold outward, instead of up into the armpit,
when you lower your arms, and then it will look funny sticking out
under your armpit.

Both serve the same function, but the two piece is made that way for
the specific reason of retracting back up into the armpit when its not
needed.

Flathead

With the double gusset folded up into the armpit, does it fold up to the point of being bothersome?

With the double gusset folded up into the armpit, does it fold up to the point of being bothersome?

No. You do not even know its there. That is until you lift your arms.
Then the added room kicks in.

Most all Navy flight jackets incorporate this two piece type of gusset
in their sleeves.

It also helps the jacket from lifting up past your waist if you raise your hands
up over your head.

That usually results from a jacket that has its armpits too low, and thus,
when your raise your arms, it immediately starts to pull on the side seams
of the jacket, and makes the jacket raise up past your waist.

With the gussets in place, and with the armpits lowered for comfort, when
you raise your arms, the extra material in the gussets kicks in, and its
that material that moves, and it keeps from tugging on the side seams,
and making the jacket ride up your body.

Also, without gussets, if the armpits are made so that the side seams
of the jacket, and the sleeve seams come together closer together
under your armpit, then the jacket will not ride up your body as much
also.

The drawback to that is, if you have big biceps, or you have larger
arms in general, this can make the sleeves feel too tight under your
arms, almost to the point of discomfort.

Thats the basic reason for gussets.

Flathead

Indiana Jess wrote:With the double gusset folded up into the armpit, does it fold up to the point of being bothersome?

-Dr. It bothers me when I do this.
-Don't do it then, or get single piece gussets on your Wested.

Sorry, your expression just sounded so humourus.

Regards,
Swindiana

I've owned Wested's with the one and two piece gussets; I found that the 1-piece did nothing to enable greater movement, wheras the 2-piece gussets I have on my current jacket really seem to help. I never notice they are there, they certainly don't bug me in any way.

In terms of authenticity, the movie jackets either had no gussets or 2-piece gussets.

The only other question I heard regarding the 'whether to gusset or not' question was about possible bagginness. I thought I heard that they don't make it more baggy because of how they fold in.

Al, you've got both (w/ and w/o) - what do you think?