New from Wested

[nicholasb]

I noticed that Wested, the original Indy jacket makers have a vintage jacket design added to their products. Its a mixture of styles and not for me but his prices are really reasonable.

http://www.wested.com/new-vintage-leather-jacket-323-p.asp

I think their Indy jacket is really nicely done and a total bargain. I am surprised that they don't make more designs.

 

[Edward]

That jacket puts me in mind of the 'Members Only' style jackets that ere around in the 80s, which very much qualifies it as 'vintage' as far as the mainstream fashhion market are concerned. Certainly, though, for anyone wanting a jacket in that style and not caring about having the designer name brand on it, it'd be something of a bargain.

There are a few folks round here who have Wested Indy jackets and enjoy them. They're not more popular, I think, because they are primarily costume pieces, and most folks here in the Lounge prefer something that really could cope with a serious adventure. Of course lamb will have been used originally in the film jacket spec due to the conditions in which they filmed. I don't imagine Harrison Ford would have been thrilled to be baking in horsehide in Africa... They do also do the Indy jackets in goat (I think they did offer a small run of horsehide at one time? Maybe still?), which is rather more durable. Some folks are fans of the lamb, though, as what it loses in durability is for them made up by its wearability during the Summer. Swings and roundabouts, again.

In terms of more designs, as far as I am aware Wested do quite a lot of other stuff for film and TV costumes, in addition to everything on the website. Mostly they look pretty good, tough never having handled them I can't speak to quality or durability. Regarding the Indy jackets, they look pretty good to me, though I gather some feel they could be more accurate. My only real gripe with them is that on reading their website it's very easy to get the impression that they provided all the jackets for all the films, whereas as I understand it they only worked on Raiders. I'm sure that's an oversight rather than anything deliberate, but it could be made clearer.

 

[scottyrocks]

Theres a huge thread at COW dealing with this now. The makers of certain jackets for certain scenes are very much in dispute. No, not dispute, but there is much discussion. I dont think Wested is in any of them.

 

[nicholasb]

I have Wested's Indy and opted for lamb. It may not be as durable as some but I don't see why it wouldn't last well under normal use. I wear it a lot when it gets too warm for other jackets. Its good worn with a t-shirt just to keep the wind off. My wife much prefers it to the A2.

 

[gyrobroyeur]

answer...

I have Wested's Indy and opted for lamb. It may not be as durable as some but I don't see why it wouldn't last well under normal use. I wear it a lot when it gets too warm for other jackets. Its good worn with a t-shirt just to keep the wind off. My wife much prefers it to the A2.

For this kind of jacket, normal use is: running in the jungle, falling in holles, jumping out of running trains, etc...

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Of course lamb will have been used originally in the film jacket spec due to the conditions in which they filmed.

I believe that they used lamb because that is what they had on hand back in 1980 during the filming of Raiders.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Wested?

My understanding is that Wested supplied jackets to the Last Crusade and some stunt jackets to Raiders. Coopers made the Temple of Doom jackets and the main Raiders hero jacket.

Wested has made lots of claims over the years - even that they made all the jackets for Temple and that these were the same as the Raiders jacket only an inch longer. (Check out the film and see how wrong that one was).

None of this is accepted anymore by most over at COW.

I personally couldn't say for certain who did what jackets, but having owned a Wested I would say they are okay quality wise - just above a mall jacket - but until recently did not look much like the jackets we see on screen.

Competition by other makers has helped lick the recent Westeds into shape.

This new Wested here really does look like a 1980's A2 inspired bomber. Didn't like them back then, certainly do not now - but they are coming back over here, many of the kids are wearing them.

 

[Edward]

I personally couldn't say for certain who did what jackets, but having owned a Wested I would say they are okay quality wise - just above a mall jacket - but until recently did not look much like the jackets we see on screen.

Competition by other makers has helped lick the recent Westeds into shape.

I imagine it would. I'm always in two minds about this.... I would love to have a reasonable Indy jacket, as I love the films, they were probably instrumental in instigating my love of fedoras and vintage leather jackets, and the rest, but there are also many other jackets I'd rather have - Aero half belt, Goodwear Californian Ventura, etc. It's all money.... so the Wested price offering would be attractive to me, especially the price they can do a custom-fitted option for. That said, there's little point in adding an Indy to my collection if it's way off the mark as far as screen accuracy goes (even if I'm not as much of an Indy gearhead as many fans).

This new Wested here really does look like a 1980's A2 inspired bomber. Didn't like them back then, certainly do not now - but they are coming back over here, many of the kids are wearing them.

I see a lot of eighties style influences among the kids I teach now, not so much the postgraduates, but definitely the undergrads. This year, those kids were mostly born in 1989/90, so I guess it's the old story of each generation having a lot of nostalgia for a decade in which they were not born or at least of which they have no memory.

 

[Edward]

I believe that they used lamb because that is what they had on hand back in 1980 during the filming of Raiders.

Ah, so it was more seredipity that it was more condicuve to ear in that heat? Interesting.

For hot weather, I have considered the Aero Summer Half Belt (alas it has now gone up in price significantly), but only if they could do it in a different colour. The photographed example on the website is a very cream colour, grand for daygloves or upholstering an Aston, but not my choice for a jacket!

 

[Seb Lucas]

Edward, the Wested Raiders is close enough to accurate these days, about 95%. The issue I have always had with Wested is that if they made the one in the film, then why can't they make it accurate! Answer: they may not have made the ones in the film....

The Wested LC is right off and the new ToD is a fair copy of an original ToD jacket Wested had borrowed last year. It's their most accurate now - it used to be their least accurate.

I personally would get a Gibson and Barnes Expedition in goat. Strong, warm and 90% accurate.

 

[Edward]

Edward, the Wested Raiders is close enough to accurate these days, about 95%. The issue I have always had with Wested is that if they made the one in the film, then why can't they make it accurate! Answer: they may not have made the ones in the film....

The Wested LC is right off and the new ToD is a fair copy of an original ToD jacket Wested had borrowed last year. It's their most accurate now - it used to be their least accurate.

I personally would get a Gibson and Barnes Expedition in goat. Strong, warm and 90% accurate.

The ested Raiders model is the one I was looking at, though I would opt for the goat rather than the lamb. I can well appreciate the idea of lamb as a 'Summer weight' leather, but I'm convinced I'll rip it in no time. I'm not hard on my clothes, but I can be occasionally clumsy...

If the Wested is 95% accurate, as you say, and the G&B 90% of the way there, what is it about the Expedition that swings it for you? I have looked at the G&B in the past, though with the pound as it is it's quite a whack more expensive, plus there's the shipping from the US issue....

 

[Seb Lucas]

G&B are great because: 1. many believe they use some of the best goatskin available (I agree with that). 2. They are increadibly well made. Perfect stitching, great pattern making, ultra strong lining. One of those jackets you can actually wear into battle. Of all the leahter jackets I've owned G&B are the best made I've seen (I've owned dozens over 25 years).

Wested is okay but quality is variable and often they miss details.

Mind you if I lived where you do I would go Wested for price and locality. Especially if you just want an Indy jacket to wear now and then.

Also in terms of accuracy I think anything close to 90% is fine. The Raiders film jackets varied between scenes anyway, so let's not get too fanatical.

 

[Edward]

G&B are great because: 1. many believe they use some of the best goatskin available (I agree with that). 2. They are increadibly well made. Perfect stitching, great pattern making, ultra strong lining. One of those jackets you can actually wear into battle. Of all the leahter jackets I've owned G&B are the best made I've seen (I've owned dozens over 25 years).

I've always heard good thigs about them, was looking at them but the price shot up with the weak pound / strong dollar, and then there's the issue of shipping and the danger of getting stung for import taxes, which can cetainly more than even out any saving made on buying things from the US in general. (Though annoyingly enough the times I've gotten hammered for tax it's been stuff I was only buying from the US because it wasn'tg available here..... ho hum).

Wested is okay but quality is variable and often they miss details.

Mind you if I lived where you do I would go Wested for price and locality. Especially if you just want an Indy jacket to wear now and then.

I've heard they can occasionally have an isue or two... Actually, what I'd figured on doing was going there in person and being measured, after trying on what they had in stock.... It looks like it might be one of those places that is a little awkward to get to for those of us that don't drive, but I must look into it again when time and cashflow allow! An Indy jacket would get worn with me, but probably less often than, say, an Aero halfbelt or whatever, so it probably makes sense to budget a bit on one.

Also in terms of accuracy I think anything close to 90% is fine. The Raiders film jackets varied between scenes anyway, so let's not get too fanatical.

Oh, believe me, I've been involved in the world of Rocky Horror shado casting for a decade now, there's othing you can tell me about fanaticism I haven't seen the equal of already.... lol you're absolutely right, though, about the difficulties that would come of getting too stitch-nazi about Indy's jacket.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Wested is okay but quality is variable and often they miss details.

Over at Club Obi Wan, Peter has stated that the reason they usually miss details is because people order a jacket & then give them a grocery list of details to follow. The list(s) are so long & numerous that they are bound to miss things.

Their Indy jackets, while it says "Custom" on the site, it should actually read made-to-measure.

My main Gripe with Wested is that they need to use a stronger thread in the assembly of their jacket. If you decide to order a built to order Indy jacket, I would suggest having it made witha stronger thread.

-Charlie

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I've heard they can occasionally have an isue or two... Actually, what I'd figured on doing was going there in person and being measured, after trying on what they had in stock.... It looks like it might be one of those places that is a little awkward to get to for those of us that don't drive, but I must look into it again when time and cashflow allow! An Indy jacket would get worn with me, but probably less often than, say, an Aero halfbelt or whatever, so it probably makes sense to budget a bit on one.

Going in & being measured is the best way to go. Just be warned that alot of their already made items are made in India.

 

[jacksdad]

I have a wested goat off the rack raiders style, I like it, the leather is tuff, but I have had it in for a few repairs,and I've only had it less than 2 years, but with what has been done, I think it will last.

 

[Edward]

Going in & being measured is the best way to go. Just be warned that alot of their already made items are made in India.

Are the M2M items produced in the UK? It doesn't matter much to me where it is actually assembled, but I think for all the extra they charge, it's got to be worth going custom simply for the fact that each individual jacket is bound to get just a little more attention than on of many made to a standard set of sizings.

I have a wested goat off the rack raiders style, I like it, the leather is tuff, but I have had it in for a few repairs,and I've only had it less than 2 years, but with what has been done, I think it will last.

The strength, or lack thereof, of the thread they use seems to be the main complaint i hear about Wested's jackets. Nice to know their goat is good.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Wested use the same thread as G&B apparently (nylon core, cotton cover) and theirs never comes loose. I can only deduce that there is something about the way they stitch that is poor. You know, like the way a cheap shirt has buttons which come undone, because the thread stitch isn't locked when they finish up.

I'm not bashing Wested. I like em. They're just not my first choice because of some clear disadvantages.

 

[nicholasb]

It would be good to see pics of G&B against Wested. I have a Wested Lamb and wear it a lot during warmer weather. I have had it a few years and it is holding up fine - although I don't have the adventures that Indy does.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Are the M2M items produced in the UK?

Yes, the MTM jackets are produced in house.