Spearhead Wind Jacket Questions

[Gebirgsziege]

Can anyone provide some help with Spearhead's (barrylyndon28) sizing? Are they sized to fit over the uniform already? In other words, do I order a 42 in chest if I wear a 42, or do I go with something larger like a 44, or 46? Also, does anyone stock his items (either side of the pond), or am I limited to what he has in his ebay shop? He has so few sizes of the fieldgrey wind jacket in stock, I am worried he may be ending their availability!

Tchüss,
David

[Tanker Mike]

Can anyone provide some help with Spearhead's (barrylyndon28) sizing? Are they sized to fit over the uniform already? In other words, do I order a 42 in chest if I wear a 42, or do I go with something larger like a 44, or 46?

I have the Gen II version of the Spearhead Windjacke in a size XL. I am rather tall at 6'1', weigh around 200+ pounds and have about a size 42 chest. The Large sized jacket was short in the arms for me.

Due my long arms and broad shoulders, I need the longer sleeve length. I have a Spearhead German WWII repro anorak in a size XL for the same reason.

I don't own a uniform tunic but last month I went on a winter hike wearing the following layers under my XL Windjacke,

-Silk underwear
-Pendleton Wool Shirt
-Repro German WWII Sweater
-Repro German WWI Vest

It was not a snug fit and I had enough room to move.

Hope this helps,
Mike

[Gebirgsziege]

Thanks mike, your info leads me in the right direction towards an answer.

Tchüss,
David

[Gebirgsziege]

Tanker Mike, PM sent.

David

[Gebirgsziege]

I received my Spearhead jacket today, and I must say I am a bit mixed.

Shipping: The jacket came in a quite reasonable amount of time (express delivery as advertised), and was packaged in a heavy plastic mailing bag.

Fabric: Excellent color, weave, and weight; definitely no complaints there. The fieldgrey color is an excellent one and appears to be well within range of the original manufacture item.

Buttons: Charcoal grey and a good color choice; quite appropriate for the grey-green jacket shell.

Construction: Well constructed with quality seams and straight stitching. Thread color was again excellent and well matched so as to not detract from the shell of the jacket. Here is where the criticisms begin; the shoulder boards were placed well forward and were seated on my chest rather than on the tops of my shoulders. It looked not just awkward, but also rather silly. The other point of contention is that the collar tips are too rounded and do not present a sharp tip. While the collar does not provide a deal breaker, the shoulder boards are an obvious problem that must be re-positioned or jacket replaced by Spearhead. I have presonally decided on performing a return.

Fit: I am a size 42 chest and ordered a size large. I knew up front that it might be a bit big for that would have been on the cusp of M and L, but decided to go for it all the same. The jacket was way, way too big. I could have gone with a medium or perhaps even a small. There is more to the story here and all speculation on my part, and should be taken as such. Spearhead's ebay shop had shown only XL and XXL in stock. I emailed Barry to ask if they had a medium to which he replied that a L was the smallest he had. He also responded with a link to a new listing for a size L. As I stated, I ordered the L and what arrived was a jacket with an L label in the collar and XL written in big white pencil marks on the sleeve as though it were the cutters markings. Perhaps my jacket was "way, way" too big because it was actually an XL being masqueraded as a L or perhaps the jacket is just that big by design.

Final thoughts: I would like to think Barry was at all times honest, for his email assistance was reasonably quick and curteous. Unfortunately, I will not be able to know unless he again offers a M and I have the ability to try it as well. I prefer not to be slanderous as a whole, but I feel that I have reason to wonder where the truth may lay. I will be sending my jacket back on Monday via the post and exchanging it for a different item from his store. In the end, it is a shame that my jacket had both construction and sizing problems for it had the potential to be a gorgeous product.

David

[Tanker Mike]

Well, now that you mention it, I noticed the same thing about the shoulder straps but since I don't use them, I didn't worry about it. However, I've seen photos of WWII windjacke and noticed that the positioning was a bit forward of what I would of thought as normal.

Regarding the sizing, you can see if you really have a L or XL by going Spearheads ebay Windjacke page and seeing what the measurements are on his jackets and then comparing them to yours. I hope you can do metric!

Mike

[Gebirgsziege]

Mike,

I measured the jacket and it measures out as not just an XL, but a true "XXL" as per Spearheads own desriptions. I have emailed Barry with the info so he can be abreast of the issue. I agree that the shoulderboards are often seen being not squarely on top of the shoulders and recommended to Barry that they be shifted back 3 cm. This should put them more to that position. 4 cm would put them squarely on the tops. I also offered the recommendations: add a 2nd cuff button, sharpen the tips of the collar, and angle the shoulder seams so they angle backwards about 1-2 cm as they extend outward towards the sleeves. If he can affect these three changes, he will have one heck of a product on his hands. I'll pass along the email traffic as it occurs.

Tchüss,
David

[Tanker Mike]

I measured the jacket and it measures out as not just an XL, but a true "XXL" as per Spearheads own desriptions. I have emailed Barry with the info so he can be abreast of the issue. I agree that the shoulderboards are often seen being not squarely on top of the shoulders and recommended to Barry that they be shifted back 3 cm. This should put them more to that position. 4 cm would put them squarely on the tops. I also offered the recommendations: add a 2nd cuff button, sharpen the tips of the collar, and angle the shoulder seams so they angle backwards about 1-2 cm as they extend outward towards the sleeves. If he can affect these three changes, he will have one heck of a product on his hands. I'll pass along the email traffic as it occurs.

Wow, sounds like they didn't even come close on the size! Totally agree about the 2nd cuff button. I sewed them on myself. Regarding the shape of the collars, from what I've seen, they could come in different shapes. Check out the links below. I've seen more rounded than pointed collars.

http://www.johnnyg.westhost.com/u304cx.html

[Gebirgsziege]

Mike,
Thanks for the link. I hadn't stumbled across that set of pics during my surfing. Yes, there is definitely no "one" rule on the collars.

Barry had said that they intentionally wanted the shoulderboards forward as seen on many originals, he used the shoulder seam as a reference even. I think where he is off, is that the seam should start just behind of high-center to angle back as it extends out. My jacket's seam ran straight and even with the top of my shoulders. This is what made for the shoulder boards to be correct as per the seam, but too far forward for the shoulder. If he is able to successfuly alter the seam part of the pattern, then it will allow for therest of the distances to fall right into place. I will have to keep pestering him, I think!

Tchüss,
David

[SOT(D)]

I have one, got it last February. The shoulder board loops? Being a rather decent tailor ( I make Rev War clothing...hand worked exteriors...ugh..and customize SS smocks into shirts, etc..), I moved them to the correct position. I also found that the Buttons over the chest pockets were sewn right through the pockets! I notified Barry about this, and he said that the next batch made would have that corrected. I usually remove buttons from most of the overseas made clothing and sew them on by hand. There is no stronger button than a hand-sewn one. Usually one can see how loose they are! Next time grab one and twist it.
I find that zeltbahn buttons are never sewn on properly. Take a look at originals...most are handsewn, as much of German field gear and some clothing was produced in a cottage industry fashion: items are put together, then finishing work is farmed out. The other reason for hand-sewing the buttons on Zelts is that if they are sewn flat to the fabric, the buttonhole will not close properly. Take a look at the buttonhole...is it made with an opening as wide as the base of the button? No, a keyhole type, and the top of the keyhole will allow the hand-sewn shank, and nothing wider. It is a chore, but at least you get to sew two at once, top and bottom. Too much time on my hands!
Anyhow, the Spearhead jacket is not bad, though I would like to get one from Lost Bn. Anyone want to buy a Camo Luftwaffe 98k Fallschrimjaeger Bandoller?!!