Opinions on flak jackets

TJDFett

Hunter
Hey everybody. I'm in the market for a flak jacket, and I wanted some opinions. I've been planning on buying bobamaker's for a while. In your opinions, tell me who's got the best out there. ROTJ style. Pictures would help greatly, as the most important factor is the shade and color of the material. Thanks guys.
 
Hands down, Bobamaker is the most accurate vest you can possibly get. Before I go into explaining why, take a look at my vest:

DSCN3611.jpg


His vests are an off-white color, and if you choose to have him weather it for you, your vest will look incredibly screen-accurate. You won't have that reflecting sheen in your pictures like you see with a lot of other vests. I've had my vest EXTENSIVELY modified by Daz himself, including adding a seam running a long the bottom, as well as a double stitched seam on each side to replicate the AOSW vest, which was clearly tailored to the wearer. I also had him sew the holes for the jetpack harness straps and lower bars, as seen on the MOM vest.

Above all, THE most important factor when getting your vest is the size. The vest (as well as the flightsuit) needs to be FORM-FITTED. It needs to almost hug your sides, as that's how it fits the wearer in both the screen apperances and promo-photos. I can't tell you how off the baggy flak vest looks, making the armor look flat and hanging. I've honestly sent my vest back to Daz a good 3 times just to get it perfect.

P.S. - Opt for the no-neckseal vest. Your neckseal should be sewn onto the flightsuit, like ALL of the original suits.

Hope this helps you out man.
 
Wow! That's actually a huge help and very comforting to hear. Needles to say, Daz has an email sitting in his inbox ;) I've never actually head of these seams. Have they been confirmed as screen accurate? I wouldn't mind getting them myself. Also, what did he charge for the modifications? (especially the jetpack strap/bar holes)
 
Yup, here's a great shot of the double stitching on the AOSW vest:
AoSW_2002-08-19_Fett_086.JPG


Back slots for the hooks as seen on MOM vest:
MoM_2001-12-16_01_107.JPG
 
Yeah I completely agree. I bought the Bobamaker as well and have never been disappointed with it, in fact I've also bought his boot spikes, helmet, collar armor, and gloves. He always delivers quality product. However it's not cheap. The price of the product is fair, but he's in the UK, so for those of us in the US it gets pricey, Ladysewforus is stateside and also does good soft parts. But if you're willing to pay the extra BM is never a bad idea.

38435_137864972912218_100000661472111_246889_3567459_n.jpg
 
Yup, here's a great shot of the double stitching on the AOSW vest

Ahhhhh. I see the seam, I'll be sure to specify that I want that in mine. Do you have a BM jumpsuit? I guess while I have an active thread, I might as well get opinions on those ;)
 
He does required a extensive amount of tayloring as will any flightsuit if you want it to fit perfect...ladysewforus will be close and probably want to get it taylored to u
 
Ahhhhh. I see the seam, I'll be sure to specify that I want that in mine. Do you have a BM jumpsuit? I guess while I have an active thread, I might as well get opinions on those ;)

Yea Bro, Bobamaker suit, and I've had so much tailoring done on it (after the photo taken) that I may as well bought a new suit. I moved the pockets up, got the sleeves and pant legs MUCH more form fitted. In my opinion, Bobamaker uses the most spot-on fabric weight for the jumpsuit. Reminds me of my M1942 reproduction US Paratrooper jumpsuit, which is made out of 100% cotton twill, and reacts very much like the screen used Boba suit.
 
Ponte as a new member to TDH I just want to say thank you already for some great advice. I am in the info collecting stage and just a few weeks away from the ordering stage (my wife isn't going to be happy about that stage).

I was going with BM for the flightsuit and flack vest. I had intended on getting the vest with the neck seal sewn on until I read that you recommend having it sewn onto the flight suit. Is this modification something that Daz will do or is there another outlet to get the neck seal from?
 
Hands down, Bobamaker is the most accurate vest you can possibly get.
You won't have that reflecting sheen in your pictures like you see with a lot of other vests.
You mean the reflecting sheen on the vest that's seen on display at C4 and at the Magic of myth exhibit?
C4_2007-05-25_044.JPG

MoM_2001-08-07_203.JPG


Because it's also on the neckseal that isn't weathered as much, but is the same material(photo from MOM)
MoM_2001-12-16_01_062.JPG


and it's also there on the Pre-Pro Bobas
3207080964a1bf1af48eo.jpg

PP1+03.jpg

PP2+12b.jpg


and also in ESB
lflbobareference003.jpg


The weathering makes the sheen less noticeable.
For example, here is my vest before weathering;
picture809f.jpg


and after weathering;
28322_427223832385_500802385_5481535_5030098_n.jpg

29698_427137296411_535296411_5433223_8160201_n.jpg



so, I am saying the Sheen should be there since it was on the original suits.


I've had my vest EXTENSIVELY modified by Daz himself, including adding a seam running a long the bottom, as well as a double stitched seam on each side to replicate the AOSW vest, which was clearly tailored to the wearer.

The double seam is present in the AOSW display and at C4
But...
Not in the MOM disply;
MoM_2001-08-07_039.JPG

MoM_2001-12-16_01_097.JPG

(also, notice the sheen on that pic)

or at the "Star Wars, The Exhibition"
SWTE_2009_02_05_095.jpg


so, what I'm saying is;
Single stitch and double stitch are both accurate.

Now that the facts have been given, here is my opinion on the best Vest maker;
Crazy4bobafett
Christi does absolutely fabulous work. She is very detail oriented and uses the correct Tackle-Twill (as far as we know at this point, that is)
She takes numerous measurements and tailor-makes each vest. They are sized to your body, and not just made from some basic pattern.
 
WELL if u can find him Loanstar has the same thing as well...and as far as the neck seal not sewn to the vest it cant be because the seal seals in the front not the back of the neck so like on mine its a separate piece from the vest and the suit but could be put to the suit if u wanted but having it separate piece you can run a cable for a voice amp down through it
 
WELL if u can find him Loanstar has the same thing as well...and as far as the neck seal not sewn to the vest it cant be because the seal seals in the front not the back of the neck so like on mine its a separate piece from the vest and the suit but could be put to the suit if u wanted but having it separate piece you can run a cable for a voice amp down through it
The vest and neckseal ARE NOT attached to each other.
The Neckseal IS attached to the Jumpsuit.
PP1+-+B-W+11.jpg
 
The reality is, of all the bazillion pieces that make this complicated costume what it is, the flak vest remains one of the few pieces, along with the neck seal yet to be properly replicated by anyone in correct material or pattern. I have a BM vest made from tackle twill, and I can tell you, despite that the color is exactly right, there is no way the tackle twill material is correct. The shine is completely different from the screen used suit, with or without weathering. And it is far too heavy of a material. Just too stiff to drape properly, especially on the neck seal. The screen used vest has a very thin material on the shell and it looks more like a nylon twill because of the shine. Nylon has a very plastic shine like you see in the display photos. The tackle twill has a multi-banded shine like silk or satin. But just like everyone else, I am just guessing at this. It's just strictly my opinion. What I wouldn't give for the lost info on what they really did use. I have been hunting for the correct material for about two years now.
 
Slave1pilot i said it Cant be attached to the vest not the flightsuit...I was saying you could have it as a third piece all together to hide the cord from a mic
 
eh got mine attached to my vest and it works fine. As for the sheen or not, I;m liking the realism of not having the sheen. I've just spent a year in the desert without the level of combat most soldiers see, let alone the amount of combat Fett would have seen, and believe me after about 2 months in a desert/sandy climate nothing has sheen, it's all just dirty and dull. Plus to me, the sheen just looks at odds with all the rest of the grit and grime, almost like he washed the vest but not the rest of his armor.
 
Obviously, you can leave your neckseal unattached from the jumpsuit and you can make your vest out of any material you'd like.
but...
If you are attempting to replicate the ACTUAL COSTUME then you will need to attach the neckseal to the jumpsuit and the vest should have some sheen to it.
 
The actual vest had no curve...it was cut to accommodate the bars...This is the only image Ive seen of the "cutout" which is just cuts in the material not curved not openings like bobamaker does either
SE_ANH_BTS_03.jpg
 
As far as the sheen goes, those museum pictures really don't give off the reflective tendencies of a brand new vest...they're clearly weathered, beat to ****, and yes, while they aren't a complete FLAT color, they aren't a shiny article of clothing. Heck, shuffle through my CV pics on facebook, and depending on how you take the picture (flash/lighting/etc) you can see a "sheen". Either way, super-shine vests detract from the overall appearance.

Maybe I didn't clarify, but as far as the double-stitch seam, that's for only the AOSW vest. It isn't on the MoM.

Now back to what this thread was originally intended for, answering TDJFett's questions, I can say that from just my eye and research, my opinion is to go with a bobamaker flightsuit and flak-vest. If you're doing straight up ROTJ, I would go by the MoM Exhibit photos as far as the stitching/weathering. Just let Daz know, be very specific, and you'll receive some incredible soft parts that really make you stand out. I've gotten A LOT of compliments on the suit, which re-affirmed I chose right.

And just to re-iterate man, make sure it's FORM FITTED! Expect to head to your local tailor, OR, take as many minute measurements as you can before you hand them off to Daz.

Really hoped we could all help you out. Any other questions you have, just shoot me a PM.
 
The vest and neckseal ARE NOT attached to each other.
The Neckseal IS attached to the Jumpsuit.
PP1+-+B-W+11.jpg
All i was saying bud was that it shouldnt be attached to the vest being its seam is in the front of the neck...it doesnt have to be attached to the flightsuit thats a prepro flightsuit who knows what happened for ROTJ or ESB, as long as the seals not attached to the vest backwards which I almost did last year when i got it
 
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