adventurestuff
New member
Hey all!
Just wanted to share some gear info with you. I have been working with leather and creating authentic reproduction costumes for most of my life and have now (thanks to a lot of encouragement from friends and family) decided to take it to a higher level. Hence, here I am on IndgyGear, the best place to announce my new venture.
Indy's Bag straps:
First off, I have now purchased reproduction straps for some of my MK VII's from most of the vendor's I'm sure you're familiar with. I did this for comparison's sake and have been able to take my findings and produce what I believe to be the best all around bag strap for Indy fans out there.
Before I say more, you can check out this preliminary page I've put up.
<A HREF="http://homepage.mac.com/wadeegan/IndyBagStrap/">Indy Bag Strap Page</A>
The official site is still in the works and will offer more details and photos as well as other authentic items and complete packages (belts, bag and strap, whip holder, and gloves) for those who want authentic reproductions that are tough and ready for real rugged use.
I've chosen a 9 oz 1" wide 1/8" thick latigo leather for the strap, belt, and whip holder. Making these extremely tough and good looking as well. What's more, I can make the strap XXL i.e. up to 80" in length so that larger and taller Indy fans can have a perfect fit for there gear. In comparing my 72" strap to the leading strap out there (Todd's Costumes) there is an obvious quality difference in favor of my straps. I dunked both straps in water, ran them through several strength tests (hanging on them and so forth) and in the end, the other strap not only suffered texture issues, it stretched almost 7" and shows irregular cut lines throughout the length of the strap and is thinner than at the start of the tests. My strap is the same 72" length as before the tests, suffered no stretching or thinning, and is even more soft and looks 'broken in' perfectly. Which is what I believe we all are looking for.
I have been using these leather straps as camera case and instrument straps for some time and have never had one break or wear out. So, if you have purchased your authentic MK VII and love it as much as I love mine, you will love this strap as a perfect addition to not only the authentic Indy costume, but as a tough, usable leather strap ready for real adventure.
Sizing of the straps are as follows (of course this is just a basic guide)
To place the buckle of the strap in the middle of the chest as in the films, with the bag top at belt level, the strap should be cut to the same length in inches as your height in inches. Example: I am 6'4" (76 in.)tall and have a slight belly, so my strap was cut to 75" (allow for slight stretch over the years) and places the buckle in the perfect position.
Anyway... I hope that all you Indy fans out there who are looking for the best all around accessories for your Indy gear read this and even pass on the information to others. I look forward to hearing from anyone with questions or who just want to 'talk shop' and keep an eye out for my official website where the authentic items as well as great reproductions will be offered. Including: bags, straps, web belts (each film version), gun belts, holsters, and whip holders.
I am very glad to be a part of this community and to help keep the Indiana Jones legacy going strong for all of us who love the films and real life adventure. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Thank you,
Wade Egan
adventureleather@mac.com