Have Barbour given up on their Sporting range?

[aris]

I went to the flagship store in Covent Garden a couple of weeks ago. I had bought clothing from their Sporting range there before, but this time they had _nothing_. I inquired with the sales person there - he said yes, they no longer stock it in that store, and none of the other stores in London have it either.

I found this a bit odd - e-mailed Barbour about it and asked where I could actually find a shop which sold their sporting clothing. Not had a reply in 2 weeks.

 

I wonder if Barbour have given up on sporting - deciding they can make more money selling Barbour International to the fashionistas.

 

[Hamster]

Barbour have been a fashion / aspirational brand for a decade or two now, their range is truly staggering not to mention impressive in not only design but also quality. It is still possible to pick out items that will serve the fieldsports fans even if you have to do a lot of the homework yourself. Presently on the lookout for a deal on the Ogston so will be hoping someone has a meaningful sale near Christmas.

[loriusgarrulus]

They are still showing sporting clothes on www.Barbour.com.

You might need to find a country store to get them from. I know are local farm supplies do Barbour.

[aris]

I think I was just a bit shocked that their flagship store in London didn't have their Sporting (fieldsports) range where they had before. Ok, maybe the Sporting range is niche for them, but they do have half a dozen shops in London, you would think ONE of them may stock it.

[keg]

Factory shop at South Shields is worth call in if passing, Can be random but sometimes you can just fall lucky.

[Dunkield]

I don't mind paying to good stuff (but will wait for offers if there any of course) but when I get the Barbour emails I try and guess, using stupid numbers, how much stuff is and I am usually about 25% low at least

Their prices have gone from pretty expensive to a complete joke IMO

[casts_by_fly]

I think I was just a bit shocked that their flagship store in London didn't have their Sporting (fieldsports) range where they had before. Ok, maybe the Sporting range is niche for them, but they do have half a dozen shops in London, you would think ONE of them may stock it.

 

I wouldn't expect it at all. All retailers are going to use the local demographics and expected walk-ins to determine the stock at that location. Not many people walking in to a barbour store in london are going to be buying cartridge bags (for instance). It also isn't going to be a destination store that draws sporting customers from all over the UK. So catering for the locals they will have the 'urban' collection.

 

List the guys said above, it isn't a sporting or country brand anymore. It is an aspirational luxury brand and targeting that customer demographic. Some stuff is still applicable for shooting sports, but the pricing is luxury brand pricing so targeting a very specific, small segment of potential customers.

 

thanks,

Rick

[Davyo]

Its all getting nocked up overseas apparently, the wellies are falling to bits so poss the other stuff will be no better.A lot of UK boot suppliers have stopped selling their wellingtons.My local supplier sold wellies off at stupid prices £45 for Balmoral full zips and said they where making all buyers aware of the cheap glue issues and would no longer stock any barbour items when stock was gone.It seem greed has taken over quality,cheep labour, poor quality, max retail.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Davyo

[loriusgarrulus]

Look at Campbellcooper.com. They don't have the same big range as Barbour but are good quality and value. When my old wax was past redemption I looked at the current Barbour prices and gave up in disgust. My wax from CampbellCooper has the same brass zip, check lining and gussetted pockets for a fraction of the price.

[Flashman]

Covent Garden and Spitalfields, for example, are fashion-focussed rather than fieldsports. I bet they sold wax coats, which nobody wears to shoot in anymore but for commuting, but not the Sporting range.

 

Try Farlows or William Evans for the Sporting range instead.

[aris]

 

I wouldn't expect it at all. All retailers are going to use the local demographics and expected walk-ins to determine the stock at that location. Not many people walking in to a barbour store in london are going to be buying cartridge bags (for instance). It also isn't going to be a destination store that draws sporting customers from all over the UK. So catering for the locals they will have the 'urban' collection.

 

 

You would think so, but the salesperson there was quite apologetic as he told me he gets several calls a day from customers asking the same thing.

 

Personally I would have thought that a fair few people who live in London have a passion for country sports (you might even call them 'toffs'), or at the very least, London being a shopping mecca which is visited by people from all over the world, might shop for such goods and expect to find them at the flagship store.

[norfolk dumpling]

Are Hunters going the same way? I went to a specialist country/work clothing retailer looking for fairly expensive wellies. Enquired about Hunters (old ones 8 years of regular use - neoprene Balmorals) and was told 'don't stock now, rubbish now production moved to China'. They were having issues with Le Chams too so, on recommendation, bought Harkilas. Hunters everywhere ie on the beach, in town but are they disappearing from the sporting field? Very sad.

[aris]

 

Try Farlows or William Evans for the Sporting range instead.

 

Thanks - checked their websites and look like a good place to start, and might even go for something other than Barbour as they have a good selection.

[apache]

I don't mind paying to good stuff (but will wait for offers if there any of course) but when I get the Barbour emails I try and guess, using stupid numbers, how much stuff is and I am usually about 25% low at least

Their prices have gone from pretty expensive to a complete joke IMO

My wife has a Barbour wax that she has had for 16 years and is as good as new. Gets it re-proofed every couple of years. I have a Barbour wax that is 5 years old and is about ready for its first re-wax.

 

It doesn't matter if a coat costs a bit of money if it will last that long, I've had cheap waxes that have gone in the bin after a year. They have a repair service. English production of wax coats (some are made abroad). I have modern coats, but if absolutely lashing down or fighting through thorns and brambles nothing lasts like a proper wax jacket.

 

I wouldn't pay that money for a fashion coat.

[ack-ack]

I'm gutted. Last year i went into a stockist and it was all steve mcqueen themed pap at inflated prices. I said look mate, i just want a good old fadhioned barbour that is stiff as a board when wet, drips with my own sweat when warm and has sleeves that wear through after a season of exposure to normal wear, not this rubbish.

 

I bit my thumb at him, and marched out.

[Dunkield]

My wife has a Barbour wax that she has had for 16 years and is as good as new. Gets it re-proofed every couple of years. I have a Barbour wax that is 5 years old and is about ready for its first re-wax.

 

It doesn't matter if a coat costs a bit of money if it will last that long, I've had cheap waxes that have gone in the bin after a year. They have a repair service. English production of wax coats (some are made abroad). I have modern coats, but if absolutely lashing down or fighting through thorns and brambles nothing lasts like a proper wax jacket.

 

 

I had a Barbour heavy waxed coat that was OK unless you walked anywhere of course, looked after it until it started to stink, having tried everything to get rid of the smell, I just binned it in the end.

I also have a Lightweight jacket that with very little proper use wore through on the cuffs and elbows so leaked like a sieve.

Sent it back to Barbour who fixed it and re-proofed it, the same thing happened a few years later so I gave it to my wife (it shrunk as well even though they deny this happens) and she wears it when it isn't raining, or it isn't too warm.

The world and technology has moved on since then, they have their fans, I was one I am not now.

Although you do see a lot of their coats worn by the middle classes in Waitrose which is probably their target demographic these days.

 

Edit. I will conceded there is nothing better made for picking Sloe Berries, but at 200 a quid a pop or whatever they are these days, that is a bit of a luxury for one day a year.

[Dirty Harry]

I got a classic Barbour at the Covent Garden store last year. They had a reasonable section of the upstairs dedicated to the range. It wasn't very busy but all the customers that were there were in that area.

 

The girl who served be was absolutely stunning and from a farming family up north. She gave me discount when she realised I wasn't a London toff and I was actually going to wear it out shooting and get it dirty on the farm!

[Scully]

I think I've had my Barbour for at least 12 years now. It got re-waxed by me every other year and while it is starting to go at the creases now it's still a long way from being finished. Although there are more practical jackets on the market I would have another, no problem. Wouldn't mind one of those 'Westmorland' gilet thingies, but at that price I would want sleeves too.

[aris]

I got a classic Barbour at the Covent Garden store last year. They had a reasonable section of the upstairs dedicated to the range. It wasn't very busy but all the customers that were there were in that area.

The girl who served be was absolutely stunning and from a farming family up north. She gave me discount when she realised I wasn't a London toff and I was actually going to wear it out shooting and get it dirty on the farm!

I too bought from that section upstairs earlier this year. It no longer has any sporting lines :(

[das]

How about this? I bought my first Barbour jacket, a Solway Zipper for £9.19.6p (old brass) from a gunshop in S. Wales (not easy to get in those days). I wore it to death over a decade or so until it was pretty tatty and the lining had completely worn out. I then gave it to an old farmer friend who gave it a quick coat of axle grease and it did another 10 years hard work. He eventually put it in a sheepdog kennel and it lasted a few more years.

Value for money I say!

[RossEM]

I've got a Barbour westmorland wax bodywarmer thing, it's perfect for shooting or being out & about in all but the foulest weather (then on comes the tweed.) I've had the Barbour for about 5 years and i've rewaxed it myself twice, which makes it good as new.

[jmooney]

Barbour prices are even more absurd over here in the colonies with the exchange rate being what it is. My advice is to hit up eBay. I've never bought a brand new Barbour. They usually last for years and like anything luxury priced depreciate as soon as they are bought. Just buy on auction and then send to Barbour for a rewaxing and Bob's your uncle.

[loriusgarrulus]

I rewax my own jackets. Used to be a Barbour now a different make, but I still have tins of Barbour wax. Once I have applied the wax over the jacket I put the jacket inside an old quilt cover and pop in the tumble dryer on the cooler setting for about 10 to 15 mins till the wax has warmed and gone into the material. Job done.

[ack-ack]

I rewax my own jackets. Used to be a Barbour now a different make, but I still have tins of Barbour wax. Once I have applied the wax over the jacket I put the jacket inside an old quilt cover and pop in the tumble dryer on the cooler setting for about 10 to 15 mins till the wax has warmed and gone into the material. Job done.

 

 

I always start rewaxing really enthusiastically but soon get bored. The only reward is really the hairdryer bit at the end for me so I would feel that I'd cheated myself by adopting your method.

[loriusgarrulus]

I always start rewaxing really enthusiastically but soon get bored. The only reward is really the hairdryer bit at the end for me so I would feel that I'd cheated myself by adopting your method.

A hair dryer fetish is a new one on me.