Wax on wax off

[getthegat]

So I've always worn a wax jacket in wet conditions, in fact I think I've only ever owned 2; not bad for a bit over 45 years! But I've gone all modern and replaced it with a Hunter Avanti Realtree....woohoo! very flash. I've only given it a couple of try outs, but in minus 1 frost it kept as warm and wind proof as a wax jobby, though much lighter and more flexible. The big test will be in the rain and of course how I get on mounting a gun. I'm expecting good things. Not sure if we can advertise on here so won't say where I got it, but the service was excellent.

[Harnser]

On 12/02/2018 at 12:45, getthegat said:

So I've always worn a wax jacket in wet conditions, in fact I think I've only ever owned 2; not bad for a bit over 45 years! But I've gone all modern and replaced it with a Hunter Avanti Realtree....woohoo! very flash. I've only given it a couple of try outs, but in minus 1 frost it kept as warm and wind proof as a wax jobby, though much lighter and more flexible. The big test will be in the rain and of course how I get on mounting a gun. I'm expecting good things. Not sure if we can advertise on here so won't say where I got it, but the service was excellent.

There are far,far better jackets out there than Barbour waxed coats . You have gone down the right road . Back in the day waxed jackets were about the best of a poor range of outdoor water proof clothing . Not to many people wear them today .

Harnser

[oldypigeonpopper]

13 minutes ago, Harnser said:

There are far,far better jackets out there than Barbour waxed coats . You have gone down the right road . Back in the day waxed jackets were about the best of a poor range of outdoor water proof clothing . Not to many people wear them today .

Harnser

hello, dont say that i still miss my old Solway Zipper

[Harnser]

35 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, dont say that i still miss my old Solway Zipper

Had a couple myself over the years .  Like wearing a suit of armour in freezing weather and once you started to walk across the foreshore you sweated up and got soaking wet under the coat . I actually stood it up on its own on a particularly cold day . 

Harnser

[JDog]

They were all the rage in the 70s and 80s. They were cold and certainly not waterproof but there were few alternatives at the time.

[aga man]

Wouldn't be without my Barbour wax jacket, for when it's really wet.

[marsh man]

6 minutes ago, aga man said:

Wouldn't be without my Barbour wax jacket, for when it's really wet.

I have got a Barbour Northumbria jacket , quite a heavy jacket but pretty well watertight , the only thing against it is the weight , we had a shoot on the 28th Dec and the weather was terrible , gale force winds and heavy rain , on the day I had a middle of the range Musto coat on and to tell you the truth it was one stage further than next to useless , it was useless , both my arms and part of my back was wet and I am sure if I had my Barbour on most of my body would had stayed dry .

For my wildfowling in bad weather I have got an old Le Chameau jacket with a hood on which is well past its sell by date and worth about a fiver , but to me its worth its weight in gold , I have  been out in extreme weather and that old jacket have always kept me dry , mind you all the other parts of my body  got wet .

[Wb123]

I like my waxed jackets, they do need rewaxing three or four times a year though to stay good. I get five years or so from a coat before it starts to fall apart (£20 ebay jobbies, not Barbours), but at that price I dont worry too much about the effects of barbed wire, bitey horses etc... 

[oldypigeonpopper]

2 hours ago, Harnser said:

Had a couple myself over the years .  Like wearing a suit of armour in freezing weather and once you started to walk across the foreshore you sweated up and got soaking wet under the coat . I actually stood it up on its own on a particularly cold day . 

Harnser

hello, yes your right Harnser  but i was called the best dressed beater on the shoot back in the 1970s in my zipper, but not good for shooting from what i remember, i still have a barbour border that cost a tenner for my evening walks if raining, for shooting a jack pike hunter

Edited February 13, 2018 by oldypigeonpopper

[matone]

I have a Keeperwear wax jacket with gusseted rear shoulders,it was a good shooting coat in its day,never worn it for years !

If any of you enthusiasts would like it ..42" ish chest ... pm & you can have it foc.

[Wilksy II]

Yep I’m in with the pro wax jacket side just re waxed my Northumberland, it is heavy but hard wearing and reliable! 

[Hamster]

I don't think you can argue there are better performing materials on the market today for actually shooting in, warmer, lighter and properly waterproof with ease of movement built in in the right places but few if any look as good as a waxed cotton coat and people like Belstaff and Barbour in particular have adapted to the market by offering what are essentially high quality every day clothing. I own 4 different Barbour coats but wouldn't want to shoot in any of them. 

[guzzicat]

Thing with a Solway, it blended perfectly with Solway mud ! & At the time there was nowt better.I had a Longshoreman ?  great in cold weather, huge buttons & no fiddly zip.

[Uilleachan]

Depends what you're doing I suppose.

There are lighter warmer drier materials available, however jackets and breeks are about more than just staying dry. There's a general protection from the physical environment element too, briers thorns barbed-wire, even just standing by a fire/brazier etc. Most modern materials aren't up to the rigours of rough daily use and it's in those situation where heavy waxed cotton wins out most of the time.   

Where it loses out is in heavy persistent rain, starts by soaking down the neck then up the cuffs and hem, then the water eventually finds it's way through the wax cotton shell, creases n' cracks etc. And when it gets wet, it's soaking.

I spent many many days of the first half of my working life working in one of the most inclement parts of Europe, outside in all weathers, often without respite. There's no perfect solution, no do it all garment no matter the price. Tried most of them before finally submitting to PVC oilskins and just getting on with it on those days where there's going to be no escape.

Practicality over fashion or fad, every time for me and in the mix wax cotton still has a place, as do my goretex and ventile cagoules, but when it's a full on horizontal wet and windy day, it's PVC, moral fibre and fortitude that sees me through.