What IS the best bushcraft Jacket?

[Chiseller]

i wish i could help...
i must have ten different jackets and i swear by most of them
..
all depends on climate + activity and concealment . i do favour leather wool and ventile though .

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[sunndog]

If you can get hold of the swedish M42 woolen jacket, in the right size, it makes a brilliant mackinaw field cruiser substitute, very cheaply.

I added two packets of dyson olive green hand dye, to the jacket, and agitated it for an hour, it darkened it a bit so its not as light as the trousers

Been wearing one on a bimble today, cracking jackets for the money

 

[Dave]

Been wearing one on a bimble today, cracking jackets for the money

They are arent they? I can wear mine with the trousers now, without looking like im attending a WW2 re-enactment event!
Difficult to order the right size though.

M42 Wool Jacket and Trousers

 

[Tonyuk]

I normally wear a rab vapour rise smock with a thermal layer underneath. Keeps me warm and dry in a light shower. In the colder months though its a old dpm field jacket dyed black (ish) with a paramo puffy jacket underneath if needed. At nights its normally a north face down puffa i've had for a few years, toasty!

Tonysco

 

[rg598]

It would really depend on what one means by "bushcraft" and what one means by "jacket". Seems that so far people are only discussing shells, with a few insulating option thrown in.

For me, my rain jacket is an Arcteryx Beta LT GoreTex shell. It is fully waterproof, very light, very compactable (rain gear stays in my pack when I don't need it), it's very durable (have scraped it against plenty of rocks when climbing and brush when hunting), and it's easy to repair (just tape it up).

My insulation jacket is a Patagonia DAS Parka. It's relatively light, compacts really well, and it's warm.

Whether anything of the sort will be suitable for anyone would depend on what they mean by "bushcraft". For me the term encompasses backpacking, camping, hunting, fishing, climbing, mountaineering, and just about everything else I do in the woods.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

As said above- interesting resurrection, if just to see if there has been any update on what people consider their favourite fabric/jacket. One type of material that wasn't really in use back when the thread started are the heavily siliconised cottons/polycotton that you can get these days such as 'epic'. Offering all the rain protection that ventile does (and more besides) and being faster drying, i definitely see these becoming a popular choice for bushcraft.

 

[Squidders]

Over my base layer and fleece mid layer I have:
I have a Rab Inferno jacket for warmth... it packs tiny and offers lots of warmth to weight... it also works when a little damp due to not being down.
Over that I have an Arcteryx Alpha SV which is overkill for most weather but has excellent ventilation and gets strapped to the outside of my pack.

I like that combination.

 

[Adze]

Potent threadomancy have you

Yoda, you are and my five pounds, claim, I do!

 

[rg598]

Over my base layer and fleece mid layer I have:
I have a Rab Inferno jacket for warmth... it packs tiny and offers lots of warmth to weight... it also works when a little damp due to not being down.
Over that I have an Arcteryx Alpha SV which is overkill for most weather but has excellent ventilation and gets strapped to the outside of my pack.

I like that combination.

That's a nice combo.

 

[John Fenna]

The best jacket for me is.....
The jacket I made myself!
It has all the design features I want and none I do not need, it is weatherproof and warm enough, layers well with other gear I have, fits like a dream and is the right colour
I based the jacket on the '60s SAS smock - with multiple tweaks - and made it from a "Ventile-ish" fabric off Bristol market.
Unbeatable!

 

[Squidders]

That's a nice combo.

Thanks, it's a step in a very long evolution of my equipment. I have been pleased many times before with various options and systems I have used but this time I think i'm more pleased. Also, it's hard to justify any more cost after investing in such expensive clothing.

 

[superc0ntra]

I love my old anorak

 

[Trojan]

A very big question and we each have our won preferences - mine is my SASS smock (to small) and my Arktis one when its raining - but from fleabay!

 

[Kilbith]

Hy,

For "bushcraft" in forest, I prefer a polycotton jacket (65/35) like fjallraven telemarkII. It is not too hot for hiking, not too heavy or bulky, It cut the wind but not too much, not a lot of noise, lot of pockets, ok with fire and it is easy to laundering. With nikwax, it could be enough under a very light rain. Under the telemark I have normally a wool shirt (like pendleton). And it is possible to have also a polartec jumper (also with nikwax).

When it is raining, I have a very light anorak (raincut from decathlon : less than 10€)) something like 200g (7 .oz) in the pocket. You could put it over the telemark jacket or under it (for deep wood hiking). Of course you have better option than "rain cut" but it is more expensive.

Goretex is good for hiking in the mountain with technical equipment (you have always the same jacket). But in the wood it is not necessary. It is noisy, not very confortable, not good near the fire, not enough pockets and difficult to wash deeply. The DAS parka is nice in the snow when it is flat (like sweden) but bulky and not very strong for the wood (and too heavy/bulky for the mountain above line of tree in front of down jacket).

Wool option is good in forest, but not for heavy hiking except when it is very cold. It is very heavy and bulky (so you must be sure to keep it on) and it is not good for wind and rain. But, it is confortable and quite good for hunting.

 

[rg598]

Hy,



Goretex is good for hiking in the mountain with technical equipment (you have always the same jacket). But in the wood it is not necessary. It is noisy, not very confortable, not good near the fire, not enough pockets and difficult to wash deeply. The DAS parka is nice in the snow when it is flat (like sweden) but bulky and not very strong for the wood (and too heavy/bulky for the mountain above line of tree in front of down jacket).

It really depends on what GoreTex jacket you use. Some are very quiet, extremely comfortable, have tons of pockets and can simply be rinsed out.

The DAS Parka has been a fairly standard belay jacket for climbing above tree line for many years now. The weight penalty compared to down is small. It manages moisture better than down. It's not bulky at all for a cold weather jacket. I use it in the frosts all the time without a problem. I'm not sure what material would offer the same insulation for less bulk.

 

[John Fenna]

As said above- interesting resurrection, if just to see if there has been any update on what people consider their favourite fabric/jacket. One type of material that wasn't really in use back when the thread started are the heavily siliconised cottons/polycotton that you can get these days such as 'epic'. Offering all the rain protection that ventile does (and more besides) and being faster drying, i definitely see these becoming a popular choice for bushcraft.

I like epic cotton - but have yet to find an affordable one that has the features I want...

 

[santaman2000]

.....Goretex is good for hiking in the mountain with technical equipment (you have always the same jacket). But in the wood it is not necessary. It is noisy, not very confortable, not good near the fire, not enough pockets and difficult to wash deeply.......

It really depends on what GoreTex jacket you use. Some are very quiet, extremely comfortable, have tons of pockets and can simply be rinsed out.

The DAS Parka has been a fairly standard belay jacket for climbing above tree line for many years now. The weight penalty compared to down is small. It manages moisture better than down. It's not bulky at all for a cold weather jacket. I use it in the frosts all the time without a problem. I'm not sure what material would offer the same insulation for less bulk.

Exactly. Goretex is a material, not a style.

 

[Kilbith]

It really depends on what GoreTex jacket you use. Some are very quiet, extremely comfortable, have tons of pockets and can simply be rinsed out.

I had/have a lot of goretex jacket. Some are less noisy than others...but all are more noisy than polycotton, wool or cotton without membrane. If you go for hunting, it is too noisy.

Even the best ones could not deal with your sweat when you have a rucksak and walk faster than 900 yd/hour. It is far more confortable to have a jacket without membrane and a thin weatherproof jacket "just in case". Of course with climbing equipment you could not change your jacket, so goretex (or eVent, Precip...) is the norm.

When I say "lot of big pockets", I think deep ones like a SASS, M64 or Fjallraven Telemark. Not the fit one of alpinist jackets. Since the "Fantasy Ridge" of The North Face in 90's you have not really big pockets in Mountain/climbing parka.

And with the smoke of the fire (buschraft) the DWR of a nice Goretex jacket will be destroy very fast. If you have tar, blood, oil or resin on your goretex jacket : it is not easy to wash it (for me).

For all these reasons, I think US army change their goretex jacket option (for soft shell) in ECWS III .

The DAS Parka has been a fairly standard belay jacket for climbing above tree line for many years now. The weight penalty compared to down is small. It manages moisture better than down. It's not bulky at all for a cold weather jacket. I use it in the frosts all the time without a problem. I'm not sure what material would offer the same insulation for less bulk.

I have one (here in finland after a bivouac at -30°C) Old version in polarguard 3D, I must admit.

It's a good boreal jacket, but for mountaineering over 2000m (6000ft) it's far better to have a down jacket. It's true that for extrem climbing you could prefer a DAS parka for belay or bivouac (primaloft is correct with humidity and not fly like down in the wind if you scratch your jacket). But for hiking, you are warm enough and your lighter and warmer down jacket is in your rucksack until bivouac (cold camping : no hard work with wood and fire).


(sorry my english is basic, not easy to explain more).

 

[The Lord Poncho]

I like epic cotton - but have yet to find an affordable one that has the features I want...

John - as long as you don't mind MTP camo - perhaps take a look at the cold weather version of the MTP PCS smock - its shell is silicon encapsulated (aka the same as the 'epic' treatment, not just a standard DWR) + it also has a goretex drop liner within it similar to the waterproof versions of the Arktis smocks.

All the usual PCS smock details like fleece lined hand warmer pockets. Only real difference besides the fabric are that the pit zips are of the waterproof type, and the two chest zip pockets are replaced by a single zip pocket accessed under the zip flap. The drop liner has elasticated (and velcro adjustable) secondary cuffs under the normal smock velcro cuffs, and a mesh strip along the base to drain out any water that penetrates the outer and is trapped next to the liner.

It has added a little weight to the smock, and any real exercise in it would lead to heat build up pretty rapidly (unless you are in very cold conditions), but I imagine it will be a great smock for fairly static activities. They come up on ebay every now and then - they are weirdly called 'Smock, Combat, Waterproof and MVP, MTP'

If you didn't want the goretex liner, you could simply cut it out. Do it carefully, and add a few clever bits of velcro, and you could use it as a removable waterproof liner similar to the old dutch goretex jacket liners.

 

[Shewie]

I like epic cotton - but have yet to find an affordable one that has the features I want...

I've had a couple of Bergans Morgedals made from Epic John, I didn't think they breathed as well as my ventile stuff. I carried a half empty Sabre 75 a few miles after a camp on Loch Sween last year, it was March time and I just had a Woolpower 200 top and the Morgedal on, by the time we got back to the motors I was soaked in sweat. It was raining so I couldn't take it off, I know if I was wearing my Kestrel smock I'd have been a lot drier.

I picked up a Pinewood Kebnekaise for £62 on Amazon last month, having worn it for a week on a canoe trip up in Scotland I have to say I'm really liking it