Barbour
or make your own. That way you have the wool lining of your choice.
Things to look for on the jacket though.
Make sure the pockets are properly covered with a flap to stop rain getting in.
Check that it does have a decent hood, and it's better lined, and that the hood fits on
outside the collar, so you can fold the collar up and it'll stay draught free around your neck.
The cuffs are usually lined with moleskin. Looks good, nice and soft agin the skin, but it needs to fold down to just wax when it's pouring, not be sewn into a turnup to catch the water. Try and get a decent storm flap over the front too, one that studs down beside the zip.
A double ended zip is better than a single. It lets you get into the inner layers (or squat down on your hunkers) without opening everything up and losing all the body heat or letting the rain in.
That's pretty much it really. Tough as old boots, develops characteristic patina
put it into the sunshine to soften it up, or use a hair dryer, the wax irons on well enough though….messy, use an old towel and tinfoil under it over the ironing board. Clean off the iron when you're done with meths.
That said, I've done my jacket with new wax exactly twice in all these years.
I know we've all said Barbour, but any generic one will do as a trial to see how you get on with it. Our local 'outlet' store that mostly caters for the headscarf and bunnet brigade sells fairly decent wax jackets for under fifty quid. I bought one as my mucky one, for gardening, digging, that kind of thing, and it's been very good indeed. It might not last the thirty years the Barbour one ought, but, then again, it might.
Actually, ebay might be your friend….under forty quid, doesn't have a hood though… I have a wax hat that matches my jacket when I can't be bothered having a hood up all the time. Both work. Both keep the rain from going down my neck
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADIES-WO...hash=item1eae63d0ea:m:mGiQVRIeVFPTVaNDUYurm_Q
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5mdimv569w_b
There's a knack to venting them. Think of it like an Inuit parka. If it's tied at hem and neck then it gets damp inside, so open up both a bit and move around, and the heat from the body will dry them off.
It's not 'terribly' effective with the padded cotton lined ones, but it does work.
I made my own, and I lined it with good quality wool flannel. It makes a tremendous difference, and the only reason I can think of that the manufacturer's don't do it are a) cost, and b) the wool will not last as long as the wax cotton and eventually will need replacing.
That said, for the sheer amount of hard wear the jackets take, they don't owe us a halfpenny when they're finally done.
M
