Aye Up Polecat Steve,
I've owned an FJ No8 for over two years now and after the first six months of use (3-4 days/week - spring through to autumn) I wrote a detailed review on it which the vendors weren't too keen on publishing!
The jacket (in Olive and Tarmac) is size is XXL - - but I'm definitely not - 5ft 11inch (1.82m); Chest 45inch (114cm); Shoulder 25inch (63cm); Sleeve 23.5inch (60cm). Waist - classified!.
I'm not interested in looking Gucci and prefer function over fashion but even with a base and midlayer and just enough comfortable room for an ex mil softie type jacket the XXL is a good fit - not overly large, so I suspect that means that they come up a bit on the small size?
In a (large-ish) nutshell it is a great, outer-working-layer (smock!)
for a dry, cold climate and will fend off some degree of wind depending on what you wear beneath it - it is thin material and provides almost no heat conduction limitation.
The material is nowhere near waterproof even with copious amounts of Greenland wax - I have triple waxed mine (wax block and heat gun) and water will still come through when the body heats it up during activity and especially over the shoulders and back through rucksack wear.
The heavier grade material shoulder yoke doesn't come down far enough on the back and can lead to water seeping in just below it, accentuated when wearing a rucksack which tends to trap the water at that point.
The hood is waaay too big (pointlessly too big IMHO).
The very large neck arrangement is potentially good for ventilation but acts as a massive funnel when you are negotiating close woodland if you don't synch it up beforehand - think itchy back and ticks!
The side zips are reasonably good for ventilation but don't come right up into to the armpits.
The front kangaroo pocket is nice and large and will hold a not over-folded OS map but it is a P.I.T.A. when you have a rucksack waist or stability belt fastened as items are trapped beneath it.
The wrist adjustment tags don't tie down tight enough - I ended up removing the original FJ ones -two of which fell apart and replaced them with extra, stronger, better spaced snaps.
None of the zips are H20 proof and on the lower slash pockets the zip protectors face forward! Not good when walking into slanted rain.
The rear of the jacket is almost fish tailed and comes down well below yer cheeks! When the waist draw-cord is tightened the tail sticks out a bit shedding water well away from the back of the legs (
if you have copiously waxed the lower, heavier grade G1000 section.
At 3 pounds (1.34kgs) the No8 Jacket (XXL) is relatively heavy. This is possibly a combination of the actual G1000+ material weight and the very large hood. But think-on - add wax - add more weight!
But don't mistake heavy = extra durable -the G1000 material
is reasonably strong thorn proof to a degree
especially when well waxed but barbed wire and sloe blackthorn snags
will rip it! Caution when unwaxed the material is thin! (Why no ripstop G1000 Fjallraven?)
It packs down to a roll measuring approx 1 foot x 7 inch (30cm x 18cm) (without over-creasing)
IMHO there are several other jackets better suited to UK bush-crafting activities and nothing near the very expensive price (e.g. the Bundesheer Alpine jacket).
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135493&highlight=Best+Bushcraft+Jacket
Or might one of the members be able to knock you something similar up cheaper (and better?)
You might wonder if I still use it and why - too right I do - it is down to the colour(s) and the style of the garment.
The colour combination and the block pattern of the construction plus the none eye-catching smock style as opposed to an M65 patch pocket design makes you disappear in woodland with little effort! (I replaced the bright-ish draw cords and toggles).
However - if Ventile was produced in the same colours I would defo go to the expense of having a No8 type smock one made up from it - take note Talbot Weaving!
