Hello!
I know this has been done to death but I'm really struggling choosing a jacket.
I'm looking for something for bumming about the woods, nothing too technical or expensive.
Main criteria then:
1.)Budget, under £200, preferably new.
2.)Robust with regards to bushes and fire
3.)Waterproof, rather than warm.
My thoughts were either:
1.)Army surplus - MTP MVP Jacket & Smock over the top, MTP MVP Smock (Both options seem hard to come by on surplus websites?) or
2.)Wax jacket ie Barbour or similar (compromise on no 3, I know! Venture seems over budget)
Need some food for thought, what do you wear and why?!
Cheers
For bumming around the woods
at this time of year there's no one stop shot really. Occasional showers; waxed jacket or similar robust shell, for rain; oilskin jacket. If I could only have one, I'd take a heavy-ish weight oilskin jacket.
Choice would be different at different times of the year.
Why an oilskin? it's windproof and totally waterproof, very hard wearing, can be used as a ground sheet for sitting when it isn't raining, can be turned inside out and held in front of a fire to dry off any condensation (not too close, but much closer than you'd get away with with nylon or polyester etc. if your hand can take it so can a reasonable weight oilskin), when it's punctured it can be repaired with a patch and a puncture repair kit or a patch and plumbers glue. Relative low cost (
HH highliner is around £60-£70inc VAT and can be had in green, but more than possible to get a green set of unbranded (happy farmers) for sub£30 from an agricultural supplies shop), scores high on the wet country cred ratings, can be worn as a cape for max ventilation and if it's really pouring remain comfortable, even if a little sweaty, while all others are soaked to the skin.
Downsides, it can get a bit sweaty if you're exercising heavily for extended periods, scores poorly on fashion cred ratings where having fancy gear is more important than practicality.
Edit;
if you are fashion conscious and thinking about oilskins, [URL="http://www.guycotten.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=32_59_70"]the guy-cotten rosbras jacket[/URL] comes in green too but around £20 more than the HH Highliner, although it is a better jacket so an extra £20 would be well spent.
