Barbour jacket advice?

[Spunyarn]

My durham arrived today. Had a quick look at it, but been working since 4am this morning, so I'm gonna get my head down now and have a better look tommorow. First impressions are that it seems more lightweight than I thought. I was very surprised to find it came in a small floppy parcel probably just about small enough to fit through the average letterbox. It's definitely in a different league to the heavier weight Beaufort etc.
I like the fact it's lightweight but is waterproof, which will mean it's ideal for the hotter seasons, but will be able to wear warm clothing underneath it in winter which is more practical than sweating my tits off underneath a heavyweight waxed jacket all year round. I'm gonna reproof it with barbour thornproof dressing on the weekend so that should add to it's longevity. The hood makes it look much less like a barbour, and much more dressed down, but I don't really care too much about that. Infact it's quite handy because a Beaufort looks a bit wrong if worn with anything less than a shirt or maybe a polo t-shirt, wheras I reckon the durham could be worn with anything from shirt and tie to t-shirt. Atleast I won't be 'looking like a dingle' lol. All in all, it ticks the boxes and looks to be in surprisingly good nick for less than a 1/4 of the price they are brand new. Only problem is that It's maybe a size too small in the chest. Which means the sleeves will look noticably short when worn over a thick layer, and there's not exactly loads of spare room around the torso and shoulders. Considering it's a lighty and will be a 3 season jacket for me, I will normally be wearing only a thin layer underneath it anyway.

 

[sandbender]

"...First impressions are that it seems more lightweight than I thought..."

The Durham is one from their lightweight or 'flyweight' range, does yours have a tartan liner? They also sold it without a liner making it possible to roll it up and put it in a belt pouch or similar.

Mine came with a liner, but I unstitched/cut it out.

 

[Chiseller]

My favorite throw on coat for work or fast paced wet walks :thumbup: forget thorn busting though

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[Spunyarn]

Mine came without the liner. It is definitely a tad on the small side. It's a 38 chest which I didn't realise until yesterday as the advert said medium to large, and I'm a about a 42. Luckily barbours are cut larger than normal to accommodate for heavy clothing, so it fits me okay. I do have a quilted jacket (chelsea I think), which will be suitable for wearing underneath it I hope but won't get anything much more than that under it before I start to look like jethro bodine. It'll get a rewax tommorow, and then if the rain holds out, I'll test it over the weekend. I will still be on the lookout for a bargain Beaufort, as I will be starting an agricuture course in the next few months, which will be handy for knocking around the yard in. I'll get that generously cut, and cheap so it doesn't matter after it's been covered in cow ****, and lambs have nibbled the edges lol.
I reckon as Chiseller say's the durham will be my go-to jacket for when out and active in the wet from now on.

 

[Spunyarn]

So a little update although I'm pretty sure nobody will care... maybe somebody will come across this thread when trying to make the same decision as I was, and find what I have to say useful.

After I had the durham for a couple of days, I used about 3/4 of a tin of old thornproof dressing on it, and gave it a complete rewax. It looked almost new on the outside and I was very pleased. I was concious that it was a tad on the small side being 2 sizes too small on the chest, and after my girlfriend saying it looked way too small, I decided to sell it. Put it back on ebay, and with no bids until a few mins from the end of the auction, somebody bought it and I made about £5 profit on it, which made the whole process worthwhile. I was glad to see the back of it to be honest, as although it's a very flattering jacket on some people, I think it looked weird on me. My girlfriend thought it was a womens jacket because of the double shoulders.

Meanwhile I bought myself a second hand beaufort 42 chest on ebay, and today it arrived. I have NEVER seen (or smelt), a jacket in such a fousty, and unwashed condition. The outside of it was typically a bit dirty, but the inside lining was just disgusting. It made it hard to breathe, and smelt as though it had been a dogs bead for the last 5 years. I had to wash my hands after toughing the lining, before touching anything else. I quickly tried it on for size and was pleasantly surprised by the fit. I was much happier with the fit of the beaufort than I had remembered the brand new beauforts I have tried on. It seemed shorter than the new 42s I've tried, on the sleeves and in the body, but a good fit around the shoulders, and an ample fit around the chest. The new ones seem longer in the body, shorter in the sleeves, and have a floppier collar I think. I suppose Barbour have lived up to their reputation for hit and miss sizing, but on this occasion I have been lucky. Following this I turned it inside out, hung it in the shower, and sprayed cold water over it for the best part of half hour, while scrubbing the inside with a nail brush lol. I know you're not supposed to use any cleaning agents on barbours at all as it destroys the seal between outer and inner fabric (apparently), but I gave up after a while trying to remove stains, with just water, so found some leather cleaner, and used that on the liner. Then spent about an hour soaking, and wringing, the jacket out which caused a greenish liquid to drain out of it with each squeeze. I finally let it soak for 20 mins in a cold bath, after which time the water was a lovely shade of murky green with black bits floating in it. I wrung it out, and it's been hung out to dry for about 5 hours. I'll go retrieve it in a bit, and hair dry it, and give it the last of the tin of wax (will probably do about one pocket). I was surprised at the coat when wet as despite the fact that it looks on the outside to be dry and cracked, it actually repelled water nicely almost all over.

Over all, the beaufort (although grubby to the point of making your skin crawl when wearing it), is the better jacket I think. It's heavier, and seems MUCH more hardwearing. It's got pockets for everything, and I'm very pleased with it. I think after about 2 waxes, and 5 more washes, it will be a great jacket.

 

[scoops_uk]

I just stuck mine on the washing line inside out for a week. I think it liked it

A lesson I struggle to learn is that a bargain is only a bargain if it fits.

Scoops

 

[sandbender]

"... It's heavier, and seems MUCH more hardwearing. It's got pockets for everything..."

The Beaufort is still a 'lightweight' jacket.

You could always cut and rip the lining out, might save you a bit of work.

 

[Spunyarn]

Not thought of that actually. Maybe see if I could have it re-lined with something snazzy. Although it may detract from it's originality, as one of the most notable things about barbours is their check linings.

I think leaving it on the washing line is also a good idea. It will need a considerable time to air out.

I'm surprised at the Beaufort being lightweight, I imagine their heavyweight stuff is pretty clammy to say the least.

I do feel oddly violated at the price that these coats demand on ebay. I'm pretty sure, there are a team of people who scour charity shops, rural homes, and car boot sales for barbour jackets, and then sell them on ebay for ALOT more. I imagine some old boy would sell his filthy old barbour for a fiver at a car boot, and these 'businesses', then stick it in the garage, add a zero and put it on ebay until it sells. There is a skinny jean, and 1950s style haircut wearing, section of society, that have taken a fancy to the name barbour, and they are now in vogue which means that people have to pay extortionate prices for what is essentially a grubby old coat. lol

 

[Spunyarn]

Update for all, and a word of advice for anybody as stupid as me!...

So after washing the beaufort, and leaving it to dry for a day, it still had a bit of a smell in it, and felt pretty dirty, but I thought hey ho, it's alot cleaner than it was.

The tin of wax I had was only about a quarter full, but I cracked on waxing the beaufort and did about one front panel until I could see that there wasn't enough wax left to do another complete panel. I was in a rush to get it waxed as I wanted to use it for a walk the following morning, and it was already about 2.30am. I SHOULD have left it with one panel waxed, used it, and then finished it off when I had got myself a new tin of barbour dressing.

Being the idiot that I am, I decided that... "wax is wax"... and began mooching around a draw of candles, picking a couple of tall white candles, and few vanilla scented tea-lighters, thinking they would be the perfect 'poor mans' alternative to thornproof dressing, and that I was a god damn genius.

When heated, the candles had the same colour and consistency of thornproof dressing. Believing that I had just had the most brilliant idea ever, and that the vanilla scent would make the jacket smell great I waxed the jacket all over, using my faintly vanilla smelling concoction of thornproof dressing, candle wax, and vanilla tea-lighters.

By the time I had waxed the last panel, the first panel was dry. When I felt it and realised it had the same properties as cardboard, I knew how stupid I had been.
Why I forgot that the wax would go back to original form when it cooled down, I do not know.

In an effort to try to save the jacket (that will literally stand up by itself), I heated it up with a hairdryer and rubbed it, scrubbed it, tumble dried it, but the jacket has hardly shed any of the candle wax.

It's sat in the back of my land rover for almost three weeks unused, and I have now decided that the last thing I can try to fix it, is to wash it in the washing machine, and hope that it removes all the wax. Then reproof it inside and out, fabsil, or something similar. It's got to be worth a go. If it doesn't work, well oh well, if it does, then great.

I plan to wash it at 65 degrees, (twice if necessary), and see what happens.

If anyone has any better ideas I'd be glad to hear them, or if you just wish to display how much of a moron you think I am, then please, fill your boots.

 

[Chiseller]

I'm in tears of laughter at your pain but.....but....I will offer no further pi$$ taking than you need.
1st....the candle wax will kill your washing machine....
I'd go for laying greaseproof paper over the wax, and a cool....note word cool.....iron over the paper to draw the bulk of the wax. Then its down to the car wash....use the jet washer.....at a distance and jet wash it through. Then home for a wash with pure soap flakes in the washer on a 40degree cycle.
Next is eBay for a large tin of thornproof dressing and apply with sponge and hair dryer. Jobs a fish.....an not a vanilla dish

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[Robbi]

LOL !! wonderful tale

can't offer any advice except just wear it till the wax falls off.

( thinking about it, what about putting it in the freezer so the wax gets brittle, when you bend / fold the jacket, the wax will fall off )

 

[andybysea]

Dont think it will come out washing it to be honest,you may be able to remove some of it by heating the jacket with a hairdryer and blotting with kitchen roll,until you get most of it out? worth a try.

 

[Spunyarn]

lol Glad my mistake has provided some entertainment for you.

So I put it in the washing machine on 60, and then read your post Chiseller, about the greasproof paper. I think that would have been a much better idea. Too late now though, although might try it at a later date if washing it doesn't work.

I got it out after it's first cycle of 54 minutes. It was obviously soaking wet, but visually much lighter, just like when I got it, and it had next to no wax on. It also had the appearance of being covered in tiny bits of wet paper, which I presume was the wax which was bleeding out, and then congealing on the surface. I rubbed the cotton with my nails, and the wax came out a bit.
I felt the lining which is now much cleaner and not smelly , and felt no sign of the wax having bled through onto the inside. Good news, as that's what I was expecting.
It's back in now, on it's second cycle, this time on 50 degrees, and when it's done, I'll hang it to dry, and put the washing machine on 95 degrees with nothing in, to try to clean it of any wax left in there.

After handling it, my hands felt particularly waxy, and I washed them and dried them to remove the wax, but they now feel very dry, and irritated a bit. Could be the wax, could be just in my head, or it could be some sort of chemical in the jacket that has surfaced during the washing process. Odd.

 

[santaman2000]

Not thought of that actually. Maybe see if I could have it re-lined with something snazzy. Although it may detract from it's originality, as one of the most notable things about barbours is their check linings.

I think leaving it on the washing line is also a good idea. It will need a considerable time to air out.

I'm surprised at the Beaufort being lightweight, I imagine their heavyweight stuff is pretty clammy to say the least.

I do feel oddly violated at the price that these coats demand on ebay. I'm pretty sure, there are a team of people who scour charity shops, rural homes, and car boot sales for barbour jackets, and then sell them on ebay for ALOT more. I imagine some old boy would sell his filthy old barbour for a fiver at a car boot, and these 'businesses', then stick it in the garage, add a zero and put it on ebay until it sells. There is a skinny jean, and 1950s style haircut wearing, section of society, that have taken a fancy to the name barbour, and they are now in vogue which means that people have to pay extortionate prices for what is essentially a grubby old coat. lol

You're absolutely right (not just about Barbour but other products as well) That said we cain't really fault the people scouring the charity shops, boot sales, etc. and selling them on for a tidy profit. It's just good business sense and any one of us is perfectly free to do the same.

 

[Spunyarn]

The saga continues...

So the washing of the jacket seemed to work fine. It took out all the wax, didn't seem to damage my washing machine, and the jacket looked just as it did when I bought it a few weeks back, but with a much cleaner inside, and nice smell. It did rip a little when I pulled it out of the washer, but I'll just superglue that up.

Hung it to dry until this afternoon, than put it in the dryer for about 30 mins on low setting, to dry the lining out, and warm it up. Then rewaxed it with the little barbour dressing I had left. I will finish off waxing it after I've got some more dressing, glue up the holes and ripped lining, and then I'll ebay it, as a pretty worn, but great smelling barbour.

I've decided I'm going to buy one new, and have done.

Only question now, is that I'm now sure what to go for.
As I said at the start, I want it for walking, dog walking, knocking around farmyards, but also to mooch around in the woods, and bushcrafty stuff.

The beaufort is the obvious choice, but I do like the 'Trooper' jacket, and similar ones.

I can't imagine walking over the hills wearing a rucksuck, with a beaufort on, as it just is a bit too traditional and agricultural for that. Then again, I'm not sure how good the trooper would be for cutting about on a farm. Maybe it's more of a fashion jacket, and I should stick to the tried and tested traditional beaufort?

 

[peaks]

Thought about the Hoggs professional range? No affiliation etc, just found it to be hardwearing, durable, effective and value for money
http://www.hoggs.co.uk/prodcut_details.php?catid=69&product_id=128

http://www.fifecountry.com/mens/clothing/outerwear/countrywear/hoggs-padded-waxed-jacket-8200

 

[Bowlander]

I was in your shoes in 1993 and bought a Belstaff.

However, times have changed - livestock farmers wear Flexothane, arable farmers wear Range Rover Sports and keepers wear technical camo and/or tweed.

In your position today I'd buy a windproof green fleece and a generic green jacket from Berghaus or similar.

Which College are you going to? I went to Bishop Burton.