Design needs for a cotton snow anorak ,

[Twodogs]

Having brought some good quality fabric ideal for a snow anorak from Martti in Finland,

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122389

I started looking round the net for patterns and design points for a snow anorak here are some fantastic makers out there " empire canvas works " been one .

So what does a snow anorak have to do ? be windproof not waterproof ,
breathable to let moist air out ,
VERY large to act like a bellows when working pumping moist air away from the body keeping the wearer dry.

Old school very basic cotton anoraks



the fabric needs to be breath in the cold , cotton is king , high thread count , between 5oz and 7oz any heavier and it gets to stiff " Ventile fits the bill but so expensive .

So a few design points,

Size it needs to be very large covering you to mid thigh .



Heres the connver pattern that gets used a lot note the gusseted arms giving the ablity to pull your arms back into your core if cold ,



Starting at the hood then ,

a wired hood like this one on the British Military arctic windproof smock is handy folds out of the way if needed .





A way of adjusting the hood from the rear ,



A removable fur ruff this one is a piece of raccon dog from Marti in Finland ( Ideal for men with hair loss ).



All adjusters on the anorack need to be able to be used with glove/mitts on so large toggles .

A tab for hanging the anorak on the outside



Cuffs need to be adjustable to vent the anorak and close them when needed , Velcro some people use it some don't our choice





A storage handwarmer pocket works well need to be large for emergency bits .



I used a removable wool pocket liner last trip that worked very well ,



I built a set of storage pockets in the pocket that worked very well ,



Ok the last one worked well but I want the next one to be better ,

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117822&highlight=flysheet

Are there any points in design I am missing ? post them up let me know .

Twodogs

 

[TurboGirl]

You don't mention neck closures, I thought the one you developed for the wool smock was awesome and this ones sounding excellent!

 

[Twodogs]

That's something I am looking into I like the method used on the pdf file I posted but not the Velcro maybe some sort of toggle?

 

[big_swede]

I have quite a few different anoraks. From different makers and for different conditions. But I would not cut it the way you have cut it. I understand the thought that you want as few seams as possible, but in reality, a flat felled seam is virtually as windproof as the fabric. The problem with a design cut so flat is that it will not conform it self to the 3d shape of the human body. If we were static two dimensional beings that would have been a good cut, but in reality there are better ways.

Write down your design criteria in a concise list form and I'll sketch something.

 

[Twodogs]

Hello Big Swede yes I see what you mean by the 2D connover pattern shown above not fitting the human form I think people get away using it by making it very oversize .

I am still looking around at snow anoraks to see what will work for me , the pattern I have used for my wool bushshirt made on a larger scale would work .

You have a lot more experience at this than me feel free to add your views .

Twodogs

 

[big_swede]

The overall best anorak for me has been Norröna Svalbard anorakk. But an older generation than what is for sale today. The cut is superb but still roomy. The details are just perfect. It is made from a cotton drill heavier than 7 oz though. Still works wonderfully. I will see if I can show it tomorrow. Fjällräven gutulia is another good anorak.

The thing about oversizing is that still can induce restrictions in some areas while being too big in other areas. There is a reason why the skill of cutting has evolved. Otherwise we would still be walking around in folded rectangles with hole for the head. Needles to say, the anorak needs to be oversized to allow for extra layers, but still needs to be cut for a good fit and to allow a good range of motion.