Looking for the right coat

[chrisvreugd]

First I want to apologize for my probably bad English, the reason: I’m Dutch.

But my problem is that I have searched a lot on the internet for coats, but I didn’t find the right, because of the big number of them…
What I wish in a coat:

1 strong, “wear-out proof ”
2 “shower proof” not water-resistant but as rain protecting as possible without being plastic.
3 Breathable
4 Green or black or something like that, (no army stuff)
5 Not plastic, but silent material
And al those big demand for a low price as possible… (student….=less money)

I now these are big wishes, but I hope you guys can give me some advise, and let me share in your experience and knowledge. And perhaps in some day, I’ll find the perfect coat…

 

[innocent bystander]

Sound's like ventile - apart from the price...

 

[Bardster]

Sound's like ventile - apart from the price...

or a swanni - again apart from price. Seems liek you cant get good stuff unless you are willing to pay for it

 

[chrisvreugd]

Yes indeed, the TEMPEST JACKET is the kind a stuff I’m looking for, but I cant afford 270 pounds…

 

[WNZer]

I'm thinking a drizabone jacket, something like that, waxed canvas is good, breathable aswell.

 

[chrisvreugd]

they told me that Swanndri isnt realy waterproof

 

[innocent bystander]

Ranger extreme is supposed to waterproof (well the lining is) - 'cept it aint a jacket..

 

[chrisvreugd]

oke, if I had money, I would buy a swanndri or a ventile but I haven’t. but perhaps I want to much for a low price...
So tell me, what do you guys were against rain wind and cold? (I now it rains at least as lot in the UK as in Holland, so you are facing the same problems as me...)

 

[Toddy]

Triple point ceramic by Lowe Alpine when it's really pouring, but it's noisy. Every movement rustles.
Mostly I wear an old green wax jacket. It's warm, comfortable, breathes and I haven't gotten soaked through in it yet. I need to change the hood design though and it doesn't seem worth it for an old jacket when it's just about time to make a new one anyway.

Why not try some of the fishing tackle shops? For many items they are better value for money and stock budget outdoor clothing for youths just starting out.
Our local one had OG waterproof cotton smocks for £30 last month in L and XL sizes.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[addyb]

I can't afford Ventile either!

So what I did when I wanted one was got my Dad to ask all his old climbing friends to have a look in their closets for one for me, and I got one, and I didn't pay for it, and it works like a charm.

One thing I'm not so sure about is whether or not to treat it with a cotton proofing, as I'm wondering if treated Ventile loses it's fibre-swelling properties in the rain.

Can anyone explain this to me? I have a paycheque coming tomorrrow, the rain here in BC is coming down in buckets, and I'm still undecided on whether to proof, or not to proof.

Adam

 

[innocent bystander]

oke, if I had money, I would buy a swanndri or a ventile but I haven’t. but perhaps I want to much for a low price...
So tell me, what do you guys were against rain wind and cold? (I now it rains at least as lot in the UK as in Holland, so you are facing the same problems as me...)

What sort of price range are you looking at ?

I picked up an ex german army rain suit in 3 layer goretex for £40. It's not that noisy, and is certainly waterproof...And you get the trousers with it !!

 

[chrisvreugd]

I hope I can buy a jacket, for +/- 100 euro (that’s around $70??)

but where did you buy that ex army jacket?
is it camo or just green?
and perhaps a stupid question, but I doesn’t really know what a wax-jacket is...

 

[innocent bystander]

It's in flecktarn - the german cammo, which isn't everyone's cup of tea, and i got it from here .

Waxed cotton is basically a thick cotton treated with wax to make it waterproof. Quite heavy, but bombproof. Barbour are probably the best known of the waxed cotton gear.

 

[moduser]

The Flecktarn suit is what I purchaced as well.

Used with a basic couple of layers and it's ideal.

Meets most of your needs.

Because it's Flecktarn camo pattern it doesn't (IMO) look particularly military, more like a civilian hunting wear.

Very cheap, very waterproof, breathable and fairly quite.

Face it a two piece Gortex suit for £40 (less if you look hard) is a steal.

Moduser

 

[jay120970]

M-65

cotton heavy canvass windproof shower proof you can get a liner for them and also a extra hood with fur trim aswell £69.99 for a genuine issue
www.sofmilitary.co.uk

you can buy copies for 40 pounds but i find them a bit thin on the canvass
and theres no button holes for the extra hood

 

[Neil1]

I have used ventile for many years, its superb, I find a single layer jacket great for year round use. My favourite is to have double layer hood & shoulders and back this up with a cheap dutch army goretex liner, this is "bomb-proof" even in extreme conditions.
Neil

 

[addyb]

Yes, I too have heard excellent things about Barbour. I remember reading an article about a Barbour waxed jacket. Anyway, some poor sap capsized his boat in the Atlantic, and ended up in the icy water for quite some time, and needless to say, he stayed dry.

Of course, it's heavy, heavy, heavy, did I mention heavy? And it's even stiffer than wet Ventile.

But wax jackets are amazingly tough, the kind of tough where you can roll around in brambles and not get cut up.

A.

 

[falcon]

I used Barbour wax jackets for shooting/beating for many years and while they were OK in terms of being waterproof provided the jacket is re-proofed periodically, they really do build up condensation if you're moving around a lot. I moved onto breathable fabrics as soon as they became cheap enough. I've tended to use goretex for hillwalking (light and breathable), something cheap but breathable which I don't mind tearing to bits for beating/shooting and I've a ventile jacket and, more recently a smock for bushcrafty stuff - this gives a nice balance of quietness, rain protection, durability and flexibility with layers and is fast becoming my favourite.