Hi all,
Put this together for another forum member who is thinking of purchasing and thought I may as well share it with everyone else.
This is my review of the Field Smock made by Extreme Outdoor Clothing (www.extremeoutdoorclothing.com) mainly in comparison to my Buffalo Special Shirt 6 which it replaced (after it was nicked?!?!). Apologies for the photos they were taken at work (hence the hideous carpet) on my lunch break!
Ok here goes:-
Fabric
The field smock is made out of Tactel (olive green in my case). The Tactel is a lot thicker and harder wearing than the Pertex 6 that the Buffalo is made out of. I've been snagged on a large number of thorns and it's yet to rip or scuff. It seems to be just as windproof and has the bonus of being quieter in use and has a nicer feel to it. Pertex 6 is slightly shinier if you see what I mean and makes a swishing noise in use; the Tactel has a brushed surface and has more of a cotton feel to it.
The fibre pile is of just as good quality, warm when wet, wicks well and basically the same as that found in the Buffalo. Both the fibre pile and the Velcro is black in colour. The front pocket is lined with a thin light blue fleece material. Im not sure why but I actually quite like this dash of blue?!? Less military looking when the pockets are open! Also for some reason, Im not sure why, inside the smock below the front pocket the fibre pile has been replaced with a 4/5 inch strip of quality black fleece. As this is behind the pocket it maybe that they are trying to cut down on bulk as the fleece is thinner that the fibre pile and combined with the fleece of the pocket there is no reduction in thermal properties.
The front kangaroo map pocket is lined with a back ripstop pertex.
The Tactel has DWR coating which very effectively beads off water. So much so that you can walk in doors having been out in the rain, jump up and down once and the water just falls off you. Ive worn it in some pretty horrendous weather and never felt damp inside, however, I do retreat it about 3 or 4 times a year and don't wash it particularly offen
. The tactel dries out very quickly when wet (as I'm sure the fibre pile would).
Design
The field smock has the same basic overall design as the buffalo:-
Over the head smock style with chest zip
Zippered side vents
Tunnel style front pockets
Kangaroo style front map pocket
However it has IMHO a few significant style differences that sets it above the buffalo. Ill start at the top and work my way down.
Neck
The neck is the same design as the buffalo with the same Velcro for a hood, however, it is a lot higher than the buffalo. When zipped up it comes right the way up to my chin and if I shrug down it comes up to my lower lip. Taking this into account it has been tailored to loosely hug the neck and they have put a fleece chin protector across the zip so no chaffing involved. They have also run a piece of elastic cord around the top edge of the neck with a pull toggle at the back of the neck so you can tighten it up and trap warm air in in windy conditions or when you are static. The buffalo was more of a lower mandarin style collar and didnt have any tightening.
The front/chest
Here the field smock differs slightly again. On the buffalo the front map pocket runs across the chest from armpit to armpit. To make the chest zip as deep as possible in order to maximize ventilation extremeoutdoor have dropped the map pocket so that its opening is roughly in line with the top of the tunnel pocket. The storm flap that covers the chest zip is also a lot wider and generally more substantial than that on the buffalo (more Velcro attachments etc). The kangaroo map pocket and the tunnel hand pocket have a webbing loop in one top corner so you can tie compass lanyards etc securing them in the pocket.
Unlike the buffalo the field smock does not have a webbing strap with tightening buckle running across the inside of the tunnel hand pocket to tighten the smock around you waist. If truth be told I never actually used this on my buffalo so I dont miss it.
Side vents. Ok here is where the smock differs quite considerably from the buffalo. The side vents run all the way from just above the elbow to the bottom hem. On the buffalo the side zips just run up to chest level. On the field smock the vent zips are covered by a strategically Velcro-ed storm flap as far as your armpit. The zip above this area is exposed. I can see why they have done this as a storm flap in the area would just be impractical and annoying. The photos below are a bit deceptive ..... that is actually the back of the smock (it's lying face down) so it doesn't look as though the zips run to the elbows ........ better photos lower down.
Venting options
This took me a wee while to adjust to from the buffalo as the field smock provides a number of different options:- pit vent, body vent or full vent. Ill explain.
Firstly you can unzip the top zipper (by your elbow) as far as you armpit (where the storm flap starts). The lets fresh air direct to you upper arm and sweaty pit area whilst keeping you body warm. The second "setting" is to zip the lower zipper (by your waist) up to or around your armpit area whilst then connecting the storm flap Velcro with those corresponding on the back of the smock. This allows venting of the body with out the smock flapping around the place. Thirdly you can pull the top zipper to the armpit and then pull the lower zip to meet it and secure the Velcro, this allows full ventilation of both the body a pits/arms again without the smock flapping around.
Here is the smock fully opened up:-
In this photo you can see the fleece strip at the top of the photo:-
I was initially quite skeptical about the arrangement and didnt think that the Velcro would hold the smock in place .. it is a bit fiddly at first but after a while you get used to it and it works really quite well.
Combined with the chest zip which comes down to your sternum you can remain much cooler in the field smock than I was in the buffalo.
Bottom hem and cuffs
On the field smock the bottom hem is elasticated both on the front and the back panel. The front of the smock has a bit of permanent (i.e. sealed off) elastic sewn into the hem which holds the front in quite nicely below the waist. The drop tail back panel has an elastic cord sewn in which is adjustable via a tightening toggle on the right hand side of the smock (you can't really see it in the photos as it's covered by the storm flap). This means that, as the smock has a drop tail that comes down to your bum you can tighten it up to stop the loss of any warm air out of the bottom of the smock. A nice design feature that the buffalo doesnt have, instead relying on the webbing strap in the pocket which wasnt really as effective.
The cuffs have Velcro tabs to tighten them up and the cuffs are quite wide so you can push them right up to your elbow if needs be. The storm flap on the side vents also has an elongated section on the bottom with a piece of horizontal Velcro which corresponds to a long piece of Velcro on the back of the smock so you can adjust the waist size slightly.
The arms are also articulated so there is no restrictions when you wave them around, they have also moved the seam down to the upper arm so there are no annoying seams on the shoulder which would be a pain with a pack on.
Service
I get the distinct impression that the company isnt particularly computer savvy hence the preference for printed order forms etc. I ordered (I think ..... to much beer) in about September and was warned that as they are a small company and the winter is their busiest time of year that the order would take 4-6 weeks. This wasnt a problem as I wasnt in a rush. It actually ended up at being about 8 weeks. Again I wasnt too fussed as they warned me when there was a delay.
Communications were a bit slow at times as emails werent responded to for sometime (but they were all responded to eventually). I did phone on occasion and left voice mails and Keith the owner took to text messaging me updates which were informative and prompt.
Keith is a nice guy and will help were ever possible (i.e. in telling you how to take the different measurements .. some of which Id never heard of before!) and was quite apologetic when the order was delayed.
All in all quite good serive seeing as they were run off their feet.
Summary
IMHO this is definitely at step up from the buffalo. However, bizarrely it is a bit cheaper . go figure?! They tailormake them to your size so you are guaranteed to have a good fit and if for some reason it doesnt you can send it back and they will re-tailor or make a new one. When you order a catalog they will send out some sample swatches with different colours (everything from flame red, brown, olive green, blue, purple etc etc) available and different materials (you can also get it made in pertex if you like).
The whole smock feels very natural when being worn and doesnt restrict you in anyway (unlike the buffalo which did feel a little restrictive at times .... especially around the arms). Its very warm when it needs to be but can also be as cool as you want.
However, there are few things I will point out. Not really detracting points but a few things you should know. The elastic cord in the top of the collar is good, however, one slight annoyance is that the due to the twisting in the elastic cord as it was sewn in the toggle to tighten it up (and the knot in the cord that keeps the toggle in place) curves it in towards your head so it keeps on poking me in the back of the head. Not a huge drama but a bit of an annoyance really. I replaced the square toggle with a smaller smooth round one and re-tied the knot as small as I could, this has lessened the problem but not removed it completely. Im not sure how they would remedy this as if you moved the cord to the middle of the collar it would mean another seam (more chance to leak) and might not be as effective at trapping the warm air or keeping the rain out. Its just something you get used to (I don't notice it if I have wool hat/baseball cap on) and it isnt really that much of a problem.
Secondly is that due to the Tactel and overall sturdiness of the smock it is quite heavy (heavier than a buffalo but only just) and also it doesnt pack down particularly small (none of the fibre pile jackets do).
Overall Id highly recommend the field smock. Much better than a buffalo, a few notes cheaper and tailor made its pretty hard to beat. Mine is hardly off my back and it really excels in the UKs cold damp climate. But order as far in advance as you can and expect delays (so you arent disappointed). Its worth the wait.
P.S. For those of you who paddle these guys supplied the Royal Marines "Boat Troop" with the APS Jacket, Hood and Trousers for use in Kayaks in Norway. Got the thumbs up too.
Put this together for another forum member who is thinking of purchasing and thought I may as well share it with everyone else.
This is my review of the Field Smock made by Extreme Outdoor Clothing (www.extremeoutdoorclothing.com) mainly in comparison to my Buffalo Special Shirt 6 which it replaced (after it was nicked?!?!). Apologies for the photos they were taken at work (hence the hideous carpet) on my lunch break!
Ok here goes:-
Fabric
The field smock is made out of Tactel (olive green in my case). The Tactel is a lot thicker and harder wearing than the Pertex 6 that the Buffalo is made out of. I've been snagged on a large number of thorns and it's yet to rip or scuff. It seems to be just as windproof and has the bonus of being quieter in use and has a nicer feel to it. Pertex 6 is slightly shinier if you see what I mean and makes a swishing noise in use; the Tactel has a brushed surface and has more of a cotton feel to it.
The fibre pile is of just as good quality, warm when wet, wicks well and basically the same as that found in the Buffalo. Both the fibre pile and the Velcro is black in colour. The front pocket is lined with a thin light blue fleece material. Im not sure why but I actually quite like this dash of blue?!? Less military looking when the pockets are open! Also for some reason, Im not sure why, inside the smock below the front pocket the fibre pile has been replaced with a 4/5 inch strip of quality black fleece. As this is behind the pocket it maybe that they are trying to cut down on bulk as the fleece is thinner that the fibre pile and combined with the fleece of the pocket there is no reduction in thermal properties.
The front kangaroo map pocket is lined with a back ripstop pertex.
The Tactel has DWR coating which very effectively beads off water. So much so that you can walk in doors having been out in the rain, jump up and down once and the water just falls off you. Ive worn it in some pretty horrendous weather and never felt damp inside, however, I do retreat it about 3 or 4 times a year and don't wash it particularly offen
. The tactel dries out very quickly when wet (as I'm sure the fibre pile would).Design
The field smock has the same basic overall design as the buffalo:-
Over the head smock style with chest zip
Zippered side vents
Tunnel style front pockets
Kangaroo style front map pocket
However it has IMHO a few significant style differences that sets it above the buffalo. Ill start at the top and work my way down.
Neck
The neck is the same design as the buffalo with the same Velcro for a hood, however, it is a lot higher than the buffalo. When zipped up it comes right the way up to my chin and if I shrug down it comes up to my lower lip. Taking this into account it has been tailored to loosely hug the neck and they have put a fleece chin protector across the zip so no chaffing involved. They have also run a piece of elastic cord around the top edge of the neck with a pull toggle at the back of the neck so you can tighten it up and trap warm air in in windy conditions or when you are static. The buffalo was more of a lower mandarin style collar and didnt have any tightening.
The front/chest
Here the field smock differs slightly again. On the buffalo the front map pocket runs across the chest from armpit to armpit. To make the chest zip as deep as possible in order to maximize ventilation extremeoutdoor have dropped the map pocket so that its opening is roughly in line with the top of the tunnel pocket. The storm flap that covers the chest zip is also a lot wider and generally more substantial than that on the buffalo (more Velcro attachments etc). The kangaroo map pocket and the tunnel hand pocket have a webbing loop in one top corner so you can tie compass lanyards etc securing them in the pocket.
Unlike the buffalo the field smock does not have a webbing strap with tightening buckle running across the inside of the tunnel hand pocket to tighten the smock around you waist. If truth be told I never actually used this on my buffalo so I dont miss it.
Side vents. Ok here is where the smock differs quite considerably from the buffalo. The side vents run all the way from just above the elbow to the bottom hem. On the buffalo the side zips just run up to chest level. On the field smock the vent zips are covered by a strategically Velcro-ed storm flap as far as your armpit. The zip above this area is exposed. I can see why they have done this as a storm flap in the area would just be impractical and annoying. The photos below are a bit deceptive ..... that is actually the back of the smock (it's lying face down) so it doesn't look as though the zips run to the elbows ........ better photos lower down.
Venting options
This took me a wee while to adjust to from the buffalo as the field smock provides a number of different options:- pit vent, body vent or full vent. Ill explain.
Firstly you can unzip the top zipper (by your elbow) as far as you armpit (where the storm flap starts). The lets fresh air direct to you upper arm and sweaty pit area whilst keeping you body warm. The second "setting" is to zip the lower zipper (by your waist) up to or around your armpit area whilst then connecting the storm flap Velcro with those corresponding on the back of the smock. This allows venting of the body with out the smock flapping around the place. Thirdly you can pull the top zipper to the armpit and then pull the lower zip to meet it and secure the Velcro, this allows full ventilation of both the body a pits/arms again without the smock flapping around.
Here is the smock fully opened up:-
In this photo you can see the fleece strip at the top of the photo:-
I was initially quite skeptical about the arrangement and didnt think that the Velcro would hold the smock in place .. it is a bit fiddly at first but after a while you get used to it and it works really quite well.
Combined with the chest zip which comes down to your sternum you can remain much cooler in the field smock than I was in the buffalo.
Bottom hem and cuffs
On the field smock the bottom hem is elasticated both on the front and the back panel. The front of the smock has a bit of permanent (i.e. sealed off) elastic sewn into the hem which holds the front in quite nicely below the waist. The drop tail back panel has an elastic cord sewn in which is adjustable via a tightening toggle on the right hand side of the smock (you can't really see it in the photos as it's covered by the storm flap). This means that, as the smock has a drop tail that comes down to your bum you can tighten it up to stop the loss of any warm air out of the bottom of the smock. A nice design feature that the buffalo doesnt have, instead relying on the webbing strap in the pocket which wasnt really as effective.
The cuffs have Velcro tabs to tighten them up and the cuffs are quite wide so you can push them right up to your elbow if needs be. The storm flap on the side vents also has an elongated section on the bottom with a piece of horizontal Velcro which corresponds to a long piece of Velcro on the back of the smock so you can adjust the waist size slightly.
The arms are also articulated so there is no restrictions when you wave them around, they have also moved the seam down to the upper arm so there are no annoying seams on the shoulder which would be a pain with a pack on.
Service
I get the distinct impression that the company isnt particularly computer savvy hence the preference for printed order forms etc. I ordered (I think ..... to much beer) in about September and was warned that as they are a small company and the winter is their busiest time of year that the order would take 4-6 weeks. This wasnt a problem as I wasnt in a rush. It actually ended up at being about 8 weeks. Again I wasnt too fussed as they warned me when there was a delay.
Communications were a bit slow at times as emails werent responded to for sometime (but they were all responded to eventually). I did phone on occasion and left voice mails and Keith the owner took to text messaging me updates which were informative and prompt.
Keith is a nice guy and will help were ever possible (i.e. in telling you how to take the different measurements .. some of which Id never heard of before!) and was quite apologetic when the order was delayed.
All in all quite good serive seeing as they were run off their feet.
Summary
IMHO this is definitely at step up from the buffalo. However, bizarrely it is a bit cheaper . go figure?! They tailormake them to your size so you are guaranteed to have a good fit and if for some reason it doesnt you can send it back and they will re-tailor or make a new one. When you order a catalog they will send out some sample swatches with different colours (everything from flame red, brown, olive green, blue, purple etc etc) available and different materials (you can also get it made in pertex if you like).
The whole smock feels very natural when being worn and doesnt restrict you in anyway (unlike the buffalo which did feel a little restrictive at times .... especially around the arms). Its very warm when it needs to be but can also be as cool as you want.
However, there are few things I will point out. Not really detracting points but a few things you should know. The elastic cord in the top of the collar is good, however, one slight annoyance is that the due to the twisting in the elastic cord as it was sewn in the toggle to tighten it up (and the knot in the cord that keeps the toggle in place) curves it in towards your head so it keeps on poking me in the back of the head. Not a huge drama but a bit of an annoyance really. I replaced the square toggle with a smaller smooth round one and re-tied the knot as small as I could, this has lessened the problem but not removed it completely. Im not sure how they would remedy this as if you moved the cord to the middle of the collar it would mean another seam (more chance to leak) and might not be as effective at trapping the warm air or keeping the rain out. Its just something you get used to (I don't notice it if I have wool hat/baseball cap on) and it isnt really that much of a problem.
Secondly is that due to the Tactel and overall sturdiness of the smock it is quite heavy (heavier than a buffalo but only just) and also it doesnt pack down particularly small (none of the fibre pile jackets do).
Overall Id highly recommend the field smock. Much better than a buffalo, a few notes cheaper and tailor made its pretty hard to beat. Mine is hardly off my back and it really excels in the UKs cold damp climate. But order as far in advance as you can and expect delays (so you arent disappointed). Its worth the wait.
P.S. For those of you who paddle these guys supplied the Royal Marines "Boat Troop"
with the APS Jacket, Hood and Trousers for use in Kayaks in Norway. Got the thumbs up too.
