Swazi Tahr cuffs do my head in

[Shewie]

Has anybody come up with a decent mod or a solution to the soggy cuffs problem ?

I meant to turn them up inside last time I was out but I forgot again, instead I had cold wet cuffs for a couple of days until the sun came out.

I love the coat for it's other qualities but the cuffs really do nark me sometimes.

 

[The Cumbrian]

You've got a knife haven't you Rich?

 

[Toddy]

Take a photo and let me have a look ?

cheers,
M

 

[The Cumbrian]

The cuffs on the Tahr always seemed to me to be a modern interpretation of sewing the ends of socks onto a Denison smock. The problem of the wind getting up your sleeves was solved by the invention of velcro, which also introduced easy ventilation. I've never really seen any advantage to having the cuff on a general outdoor waterproof sealed with neoprene. I've got a paddling cag with neoprene cuffs and it's too warm in all but sub zero temperatures.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[Mastino]

Fully agree! Took the Tahr out fishing and the problem get's worse because the jacket has a nasty habit to actually suck the moist into the sleeves.... I'll be following this post closely

 

[Shewie]

Take a photo and let me have a look ?

cheers,
M

Just done some quick pics down in the bat cave Mary but I'm not sure if they'll be much use. I'll try and do some more tomorrow if I manage to get home before it's dark.

The cuffs do actually keep the water and winds out really well, it's just that the neopreney stuff seems to hold onto the wet for ever and a day. Having cold wet wrists gives me a chill all over.

This is the cuff turned inside out, it looks to me like they put a tape over the join to help seal it, which does work it has to be said.

 

[Toddy]

I thought from the way you spoke of it at first that it was an inner close fitting cuff, but that looks like at single layer outside edgeing cuff.

I think the problem is most likely with the cover on the cuff. Probably knitted cotton.

Okay, that's fixable, but you'd probably need to totally remove and rebuild the cuff.

I need to know what you use the jacket for though. If it's canoeing then maybe fixing things 'might' lose the completeness of the waterproofing.
Otherwise a simple soft touch waterproof fabric cover should do it. Just seal it with the low temperature iron on tape, or rubber sealant.

I'm tempted to suggest that the 'best' fix would be to take the cuff off and knit a ribbed cuff in black merino wool. Soft, still warm if it does get wet, and it will dry off with the heat from your body. Not heavily waterproof though.

cheers,
M

 

[johnboy]

. I've never really seen any advantage to having the cuff on a general outdoor waterproof sealed with neoprene.

Agreed 100% but the Tahr is not really a general outdoor water proof.

It's a specialist garment primarily designed for open tops/ subalpine hunting here in NZ. Hence the bino pocket and the elasticated loops for small arms ammunition.
The cuffs are there because cold icy water running down your sleeves was deemed to be a problem in that environment you know walking out with a 100 lb boar on your back or a decent douglas score Stags head and cape...

Take a look at the Narwhal that has better cuffs for generic outdoor stuff than the Tahr.

HTH...

 

[The Cumbrian]

My wife used to work with a bunch of Kiwis, and one of them brought back a few copies of a magazine called New Zealand Pig Hunter.

The pics of the humters walking out of the bush carrying a cleaned boar like a rucsac were priceless.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[johnboy]

My wife used to work with a bunch of Kiwis, and one of them brought back a few copies of a magazine called New Zealand Pig Hunter.

The pics of the humters walking out of the bush carrying a cleaned boar like a rucsac were priceless.

Cheers, Michael.

Aye done it myself a few times now and TBH I couldn't wait to get back to the Quad bike... Cold wrists were the least of my problems. A jacket covered in blood and an infestation of ticks / flies were a bit higher on the priority list...

Still not much chance of that in back in the 'old country'.

We have a few pig hunting magazines over hear More Pork bring a particularly interesting one not for the anthropomorpically minded however...

 

[Shewie]

I think the problem is most likely with the cover on the cuff. Probably knitted cotton.

I need to know what you use the jacket for though. If it's canoeing then maybe fixing things 'might' lose the completeness of the waterproofing.
Otherwise a simple soft touch waterproof fabric cover should do it. Just seal it with the low temperature iron on tape, or rubber sealant.


cheers,
M

I think you could be right about the cotton Mary, I like the sound of maybe covering it with something though. Might have to give that some thought, any idea if there's something readily available that might do the trick ?

It does come out mainly on cane trips but I don't think of it as a dry suit in case of a dunking. I like the shape and cut of it as there's loads of room around the shoulders and the hood is great for downpours. It'll shed the heaviest of rain all day long but the cuffs just seem to hang on to it, the idea of something that'll let the water run straight off is a diamond idea.

The wool is another one to think about but I'd like to try the other way first if it means less hacking up.

 

[johnboy]

I think you could be right about the cotton Mary, I like the sound of maybe covering it with something though. Might have to give that some thought, any idea if there's something readily available that might do the trick ?

It does come out mainly on cane trips but I don't think of it as a dry suit in case of a dunking. I like the shape and cut of it as there's loads of room around the shoulders and the hood is great for downpours. It'll shed the heaviest of rain all day long but the cuffs just seem to hang on to it, the idea of something that'll let the water run straight off is a diamond idea.

The wool is another one to think about but I'd like to try the other way first if it means less hacking up.

Have you thought about contacting Swazi.

The RM version features a modified cuff so they obviously have done something different. I can bet you'll not be the first to email them about it as the hunting forums over here are always mentioning the cuffs etc.. They may have a solution waiting for you....

 

[Toddy]

Has anyone tried to fabsil the cuff ?
If the problem is the fabric covering that might solve it in one neat solution since it works well on cotton and cotton mixes.

Failing that, black pertex stitched on over the cuff and (you'd need to do the outside seam first, seal it from the inside and then fold it over and inside the cuff and stitch that onto the inside cuff edge) should probably do the trick without having to remove the original cuffing. The velcro......well, either remove the tabs that are on, or leave them and put more on the covering,
'or' make the covering a little longer by a cm or so and fit lycra elastic in a channel at the end.


cheers,
M

 

[Robbi]

could you not just cut the velcro tab bit off, turn the cuff inside the sleeve and put a couple of stiches round it to keep it in place ? that way you still get the sealing effect of the cuff but up your sleeve and away from the water / rain.

just a thought.

 

[bushblade]

This is a very strange thing to hear. How long have you had the jacket? The reason I ask is I got my Tahr in 2004 and the cuffs are made of stretch gore-tex and don't have the problem you described. It was my understanding at the time that they used to use neoprene but changed to stretch gore-tex because of the problems you describe. Did they go back to neoprene again? or is your jacket very old?
The only problem I have had with mine is the hood, it really needs a volume adjuster fitting. Its ok with a cap underneath but not great.

 

[Shewie]

This is a very strange thing to hear. How long have you had the jacket? The reason I ask is I got my Tahr in 2004 and the cuffs are made of stretch gore-tex and don't have the problem you described. It was my understanding at the time that they used to use neoprene but changed to stretch gore-tex because of the problems you describe. Did they go back to neoprene again? or is your jacket very old?
The only problem I have had with mine is the hood, it really needs a volume adjuster fitting. Its ok with a cap underneath but not great.

Mine is an old one I think Wil, it's the RM one with the bullet holders inside the pockets and the cuffs are definitely neoprene. It was a freebie from a friend of my brother so I shouldn't complain really

EDIT:

Guy with the shotgun is wearing the same ..
http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/534-Swazi-Ray-Mears-Tahr-Gore-Tex-Anorak/

 

[bushblade]

The Ray Mears ones were made after I got mine, though after hearing this I suspect they have used old stock to retro fit them as Ray Mears Tahrs and sell off old stock.

This from the link above;

The Tahr comes with a modified, two-tier, high peripheral-vision hood. The inner conforms to the contours of your face, while the outer protrudes into an adjustable peak, stiffened with a durable liner and concealed wire-lined frame. GORE-TEX stretch cuffs designed especially to keep icy water at bay complete this most durable piece of outdoor clothing.

I'd contact Swazi and ask them if anything can be done.

 

[Shewie]

I'd contact Swazi and ask them if anything can be done.

I just don't fancy the postage and tax charges both ways though Will even if they do offer to do something.

 

[vorton]

After having my current jacket stolen ive been fishing about for a replacement. I had eyed the Tahr up for several months as a replacement but couldnt justife a the price when my jacket was still perfectly fine.

After reading the forums about the pros and cons of this jacket i decided to just go ahead and buy one . The spec on the Rm website isn't what you'd call detailed so i emailed the woodlore team. i was put in touch with the Senior Merchandiser of woodlore and he confirmed that the RM jacket is the newer one which includes the new upper body design that gives 25% extra freedom of movement, side vents for extra climbing movement. The hood protrudes into an adjustable peak, stiffened with both a durable liner and a hood wire to enable excellent peripheral vision and exceptional water sheeding capabiltiy. and the GORE-TEX® stretch cuff design, .

I had been put off by the though of neoprene cuffs as i have a winder stopper jacket with them on and find them extremely annoying.


It seem there is very little information on this jackets out there just the odd reviews by a limited number of people of very few forums its a shame that Swazi isn't stocked in the uk because i think id prefer the none rm version but its simply cheaper to buy the RM jacket than order one from Nz .

I should get my jacket this week with some luck though i am worried i will end up looking like an extra from robin hood

 

[Shewie]

I should get my jacket this week with some luck though i am worried i will end up looking like an extra from robin hood

You won't go far wrong with the Tahr, it's my coat of choice for foul weather shenanigans in the bush.

The only RM branding on mine is a small label on the front, it could be picked off easily enough if it bothers you though.