To ventile or not to ventile - advice needed

[kiltedpict]

When I ordered my smock from HillTrek, they recommended the double based on what I was doing with it, and where I lived (20 mins from them). Agreed, it will probably be too warm in the finer weather but as luck would have it, I don't seem to bushcraft in the sun that much!!!!

As usual, no connection, just a happy customer.
ATB

KP

 

[Kerne]

I'm trying to avoid goretex - on a recent tracking course I did I sounded like a crisp packet which is not good when stalking deer - that's why i am looking at ventile. I also have several Goretex jackets for hillwalking. I'm after silent and durable so ventile is top of the list. I see that the twitching community often use double ventile but I don't suppose they move around that much. This might be useful for wildlife watching.

I'm soooo confused....

 

[Kerne]

OKAY - thinking about going downmarket as I don't want to make an expensive mistake. What about the M65 jackets in cotton for about 70 -80 quid that i can see in the surplus stores? If I treat it with cotton proofing (as I have done with my swedish army smock to pretty good effect) will this solve my dilemma and leave me some cash in the bank for a decent pair of binos?

 

[johnboy]

OKAY - thinking about going downmarket as I don't want to make an expensive mistake. What about the M65 jackets in cotton for about 70 -80 quid that i can see in the surplus stores? If I treat it with cotton proofing (as I have done with my swedish army smock to pretty good effect) will this solve my dilemma and leave me some cash in the bank for a decent pair of binos?

if youre thinking of going down that route there are a lot of OG and Black 'SAS' windproof jackets on ebay they are a bit lighter than a M65

cheers

John

 

[treadlightly]

An alternative might be what Rabbitsmacker is selling at the moment in the classifieds - a SAS gaberdine smock. Gaberdine is tightly woven, windproof cotton which isn't too far short of single ventile when it comes to water resistance.

 

[johnboy]

There is a nice Grenfell cloth Jacket on Ebay uk currently....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mans-GREN..._Goods_Sports_Clothing_LE&hash=item4ab64df8c3

Grenfell is a pre war precursor to Ventile with pretty much the same properties...

 

[Chiseller]

I've a dpm artic windproof in classifieds as well, if you want more sizing options

Sent from my HTC Explorer using Tapatalk

 

[MikeLA]

Another alternative Paramo smock

 

[treadlightly]

There is a nice Grenfell cloth Jacket on Ebay uk currently....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mans-GREN..._Goods_Sports_Clothing_LE&hash=item4ab64df8c3

Grenfell is a pre war precursor to Ventile with pretty much the same properties...

I have a jacket just like that and a word of warning. It is very good, windproof and the cloth is lovely but ventile it ain't. The twill weave, although windproof does not keep water out as well as ventile. This weave still allows water in after the fibres have expanded. It is double layer and yet does not perform anywhere near as well in the wet as my single ventile.

 

[John Fenna]

It is well known that I love my Ventile!
I would go for single for summer - I still find it WWWWWAAAAY more water resistant than any surplus combat smock fabric.
The best I found was the Bison smock - but they dont do them any more ... I got the last one
In a couple of years (when my first one is dead) I will be seen wearing it in the woods
Used scientifically natural fibre fabrics seem to be much nicer (if not as light and packable) to wear (and kinder to the environment)than synthetics and almost as weather beating.
Wool, linen, Ventile and leather are the way forward!

 

[bilmo-p5]

Wool, linen, Ventile and leather are the way forward!

Hear, hear!

 

[lou1661]

i have never used this company but it looks interesting!
http://www.thistlegarments.co.uk/ventile-sas-style-smock-383-p.asp


lou

 

[rg598]

I'm trying to avoid goretex - on a recent tracking course I did I sounded like a crisp packet which is not good when stalking deer - that's why i am looking at ventile. I also have several Goretex jackets for hillwalking. I'm after silent and durable so ventile is top of the list. I see that the twitching community often use double ventile but I don't suppose they move around that much. This might be useful for wildlife watching.

I'm soooo confused....

It's probably not what you are looking for, but if you are interested, take a look at different types of Goretex materials. The vapor barrier itself does not make noise. However, with Goretex, it is backed by a different material. Some manufacturers use nylon type products as backing, which make noise, but others use materials that will be as silent as a cotton jacket. That being said, I think the army surplus stuff you mentioned is a good idea, although if you are hunting, you need to be able to put it in your pack and carry it. I'm not sure you can do that with a cotton jacket. They tend to be rather large.

 

[Kerne]

To make matters more difficult I want for a walk yesterday with a mate who swears by Paramo jackets. Tried one on in a shop today(a Halcon) and really liked it - only problem (part from admitting the price to SWMBO) was that they didn't have my size. Guy in the shop reckons it's great for crawling after wildlife.

Might have to bite the bullet...

 

[Tiley]

Guy in the shop reckons it's great for crawling after wildlife...

...but significantly less good when sat by the open fire. Paramo stuff is quiet and does cope with the rain well but it does also snag on brambles and other pricklies and, as said earlier, suffers when your cheery blaze pops a hot spark out at you. From personal experience, I've also found them to be quite, shall we say, 'uncomfortably warm' when the weather is anything less than cold and gnarly - but that could be just me.

 

[kiltedpict]

Well, I have to agree there... I have the Velez Light Adventure Smock and although I've worn it a few times, yesterday was the first time in very cold weather and I'm delighted at how good it was.

However, there is no way id wear it for crawling through bushes etc- the material is far too likely to get ripped. Ok, it just gets sewn up again and there is no impact on performance, but still...

Crawling through bushes and sitting round a fire is why I spent a lot of cash on a customised Ventile jacket... God I love it!!!! Well abused and still as good as new. (I can throw it on over the paramo if needed too)

 

[Hoodoo]

I have to agree with John. If you can afford it, go with ventile. I have two ventile jackets and two ventile insulated coats. I've got a closet full of goretex clothes and rarely wear them anymore although for long trips in the backwoods, I carry a lightweight Red Ledge rainsuit or a silnylon poncho. For long dayhikes though, in the woods or the city, nothing beats ventile imo. Breathability is remarkable and helps to avoid clamminess better than anything I've ever worn. Shear comfort and a joy to wear. Yup, it wets out in heavy rain. I carry a compact umbrella in the city and the rain suit/poncho solves the problem in the woods. For winter wear, very hard to beat, especially for snowshoeing.

Ventile isn't new, it's old timey and pretty much the same as Egyptian cotton/balloon silk, which was good enough for the backwoodsmen of yesteryear. Newer isn't always better imo.

 

[rg598]

If you are interested in the historical use of the material, go to the original sources like Nansen, Scott, etc. I'm afraid they were not too flattering about it.

 

[Hoodoo]

If you are interested in the historical use of the material, go to the original sources like Nansen, Scott, etc. I'm afraid they were not too flattering about it.

Got a feeling they were not wearing goretex either. Without a doubt nothing beats the animal skin clothing worn by the the natives of the north or were you trying to make some other point? Please try to be more specific in your comments. Real personal experience would be helpful. I doubt anyone here is planning on a trek comparable to those of Nansen or Scott.

 

[EdS]

(and kinder to the environment)than synthetics

This is a bit of a hot potato - when you factor in the vast amounts of pesticides & fertilizers used on cotton, especially high end stuff, the impact & energy use of these chemicals production. Not to forget the water demand of cotton growing.

Wool is a different kettle of fish - especially if local or low impact sourced. Again that said, nearly all merino (certain top firms excepted) is now done in China in factories with awful environmental records. The other problem with the big players in the merino game is the wool quality isn't always what they claim (remember China has no history of wool spinning and knitting/weaving) - its not always even 100% wool.