tweed as an outer shell

[treadlightly]

The other day I bought a Harris Tweed sports jacket from a charity shop for a tenner. Last weekend I went walking the dog in it and was out for four hours in drizzle that steadlily increased until it was coming down quite heavily when I returned.

I had a wool jumper underneath and my Tilley on my head and no rain got through to the jumper. I knew tweed resisted rain but I had no idea how well. The jacket is not waterproof of course and was wet, but no water came through it to my base layer. I also did not feel sweaty as the wool breathed well. It then dried surprisingly quickly when I got home.

It set me wondering if the humble tweed jacket could replace my rain shell when out backpacking. I know it used to be used this way, so why not now? Opinions/ advice welcomed.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

From the SMC club site -

1891, May, Dalwhinnie

Held at the beginning of May, there was still much snow lying and a heavy snowfall the first night added to the fun for walking. Personnel present were L to R: Stott, Rennie, Gibson, Hinxman & Munro.

 

[woof]

Looks like your going to have us all running off to the charity shops looking for tweed jackets !.

 

[Bimble]

If you brush the tweed with a soft brass brush all over in a downward direction to align the outer fibers rain will shed off for hours.....

They do get a bit heavy when damp, but if properly made, are effectivly weather proof. You aren't going to better a few million years of evolution in a black faced sheep with a bit of stretched PTFE. Goretex is just modern techno marketing...

 

[ScarletPimpernel]

I had a tweed suit made a few years ago. Not only does it resist rainfall well, the tweed is so heavy that I suspect it would stop a 9mm round.

 

[Mastino]

I have a jacket made of keeper tweed (bulletproof indeed!) and that will keep out rain & wind. It was used by shepherds I believed and is very comfortable.

Did a quick search and just to give an idea: http://www.tweed-jackets-uk.co.uk/keeper.html

 

[ForgeCorvus]

Tweed = Victorian Goretex......only better

It was the first (only?) choice for outdoor 'sports wear' of the gentleman, and pretty much the standard garb of anyone who worked on the hills and moors

Great stuff......Hummm, I wonder what became of Grandad's norfolk jacket

 

[jungle_re]

my tweed jacket is goretex lined. i have never owned a better coat

 

[ForgeCorvus]

my tweed jacket is goretex lined. i have never owned a better coat

Now thats just greedy

 

[Mike Ameling]

Welcome to the wonderful world of woven wool clothing. A standard "suit" jacket can be a very good medium coat. They tend to be made of better wool material. And in a variety of weights/thicknesses and tightness of weave. The only real problem with so many old suit jackets is the front buttons/lapels. Modern fashion doesn't let you button it up all the way. But if you look for the old ones, that earlier styling still was designed to button all the way up to the collar.

And then there is the old Naval Peacoat. The wool is a little thicker/heavier, and generally made of a much tighter weave. Those coats will really shed rain. And they are tight enough in their weave to also block most or all of the wind!

Historical note: Most of the old time classic Cowboys on the cattle drives wore a wool suit - jacket, vest, trousers. Especially those on the first few cattle drives. To them it was just common clothing, and it held up well. Later some certain items of clothing started to become associated with the western Cowboys - more for style/fashion than function.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Tiley]

If it was good enough for George Mallory and Andrew Irvine on Everest in the early part of the twentieth century and for countless outdoorsmen before them, it's got to be the way forward. As Mike Ameling pointed out, the secret will be in trying to find a jacket that does up to the collar, rather than stopping around the midriff. Mind you, the good folk at Bison Bushcraft do offer tweed clothing but not jackets. I feel a trip to the charity shop coming on - something in a keeper's tweed with one of those huge poacher's pockets would fit the bill...

 

[SimonM]

I always associate tweed with a smell of urine when damp. Is it just my dodgy memory or does it really smell that way?

Simon

 

[sam_acw]

I think it used to be used as a mordant in the dye. Not sure though

 

[MartiniDave]

There are lot of tweed shooting jackets available, many of them quite cheap. I bought one earlier in the year at the Norfolk gamefair for something like £40, I've only used it for shooting once, that was a dry day, but its quickly becoming a favourite for dog walking etc.
Being intended for shooting it does close to the chin, has good sized pockets and is cut to allow movement. No idea what make it is.

Dave

 

[treadlightly]

I'm tempted to do my next backpacking trip in tweeds to see how it stands up compared to the synthetics.

 

[BorderReiver]

I always associate tweed with a smell of urine when damp. Is it just my dodgy memory or does it really smell that way?

Simon

IIRC, urine was used in waulking the tweed. This might account for the smell of wee.

 

[Toddy]

Wool cloth is wonderful stuff especially in the cold, but damp, climate.
Tweed really is among the best of woollen cloths.

Urine, or rather stale urine, ammonia, is used to pull colour from lichens and the like to dye wool, to de-grease wool before dyeing and finally to help full (wash and partially thicken/ shrink / lightly felt) the final cloth. After it is fulled the wool ought to be washed in clean water until it runs free of the debris of dyeing and the lubricants used in the weaving processes.
Some dyes leave a signature scent on the wool; orchil, myrtle and the like are unmistakeable.

Out and about in the UK ? Linen underneath and then woollen layers works so well Remember a wool cap too though and socks as well for the extra warmth. If the jacket you buy doesn't close properly around your chest and neck don't despair, just buy and use a good wool scarf wrapped and tucked in to cover the inadequacies of modern tailoring.
Ultimately the Swanni or homemade version is just brilliant.

cheers,
Toddy...............I can just see you lot at the next meet all looking like handlebarred Victorian's on a shoot on a grouse moor