Tweed for the woods

[Sickboy]

Well i've just ordered my xmas prezzie from my good lady, and after much digging around and head scratching, changing of mind many times have gone for a Gore-tex lined tweed jacket. Having looked about the internet the price's they go for are massive, £280-£400 .Found a Laksen one on sale for £135, bargain at http://www.litts.co.uk/
Have looked at all kinds of jacket's for general use, waxed jackets from Barbour and Filson (too heavy, and not breathable), MOD castoff's (Not smart enough if i want to wear it out), normal waterproofs (i've had enough of the rustle and feel of them) and traditional tweed jkts (expensive and not waterproof).
Rekon i've found what i'm looking for, even if i look like a game keeper when i head into the woods in it. Hopefully it'll resist sparks well.
Has anybody else used this kind of jacket? Found a few threads that mention tweed but none that go into any depth.

 

[spamel]

Wee. They use wee in the manufacturing of tweed, or they did once upon a time! The tweed used to stink of wee if it got wet again. Let's hope you don't get a new nickname!

 

[sharp88]

I think tweed is great! If I ever said that to any non-bushcrafty or ignorent person they'd give me a funny look, but its a quality pattern on a great material.

I dont wanna hijack your thread, I just need a breif answer: what are breeks? They look like quarter length trousers. Do you wear them with high socks pulled up to the knee? They must be rather bramble proof.

 

[John Fenna]

Propper Tweed is wool so pretty well fire proof, never mind taking the odd spark!
Looks brill!

 

[rik_uk3]

Ohhhhh, I like that

 

[Dougster]

I like tweed, it was our 'winter blazer' at my school, so you can imagine 350 wet boys in a hall

It's warm, even when very wet and quite wind resistant.

My concern here would be - it does absorb water, so when the face fabric of Goretex is wet, it can't breathe - so when you're wet, you'll be wearing a sweaty sheep.

Saying that - I'll have to get one one day.

 

[John Fenna]

I know some blokes around here who would find that a turn on.....

 

[Doc]

Breeks are short trousers that fasten below the knee. They are ok for game shooting but do not really give you enough freedom of movement. For deerstalking, or bushcraft stuff, you want plus fours - they are made to go 4 " past the knee when unfastened, so therefore 2" below the knee when fastened.

Round here nearly all the professional stalkers wear tweed plus fours. I resisted for some time, but now have two pairs myself. Tweed is excellent camouflage, warm, you get excellent freedom of movement. It also defuses the dodgy image of camouflage if worn with a camouflage jacket - SAS wannabees do not usually dress like Tintin from the waist down.

Breeks and plus fours are worn with long woollen stockings, plus boots/gaiters/wellies/brogues as deemed appropriate for the terrain and weather.

The tweed jackets with waterproof drop liner are excellent for what they are designed for - outdoor activities in winter when you are not exerting yourself too much, such as driven game shooting. I would not wear one for deer stalking - too hot and heavy on the hill - but for general outdoors they are good.

For what its worth, the best sporting tweed tailors are reputed to be Haggarts of Aberfeldy, Campbells of Beauly, and another company in Lairg whose name I forget.

 

[Sickboy]

MMmmmm wee
I know they Teflon coat the fibre's nowadays on the waterproof tweed jackets, have to see how long it last and how well it performs. Having read about, it would seam that the heavier working tweeds are all made in scotland, the lighter more casual stuff made in southern europe. Laksen source there's from north of the border then export it out too Denmark for the manufacturing (probably via china), hence the cost of the full price stuff. I have a friend with a Musto version, cost him nigh on £450, be good to see where the extra cash goes.

 

[Paganwolf]

I like tweed too, it is very camoflaged warm and wind proof and water resistant to a sertain extent, ive just got myself an Islay Bushcraft / Birding Tweed shirt from Jeremy Hastings its a beautifull thing all custom hand made on Islay from the tweed cloth to the red deer antler buttons, it knocks spots off of my swanni ranger shirts IMO and looks good in the woods or in the pub lol, class and quality and not mass produced. Ive also got a thermal heavy tweed coat and cap i wear beating on my shoot on cold days. Its something different and your right you dont look like a SAS wannaray wearing it .

 

[British Red]

I have both lined and unlined tweed jackets . Tweed is a fantastic material - warm, quiet, okay in the wet, tough, spark resistant. I don't find any breathing problems (The goretex is inside the tweed of course between the tweed and the lining).

Proper English material and very comfortable - worn (in my case) with a check shirt, moleskin trousers, flat cap and Grub boots (only "tweedies" wear all tweed - beware looking like a "gun" at a shoot - the object of much derision from anyone who actually lives in the country )

Red

 

[topknot]

There was a tweed shirt ( swandri style) on the Bison Bushcraft stand at the Wilderness gathering this year. price?

 

[Beer Monster]

I like tweed too, it is very camoflaged warm and wind proof and water resistant to a sertain extent, ive just got myself an Islay Bushcraft / Birding Tweed shirt from Jeremy Hastings its a beautifull thing all custom hand made on Islay from the tweed cloth to the red deer antler buttons, it knocks spots off of my swanni ranger shirts IMO and looks good in the woods or in the pub lol, class and quality and not mass produced. Ive also got a thermal heavy tweed coat and cap i wear beating on my shoot on cold days. Its something different and your right you dont look like a SAS wannaray wearing it .

Interesting, haven't seen anything on Jeremy's website? Have you got any photos? I take it came from the Islay Woolen Mill?

I'm hopefully heading across to the island in the next few weeks to see some relatives but don't think I'll have time for a Islay Bushcraft/Birding trip ..... theres always next time !

 

[Paganwolf]

Thats the one Topknot, Islay bushcraft and Bison are doing them as a joint venture i believe. Yes BM all true, theres no pic's yet but orders are being taken ill put some pictures up asap, If you can get to spend a day with Jeremy you wont regret it his knowledge of the flora and fauna on the island is second to none and if you want to see the maximum amount of wildlife while your there give him a shout, he's one of the nicest blokes I know

 

[Seoras]

Now there is a thought.

My sister is a Harris Tweed weaver on the Isle of Lewis. May have to ask her for some material and sweet talk my good lady Alison who is a dab hand at making clothes to knock something up.

Also I have in my attic my old Tiso plus fours I used to use in the eighties when I first got into climbing. A whole new Bushcraft look may be in order.

Any idea on what could be a good liner for a tweed style smock/swanni?

George

 

[John Fenna]

Ventile! or a cheaper option - gabardine...

 

[Seoras]

Ventile! or a cheaper option - gabardine...

Cheers John

Will have a chat with my sister.

Cheers

George

 

[John Fenna]

For luxury - SILK!

 

[Sickboy]

Silk lined tweed, sounds a dream :notworthy
Arrived today (well yesterday but we were both out) and i've gotta say i can't wait to try it out (after xmas. boohoo). Darker than the pictures as i had suspected after looking around, really nice dark green. LOTS of pockets

 

[ForgeCorvus]

RE: silk, I have a silk shirt (of the smock type, rather then a button-up-the-front sort), I wear it as part of my kit at events (I'm a larper, I just thought I should get that out in the open ), it goes under a canvas jacket and my plate armour.
Now armour is funny stuff, as soon as you put it on, you sweat ( even if its sub-zero), most people have to strip their metal as soon as it starts to cool (like evening time), me I can stay under harness all night if I have to.
So based on my (limited) experience of silk, cotton, linen and 'plastic' linings/ under clothes under extreme conditions (+ 30 C day time peak to - 5C night time low and in steel armour, low sleep poor food and lots of exertion ) silk is king. So it should be great for your (bushcraft) purposes

Tweed or Loden (?) with a silk lining......I might have to morgage the cat