There are different grades of ventile. Mine is as tough as my barbour waxed jacket. Brambles and sparks are not an issue.
The ventile is much more windproof than the barbour and is infinitely more breathable.
Without layers it's not as warm as the wax jacket but that's because the barbour has a padded lining.
The ventile rolls up to a compact size when it's not required, there's no way the barbour would.
Having said all that, I love them both equally. The barbour looks better for everyday wear about town and is probably more waterproof if it's absolutely chucking it down.
But if I'm hitting the trail for any length of time, it's the ventile everytime.