Waxed cotton jackets

[Thenihilist]

I have a waxed cotton jacket that i have not really used so i'm wondering if it'll be good for winter camping?

It's quite big and has a bit that buttons up at the bottom that makes a pocket when up and a 3/4 lengh jacket when down. It has those bits you can attach onto the shoulders for when it gets real wet. A hood that can be rolled into the collar, however it's got metal buttons instead of velcro.

Will it make a good winter jacket? How do i reproof it?

I have a thick jumper to wear under it http://www.fifecountry.com/mens/clothing/outerwear/countrywear/quiltknit-stornoway-jacket-0739 the jackets from the same company, no affiliation etc

Good cold weather set up?

 

[shaggystu]

as long as you can live with the limitations of waxed cotton (it's stiff, it's heavy, it doesn't let your sweat out so can get condensation on the inside) then i think that it's a great fabric for jackets. the farmers around here seem to wear it all the time and they know a thing or two about being out in the weather. to re-proof it you just need something like barbour thornproof dressing, basically wax that you just rub in to the surface of the cloth, some people recomend giving it a blast with a hair drier afterwards to help it get in to the fabric

stuart

 

[Badger74]

I know from wearing my drovers coat during the very cold and snowy weather at the beginning of the year that it will be fine. All i had on under it was a t-shirt and woolly cardigan.

 

[rik_uk3]

Thousands of farmers and shooter use them in all sorts of conditions year round all over the UK so I would think they would be fine for a bit of woodland camping.

 

[Thenihilist]

Cool, i think the benifits outweigh the negatives for me.

Is it okay to sit near a fire with it on or would that do something to the wax?

 

[shaggystu]

i suppose that if you got too close to the fire you'd probably melt the wax, but if you were that close it'd be way too hot for comfort anyway

stuart

 

[santaman2000]

TBH mine seems more of an oil than a wax. My concern near a fire would be the flameability. Agreed though; it would be to warm for comfort anyway if that were a real concern.

 

[rik_uk3]

Just a guess, but the chances of a wax jacket igniting near a fire are about the same as winning the lottery, pretty slim.

 

[santaman2000]

That's what I thought too. Just that it was the only thing I could think of that would even remotely be possible.

 

[Paganwolf]

be perfect for dossing around in buddy, i have a couple of barbours i use for beating shooting and ferreting and a dispatch riders barbour i wear for shrafting some times through the winter its a good tough jacket, if you get hot unzip it...

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Barbours thornproof dressing is good stuff & relatively cheap.
Sitting by a with a waxed cotton coat poses less problems & dangers than with a synthetic one, particually concerning sparks or flying embers.
I have held a lighter for several seconds against a waxed cotton coat ( a flat piece not a hem or edge) & it didn't catch fire nor did it scorch ( try doing that to goretex)
Once re-proofed it should take any weather thrown at it ( you may have to re wax certain areas from time to time during the winter) & with hat, scarf & gloves, you'll be ready for anything

 

[garethw]

Hi there
I had several Barbours during my time as a student...and while I like the look, would probably not get another (I feel they are getting a way too expensive now for an old fashioned, ancient technology type jacket @£180-£200 a pop). There are better options out there for this money.

Mine always lasted a fair amount of time though, bearing in mind that I wore them everyday. They were easy enough to reproof with a tin of Barbour wax and a hairdryer.

They did though crack on the arms, where they bend and after a lot of wear the pockets wore and tore, as did the cuffs. This got to look shabby fairly quickly, although some prefer this look!! Also they leaked at these points where the cotton wore through.

I didn't find them at all warm, but the addition of pop in liner helped a lot. On one I sewed buttons into it so I could use a liner from and M65 to add warmth... (All this was pre-fleece days)...

cheers
Gareth

 

[woof]

I love them, i re-proofed mine this year using the nikwax water based spray, it only takes 10 minutes to apply, & works very well.

Rob

 

[Westnorfolk]

I have a wax cotton riding coat, have just done some repairs and re waxing and was trying to work out how old it is. Sister came in and reminded me I got it when I had my most awesome Lada Riva 1500 estate so 22 years.

Still going strong and have burned lots of bonfires in it and clambered around on roofs, trees and places I should not have been.

I now have a Drizabone drovers coat for when the wet dog smelling tramp look is not appropriate.

I make my own liners more like 16thc fustian waistcoats that come down below the bum, toasty warm. I do like a long coat so when you are sitting or standing round you catch the heat from your legs.

Dave

 

[Dogoak]

Iv'e used Barbours and Drizabones for years and I dont think I'd like to be without one. They can get quite stiff during very cold weather, especially if it's a heavy weight cloth and just been re-waxed.
They are tough & durable, easy to re-proof and easily repaired, Barbour repair prices are quite reasonable and the service is very good. I got rid of an old one earlier this year (I bought it 2nd hand years ago) it had become a little snug, I got Barbour to date it, 1950 was the answer! It did have some slight fraying to the hems & cuffs but it was still waterproof and all the zips, press-sruds etc; still worked. I sold it on the bay, it went for a good price and if I'd bought it new I would have come out with a tidy profit

 

[Toddy]

I made my own Beautifully practical garment.
Comfortable, pretty much bombproof, 'breathes' if you use old fashioned, 'open it up at the bottom and loosen the neck a bit', to allow airflow (the Inuit do this, it's practical!) windproof, rainproof, softens with body heat, easy to reproof and better if you can buy, find or make, one with a woolen liner though.

Mine's been through the wars (and rather a lot of hedges ) is definitely starting to look scruffy, but for the bimbling around I do, it's brilliant I've even got a rather Miss Marple-ish hat to match

Not lightweight, not for carrying heavy packs in, but for the rest....it's great.

cheers,
Toddy

Here you go, last Ne'erday
Himself said, "Stand still." So I did; then something frozen caught my eye and I looked down

 

[Thenihilist]

Cool.

They look smart too.

Mine doesn't have a liner, i went for an unlined one and the big thick wooly jumper so i could wear it in Summer without roasting to death.

 

[santaman2000]

I ordered the zip-in liner for mine (the armless one that can be worn alone as a quilted waistcoat) Looking back, I think that was a waist as it doesn't really add much warmth. However the coat alone does very well at cutting the wind and adding a wool under layer (such as a sweater or a Pendleton style shirt) makes it very warm indeed.

I've had mine for I think about 8 ears now and most winters it gets to see a fair number of deep woods hunting trips (deer and small game) as well as daily wear and it still looks all but new.

 

[sandbender]

I have had a few down the years, the lightweight unlined 'Durham' (no longer made) is the one I use the most, usually with woolly jumpers or similar underneath, they are very tough, and they do shrug off sparks.

The Barbour brand has gone through some changes since I last shopped for one. Here are some pages from an early nineties catalogue...

...a bloke carrying a sheep on his back! Not something you are likely see on their current catalogue.

More from the old catalogue here.

 

[Grendel]

Sorry for thread revival but i was wandering are the cheaper wax cotton jackets any good for bushcraft and hunting since my synthetic Tresspass waterproof got soaked through with the day long rain on Friday so thinking of buying this to replace it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251162395342?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649