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Waterproofs

moose

moose

like some cat from Japan
After a wet weekend in Whitby, I realised my Dutch army kagoul is past its best - it leaks and gets wetter inside than out.

I've spent the day scouring online shops and found only short, ludicrously-coloured 'performance' jackets with hideous branding on them, where I want something plain and dark coloured, lightweight, and long enough that if I sit on a seaside bench I won't get a wet arse, with no daft name embroidered on it. I don't want something super-insulated as I'd want to wear it on a wet but warm summer's day, and I don't really feel the cold in this country. Am I asking the impossible?
 
Getting good cheap breathable waterproofs is relatively tricky. How much can you afford to spend?

Probably be lucky to get something that is likely to last for less than £150. You can get army surplus goretex cheaper though.

http://www.the-outdoor.co.uk/ishop/853/shopscr54.html

And some brands are cheaper - sprayway:

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/Sprayway-Focus-TL---Special-Deal.html

Or if you would prefer something a bit more eyecatching:

o_hfj.jpg
 
It's life I'm afraid.

The more cash you've got, the drier you will be. The less cash - the wetter you will get.

IMO go for the best you can afford. The stuff from the surplus store may get you a few brownie points for 'street' style, but the costlier stuff will save you from rheumatism.
 
You can get breathable jackets for less than £100 try millets and other out door stores .The us army ecw parkas are well made if you can find one but only in woodland or desert cam .Something like this is probably better going round the shops than the net .
 
dylanredefined said:
You can get breathable jackets for less than £100 try millets and other out door stores .The us army ecw parkas are well made if you can find one but only in woodland or desert cam .Something like this is probably better going round the shops than the net .
Click to expand...

Been considering getting one of these ecwcs parkas myself, found the camo ones here pretty cheap:-

http://www.surplusandadventure.com/ishop/800/shopscr3291.html but a black one would look less wannabe army.

This looks interesting:-

http://www.ishop.co.uk/item/airsoftadventure/AA-ECWCS-JKT.html

but I dont know if its over the head or zip up the front stylee, I prefer the former.
 
Cost not a problem, as I live in one of the wettest places in the UK and will get plenty of use out of it. *goes to check links* :)
 
Best cheap waterproof I ever had was a Barbour imitation waxed cotton jacket.Used it for two years over a leather jacket when despatching, 100% waterproof. I've been looking for a secondhand Belstaff waxed cotton motorbike jacket for ages but since they became a fashion house all the old stuff has become stupidly collectable.
 
Idaho said:
Getting good cheap breathable waterproofs is relatively tricky. How much can you afford to spend?

Probably be lucky to get something that is likely to last for less than £150. You can get army surplus goretex cheaper though.

http://www.the-outdoor.co.uk/ishop/853/shopscr54.html

And some brands are cheaper - sprayway:

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/Sprayway-Focus-TL---Special-Deal.html

Or if you would prefer something a bit more eyecatching:

o_hfj.jpg
Click to expand...




Oh my God the man in the middle :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
I bought one for a fiver in Netto :cool: :o
It is so not waterproof you can only :D but it looks fuckin great .. seriously !
 
the north face

mrs21 bought me a waterproof jacket last year, i think it was about £100, well worth the money, jet black, with a small logo
 
If you want to spend some money then I'd recommend a jacket made from Goretex Paclite or and eVent fabric. They are really lightweight and very breathable. Unfortunately they are not the most durable. You can get heavier versions like Goretext XCR.

I really like Mountain Equipment stuff for climbing - a UK company (unlike bleedin' North Face). Rab are good and British too. But if you don't want to spend that much money then look at Berghaus or any other decent outdoors equipment manufacturer. The problem with North Face is that, at least where I was brought up, it's a bit chavtastic.

Have a look at www.rockandrun.com and www.needlesports.com for some cheap deals.
 
A lot of utter wank is talked about waterproofs. Breathable materials are not nearly as breathable as they need to be, much better IMO to get something that's a bit loose or has pit zips or mesh pits. I've spent weeks in scotland during the winter with nothing more high tech than a £15 nylon poncho (which also teamed up with a single tent pole, some stakes and a bivi bag to act as my tent) and stayed dry and happy while my companions were drenched in their own sweat with knackered knees and fucked feet from humping round tonnes of overpriced gucci kit.

The proofing treatment is as important as the fabric in terms of waterproofing - nixwax is your friend and will turn a wearied but unpunctured army smock into a rain-cheating monster. Likewise hundreds of pounds worth of Ellis Brigham's finest will be rendered about as waterproof as a sieve after a few hot washes without reproofing. Think of a wax jacket - without the wax layer it's a big cotton sponge. Same goes for everything that calls itself both waterproof and breathable.

My recommendations:

1) if your jacket doesn't have holes in it, reproof it with nixwax TX-direct spray, it'll be more or less as good as new. No good if your parka is properly fucked, mind.

2) Get a Grade 1, Super or new Soldier 95 waterproof smock from your local army surplus place for £50ish (£70ish new). If it's used, give it a once-over with some nikwax TX-direct. S95 clothing is quite possibly the only thing that the MOD didn't cock up, utterly practical and bombproof.

3) Get a Buffalo Special Six shirt (£100) and abandon waterproof gear - it's not particularly waterproof nor is it intended to be, but once you move in it the pile creates a layer of warm, dry air around you sort of like a wetsuit. Fucking toasty stuff, most hardcore mountaineers wear one when their sponsors aren't looking. Miles too warm for normal british conditions though IMO, so you'd need something else for warm wetness unless of course you're out in the hebrides or something.
 
So what's 'hard shell' and 'soft shell', then? They mention it all the time on the higher-end items. :confused:
 
Check out Millets, some of the Peter Storm jackets are good and plain looking.

If you want something a bit longer, maybe a cycling jacket - I've got an Altura one, it's bright yellow but they also do them in navy.
 
hard shell is your traditional nylon like waterproof jacket (and not
some sort of battle suit before shippou chan turns up :) )
Soft shell is as it says high tech exspensive fabric thats feels soft
to touch .
 
Best £20 I ever spent was on a kagool made by a company called Daleswear based in Ingleton, Yorkshire. Small company making very good cheap outdoors stuff. Its lasted me 10 years so far and still going strong.

They have a website but it appears to be under repair.

Daleswear

ps: Poet, you are Ray Mears and I claim my five pounds :)
 
Sailing shops are quite good if you don't want fancy schmancy goretex.

I got a completely and utterly waterproof and breathable Isolite jacket by Regatta for £20 from an outdoor shop.

No logo - AND a stuff sack! :)
 
I've got an Altura waterproof for cycling in. Well spent £50 in my opinion. Have been in a few torrential downpours and it's always kept me very dry indeed. And it has a sort of bum flap thing, so you can sit on wet seaside benches to your hearts content without fear of a soggy bottom. The logo is fairly subtle too.
 
zed66 said:
Best cheap waterproof I ever had was a Barbour imitation waxed cotton jacket.
Click to expand...

I'd second the waxy route as well - especially for something so comfy you could sleep in it (I have :o ). My early/late season fishing wear is a light fleece, a waxed jacket & for the really heavy pelts, a nylon overjacket & trousers.

trashpony said:
I got a completely and utterly waterproof and breathable Isolite jacket by Regatta for £20 from an outdoor shop.
Click to expand...

Yup, my outerlayer is Regatta - copletely waterproof, lightweight, cheap (whole lot came-in @£30) & decidedly, fish-catchingly antisocial! :D

http://www.regatta.com/productshome.asp

They do do other colours as well

I'd also reccomend investing in a pair of Seal-Skinz waterproof socks for under your boots, the pair I got at the beginning of this year has kept my feet warm & dry for a whole season of squelching around hill lochs, motorbike trips to the Western Isles & festivals. :)
 
If money is no object then definately go for full goretex - despite the disclaims of poet. Packlite is a bit fragile - and definately don't nikwax goretex :eek:

My favourite outdoor brand is Marmot - simply because they make really good quality stuff - but there jackets are too dear for me.
 
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