Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Got some interesting traditional angler's clothing you want to talk about.
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Paul D

Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Paul D »

SofaSurfer wrote:Not so. I don't wear mine because it's traditional. It protects me from barbed wire and thorns. When the sun shines it's soft and flexible, in the cold it's harder and totally wind proof. The zip is metal and not cheap plastic, it runs smoothly. It's well cut and allows me to cast a fly without restriction. I've stood in the rain all day on a shoot and only got damp from condensation. I wear mine in the worst of weather because it is the right tool for the job. I have a Musto Keeper but it's not in the same league, it's only advantage is that I can put it in the washing machine.

I don't work for Barbour. Other waxed cotton jackets are available.
I agree, mine is totally waterproof, there one of the few garments that improve with age. :Hat:

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Beresford
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Beresford »

Bobby Marlene wrote:My Barbour jackets will not protect you from any decent storm and I do not live in a particularly harsh area. Mine are well waxed.
My friends in the North will laugh at you if you turn up in a Barbour. They know why.
I know I won´t make friends on this forum but it´s the truth.
I still like them for the advantages you mentioned. They are tough and look classy. But I am afraid, they are not waterproof. If you need tough, waterproof(!) garments you may look at the Fjallraven range of hunting jackets. Best, Bobby
I'd agree with you and your Northern friends. I wore a Barbour for 25 years, got soaked and cold too often, gave up and bought a really good modern jacket designed for fly fishing afloat and now stay warm, totally dry and mobile.
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Nigel Rainton
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Nigel Rainton »

Opinions are quite polarised. Could that be because the quality of Barbour jackets used to be so much better than today? My old Solway Zipper (circa 1970) is made of thick cotton and feels like leather. My coats are old friends and I trust them to keep me warm and dry :-)

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Beresford
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Beresford »

I think it's partly to do with geography. When coarse fishing there's very often topography giving shelter from the wind and perhaps more trees or hedges to at least help offer some further protection. Some of course will have an umbrella as well.

Boat fishing on a big sheet of water in a big wave is a totally different proposition – you're totally exposed. As soon as you motor upwind the person on the engine is literally having two buckets worth of water thrown over them as the boat crashes over each wave crest. You end up with a lap full of water, with the engine tucked under one arm and the other operating the bilge pump. If it's raining, snowing or hailing that adds to your problems of keeping dry and importantly warm. When faced with fishing in those conditions the natural choice is to choose the best performance so for me that means the niceties of 'traditional' are put to one side. Light, practical and 'the best' come more to the fore.

I'd wear a Barbour carp or river fishing but not fly fishing or fishing afloat. I've sat out through a storm in just a fleece and T-shirt carping as I could see sun coming in the distance and if I got really cold I could sit in the car or drive home. In a boat you have to consider wind chill and the problem I had with wax jackets is that they don't breathe properly in spite of the three rivet protected holes under the arms, so you either choose to wear lots of layers to keep warm or you get cold. The problem with wearing lots of layers is you can then sweat or you loose mobility. Fine for relatively static fishing but hopeless if you are recasting files every five minutes. Then there is the problem of fishing in heavy rain, again nowhere to hide in a boat. The elastic inner cuffs on a Barbour aren't anywhere close to being as effective as modern neoprene and velcro sealing inner cuffs. Then there is the crispy thing to deal with. Wax jackets don't move like modern fabrics so if you get really wet it's like wearing a soggy piece of cardboard.

Barbours are relatively tough with good zips as noted but mine was never really thorn proof though. Perhaps the heavyweight version of the fabric was. In the end Barbour said mine was so knackered it couldn't be repaired as I had patches on patches so I'd given them a fair chance. Barbour so called waterproof over trousers were a total waste of money. 100% useless in a boat.

Finally if you fish a lot i.e. on successive days, you need at least two as they take ages to dry out.
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Rutland Rod
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Rutland Rod »

When a lot of us bought our Barbours there were very little alternative, within their range at that time you went from the heavyweight cloth Solway Zipper to a few lighter weight ones like the Gamefair. My Solway Zipper is still being used but with the same problems others on here describe. I think the Solway Zipper in particular was a 'working jacket' and a proper all rounder for people working outdoors, shooters and us, my Gamefair incidentally did not last half as long due to its lighter weight. If I ever do splash out for a new jacket it won't be a waxed cotton but a 'new tech' type. but I wouldn't push through hedges, brush barbed wire etc in the same way as I do when wearing the Solway !
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Bobby Marlene
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Bobby Marlene »

I think Barbours are really good jacket. They are very tough, go through all the thorn bushes and it´s no problem to sit or ly on them and so on. My opinion is perhaps a bit one sided but as Beresford I got soaked too often. I think it´s partly the design. The collar is not really tight, the cuffs are also not workigna s they should. In addition the garment is not dense enough to be waterproof with wax.
On the other hand, for a gentle rain they work perfectly and they last much longer than most modern jackets. Also they are relatively (!) cheap. A good modern hunting jacket will cost you a lot of bucks. So, it is always a compromise, and I surely did not want to sound harsh. I just was frustrated because I like my Barbours a lot for the reasons mentioned but I wish so much they would be more waterproof. Enjoy your jackets, stay warm and dry! Best, Bobby

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Mercman
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Mercman »

Well my brand new 1990's Solway Zipper duly arrived from the auction site and it is superb. I took a trip on Sunday into Canterbury and noticed a shop selling Barbour so I went in and tried on a new one which was £249. My one was £100 unworn and the main difference that I notice is that the older Solway is probably about 3 times thicker than the latest offering. To say I am happy is an understatement. :tea:


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Paul D

Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Paul D »

Mercman wrote:Well my brand new 1990's Solway Zipper duly arrived from the auction site and it is superb. I took a trip on Sunday into Canterbury and noticed a shop selling Barbour so I went in and tried on a new one which was £249. My one was £100 unworn and the main difference that I notice is that the older Solway is probably about 3 times thicker than the latest offering. To say I am happy is an understatement. :tea:


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A fine jacket Sir, hope it serves you well :Hat:

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Mercman
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Mercman »

Thank you Paul... :cheers:

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Nigel Rainton
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Re: Which Barbour jacket do you wear?

Post by Nigel Rainton »

You have a bargain, it will last a lifetime :-)

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