Swazi Wapiti Jacket; read before purchase

[swagger700]

Ive got a swazi tahr xp bought shand off here for £140 it was like new never let me down but i wouldn't of paid £400 for one, when you look equivalent stoney creek is £240 makes me wonder about swazi. Didn't production go to Thailand or somewhere when the accountant stepped in.

 

[Farmer_J]

It's threads like these that keep me in army surplus gear. Crawling through icy puddles and heather after the hinds in a surplus gore-tex and buffalo mountain jacket is fine - I may be a bit damp but always warm, and I don't care if the jacket fails or rips because £35 will get me another.

I’m glad I’m not the only one!

 

[wicklow202]

The newer aegis gear is useless compared to the older gore text ones.
I've still got a wapiti, thar and trousers in goretex probably 10 years old and still good.
I bought a thar xp and trousers sold them within a couple of months neither was waterproof.

Two friends bought the wapiti and both jackets leaked on the shoulders and arms got rid of both jackets.

I've used kuiu and arcteryx the last few years, would highly recommend them.

 

[xavierdoc]

What useful thread.

I'm looking to replace my excellent Norrona Rekon, bought about 10years ago, secondhand. Chest pockets are great and it's still waterproof in driving rain. I've made running repairs but, like an old car that is more weld than chassis, it's time to retire it.

Sadly the new version looks poor (non waterproof main zip yet no storm flap <facepalm>)!) It has poor reviews from those who have clearly used it in earnest.

I had been looking at the Swazi Wapiti but the posts above have highlighted design shortcomings (no outer chest pockets!) and the customer service attitude sounds shocking for a premium product.

I'll keep looking.

 

[bluesako]

we could do with a product feedback section on here, to praise the good company,s, and name and shame the bad ones, their are some great company,s out there that do go the extra mile and then their is some who just want your £££££££££££££ bs

 

[RM100]

I've few Hoggs Of Fife items now, well made well used & well priced. First purchase was an issue with a hood, resolved in a phone call & recieved within two day's. Can't get myself to part with that sort of money when I can buy these & spend the change on equipment.

I agree very much. They have excellent customer service. For my level of stalking (weekends, lowland, light rain) conditions, they hold up very well.
My experience with them has been excellent, great products at sensible prices.

 

[Leec6.5]

There’s a lot the be said for an old fashioned wool swandri jacket

mines been thrashed for 10 years now, I think I’ll get another one in stock after reading this.

 

[User00040]

There’s a lot the be said for an old fashioned wool swandri jacket

mines been thrashed for 10 years now, I think I’ll get another one in stock after reading this.

Made in China now... I'd double check that it's actually made of wool!

 

[vulpes vulpes]

Just an update;

Swazi have continued not to accept any responsibility for this issue and I am having to arrange and pay for a repair, despite the jacket only being 11 months old and having had very light use.

So far and whilst i have been given the run around on this, I have been without the jacket for 5 months waiting for a resolution (of the now 17 months I have owned the jacket)

Any recommendations of an alternative manufacture of good quality stalking clothing who I should turn to in future?

Thanks,

Simon

Hi Simon,
As a out and out wet weather jacket, I’ve been using a Stoney Creek Tundra, it has never let in a drop of water, but it’s a cold jacket so you need to layer up underneath, the fabric is very tough though.
I’ve also had very good luck with deerhunter clothing, my Avanti smock has been excellent, very waterproof and warmer than Stoney Creek, it can also be found online at discounted rates due to the fact they change designs quite often.

 

[8x57]

I've few Hoggs Of Fife items now, well made well used & well priced. First purchase was an issue with a hood, resolved in a phone call & recieved within two day's. Can't get myself to part with that sort of money when I can buy these & spend the change on equipment.

In the past I've bought a few items from Hoggs of Fife and been really happy with all of my purchases. However I've recently bought one of their waxed waistcoats to replace my Belstaff waistcoat which has finally had to be relegated to workshop use only after 25+ years of sterling service. The new Hoggs waistcoat is O.K. but it's not the quality of my old Belstaff.
I never ever envisaged having bereavement issues over a waistcoat.

 

[Drum123]

we could do with a product feedback section on here, to praise the good company,s, and name and shame the bad ones, their are some great company,s out there that do go the extra mile and then their is some who just want your £££££££££££££ bs

This would be handy to have.Real life reviews instead of magazine hype.I bought into the swazi hype years ago.It was 400 quid down the drain .

 

[Rutland lad]

This would be handy to have.Real life reviews instead of magazine hype.I bought into the swazi hype years ago.It was 400 quid down the drain .

Feedback section - excellent idea. Exactly what we should be doing. Informing each other with real world reviews of kit.

 

[@theroedeerguy]

I have a Stoney Creek Tundra and find it to be well made and totally waterproof.
However in all but the heaviest downpours my go to jacket is a Kuiu Axis Hybrid which is brilliant. Really well made and perfect for the lowland Roe stalking I mostly do.

 

[jimmy milnes]

There’s a lot the be said for an old fashioned wool swandri jacket

mines been thrashed for 10 years now, I think I’ll get another one in stock after reading this.

Got 2 while I was working out there a green an an Elmer Fudd red/black cheque, had the Mrs take 4in off the bottom as I found them too long, then washed them too hot to tighten the weave.

 

[jon2]

I bought a Tahr jacket from them about 12 years ago and as others have said already it was the worst £400 ever spent. The first down pour experienced I got wet through to my under wear.

I sent it back to them in NZ and they said there was nothing wrong with it. I then had to pay postage in order to receive it. Absolutely the worst service I think I have ever experienced.

Since then I’ve never been seduced by the marketing BS and at the moment I use 2 goretex kags - one made by Rab and the other is Hagloff. Both have been faultless and cost a third of the price of the Swazi.

Swazi seem to keep in business though and I’m assuming from a continual stream of folk unaware of their garments short comings and Swazi’s appalling customer service.

 

[bluesako]

i bought 3 or 4 swandri shirts over the last 40 years, still got one, but the last one i bought didnt last a year, stitching was shi%e, it let the rain soak in like a sponge, arm fell of, oh yes it was made in china, sub standard product now at a very high price sad, so there is the first product review imho bs.

 

[Rusty Gate]

In the past I've bought a few items from Hoggs of Fife and been really happy with all of my purchases. However I've recently bought one of their waxed waistcoats to replace my Belstaff waistcoat which has finally had to be relegated to workshop use only after 25+ years of sterling service. The new Hoggs waistcoat is O.K. but it's not the quality of my old Belstaff.
I never ever envisaged having bereavement issues over a waistcoat.

Belstaff, bike jacket???

 

[Cows94]

Hi Simon,
As a out and out wet weather jacket, I’ve been using a Stoney Creek Tundra, it has never let in a drop of water, but it’s a cold jacket so you need to layer up underneath, the fabric is very tough though.
I’ve also had very good luck with deerhunter clothing, my Avanti smock has been excellent, very waterproof and warmer than Stoney Creek, it can also be found online at discounted rates due to the fact they change designs quite often.

I'm on the Tundra too. Brilliant so far & it's been treated to some pretty horrific Scottish downpours on several occasions now. Wore it everyday for a fortnight at the start of grouse last year in the peeing rain & never let a drop through

 

[Dawnrazor]

How breathable is the Tundra, are we taking bin bag like Ridgeline or Fortis or on par with Goretex?
I've always thought thier gear looked decent but I've thought that about other makes and they've turned out to be shite.

 

[Cows94]

How breathable is the Tundra, are we taking bin bag like Ridgeline or Fortis or on par with Goretex?
I've always thought thier gear looked decent but I've thought that about other makes and they've turned out to be shite.

On a par with gortex, it's a waterproof shell. Not warm at all but definitely keeps the wet stuff & wind out