All round waterproof coat

blaserf3

Well-Known Member
I'm looking for a new waterproof coat. Don't like smocks as prefer full zip. Lowland stalking, rough shooting and a bit of wildfowling. Fed up making my mind up and then seeing some really crap reviews. Considered Swazi wapiti, fortis Falklands and Sitka cold front. Any recommendations or comments?
 
Nomad UK, I have a hooded smock and it really is as good as they say, they also do a hoodless full zip version called the game shooter coat. The website is rubbish but the kit is fantastic.
 
Get yourself a surplus windproof smock and a surplus Goretex and you have the ideal clothing system for our climate and for stalking. Inexpensive and it works well in all UK conditions. The pockets on the smock are great and it is available in a range of colours including the DPM and MTP cammo plus black, green and blue.

The smock is polycotton and so not 100% waterproof, but very showerproof once treated with something like Diver Dave's Repel solution, which means it is very breathable, you will be warmer, more comfortable and drier in it on most days you will be out stalking. On very wet days wear the goretex layer UNDER the smock, so you are still silent and have all your pockets but now you are 100% waterproof. The minute the rain stops the goretex layer comes off and you are back to being breathable.

There isn't a better system for UK stalking at any money.
 
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What Caorach says ... He posted about this umpteen times & if anyone knows through experience what works it's him... Out half year in some of Scotland's worst weathers ....
What he advocates is a fraction of some of the big names prices so surely worth a punt ....?
If not for you .... You could move them on here & not lose serious cash

Only " downside" is lot of folks do not like being out / seen in "camo"

But some of the newer patterns are really effective

Look back thru Caorachs posts .... He's even taken the time to show via pics how different a patterns hold up in different types of ground / cover

Hope this helps

Paul
 
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Sitka over any of the Euro gear... be aware though, sitka gear made for cold weather is made for Alaska cold, not Yorkshire cold! lol... I have a friend who is a sitka sponsored guide in New Hampshire.. I can connect the two of you if you like, he can get any of the Sitka gear with discounts..

Or, has been said already, Kuiu which is a better choice for UK weather (better colours too.. the sitka gear tends to be much more snow and wood oriented rather than conifers and greens, i.e. temperate zones) The better suited sitka ground camo is only available from Sitka Russia apparently!

he's sponsored by Kuiu too! lol

My only concern with Kuiu is that it's main USP is ultra light weight... its seriously amazing gear but I don't think it would necessarily stand up to rough shooting or wildfowling, it is a lightweight layering system rather than a rough and tough jacket.. sitka is slightly more heavy weight.. Have a chat with James if you get in touch, he's a brit in the states and will be able to guide you with knowledge of the gear and our climate.
 
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I also don't like smocks. A full zip allows far better heat control. I think of trying a Ridgeline Mallard jacket. Just as an allround lightweight jacket. Not very expensive, if it doesn't suit I can always use it to train the dogs, do some outodoor work, etc...... seems very good model. Not to long.
 
i have the nomad smock and atheir coat that zips both great prosuct and british

Ridgeline useless buy a binliner you will sweat less

Fortis or country covers ( or whatever they called this week ) attrociuous product leak like a sieve and their manager / owner oliver is rude and ignorant
 
The military jackets are impossible to beat for the money.

For really foul weather which can come up, I also use a fishing jacket, like which is long, totally waterproof, full zippers, made for four season wear on a boat, layering sweaters and shirts.
 
I got fed up with the cost of shooting waterproofs so having looked around at posts on here I followed the advice of Caorach, Sauer et al and went down the army surplus route.
If you are happy with cammo then without a doubt the british surplus system is excellent, personally I prefer plain so I got an Austrian Army mountain jacket for about £40. best waterproof Ive ever had by a long chalk. For me, zero reason to spend more money on a coat that needs to get used crawling about through blackthorn and scrub.
 
Was in Aboyne today and had a look in Hill Trek at their jackets.

Seem to be really quite promising, look tougher than the paramo (which they also sell)

Seem to come up big though, I'm a large in everything that i wear and it drowned me in the Hill Trek offering.

Other than that, if they weren't so expensive i would have one!
 
Agree with the general concencus on ex military gear. What I think you are looking for was an original Kammo Kodiak coat, ake made by Trueman Neilson in Welshpool. Originals were extremely good,hard wearing and very well thought out. I have one, very rarely worn as too warm for normal UK weather. Countryside covers do very good gear and worth a look. Alternatively get into a big fishing tackle shop and look at the coats.

D
 
Dan

I am heading over there on Saturday to look at jackets, did you look at the Askival jacket by any chance?

Ventile outer and Nikwax Analogy inner.

Thanks
 
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