What ideas do you have for the Ideal waterproof Smock?

...Not the fancy companies smock fault I add .....it's me and my physiology...

given the number of people who honk off, me included, about clothing that costs hundreds of pounds and which appears to have been made from discarded Tesco carrier bags and binliners, it would appear that its not just you...
 
I'm not blaming the manufacturers , just to get that clear ....

I'm not fit .....I used to be .....very ....competed nationally etc ...still sweated like a Dundee nurse in a saudi court room .
Just could keep the pace then ....😂😂😂

The gear I had was excellent & I was dry & comfy when in wet .....as long as I wasn't trying to hike on miles & or up hill .....if I'm moving and it's dry ....I'm going to try removing the smock or jacket and carry until you rest again then get benefit of it .....

Some people just expect to be bone dry after yomping on and it's not coming from the outside ! It has to go somewhere and won't evaporate if your covered up .

Taking a while to come to terms with it , but realise it's just me I'm a sweater ...that's it .....so try to work that into my hunting accordingly to try to maintain heat , dryness and practicality of course

Paul
 
Yes, I run hot too & always have a roe-sack or similar to carry a coat for when I'm moving about.
 
I'm not blaming the manufacturers , just to get that clear

i am.

there are manufacturers out there selling 'hunting' clothing that is no more breathable than the £20 waterproofs you see at your local agricultural shop. by its very definition a 'hunting' jacket has to be able to cope with what happens when its wearer goes hunting - we move around, we generate heat, we might be carrying a daysack.

if we accept that clothing shouldn't have to cope with that because its our fault that we move around, then we should stop paying £300 for a jacket and stick to the £20 pak-a-mac instead, as they perform in the same way.

like you, i'm an old fat sweaty ******* who used to be a racing snake - 300 miles a week on the pushbike, and i could walk 60 miles a day with a big rucksack and do it every day for a week when i was 25 - but that does not change the fact that we shouldn't be able to, having paid hundreds of pounds for a jacket that claimed it could, walk for an hour in gentle but persistant rain at 3c without our clothes being wringing wet with sweat.
 
I've got a rivers west smock which I like, high collar to keep wind and rain out, magnets to fasten pockets so silent but strong. I do sweat like a river if I'm moving about a lot but then it's 100% waterproof so I expect that and it isn't meant to be breathable. What I don't like about it is that it has the same fleecey texture on the inside and outside. Great in the fact it's very quiet when moving but you can't wear it over a normal fleece without the two materials acting like velcro and sticking together to the extent where I can't actually get it off without the other clothing coming with it!
 
i am.

there are manufacturers out there selling 'hunting' clothing that is no more breathable than the £20 waterproofs you see at your local agricultural shop. by its very definition a 'hunting' jacket has to be able to cope with what happens when its wearer goes hunting - we move around, we generate heat, we might be carrying a daysack.

if we accept that clothing shouldn't have to cope with that because its our fault that we move around, then we should stop paying £300 for a jacket and stick to the £20 pak-a-mac instead, as they perform in the same way.

like you, i'm an old fat sweaty ******* who used to be a racing snake - 300 miles a week on the pushbike, and i could walk 60 miles a day with a big rucksack and do it every day for a week when i was 25 - but that does not change the fact that we shouldn't be able to, having paid hundreds of pounds for a jacket that claimed it could, walk for an hour in gentle but persistant rain at 3c without our clothes being wringing wet with sweat.

I see where you are coming from ...agree to a point .....but here's the kicker

My own humble opinion is that there is not a fabric / material around yet designed for. Old fat sweaty bu55ers or young fit sweaty versions .... that can wick away all the moisture being produced when your exerting yourself hard / still keep you bone dry .

If and when someone produces an item of clothing that you can be bone dry in a storm or crawling across wet ground or whilst yomping up steep hills & be same bone dry inside , that can wick away that moisture without retaining it on the inside of the clothing THEN you'll have a best seller

But waterproofing vs breathability is always a compromise ......not taking into account said sweaty bar stewards

Paul
 
Caorach we have been doing this for many many years and people have in the civilian world haven't taken to it as our military clients have. We agree that is the best system but it is not a system in demand from the market at the moment.

I think that marketing has a lot to answer for in that people have been sold the idea that they need a hugely specified waterproof jacket if they are to survive in the outdoors while the actual truth on the majority of days is that they'd be much more comfortable in a jacket that wasn't waterproof. I'm out about 100 days per year in Ireland and the Outer Hebrides at fishing, stalking, sheep, walking and a load of other stuff and I'd guess that I need the waterproof liner in my windproof smock maybe 5 - 10 days per year. This means that for 90+ days I'm more comfortable in a non-waterproof jacket and on days when it looks like I might need it then a waterproof layer is in my bag or pocket. Marketing something which is perceived to have a less "hi-tech, over engineered" spec would be next to impossible even though it is better suited to the job.
 
Agreed, 100%. I am of the same opinion.
I think that some people are under the impression that they should never be anything other than bone dry all over. If that is what they want they should stay indoors!
As Sauer has said, the fabric that will do that has not yet been invented ( other than bricks and mortar), everything else is a compromise. It only depends on what your level of compromise is. Personally, I don't object to being a bit damp as long as I am warm. This means, as caorach has said many times,being prepared to layer with appropriate garments when required.
 
the present day smocks all seem a variation of a theme originally everyone in New Zealand used a swan-dri and then a company called hunt tech decided to up date it with modern materials i worked with the original smocks the first was actually a cape that had a hood and only covered the back and shoulders then they moved on all the modern smocks have a few problems for my taste the sizes are all over the place, they are difficult to regulate body heat, i like the front bino pocket to be much bigger and a little lower this pocket tends on most of the modern smocks to stop you opening up the front to ventilate i also like a big pocket on the back that will carry a spare fleece for when sitting after walking hard, the cuffs i prefer are neoprene dry suit type but must be able to be adjusted coats must have a raglan type cut and bi swing back to allow for movement it is better the smocks have space in them with a means to tighten if required if the smocks are to tight its a pain to get off with a fleece on, pockets can be removable but front and back not on the side PM me if you want more info as i have a lot of past experience with this type of smock and i will sort out my notes for you
 
Idea for a smock ?

Yeah a full frontal zip and call it a jacket .....easier to get on n off and you can open it right up let air in

Paul
 
No velcro - Popper buttons for tightening cuffs or elastic inner cuffs.
No My Fjallraven has magnet closures = silent operation is a much better system IMO.

Two front rectangular panels folded up inside on said magnets that can be folded out to cover the upper thighs holding the heat in when high sitting as that"s where I suffer most
 
I had country covers make me one about 4 years ago with side zips as per buffallo style. Having given it a lot of therapy over that time the main points are
The pouch(hand) pocket is either not deep enough or the zips too long as things can fall out quite easily (doesnt happen with a buffalo)
Front pouch pocket is fine for binos
Not quite long enough in the back.
Side zips are fantastic as im a sweater too.
However with the flock lining its TOO warm for mobile work, unless its less than 5 degrees so much so i dont even wear a t shirt under it even when its minus degrees.
Well worth the money and with a few changes and a choice of lining fantastic
 
Ideal smock ? eemm hard to get something that will please everybody, however Caorach's simple system is dam near perfect I have been using similar for many years just getting the setup wrong re goretex on the outside with his advice with the goretex on the inside it works surprisingly well and very cheap tp boot I did however purchase a deerhunter tempest smock off a member on here and it really is a great hunting smock with hand warmer pockets and a binocular pouch at just the right size and height also has one other pocket for storing small items extra ammo ect if only it had a fixed hood I think it would be even better quiet and warm its impressed me a lot recently.
 
Suggest you get hold of an Original Cammo Kodiac coat and have a very good look.

Namely Reinforced tape on shoulder with stud so stops sling slipping off. Offset studs on pockets so they dont click if undone.

Rear folded drop down closed cell waterproof insulated pad to sit on. Detachable fleece lined handwarmer pockets so you can remove/wash/replace. Decent plastic kips, bino harness attachment stud (or thermal attachment to stop it bouncing around. Mesh lined side pockets to let blood and alike out. Under arm ventilation system. High collar with provision for detachable gortex hood. Correct positioning of handwarmer and other pockets. Handwarmer pockets need to be deep. Inner zipped pocket on both sides for keys/mobile. Would be very handy to have left sided shoulder pocket but not right, which normally interferes with correct butt positioning.

Exterior pocket loop/d ring to attach zinger to for ease of use of calls and alike.

Olive colour and with gotex liner and RRP of £150 OR LESS.

d
 
I've got a Dutch army DPM jacket with a goretex liner and a fleece liner. No velcro so silent, and now washed with Nikwax is waterproof no matter which combination of liners is used.

+1. I also use Dutch army DPM Gortex jacket. Great bit of kit. However, I pair it with a British army cold weather jacket in the winter. In the summer I use a Country Cover smock. Rip stop material with big chest pocket. Lasted well and is light. I tend to walk rather than sit and wait so a long back isn't of interest to me.
 
Back
Top