Shooting times article on Tirolean loden

andreas1980

Well-Known Member
Read the article on loden in the shooting times and having used loden for a number years agree with its excellent quality and durability.

Do any of you use loden and what are your thought on it?

Cheers

Andreas
 
Its good as far as comfort is concerned and while not completely waterproof it will hold out a lot of water and as its made of wool will still keep you warm when it does get wet.

OK for woodland stalking but too dark for the open hill, on the hill it stands out looks black from a distance you can spot someone on the hill wearing loden quite easily even more so if its wet.
 
Its good as far as comfort is concerned and while not completely waterproof it will hold out a lot of water and as its made of wool will still keep you warm when it does get wet.

OK for woodland stalking but too dark for the open hill, on the hill it stands out looks black from a distance you can spot someone on the hill wearing loden quite easily even more so if its wet.

:thumb: +1 agree with everything you've said. Especially wet, it is way too dark. For the hill, I've found that much lighter colour tones work better...it's a shame those lighter shades of good wet weather clothing suitable for the hill/hind stalking are so hard to find, particularly at reasonable prices. The Nomad beige/yellow works, but the prices are so unreasonable!
At present I'm using original Swanndri tweed jacket bought quite a few years ago... but in the really wet weather have to use the Realtree gore-tex camo stuff. ATB
 
Last edited:
I have a Fjall Raven loden stalking jacket that is some twenty five years old now. The cotton detailing and cotton inner pocket linings have worn but it is still very warm and my favourite stalking / dog walking cold weather jacket. I only use it for woodland stalking as there are better lighter and more water proof fabric's for the hill. Also the style is just right and I have never seen another that I have liked more in any fabric. It will be a sad day when I have to finally part with it.
 
I have a long loden overcoat that replaces the oily Barbour on shoots that warrant tweed-suit-and-Trilby-type attire.
As such, worn perhaps twice a season, if I'm lucky.
 
:thumb: +1 agree with everything you've said. Especially wet, it is way too dark. For the hill, I've found that much lighter colour tones work better...it's a shame those lighter shades of good wet weather clothing suitable for the hill/hind stalking are so hard to find, particularly at reasonable prices. The Nomad beige/yellow works, but the prices are so unreasonable!
At present I'm using original Swanndri tweed jacket bought quite a few years ago... but in the really wet weather have to use the Realtree gore-tex camo stuff. ATB

Ah, the Swandri stalkers jacket. Must have bought mine at least 15 years ago. Been wearing mine for the last 5 seasons when working the spaniels on the pheasant. suprised they never became a more popular stalking jacket.
 
I hunted in Wyoming this fall at temperatures near -20C. I wore Dachstein loden gloves and hat, that I dyed brown from the grey. I also had a pair of green Loden breeches that I bought on Ebay as trousers for £20 and cut them down and sewed without the wife's help. I also had a wool base layer, wool sweater and Harris tweed jacket. I was 100% all wool in comparison to all my American hunting buddies that were wearing the latest camo fashions costing over $1000 altogether. Actually, everyone was impressed with my old-world wool outfit.

All theses fancy top-of-the-line camo Harlika stuff is just synthetic fibres that could be boiled down to fit in a tea cup. It works well when you are moving, but when you get stationary and wet, you get cold fast. And its slightly noisy. Animals have been using wool for millions of years and hunters for centuries.

Loden is just a term for "boiled wool" You can take any sweater that is several times too big for you and boil it down to something similar. Try it! Boil a piece for just 5 minutes! The tighter fibres will repel water better.

Good luck!
 
I've had the Swandri Stalking jacket for many years and I agree about it been to dark when wet. The Nomad is perfect. If you want to try a patterned wool try King of the mountain stuff. Very good I'm told and on my wish list!
 
I have a Fjall Raven loden stalking jacket that is some twenty five years old now. The cotton detailing and cotton inner pocket linings have worn but it is still very warm and my favourite stalking / dog walking cold weather jacket. I only use it for woodland stalking as there are better lighter and more water proof fabric's for the hill. Also the style is just right and I have never seen another that I have liked more in any fabric. It will be a sad day when I have to finally part with it.

Wish I still had mine as purchased from Richard c/o Chris Potter's about the same time. Is yours the one with a drop-down waterproof seat?

Cheers

K
 
I have a Fjall Raven loden stalking jacket that is some twenty five years old now. The cotton detailing and cotton inner pocket linings have worn but it is still very warm and my favourite stalking / dog walking cold weather jacket. I only use it for woodland stalking as there are better lighter and more water proof fabric's for the hill. Also the style is just right and I have never seen another that I have liked more in any fabric. It will be a sad day when I have to finally part with it.

I bought the same Fjäll Raven jacket about 25 years ago as well. I still use it for walking the dogs but i thought the quality of the finish was rubbish. Mind you i did buy it cheap.

Quote= deer man
I've had the Swandri Stalking jacket for many years and I agree about it been to dark when wet. The Nomad is perfect. If you want to try a patterned wool try King of the mountain stuff. Very good I'm told and on my wish list!

The swandri stalkers jacket i have is the mock tweed one, not the swandri green​
 
I bought the same Fjäll Raven jacket about 25 years ago as well. I still use it for walking the dogs but i thought the quality of the finish was rubbish. Mind you i did buy it cheap.

Quote= deer man
I've had the Swandri Stalking jacket for many years and I agree about it been to dark when wet. The Nomad is perfect. If you want to try a patterned wool try King of the mountain stuff. Very good I'm told and on my wish list!

The swandri stalkers jacket i have is the mock tweed one, not the swandri green​

So sad they don't offer this option anymore as just perfect for both hill and woodland:

SWANNI.jpg
 
I hunted in Wyoming this fall at temperatures near -20C. I wore Dachstein loden gloves and hat, that I dyed brown from the grey. I also had a pair of green Loden breeches that I bought on Ebay as trousers for £20 and cut them down and sewed without the wife's help. I also had a wool base layer, wool sweater and Harris tweed jacket. I was 100% all wool in comparison to all my American hunting buddies that were wearing the latest camo fashions costing over $1000 altogether. Actually, everyone was impressed with my old-world wool outfit.

All theses fancy top-of-the-line camo Harlika stuff is just synthetic fibres that could be boiled down to fit in a tea cup. It works well when you are moving, but when you get stationary and wet, you get cold fast. And its slightly noisy. Animals have been using wool for millions of years and hunters for centuries.

Loden is just a term for "boiled wool" You can take any sweater that is several times too big for you and boil it down to something similar. Try it! Boil a piece for just 5 minutes! The tighter fibres will repel water better.

Good luck!

All my wool jumpers are like that if the wife washes them. Brand new jumpers go into the wash and come out just the right size to fit action man and that stiff that you can stand them up on their own. Now I only buy synthetic jumpers from Decathlon.
 
Wish I still had mine as purchased from Richard c/o Chris Potter's about the same time. Is yours the one with a drop-down waterproof seat?

Cheers

K

Yes it has the drop down seat and as for quality I think it very good especially as its still going 25 years on except the cotton detailing that is. Drop down seat needed a but of repair but still works just fine.
 
I gave away all the Loden stuff and changed to modern fabrics... I love my Harkila Pro Hunter, keeps me dry and warm, not noisy. I enjoy my Deerhunter camo trousers, insulated, quiet and waterproof layered...
Loden gets wet, it soaks moisture and wont dry for ages!
Its like most woolen gear, if wet, its not fun anymore.
Also when tarveling abroad, the modern fabrics and functional gear is very lightweight and saves weight on the suitcase. A quick change, if needed, into some dry shirt when soaked stalking up the hills, no problem, a shirt weighs nothing...
I still use a Filz (felt) to seat on on highseats, keeps my .... dry and warm, but all my clothes are more modern fabrics....
 
All true and I would not buy new loden today. Just had a new Deer Hunter jacket come in the post today as it happens but still get the old loden jacket out when I'm close to home in woodland so not going to stay we for longer than it takes to walk back to the car. Mostly used for walking the dogs these days but there is something about the fit and style of the one I have that I just love.
 
I have some Fjäll Raven breeks and need some more size 32. I've looked all over the internet but think they don't make them anymore. If anybody can hlep me find some I'll be very grateful!!

I have a Fjall Raven loden stalking jacket that is some twenty five years old now. The cotton detailing and cotton inner pocket linings have worn but it is still very warm and my favourite stalking / dog walking cold weather jacket. I only use it for woodland stalking as there are better lighter and more water proof fabric's for the hill. Also the style is just right and I have never seen another that I have liked more in any fabric. It will be a sad day when I have to finally part with it.
 
Back
Top