GoreTex or waxed jacket for stalking?

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Omega

Well-Known Member
Hi, everyone,
Wonder why lots of farmers use waxed jackets while many deer hunters seem to wear GoreTex or similar modern looking jackets. Is it because hunters should try keeping things light and comfortable while waxed jackets seem are strong, but might be heavy?
I’m on a market for a hunting jacket thinking if I should get myself GoreTex Austrian army jacket or Barbour - I could use waxed jacket on my scooter (though I already have jackets for biking)
Thanks
 
Waxed jackets are tough and robust and withstand the rigours of barbed wire etc etc. They last forever and farmers will inherit their grandfathers and when they are done with they go down to next generations.

Modern Goretex jackets last a year or two or three. Are lightweight and comfortable to wear. But bloody useless if you get trampled by a Zebra or a Bull (as once described in an old Wax Jacket advert where the Jacket saved the owners life whilst on Safari).

A wax jacket should never be new. If you are not the type to inherit one and do buy a new one lay it in a muddy puddle and drive over it several times with a landrover. Then use it to wrap new born calves in. Then let the dog sleep on it. A quick blast with a pressure washer and its perfect and ready to wear.
 
I find wax jackets to be a bit sweaty, if you are doing more than just a gentle walk. But if the wax is in good fettle, they are really waterproof.
Goretex breaths more, but the ones I've were not that heavy duty. So might get torn up pushing through brush.

If you want to try goretex on the cheap, look at the ex British army ones. Unissued DPM for about 20quid. And if they get torn up in woodland stalking, it's not the end of the world. Not been stalking in mine, but have hiked on Dartmoor and work fine.
(If getting army goretex/mvp, try some for size as the chest sizings are huge. I assume they are sized to include wearing full webbing under them?!)
 
I looked at British surplus and cannot find unissued GoreTex jackets for £20, more like £70 though still cheaper than many hiking jackets
 
Omega said:
Hi, everyone,
Wonder why lots of farmers use waxed jackets while many deer hunters seem to wear GoreTex or similar modern looking jackets. Is it because hunters should try keeping things light and comfortable while waxed jackets seem are strong, but might be heavy?
I’m on a market for a hunting jacket thinking if I should get myself GoreTex Austrian army jacket or Barbour - I could use waxed jacket on my scooter (though I already have jackets for biking)
Thanks
Click to expand...
Wax jackets are heavy and sweaty. And, since Barbour changed focus to urban aspirational types and shifted production to the Far East, the quality is generally very poor. I would really avoid them if possible.

Army surplus gore tex are great. Any will do. The trade off is that most membrane based waterproofs are sensitive to thorns. Though there are quite a few that have an outer thorn resistant layer (though none of the Army surplus ones). A common solution to this is to actually wear the goretex underneath an outer layer (like an army combat smock).

There’s actually no perfect solution to this, but I don’t know of a single stalker who stalks in a wax jacket!
 
I always had a waxed jacket until I went on a week long camping and fishing holiday with my brother and a friend. It rained every day and my brother and me in our trusty heavy and drenched waxed jackets were soaked all week. Our friend had a plastic jacket and was relatively dry…. Goretex is definitely the way to go. You will sweat a bit but good wicking clothing helps. Far better chance of being dry than with wax. I have found the best ones have the gortex layer bonded to a wicking fabric as a drop liner. But they all work to some extent although some are thin and rip easily. I’ve had a few Harkila pro hunters which some grumble about but I have found a good compromise of durability and breathablity and waterproofing.
 
Utectok said:
I always had a waxed jacket until I went on a week long camping and fishing holiday with my brother and a friend. It rained every day and my brother and me in our trusty heavy and drenched waxed jackets were soaked all week. Our friend had a plastic jacket and was relatively dry…. Goretex is definitely the way to go. You will sweat a bit but good wicking clothing helps. Far better chance of being dry than with wax. I have found the best ones have the gortex layer bonded to a wicking fabric as a drop liner. But they all work to some extent although some are thin and rip easily. I’ve had a few Harkila pro hunters which some grumble about but I have found a good compromise of durability and breathablity and waterproofing.
Click to expand...
Harkila Pro Hunter is a good idea, and works quite well. However, it’s too hot for really active stalking (hills etc), and when really wet or crawling in grass/heather it can absorb truly enormous amounts of water, so you end up feeling like you’re wearing a dead goat. It then takes forever to dry out.
 
Mungo said:
Harkila Pro Hunter is a good idea, and works quite well. However, it’s too hot for really active stalking (hills etc), and when really wet or crawling in grass/heather it can absorb truly enormous amounts of water, so you end up feeling like you’re wearing a dead goat. It then takes forever to dry out.
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That is indeed true not perfect for everything. I’ve found it ok on the open hill and in winter round here. An ex us military goretex jacket also get a fair bit of use in the summer and so forth. I have a couple of battered pro hunters so can swap out if it’s really wet? There is no perfect solution though. A really thin goretex jacket is good with proper layering but then It fights with a fence ….
 
Omega said:
Hi, everyone,
Wonder why lots of farmers use waxed jackets while many deer hunters seem to wear GoreTex or similar modern looking jackets. Is it because hunters should try keeping things light and comfortable while waxed jackets seem are strong, but might be heavy?
I’m on a market for a hunting jacket thinking if I should get myself GoreTex Austrian army jacket or Barbour - I could use waxed jacket on my scooter (though I already have jackets for biking)
Thanks
Click to expand...
My Sister won a competition (she does lots) it was for Barbour products and won!
So she asked me to pick a coat that I would like Barbour Gold Standard in xl and it is a generous xl.
Cracking coat far better than the piece of s hit Harkilea make in rice cake land that is the same price.
Stalked in it last evening, nice poacher pocket no stupid rifle bolt pocket shot pigeons in cold wind with enough room to swing. Not that I do any driven shooting but is would work well.
won't take it wildfowling as I get covered and my long smock is better.
 
For value Military Surplus or Shooterking or Ridegline seem to be some of the best around currently
 
Army surplus jacket (pick whatever design you like with the pattern, pockets and so on the you feel appropriate) and wear your goretex or similar underneath when you need to. I really rate Paramo which I find quiet and effective, and is easy to maintain or repair. On the coldest days I might wear fibre pile (Buffalo or similar) underneath.

Paramo would work on your moped too. It is warmer than a single layer goretex on its own and after a few wet, grimy commutes you can chuck it in the washing machine with some Nikwax.
 
As it happens…I’ve just put up for sale a set of RAF DPM GoreTex jacket and bottoms in the classifieds. Great condition, about a 44’ chest. £45 to your door.
 
I am an ex farmer who never wore wax jacket's as cold, damp, sweaty things, the best material I find for stalking and general wear is wool based, it's called Loden, been around for about 1000 years, modern companies incorporate a Goretex or similar layer. Barbour used to do so, I still wear mine all winter.
 
Looks like the glut of cheap gortex (they call it mvp) ex-mil stuff had dried up. DPM and desert cam was the most abundant. MTP was about double the cost.
3-4 years ago, I had the micky taken out of me at work on rainy days. But when they found out how cheap they were a few more started to appear on the more the outdoor types.
Hiking over Dartmoor, early summer (so the rain was tepid), I found that a merino wool base layer and the ex mil goretex top and bottoms, was a good combination.
But the sort of stalking I do, is unlikely to be in rain. So never tried them out on the deer.
 
I bought a couple of Sankt Hubertos Austrian made Loden jackets, they are silent, warm, cool, plenty of pockets, and even a metal loop to fatsten your dog to on the back, not cheap but, I wear for shooting today. The Barbour is smarter so I wear for work.
 
Wax has its place, I have some Barbour leggings that I use for beating. Thorn proof, water proof indestructible, just need the occasional waxing.

The old wax coat was totally waterproof, it would stand up on its own on a cold day - an horrible thing.
 
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