Hunting Jackets and the Capalbio

[BirdofSydney]

On the subject of waterproof country clothes, has anyone had experience with teflon-coated tweeds? The Thrie Estates mill in Hawick has produced some fantastic looking tweeds in which the wool is given some sort of teflon coating. The result is that water just beads up on the surface of the cloth and runs straight off - just like a non-stick frying pan. I'm not sure whether it is a gimmick or if it is truly a useful innovation for country clothes. It's been a couple of years since I last saw this cloth - the fact that it has not become hugely popular might say something about how well it works.

There are a few fabrics about with this treatment. I actually own a tie that claims to be stain resistant (yes, it is silk, and yes it looks lovely), on which spilled liquids bead to some extent (or so the advertising suggests, I've not been inclined to test it!).

I'm not sure that the lack of proliferation suggests that it doesn't work, so much as either that there is an inherent conservatism/scepticism about these things, or that it's not marketed terribly effectively. Or, even, that people are buying their country clothes, by and large, on the basis of form, rather than function, factors.

-Eden

[couch]

Gents,

In case anyone is still looking at this type of tweed field jacket I wanted to mention that Barbour has a model:

http://www.barbour.com/Product/profile. ... mens=false

The web picture is really poor, but the basic cut is virtually identical to the others mentioned in this thread. Similar features: leather-piped shell pockets with flaps that can be snapped up via tabs from the had-warmer pockets, technical drop interlining for "waterproof and breathable" service, adjustable drawstring waist, two side-zip waterproof-lined game pockets in the rear skirt, waterproof lining of the lower 8-10 inches of skirt, etc. There are discreet grommeted vents under the arms, and a diamond-shaped gusset there for ease of movement. The hand-warmer pockets are set in to an angled seam that meets this insert, which is the one minor style point that differs from the basic type (which has floating pockets). Barbour must have read DDM's post, because the storm cuffs are like sleeve-gaiters of waterproof nylon with a covered elastic edge, split as DDM's from attachment to edge, and closeable with a snaps. So you can choose to open them for gun-swinging or not.

Eljo's in Charlottesville had (probably still has) it on sale for 20% off, which is significant for a coat in this price range (http://www.eljos.com/). Myles told me that Barbour is not going to bring this model forward next year in the U.S.--he thinks because of the price (comparable to the others David listed).

The washable tweed is a good color for me; the only minor quibble I have is that the brown color of the washable leather band at the outside base of the collar shades a bit more to the purple than the tweed calls for (a more russet shade, like the plush collar lining, would have been better) but it's a very small area on what is otherwise quite a handsome and supremely functional jacket. No Barbour branding visible anywhere on the exterior.

[Leon]

Musto make clothes out of a Teflon coated tweed. I have my eye on this coat:

http://www.musto.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2802

But it is dry clean only, unlike the Barbour.

Leon