Dual-Purpose Mountainwalking and Stalking coat -any recommendations?

[brown dog]

Wondering if anyone could help in my never-ending search for the ultimate coat; I've run out of ideas.

 

I'm looking for something that'll do for mountainwalking and stalking use.

 

Was thinking of a paramo pajaro; but had the chance to use Paramo kit on a course recently; learnt that it's brilliant as long as you stay vertical; you can't lean on your elbows or kneel in it without water coming through at the pressure points.

 

And mountain goretex seems to come in any colour but green.

 

Anyone got any recommendations?

[kip270]

Well i bought two Kammo jackets at a gamefair, one in camo and one in green, and they are very good, especially that i had two for one

[nemasis243]

I was recommended buy a proffessional culler the year before last to have a look at a SWAZI smock, its the best thing I have ever bought, I have stood and crawled on the hill most of the day in rain and not got wet, it has a wired hood and a draw string waist and is quite long in the lenght.

If you go onto Ray Mears Site it is the smock he uses.

They are made in New Zealand , there light but have a real good 3layer Gortex lining.

They come in 3 colours , a fawny/gray ,green,and camo, but the camo are special order.

I was recommende to buy the fawny/gray and you would think it would stand out on the hill , but infact it blends in very well,

I paid about£240 2years ago and if they go up another £100 I would still buy another,

They also do coat style aswell but I havent had the pleasure of trying one.

I bought mine through Bushwear but they are now sold buy these people.

http://www.tamarackbushcraft.co.uk/disppro...p;filterb=Swazi

 

Hope this helps

[brown dog]

Nemasis, Kip,

 

Thanks for the speedy answers! Those are both pretty heavy options (particularly the Kammo, those coats are a 2 man lift!)

 

What I'm after is something light enough to go in a daysack (and still have some space left to put other things in too!), good enough to deal with Highland storm etc and tough enough for a crawl

 

...I'm thinking of something in a technical mountain fabric such as eVent or goretex xcr with reinforced elbows but can't seem to find anything that fits the bill..I thought paramo was the answer until I had the chance to give it a beasting

 

Something along these lines: http://www.rathbonesofkeswick.co.uk/item/p...ent-jacket/206/ ....but, as you can see, the colours are rather sub-optimal for stalking!

 

The only green goretex around seems to be the Harkila stuff, but it's priced at around double normal mountain stuff (£300 +)

 

So I'm a little stuck!

 

Thanks

Matt

[Ronin]

I have a Laksen Sika, jacket and trousers, that ive been using for 3 years or so - used them twice in CZ comps anyway and loads of stalking / foxing foray's.

 

Very good and reasonably light weight when wet.

 

Keeps you dry and warm in all but sub zero conditions (when youve sat in a high seat for an hour or two- I defy any jacket to keep the chill out)

 

I prefer it to my Kammo jacket any day in all but the coldest conditions.

 

I think there is a brand from Norway that is pretty good, thats sold over here by one of the internet climing / walkers shops - falderjan??? (similar name anyway)

 

Know people with Harlika - its good but spendy

[Alec]

If you are looking for a more mountain technical type of jacket I would put my money on a Mardale Alpine pile pullover

 

http://www.mardale.com/alpine_pile.html

 

I have one in olive green and black, all of the shoulders and the back side of the arms are reinforced. I've had mine for nearly 4 years and have worn it in the cairgorms in february and walking in summer showers as the vent zips are really good for regulating temperature. Have even worn it canoeing and got a dunking and it still stays warm and as dry as can be expected.

 

The fabric is a little noisy but if you're considering goretex and the like then its not too bad.

 

Would be my choice anyway.

 

Regards

Alec

[brown dog]

Ronin, Thanks, I wasted £70 on a seeland lingfield -which has the waterproof properties of a kitchen towel and am now 'off' scandinavian shooting kit ; I'm really wanting to track down a piece of dual-use (so I can use it hillwalking with the brats as well as for Highland stalking) proper mountain kit.

 

Alec, I'm with you on the montane idea; I've used a lot of buffalo over the years..I've got buffalo everything: salopettes, mountain shirt, wind shirt, mountain jacket, mitts (on my 3rd pair) etc from previous jobs in cold places; absolutely swear by it.....I'm cursed with sweating at the thought of exercise and buffalo is what made arctic stuff comfortable (well, less uncomfortable!) for me -particularly the mitts. ....I only use the mountain and windshirts for Highland stuff -until recently usually under a cotton windproof smock - [opportunity for a gratuitous posing photo: ]but find they're a little lacking on the crawl -particularly in the wet elbow and stomach department. I'm really after a decent shell.

[Bambi-basher]

Another vote for Swazi, it is the jacket of choice for mountain hunting in NZ, I have a Wapiti Jacket this is a Gortex shell so is light. I wear it while walking as well. The other light weight jacket I have is a Arkais anorak this packs down into something that will fit in your pocket but is not totally silent.

 

Swazi jacket in NZ mountains.

 

Best rgds

 

B-b

[Oly]

I do like the look/sound of that Swazi, but just another for the pot - my uncle uses a Barbour Berwick Endurance which he uses nearly daily and loves it. But I havent tried it myself and he mainly uses it for farming/beating so not sure on the old damp elbow syndrome!

 

http://www.barbourbymail.co.uk/newproduct....medium=referral

 

Craghoppers do a nice forest green jacket although doubt it'll be quiet, but looks like good value at only £80

 

http://www.craghoppers.com/webapp/wcs/stor...951_11051_13834

[Ronin]

BD

 

I do believe I see grey hair sneaking in under the deer stalker old chap

[brown dog]

BD

 

I do believe I see grey hair sneaking in under the deer stalker old chap

 

 

 

Just re-read all this; and I've finally managed to notice that both nem and B-b have mentioned that the wapiti is lightweight ...I had assumed it was a heavy coat.

 

Tamarack seem to have stopped selling them; anywhere else selling them in UK?

[Wsm]

Unfortunately Tamarack don`t import Swazi any more but you might drop on lucky if they`ve got anything left ex stock

 

Swazi have their own web site and ship to the UK so thats probably the easiest option http://www.swazi.co.nz

[Bambi-basher]

NZ Outfitters are the UK importers, I will PM you a number if you like.

 

Best rgds

 

B-b

[col48]

NZ Outfitters are the UK importers, I will PM you a number if you like.

 

Best rgds

 

B-b

 

if you are on about rob bb he did not have any at the game fair

 

ATB

Colin

[Bambi-basher]

if you are on about rob bb he did not have any at the game fair

 

ATB

Colin

 

He was waiting for a order to come from NZ, I should think it is here by now but you never know with Swazi, 6 years ago I couldn't even buy a Swazi jacket in NZ, so I got a Huntec one, still a good jacket but Huntec now have their jackets made in China so I couldn't recommend one now.

 

All the best

 

B-b

[TOP_PREDATOR]

Another vote for Swazi,i have huntech jacket too,Swazi gear is far better.

[Lester Cornkrake]

Berghaus has always done the business as far as jackets/fleece are concerned and coupled with deerhunter trousers I'm very happy.

[JC275]

I tend to go down the route of buying lightweight mountain jackets and using them for stalking and work with fleeces or swanni shirts underneath, the trick is getting them in subdued colours. I had a great one from Lowe Alpine, another from Cabelas and i'm using a Regatta one at the moment which only cost about £30 but is performing well. Cabelas is well worth a look but give them a ring and take their advice on sizes before ordering. JC

[auquhollie]

If you are looking for a more mountain technical type of jacket I would put my money on a Mardale Alpine pile pullover

 

http://www.mardale.com/alpine_pile.html

 

I have one in olive green and black, all of the shoulders and the back side of the arms are reinforced. I've had mine for nearly 4 years and have worn it in the cairgorms in february and walking in summer showers as the vent zips are really good for regulating temperature. Have even worn it canoeing and got a dunking and it still stays warm and as dry as can be expected.

 

The fabric is a little noisy but if you're considering goretex and the like then its not too bad.

 

Would be my choice anyway.

 

Regards

Alec

 

Well im away to Siberia in the next week so i also was looking for some warm gear (-35 at the moment). Lucky for me my work gave me the open cheque book routing . I have ordered one of the Alpine pile pull overs along with several hundread pounds of other (GREEN) warm weather gear. I will have to do a write up on it when i get back from freezing off my fluffy plums next month

 

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[brown dog]

Berghaus has always done the business as far as jackets/fleece are concerned and coupled with deerhunter trousers I'm very happy.

 

Green berghaus? Could you give a coat name / type ..thanks!

[bramble basher]

bd tamarac are worth a try even though they don't stock swazi anymore they still have some very good gear in fact they just don't stock any rubbish at all

[brown dog]

Wahay!

 

Following all the advice; just took delivery of a Swazi Wapiti from a pal in NZ.

 

First impressions of the coat: excellent!

[kip270]

Keep us updated on your views of this jacket over the coming months

[brown dog]

Keep us updated on your views of this jacket over the coming months

 

 

I shall run outside and jump in a puddle immediately

[Elwood]

I shall run outside and jump in a puddle immediately

 

Photographic evidence of the above mentioned act please, if only for a funny caption competition