Dual-Purpose Mountainwalking and Stalking coat -any recommendations?

[menial 1]

Brown Dog, I followed the advice of a forestry stalker in Scotland who swears by Swazi and Chris NZ off this site sourced me a Wapiti jacket that he is sending me from New Zealand as we speak, the price was £244 including postage.

The shop has a size 42" in stock at the same money if anybody is on the lookout for the same jacket. The only Swazi I could get in the UK was the Tahr anorak off the Ray mears site at £250 + postage.

Pete.

[Finman]

Reading this thread I was surprised not to see a mention for JactiJagd stuff. I bought their original 'package' for less than £200 and I have yet to be cold or wet in any of their gear. The coat is light yet does not rip, it is warm and positively waterproof. And, to be honest, with the amount of gear your money buys you, it is a bargain, plus, if they get ripped or in any other way damaged it won't break one's heart...I think that they are now offering their stuff in camo as well.

 

best wishes,

 

Finman

[spanner]

Le Chameau for me, brilliant gear.

[brown dog]

Brown Dog, I followed the advice of a forestry stalker in Scotland who swears by Swazi and Chris NZ off this site sourced me a Wapiti jacket that he is sending me from New Zealand as we speak, the price was £244 including postage.

The shop has a size 42" in stock at the same money if anybody is on the lookout for the same jacket. The only Swazi I could get in the UK was the Tahr anorak off the Ray mears site at £250 + postage.

Pete.

 

 

Chaps,

 

Just had my wapiti replaced under warranty -a seam sealing fault. Excellent service from Swazi.

 

However, although I hardly ever use a hood, I have noticed that the hood on both coats is a little too short for me.

 

As I know this will always bug the hell out of me, I'm offering the replacement coat for sale. It is absolutely brand new with tags still attached.

 

Immaculate, silent & soft 3-ply goretex. Size Large (42") in Tussock Green.

 

"For the outdoors person wanting a little extra refinement in high-performance rainwear, we've produced the Wapiti Coat from a soft, three layered Gore-Tex®. Features include extra strong full length, two-way YKK® sliders. Bellowed cargo pockets (you can fit a box of shells in each) are backed by toasty handwarmers. There's an inner map pocket, while the hood features our excellent new design. Sleeves and upper body are constructed to allow maximum freedom of movement. The adjustable Goretex® stretch cuffs provide the most comfortable wrist closures you will ever encounter - bar none!"

http://www.swazi.co.nz/Online-Shop/Wet-Wea...ar/Wapiti-Coat/

 

 

 

I got hit for tax on the replacement (£28). I'm prepared to let this go here for £245 plus £10 insured post.

 

No offers please. That price or don't PM

 

I'll run it here for 1 week, then it'll go on ebay.

[Ronin]

Sorry Matt, cannot resist

 

"However, although I hardly ever use a hood, I have noticed that the hood on both coats is a little too short for me".

 

Your neck is too long, or your head is too large sir.

 

 

 

"Immaculate, silent & soft 3-ply goretex. Size Large (42") in Tussock Green"

 

Now its my turn - unfortunately, this is 2 inches too small, or I would snap you hand off - the solution is not to lose weight by the way

 

 

 

 

Hope you sell it fast, it looks like a good deal to me.

[brown dog]

Sorry Matt, cannot resist

 

"However, although I hardly ever use a hood, I have noticed that the hood on both coats is a little too short for me".

 

Your neck is too long, or your head is too large sir.

 

 

[TOP_PREDATOR]

This maybe of interest.

 

Dave Hughes TV interview,Swazi founder/own

 

http://www.3news.co.nz/The-Wild-Man-From-L...46/Default.aspx

 

Video

 

http://www.3news.co.nz/Video/60Minutes/tab...ault.aspx#video

[menial 1]

I've used my Wapiti jacket for around a month since it arrived from New Zealand courtesy of Chris-NZ, thanks again Chris. It has been totally water and windproof and doesn't seem to pressure through the elbows when crawling or laying in damp conditions. I find the hood excellent although you can't pull it on unless you have the top of the coat open a little way. The coat is unlined so the range of seasons it will be useable are greatly extended compared to some of the stalking coats I've owned previously.

It's starting to break in nicely, a bit stiff and slightly noisy to begin with. The Goretex cuffs are brilliant with no ingress of water when glassing in the rain.

The price Brown Dog is asking for this coat is a steal in the UK, And if it had been a 46" I wouldn't hesitate to buy it as a spare for when I've worn out the one I have.

Can't recommend this equipment highly enough.

Pete.

[brown dog]

Pete,

 

Thanks for the write-up. I'm very disappinted to be letting the coat go - I need a coat that can work for me in an alpine blizzard; and there's something about the hood that just doesn't work for me. 3-ply goretex is definitely the way to go; feels as light and free moving as wearing a windproof smock.

 

Chaps,

 

I'm closing the 'gift' price offer. I'm away for a bit and then this'll be going on eBay (with a £245 start price!).

 

ATB

 

Matt

[brown dog]

Thought I'd just resurrect this thread; still on the lookout for a do-it-all coat that doesn't require a shrunken head. I've worn a Paramo Pajaro since ditching the Swazi 4 years ago. The Paramo really is a mountain coat and it's green; but fails totally on going prone on soaked ground; one day I'll have some goretex elbow and forearm patches sewn on it

 

Linked but different - not sure why I'm thinking about this now the sun is out! - One thing that's surprised me is the purchase of a pair of Rivers-West ranger trousers; had rather hoped they were a cheap(er) alternative to nomad.

 

Well........as waterproof as a tea towel. On crawling, water comes in freely through the unsealed seams; then wicks around the fleece with the end result that inside of the trouser becomes thoroughly damped (and positively soaked at the seams).

 

Had then rather hoped they would self-dry from body heat (as my nomads do from heavy sweat). No chance. Just stayed wet - I suspect the fabric is just waterproof (ie not breathable).

 

Overall: Not good!

 

Now tried Deerhunter, Nomad and Rivers West. Deerhunter: never understand why the membrane is right against your leg and the rest of the trouser material is left to get soaked? I could get the same effect wearing a polythene bag under a pair of Ron Hills ; Rivers West: - not breathable and not (as a garment) waterproof.

And nomad. Nomad seems to be the only one that does what it says on the tin.

 

In the almost 4 years since this thread started anyone found any new kit,that seems up to the task?

[tackb]

i cant really help apart from telling you about the swazi tahr smock that i use , i brought the original swazi one then replaced it with a ray mears one for the extra pocket , still not enough storage for me so i use a kifaru tail gunner 2 with the omni belt and this is about perfect for my hill stalking ! i love the swazi so much i brought the bib and brace trousers as well so now with the generous over lap even when on an extended crawl i stay dry which is more than can be said for regular trousers or any jacket with a zip! i'm going to fit some sort of under boot strap to the trousers to stop them riding up when crawling but thats mainly my height and not a design fault. i love the wired hood because i don't really like hoods at all so can roll it up when not in use round my neck so it doesn't flop about and also shape the hood to protect the rear of the scope when shooting in rain.

 

i'm interested to see where this thread goes because allthough i'm finally happy with the kit i use (my god it's taken a while !) i'm a self confessed kit addict and who knows you may discover something i really just cant live without!!!

[c18rch]

Go for the Harkila stuff. I've got a 7 year old paclite jacket that I wear all the time, summer, winter, stalking, beating, cycling, running, everything and the only thing that has worn out is the bottom of the zip. 100% waterproof. By far the best jacket I've ever had. They are expensive but you won't regret it. Some of the jackets come with a 5 year warranty now too.

 

Rich

[roeboy]

hello

 

ive had almost every jacket going and the smocks made by Arktis are easily the best as far as i am concerned.

 

http://www.arktisltd.co.uk/welcome.html

 

they do everything but if you get a waterproof one in olive you wont go far wrong, very light, totally waterproof and very tough

 

Regards

[eldon]

some interesting posts on this subject. I like most others have tried numerous kit and they all seem to have plus and minus's;

 

Goretex single skin Berghaus, ok but didn't seem that hard wearing and noisy.

Paramo, loved it but it just can't handle pressure. I wear a belt rig for stalking and the jacket leaked at the pressure points on the hips. It will self dry though.

 

Liked your idea of Paramo with goretex crawl patches. Put it to the manufacturer?

 

Deerhunter, I just don't get the liner idea. All the pockets are outside the liner so where do you put anything to keep dry? The trousers are ok but the press studded liner can create pressure points under my webbing belt/bumbag.

 

Snugpak pile shirt, similar to buffalo, I have worn this for a full day of rain whilst mountain biking and it was fine. Kept me reasonably dry (not waterproof as such) and adequately warm but this was exercising. Would assume it would be fine for hillwalking, read active, but probably not the solution for sedentary stalking situations. Handy side vents but too warm for the summer. Used it the other week and was melting so opened the side vents and paid the price. If you have seen the mosquitos around Strensall then you will know what i mean, I was eaten alive and accepted at the time but itched like mad after for 3 days all over

 

Funny your comments on hoods!

I also have a craghopper (I think) and the hood drives me mad. Up you can't see anything but the paramo has a cracking head volume adjuster so you can have it deeper or shallower as the need requires.

 

The search goes on but Paramo although too warm for summer is probably my best colder weather waterproof answer.

[Davy]

My Deerhunters are working well at three years old, they were a cheap set from a shop in Denmark and have really stood the test of time, the wife has even washed them and they still work. If I had to criticise them it would be because a couple of the pocket poppers have been damaged, no idea how..