Waxed Jackets - Anyone have any experience with them?

lmfy2k

lmfy2k

lmfy2k

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I’m looking at buying a jacket for everyday winter, I’ve always wanted a waxed jacket but a few things I’ve read about them puts me off.

1. They are not actually very warm
2. They get cold/damp when they get wet.
3. Any clothing you wear under will get wax on it?
4. Wax transfer to car seats etc
5. Wax melts if jacket kept in boot of car on a warmer day
6. Not a con but I know they need rewaxing when needed.

if true then. All seems a bit pointless.

I wear a shirt to work so will be wanting to wear it over that.

or is this the wrong use case? I.e keep the jacket at home in the porch and wear it for dog walking along with hunter boots :D

Am I better off getting a technical jacket?

I’ve also come across Frahm jackets too which look good https://frahmjacket.com/
 
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They go with a brace of pheasants and a Purdey on the arm. Probably as much a fashion statement as a truly waterproof garment. They smell, need time consuming rewaxing and easily get dirt embedded deep within them.

If I want to stay dry I use proper waterproofs and accept they don't breathe so are clammy, and are hardly front page of Vogue candidates.
 
There must be a reason why Barbour makes them and farmers wear them...And it must be a different kind of wax than those for candles. I mean you put wax on alloys and they get hot by the brakes. Right? I haven't looked into it but logic tells me it can't be all the same kind of wax.

I don't have a wax jacket but a bag, it weathers really well.
 
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My personal opinion so take it with a grain of salt. But one of the bigger advantages of waxed jackets in the past was their waterproofing ability. I think this is one of those things where modern man-made fabrics and materials are actually superior. A modern waterproof material is more breathable, lighter, can stretch more and is easier to care for. The Barbour style jackets are more of a fashion thing, usually by people who move to the country and want to gentrify themselves.

From a purely fashion point of view, I do quite like the style - and own one. Never really noticed much of transfer and I think it would have to be pretty warm to 'melt' the wax on it.
 
I own several Barbour waxed jackets. Some smarter ones to wear with jeans and a battered old 30 year old one which was hand-me-down from my late grandad.

Are they warm? Out the box, no - but the fur liner you can buy makes a world of difference
Do you sweat? The liner does make my arms sweat
Does the wax transfer to anything - Not in my experience
Are they waterproof - They do the job for me, I'm always dry after a dog walk in the rain or a walk to the shops - even in a deluge.
Do I re-wax? - Yes, every couple of years.

Do I love it? YES. They go with all my outfits, have loads of pockets for all my bits and bobs, and are virtually indesctructable.

Of course there are more modern jackets which are far superior in terms of breathability, warmth and waterproofness.
 
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I live in the countryside, have always had Barbour jackets just because my dad always did.

They are not as good as a proper modern water and windproof jacket or coat (also own these) as far as breathability and whatever technical ratings, but I like the style and wear mine often.

1. They are not actually very warm. Get a lined one or layer up.
2. They get cold/damp when they get wet. The waxed material does get cold but not damp on the inside.
3. Any clothing you wear under will get wax on it? The wax is on the outside material, inner lining protects clothing.
4. Wax transfer to car seats etc Yes when new the wax does transfer somewhat.
5. Wax melts if jacket kept in boot of car on a warmer day. Never noticed this, if it's hot and in direct sun then the wax does start to shine.
6. Not a con but I know they need rewaxing when needed. Yes, depending on use once a season or every couple of years.
 
The main benefit wax jackets have over "technical" jackets is that they are very very hardwearing. Snag a goretex jacket on a branch or barbed wire and its likely going to rip it and compromise its waterproof ability. That wont happen with a wax jacket.
That being said if you're just looking at one as a fashion accessory to give the impression your an outdoors sort with your hunter wellies... maybe not a concern :p
 
They are stylish nowadays but I would wager one of the big reasons they are popular with people who work outside is that they are robust. If I was working on a farm and took my lovely dry goretex arc'teryx jacket out it would probably last about a week before having holes in it. You don't have to worry so much with a Barbour.
 
Raymond Lin said:
There must be a reason why Barbour makes them and farmers wear them...And it must be a different kind of wax than those for candles. I mean you put wax on alloys and they get hot by the brakes. Right? I haven't looked into it but logic tells me it can't be all the same kind of wax.

I don't have a wax jacket but a bag, it weathers really well.
Click to expand...

I think they're quite 'rugged', the cotton material is a bit similar to denim in the way that it's quite resilient to abrasion etc. So farmers, or people going out on shoots etc through brambles - I can see the advantage over things like a modern waterproof material like gore-tex or equivalent.
 
Rimsy said:
The main benefit wax jackets have over "technical" jackets is that they are very very hardwearing. Snag a goretex jacket on a branch or barbed wire and its likely going to rip it and compromise its waterproof ability. That wont happen with a wax jacket.
That being said if you're just looking at one as a fashion accessory to give the impression your an outdoors sort with your hunter wellies... maybe not a concern :p
Click to expand...
this, for me, is the main selling point of wax jackets - they are (usually) very robust and a whole lot less prone to rips and tears than their more modern counterparts.
 
I've got a cheaper non branded one rather than a Barbour. The main advantage over them compared to a technical style walking jacket is, you can bundle through a hedge in it and it isn't getting ripped by brambles. That's why farmers etc wear them.

1. They are not actually very warm - Mine is lined and is toasty!
2. They get cold/damp when they get wet. - Not noticed to be honest.
3. Any clothing you wear under will get wax on it? - Its lined so nope.
4. Wax transfer to car seats etc - Probably but its quite thick so I always take it off when i get in the car anyway as it would be restrictive.
5. Wax melts if jacket kept in boot of car on a warmer day - I dont so not sure, but by melt, its not like it would fall off. It would just get tacky and firm up again once it cools down.
6. Not a con but I know they need rewaxing when needed. - Even a waterproof needs re waterproofing every so often. Its not like its every week.
 
Also, some of the branded wax jackets have quite good 'repair' services. Barbour for instance make a lot of their stuff in the UK and will repair (and rewax) the jacket if you send it to them.

Repair & Re-wax | Barbour

Maintain your waxed jacket, hood, hat, bag or dog coat with our specialist rewaxing service. Repairs and alterations are also available - get a quote today.
www.barbour.com www.barbour.com
 
Scottland said:
Also, some of the branded wax jackets have quite good 'repair' services. Barbour for instance make a lot of their stuff in the UK and will repair (and rewax) the jacket if you send it to them.

Repair & Re-wax | Barbour

Maintain your waxed jacket, hood, hat, bag or dog coat with our specialist rewaxing service. Repairs and alterations are also available - get a quote today.
www.barbour.com www.barbour.com
Click to expand...
Ooooh, I might rewax my bag ! Had it over 10 years now.
 
The other reason they were always popular is that because of the way it was waterproofed they're repairable. So a tear can be sewn closed or over patched and re-waxed. It's old technology. I like mine but it can be cold but that's layering for you. If I want to be warmer I wear more under it. Also unlike a modern fabric jacket no one seems to care about getting them dirty it's an accepted part of the deal.
 
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I love my Barbour, had it around 6 years. Rewaxed it once myself, bit of a pain, sent it back this year to be done by Barbour and it came back like a new jacket.

Really comfy, lightweight, waterproof, goes with any situation. Worth the uplift over other waterproofs imo.
 
As people have already rightly stated - wax jackets are intended to be sturdy 'water shielding' overcoats. They aren't meant to be warm (they don't breathe) on their own. Farmers/walkers wear them because they don't tear at the glance of a splinter.

I typically wear mine in this kind of weather - where it is 15/16 degrees but "nippy" with wind.

For any proper rain where I am not at risk of tearing, I wear a technical waterproof/Timberland thing from 15 years ago.
 
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They are hard wearing, but cold/stink etc.
When we were kids, my mum went through a phase of thinking she was a farmer because we lived in Wales and had 6 chickens - so the family got decked out in stinking wax jackets for day to day use which was a great cause of embarrassment to us.
 
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