Clothing: what do you wear for inclement weather?

Im trying to find a good (perfect) coat/jacket for the british weather
any thoughts?

If you are looking for a single coat, then you are asking for the impossible. Having lived in England for quite some years, there is one thing that you can count on.. About 20 distinct types of rain. Everything from spotting drops, through drizzle, rain, down pour, sideways, and even bouncing back up.

The bigger problem is that in a given day, you will go from sunny, to cloudy, to drizzle, to rain, to sunny back to drizzle, to sunny, to sudden down pour, to spotting, then sunny... and that is just to morning.

If you wanted just one jacket. I'd suggest Gortex. If you can find something like a Remington lightweight Gortex hunting jacket in green, and bring an umbrella. As far as shoes go. If you are doing the country side, bring good support hiking shoes. Your feet will thank you.

Matt.

I Simonius wrote in post #10470419
Im trying to find a good (perfect) coat/jacket for the british weather
any thoughts?

depends on what is your style...

outdoor/trekking type?
city chic?
ultra fashionista?

well, i leave that up to you but i can offer some input on types of garments...

1) layering works best... yes, even in very cold weather...
a nice performance knit base layer will help keep your skin dry and it will either keep you cool or keep you warm.

a nice insulating layer such as a sweater to polarfleece and even technical polyfill jacket will do a great job... move over to down if it is very cold... but most modern polyfill can do enough to keep you warm without the bulk.

dupont thermoloft micro, primaloft and the likes... very technical, very light, and very warm... even when wet.

for down jackets, read on contents and find one that has the higher percentage of down... standards and labeling criteria differs per brand but usually, try to find one that is higher than 85% down and also the fill power is important... normally Goose Down > Duck Down and try to find a fill power of about 600 and above... maybe even 700 with the modern down technologies...

as for shell jacket... problem with gore tex is that it will keep the moisture out, but it will also keep your moisture in. there are varying degrees of coating and laminations... but the more technical they get, the stiffer and more uncomfortable the garment becomes.

unless you're hanging my your fingers off the face of a mountain, normally, a lighter duty coating or laminate works well... heck, i've even seen amazing fabrics from japan that are so densely woven (without sacrificing soft hand touch) that it is waterproof without any coatings.

a light coating or laminate with a stronger DWR (Durable Water Repellent) treatment on the shell fabric is a better option for the normal daily wearer...

hope it helps...
holla if you want more mumbo jumbo about garments... hahaha

i talk to much....

Just a few little things I've noticed:

1) do try and get a waterproof setup that is breathable, ie one that keeps the water out whilst not locking yours in. I've a very cheap set of waterproofs and they work at keeping the rain out, but they also lock so much in that you end up sweating yourself wet anyway (esp if your wandering around with camera gear and such or even just doing a lot of exericse/walking).

2) Jacket or coat - if you go for a waterproof jacket make sure you get bottoms too - even if they are cheap ones (factory shop £5 rollup set). I find that jackets will keep the water off very well, but will also let the water run around the base and you end up with two massive wet patches (normally right above your pockets I find) which gets progressivly more annoying the longer your out in the rain.
Coats are better all in one as they cover your legs more and tend to fan out at the base more so than jackets.

3) Size - there are some really fantastic coats out there, but the problem is then bulk. Great for a wet day when you head out into the weather to start with, but not so good if the weather starts nice and then makes a shift to rain - because chances are you've left the large coat at home. I've a really small set of waterproofs that take up no space at all (yah ultra cheap ones.. gotta change them for something more highclass and breathable at some point!) and its great to have them to hand when the weather turns

4) Ponchos - again these can fold up to be really small and easy to pack and are great for a quick throwover solution if the heavens open and the rain falls down in buckets. I also find them great for throwing quickly over a tripod and camera or even camera bag - anything really that you need a quick waterproof cover over.

I use my old set of breathable sailing kit when its chucking it down, but it's an expensive option. For lighter use a breathable "mid layer" jacket is my preferred waterproof, warm and dry without the weight of my heavy duty sailing kit.

Like Overread, I've also got a cheap plastic (red ferrari) poncho and for shooting at wet motor racing events its perfect, because it shelters the camera and lens as well. However, because its not breathable It's not as comfortable to wear for hours at a time. But matched with a set of cheap cycling waterproof overtrousers its fine for showery weather.

http://www.paramo.co.u​k/en-gb/index.php

this is an excellent system, a little pricey but its better to only have to buy something once and have it work.

Born and raised in Scotland now living in the Pacific Northwest I know all about inclement weather.
Good Luck.

I favour a Barbor. Keeps out the rain and it breathes.

I like layering, lots of underaromor and thermals+ heavy sweat shirt.

Cabelas.com all you need to know about inclement weather gear.

Lara loo wrote in post #10472553
I favour a Barbor. Keeps out the rain and it breathes.

Another vote for Barbor. I've ridden 400 miles in heavy rain and been ok on a motorcycle.

It's fiendishly expensive here!

Belstaff used to be an alternative.

Regrds
DaveL

never was quite impressed with belstaff... nice jackets but their stitchwork sux... at least from their shop in Florence Italy... the products were horribly sewn...

Try North Face gear.http://thenorthface.co​m

You could also look at an Interchangeable system from Columbia Sportswear; waterproof shell with zip liners and very well insulated for those cold, cold days.

Plummet wrote in post #10474805
Try North Face gear.http://thenorthface.co​m

nope... they used to be good... but since they were more interested in dressing up hip hop artists... the product quality went to crap.

TNF japan is very good... but TNF USA product is really crappy...

Arcteryx
Patagonia
Marmot
Feathered Friends

are WAAAAAAAAY better than TNF... and yes, i used to sell TNF since the late 80's... i know what it was like, i know what it became.

while I feel what the above poster is getting at, THF isn't that bad.

Any waterproof shell using goretex or similar fabrics and has venting should do the trick. There is so much out there you should be able to find something to suit your style.

The great part of goretex is the warranty. Pretty much provides a lifetime of jackets.

Patagonia is pretty safe bet. Karrimor also makes some nice stuff and from the UK ...