Talk me out of buying a Barbour

[Iwannasnack]

Or should I? Been trying to find a coat that is warm, actually waterproof and looks smartish for over a year. Was wandering around John Lewis today with the plan to look at something from Joules or Seasalt and stumbled into the Barbour section. Tried one on expecting to look ridiculous and I loved it.

I’m 37. No dog. No Land Rover. No country estate lifestyle just the 1.2 mile round trip to school and back twice a day. It’s over double the money I was thinking of spending. I remember my friend having one as a child and it stunk. I just need to move on don’t I?

Oh and it’s this one
www.barbour.com/uk/barbour-kelsall-wax-jacket

Iove my barbour.
Had it over thirty yrs
Still waterproof, warm, useful.. What's not to love

I have an imitation Barbour from Zara that I got 5 years ago. It's warm and cosy and mosyly rain proof but doesn't smell weird, though it's starting to look slightly worn this year. Fat Face have some similar ones to that Barbour this season, thought I don't know how waterproof they are. Cheaper though!

So bloody heavy and they usually stink!

As it gets old, it will smell like a dead orangutan.

You might have to start wearing a tweed cap.

They do last years though. Are you in the North east?

its very ordinary, if you're going on looks alone, khaki fur hood parkas are very common at a glance - appreciate this is waxed which makes it a little different but on the whole very ubiquitous.*

• very useful, pleasing to the eye and versatile colour which is why it is so popular.

My friend had this it’s lovely 😍😍😍😍

They are horrible! And wanky! Try North Face

I love mine. Just get it rewaxed every so often and it will outlive you!

I've got that one! I had a lifelong aversion to them. But it works.

I'm on my second...my first lasted 26 years (and tbh was still good)
They are not a fashion item but they are durable!

Thank you. I was half hoping for lots of people confirming that it would be a life long investment that I wouldn’t regret. Still not sure how I feel about the smell!

Live in the South so not as cold and wet as it could be!
I may have to invest in some tweed to go with it.

If showed you a crystal ball 10 yrs ago that saw you buying a Mum brand but quite posh wax jacket at John Lewis would you have thought “Wow, glad to see I am doing alright in life, things worked out how I expected” OR “Fuck off! That’s not me, I would NEVER do that!”
If it’s the former buy the jacket. If it’s the latter, stay out of John Lewis, it’s a slippery slope.

I still love mine. It was my 17th birthday present and I’m now 46.

I do just wear it to walk the dogs. I don’t lord it around Aldi when I do the weekly shop.

I was asking about your location just because there is a Barbour factory/outlet shop in the north east and you can get cheaper ones there if you didn't want to spend so much.

"stay out of John Lewis, it’s a slippery slope" Vinyl

Sure there's that many Barbour-look jackets about I don't think they mean "gun dogs and land rovers" to most people any more. They're more fashion items (albeit made to last) and have been for a while. I have an All Saints wax jacket I got about nine years ago when they started getting trendy I blame Alexa Chung and Glastonbury and I still enjoy wearing it every winter.

Omg I bought this exact one this time last year and I love it!

Like you I do not lead a country estate life. I work full time in London but cycle to work, dropping my children at various schools on the way, and wanted a warm and waterproof coat. I also didn't want to look frumpy.

This coat is amazing. Couldn't recommend it enough.

I love mine. But i grew up in them. I have gundog, Land Rover and horses and own a fair amount of tweed so I may not be the person to ask for an impartial view..!

Do it! But not the fur hood one, it’s a bit “urban”. The classic ones are the best and don’t date.

They are amazing, and last brilliantly. I wear mine all the time and it’s fantastic (I have one of the ones with a Liberty print lining so I’m not even slightly pretending to be cool).

(Disclaimer - I live in the country, drive a battered old Land Rover and have a suitably rural breed of dog. I do wear mine in Aldi and everywhere else. So am probably a bit of a wanker...)

Ooh - also if you have babies you can fit a couple of nappies and a pack of wipes in one of the pockets on the classic ones (they have a lot of pockets) so you don’t ever really have to take a bag out.

Stupid question. I’ve heard of getting them rewaxed. How? Where?

I have two- best clothing investment ever.

One is a parka with a fur hood which is unbelievably cosy. The other is the classic shape- I also have the fleece gilet which zips inside it so it can work as either a Autumn/Spring anorak and a very well insulated winter coat.

They will need waxed each year or so (I just did my parka this weekend), but I've definitely never noticed a smell.

@Wolfiefan You can send them back to Barbour for a "service" where they relax it for you and do any minor repairs.

As I have not recently won the lottery, I opted to do it myself. You buy the wax from Barbour for about a tenner, melt it and rub into the coat using an old rag. Wait for it to dry and voila! A newly waterproofed coat.