Barbour - is it worth it?

[ElsaLion]

My husband has kindly offered to treat me to a Barbour jacket for Christmas.

Growing up, I came from a shooting/hunting background and back then Barbour were the 'go to' brand for country wear. However I looked recently and see that all of their quilted jackets are polyester/recycled materials, for which they seem to charge a prenium! I've also heard mixed reviews about quality and durability, but I've heard better things about Schoffel. Any thoughts?

Barbour wax cotton jackets are our favourites.
Both my OH and I have several each.
Not cheap but functional, stylish and very hard wearing.

Get over yourself, my personal interests and upbringing have nothing to do with the conversation in hand.

Not sure about schoffel but I'm pleased with barbour. Once I had a jacket that started unravelling after a wash, I wrote in to their customer service, and they replaced it with a new one even though mine was a year old.

I have a few coats from the platinum range and would buy again. Warm and still look like new a few years down the line

I’d agree that anything other than their waxed jackets are not value for money now as they’ve got more popular they’ve added more fashion items to their range. But I think the waxed jackets are still good. Getting one for DH for Christmas for dog walking.

And yes OP, do try not to bludgeon a baby seal to death whilst shopping for clothes, won’t you? Gotta love MN nutters.

Elsalion. Great name 🙄

You just told us all, so I'd say they do!

Did you kill them yourself or just watch?

Would you not be a bit worried that people were thinking you were going for a Jilly Cooper Rivals look?

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😔

Aaawwww

Thanks everyone who answered my question for the good advice, I'll have a look at the wax jacket options.

Are you critical of people who eat venison too? How dare they eat poor little Bambi! 😵

I received a long quilted coat for Christmas last year. It's more of a fashion coat than a Barbour classic but I love it.

It plumpe straight back to shape after washing. Dries quickly and is incredibly warm (so warm I often have to leave it undone and I'm the sort of person who moans frequently about the cold). I'm really impressed with the quality.

Waxed jackets definitely! Love the padded ones too but only for town wear, tend to go for wax Barbour for country pursuits. Schoffel is good, I like the fleece items they do.

Purdey do fab jackets if your budget is good!

I think there's a reason their wax jackets are a classic and still so popular. They last forever if you look after them (vet them re-waxed when necessary, hang up when not being worn, etc).

Great, thanks everyone - I'll look at their wax jacket options.

They are excellent in many ways but the classic Beadnell wax jackets are not warm unless you wear lots of layers underneath. You can buy a zip in liner though which would help with warmth
I can highly recommend their expensive but worth it repair service - the lining at the cuffs on my jacket sleeves had begun to fray and when the jacket was returned it looked brand new.
I have also got an old quilted jacket of a similar style which has a built in lining, which is by far warmer than my wax jacket.

I have a wax Barbour which is around 22years old still going strong (a Newmarket), re-waxed once (sadly think the zip has shrunk as it does not fasten anymore 😏) but I still wear un-zipped. However I would say the quality has shifted slightly downhill with the newer wax ones and the material does not feel as robust. Think they are the only jackets still made in the Simonside, South Shields factory.

Have one padded International one (bought in the States, made in Vietnam!) thats about 12 years old, washes excellent and is very warm, but again I wanted a longer one and the quality was not as good and the insulating material was thin. A friend bought one a couple of years ago and the colour has faded really bad.

Have other Burdale, which again is old but looks brand new as well as thinner padded one which is ready for the bin (but had my wear out of it).

I agree with the above poster going down the route of 'fashion' link ups with Alex Chung etc has really made the brand more well know but think the products are not worth the price and your just paying for the name of whoever is doing the link with.

If you can get to the factory there is a factory shop which sells many wax jackets at some good reductions.

I have a heavyweight Northumbria jacket from the late 90s, still going strong, but needing to be rewaxed soon. Great quality, it was the heaviest weight when I got it.
If I was buying again I think I'd have got one with the cotton lining, my one has a poly-wool lining which can be uncomfortably hot.
Other than that, I love it and long may it continue!

Meadowhall branch is closing down, and has discounts.

They have collaborated with Ganni so those are worth a look if you can try them on in person.

John Lewis has Barbour on sale while their website doesn't.