I was in Bloomies today, and surprisingly, they had a bunch of ladies Barbours, some waxed cotton versions and a lot of the quilted vests and jackets in beautiful colors. I loved the “navy” which looked more like a deep amethyst.
A little late but I’ll add another waxed cotton jacket brand called Lavenir. I switched from Barbour to them- half the price, plus they have knitted interior sleeve which is nicer than the open Barbour bedale arm hole & their material wears better IMHO. My last jacket was about 15+ years old and I just got another one from Middleburg Tack Exchange last year…Can’t part with my old tattered one though. Mrs. Motion said she is the only retailer in the US- it’s a UK brand.
I have a Barbour and a Lavenir from the Middleburg tack Exchange. I love the way it looks and it is well made but mine is not as waterproof as the Barbour. It did not have that heavy wax on it when i first bought it.
There is no advantage to waxed vs gortex.
I say this as the owner of a lovely Barbour jacket that I wear hiking with the dogs on chilly days.
When push comes to shove, the Barbour weighs three times as much as my Addidas running shell, and is “waterproof” only in drizzle conditions.
When I need to actually ride a horse I want something lightweight and unrestrictive, and when I need to actually stay dry in a downpour while working at the barn, I want something that is lightweight, machine washable, and ACTUALLY waterPROOF. A little goretex windproof shell is a million times better.
Barbour is lovely, stylish, upscale fashion, but modern developments have far outperformed any actual working or sport utility it may have once had.
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Have Barbors. Have totally gone to Filson coats. They breath and are American.
My hunt wears branded (embroidered with hunt logo) black pack-a-roos on wet days and I love mine so much that I bought a second (non-branded) to wear when riding at home. The hoods are big enough to fit over helmets and have a draw string, so you can tighten them down well enough for cantering in the wind and rain. Mine is long enough to cover most of my thigh while in the saddle (and I have long legs) and they fit comfortably over full hunting clothes.
waxed but I never use the lining that zips out. Too hot!
