Are they as good as the reviews make them out to be? Also, how do they size up?

Cheers 🙂

Yes they are, too warm to ride in from my experience unless in proper sub zero temperatures and even then got to be worn next to skin ie -10C. Fine for walking in didn’t overheat me. As for sizing they are spot on for their size guide. I own two if that tells you how good they are and will always have at least one in my life!

Also look at Montane Extreme.

I’ve had both and there isn’t much between them. Like Suggsey says, you wouldn’t want to ride in one but for less strenuous activities they’re great.

What will you be using it for?

Excellent, cheers for the replies. Won’t be using it for riding, mostly for hill days in Scotland all year round and evenings at races etc.

Only really suitable for winter…..too hot for any other time of the year….I have a Rab Generator for spring and autumn chills, also a really great jacket.

They’re great for sitting around in campsites and such like. I only use mine for winter climbing for which it is superb, I prefer a conventional layering system for everything else. I walk to the crag in a base layer then change for a dry base layer t-shirt and don the Montane. Even in really shitty weather I don’t feel the need for a hardshell. I would overheat walking in it on all but the nastiest of days.

Main advantages are low cost, high level of weather protection from a single garment and the fact that they are still warm when wet.

Disadvantages are weight, large packed size and a lack of the versatility you get with a conventional layering system. And of course it isn’t waterproof.

They don’t work for everyone but if they work for you they’re a top bit of kit.

mostly for hill days in Scotland all year round

Too warm for 250 of those days IMO.
Great for sitting around, great on windy, dry cold and wet cold days when walking, liberal use of venting needed.
Brilliant for canoeing.
IMO, there is a real market for a warmer than Rab Vapour Rise / Montane Krypton, but not quite as warm and unfashionable as a Buffalo / Montane Extreme.

Montane Krypton

One of the best bits of kit I’ve ever had. Windproof, shower proof and just enough insulation for a wide range of activities.

Blimey do they still make these?

I’ve got one of the old blue and yellow cycling ones in the loft still 🙂

One of the best bits of kit I’ve ever had. Windproof, shower proof and just enough insulation for a wide range of activities.

Totally agree. That or a Vapour rise.

I’ve got one of the old blue and yellow cycling ones in the loft still

mrs_oab has been seen canoeing in her grey and red one last year..even Hamish Hamilton was gobsmacked to see one 6 years back when we were in Sheffield…(his daughter was pal of my wife, not that we knew until the week we left…)

I have one that was custom made for me 20 years ago. ‘If’ I could fit into it it would be like being in an oven. Great if you’ve just been immersed in water, or for the ice bucket challenge, but too hot for anything exertion based. Good for winter climbing and under a drysuit for winter kayaking in Scotland, especially as you don’t have to strip off when you get off the water, just wear it until it’s dry.

Cheers for all the replies, much appreciated. It’ll be one for really cold days and keeping in the hill bag for the rest of the year by the sound of it. Being from Scotland though it rains all the time, so it’ll certainly get used!

Remember that it’s not waterproof. If you are getting wet and you’re not active it’ll soak through and you’ll suffer.

Montane Extreme. I’ve used both and the Montane is superior (and usually cheaper) in every way. Better details, better price and I have not managed to kill mine in 15 years.

Montane here too, still gets used and well nigh 20 years old.

I’ve still got one of the Buffalo MTB Windshirts, which had the nylon strap and buckle that went between your legs. Bloody uncomfortable, and hopelessly impractical if you wanted to wear it off the bike. Didn’t wear it for years until I found someone who did clothing alterations who trimmed the front and rear and re-hemmed it, leaving a nice curved dropped rear. Still fits, if slightly snug, but then they should be, with just a thin layer underneath. One thing I really like about it are the yellow bands across the front chest, lower back and sleeve cuffs with reflective stripes on.
This thread has reminded me to look into getting a hood to attach when it’s really cold.
[edit] Just ordered from Cotswold Camping, where I bought my Windshirt from, lo, all those years ago!

I’ve got the Snugpak version which has longer cut arms for a given chest size, so handy for a lanky bugger like me.
The only thing I don’t like so much is that the Buffalo has the hand warmer pocket inside the pile, so it’s actually insulated whereas the Snugpak one is just another bit of the outer shell, cold hands!

Great for work in the winter as you can unzip the side vents when in a full body harness if you need to cool down a bit.

There’s not many days when it’s cold enough for active wear, but usually those are brilliant days to be out.

I wouldn’t be without one. (I’ve just bought a new one after 10 years and passed on the old one to my son).

It’s great for the small hours of the ‘Puffer when it gets proper weather.

But

matt_outandabout – Member
IMO, there is a real market for a warmer than Rab Vapour Rise / Montane Krypton, but not quite as warm and unfashionable as a Buffalo / Montane Extreme.

I would buy something like that. Most of my subzero riding in winter is spent in Rab VR and an IceBreaker base layer.

Mine is about 20 years old and has been used every winter throughout its life for camping, biking, climbing, canoeing, pub, dog walking etc etc. What I would say is that after they are about 15 years old the pile has worn down enough that you can wear it on the bike on cold days, not just sub zero days.

from a value for money point of view, it is, by a country mile, the best thing I have ever purchased.

I’ve had a Special 6 for 18 years. A great bit of kit but it hardly gets used as it’s so warm. Brilliant on really horrible days though.

I bought one on Ebay a couple of years ago. Pretty much lives in the wardrobe for 9 months of the year, but toasty warm for the depths of winter, when you’re out walking in the hills or just out walking the dog. Far too warm for anything too strenuous though.

Dug out my old bright blue early 90’s Buffalo for a week camping in Iceland this May, and also for Leeds festival last week. Brilliant bit of kit.

Too tight for me around the chest. Perfect length. Definitely try on before you purchase.

Would recommend the Montane Extreme.

Buffalo kit is awesome. I’ve special six which is about 20yrs old. I find it fine for winter mtbing worn next to the skin. Montane stuff is better made and only slightly more expensive. You can’t go wrong. Get a good close fit so you need to try it on for size.

Not owned a Buffalo jacket in years, when I did (in the 90’s) it was ace. then it was robbed from a hut during a climbing trip. I was pretty gutted, then bought a Rab Berber smock…it gets used only on the coldest of days – usually as a belay jacket. I love it.

Had mine for 10 years now. The best £100 I ever spent. Definitely too hot for biking but perfect for walking/skiing/climbing/camping or anything that involves hanging around in the cold.

So I took a punt and bought a Buffalo, turned up this morning, seems a really good fit, so hopefully it performs nicely this coming winter! Thanks for all the help and advice guys, sounds like I may need to treat myself to a Montane jacket too though…

Love my Special Six for winter walking but use the Belay Jacket more.

Remember to wear the Special Six against the skin unless it’s really sodding cold. They’ll tailor you a jacket as well, if you don’t find a perfect fit.

I would buy something like that. Most of my subzero riding in winter is spent in Rab VR and an IceBreaker base layer.

Buffalo do lighter gear for biking.

I’ve got one of these, in fetching NATO green, bought about 20 years ago in the PRI shop of 2 LI, shortly before going on ops somewhere very cold. Never knew they were called ‘Special Six’.
Still use it occasionally.

Never knew they were called ‘Special Six’.

I think the six bit probably comes from the outer fabric being ‘Pertex 6’

I have two Special Six Buffalo jackets.

One gets used when in the park with the boys, and one gets used for winter MTBing when it’s wet and mucky and cold.

They come into their own on bothy trips – ride and sleep in them!

I wore my Windshirt to work on the bike today, it was a bit cool and breezy, and it was perfect with just a tee underneath.
Far too hot at work though.
Mine is a 42, not too tight, just loose enough for a light fleece or Marino top underneath, and the sleeves are a perfect length for me, despite having fairly long arms.
Certainly one of those items of clothing that has languished unloved for years, but really deserves to be brought back into use. Rather looking forward to some colder weather and wearing it with the hood attached.

matt_outandabout – Member
IMO, there is a real market for a warmer than Rab Vapour Rise / Montane Krypton, but not quite as warm and unfashionable as a Buffalo / Montane Extreme.

What about the RAB VR Guide? I have all three weights 😳 and the guide is a lot heavier / warmer than the standard VR top.

I liked mine. However a nice combination is an old Helly Hansen pile jumper or jacket (much better pile) and something like a Paramo or Montane windproof. Same effct together but more flexible.
Buffalo pile, whatever the weight is much the same as all those other maks that were around in the 70’s and 80’s. Northcape, Tog 24, Javelin etc. Coarser and bulkier.
Having said that I do keep an eye open for another Buffalo

Thread resurrection.

Is it possible to buy the same quality of fleece used for the likes of Buffalo or Montane shirts?

If so, what is it called?

My Buffalo is just a shell, but I have a vague recollection that the fleece inside the Special 6 is a coarser type, so if you can find a shirt or jacket made from Berber fleece, that has the rougher surface that’s more like an actual lamb skin than the smooth fleece you usually see.
Really, though, fleece lasts forever, so just about anything that takes your fancy would work, even cheap fleece works ok.

Try looking for Pile or Fibre Pile.

epicyclo – it’s not fleece it is pile
The Montane Extreme smock is a more up to date version of this but with slightly different pile lining

There are still companies producing pile lined windshirts such as Snugpak, Buffalo, etc etc

It is really difficult to source a pile fleece nowadays if you just want the pile liner

Look for high loft fleece jackets, they’re similarish to pile jackets