So there is a company selling a ventile jacket that I quite fancy, I’m not overly fussed about the cost, production costs on ventile are high, I know that. The question is, for the outdoorsmen amount you, would you opt for ventile over synthetics fabrics?

Great fabric and something a bit different that will last 10 times longer than a man made fiber jacket. I owned one back in the early 90s while in the army, it cost me loads, I loved it and was gutted when it got nicked 🙁
They do go a bit stiff when wet but so comfy and breatable. I used to wear mine on excersize in all conditions. Was great in canada when it was put to the test in a huge range of temperatures and weather.
It does have its limitations but as a do it all jacket they are the business.
You’ve got me looking now! Howled even do a nice one! Mmmmm

Been eyeing up the howies one, what brand are you looking at op?

heavy, even heavier when wet, but certainly long lasting. however i have a goretex jacket that’s over 20 years old, albeit a bit fubar now..

Yeah, I’m looking at the Howies, one, just wanted to avoid the usual brand bashing. I have a pilot jacket from them, so have experienced the material before, the new style looks miles better shape, cut and feature wise from the original. was interested In opinions on it vs man made fabrics and if there were other makers worth considering, looking in the ventile site thought seems the only nicely styled one.

Function first, style second.

I still have a ventile jacket which is 25 years old….

BUT although I can’t bring myself to get rid, since goretex I haven’t worn it apart from the occasional garden job.

+1 for very heavy, not quite as good as a good modern breathable fabric, but not bad for keeping you dry – can seep in where rucksack straps contact in really torrential stuff.

Function first, style second.

Rubbish, this is STW! Style over substance every time!

NB Might get the Howies one myself: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/howies-ventile-jackets-any-good

Can’t you get ventile reproofing liquid?

Sorry footflaps, hadn’t realised you’d posted about it before. Well I guess if we run into each other in the wilds of Cambridge it’ll be an awkward moment. 😉

We’ll have to agree to each get a different colour one, otherwise it will have to be a fight to the death in the market square for the right to wear ventile….

If you like the idea of Ventile – basically a very closely woven cotton – take a look at a Swedish company called Fjällräven. They use something called G1000, a heavy-duty, closely woven Polyester cotton with a wax sort of proofing that you can add to or remove depending on your preferences.

It’s lighter than Ventile, but has a similar sort of vibe to it and Fjällräven is a genuine outdoors brand with less of a fashion sort of vibe than Howies.

Can’t you get ventile reproofing liquid?

It doesn’t need reproofing as it’s not proofed to start off with – it works by the threads absorbing moisture and swelling which closes any gaps and prevents more water ingress, which is why it gets heavier when wet, but Nikwax does Cotton Proof – I guess if that stopped the fibres swelling up, it might actually make Ventile less waterproof though…

I’ve got a 25 yr old one – for an ‘outside doing low impact stuff’ jacket it’s fine, when it’s properly wet i.e. ‘Snowdonia in January coming in sideways on the moors’ it’s massively outclassed by modern synthetic waterproofs. My experience has been it rains properly hard you get wet in anything – but you get wet quicker in Ventile, sadly.

On the bright side it is is fabric you can wear without being repulsed by it. I do dislike proper waterproofs.

I think single-layer Ventile is supposed to be windproof and water resistant, for more water resistance you need double-layer stuff which makes it proper heavy. But that may be the information equivalent of a bit of tat I found in the street. It was explained to me that way by someone who should know seeing as they sold Ventile garments.

Not personally used any of the cotton shell jackets as mentioned above, but would second the idea of looking at Fjallraven – as mentioned above, they are a bona-fide outdoor company so you know it’s designed for performance rather than style, although they seem to look good as well. Outdoorsmagic have been giving them quite a bit of airtime recently so probably worth a look.

http://www.cioch-direct.co.uk/introduction/welcome.html

Stopped off at their shop several years ago… can’t find any details on their website but I’m sure they make Ventile clothing.

I have the Howies jacket, great fit and cut, wouldnt want to ride in it though, well not for long, very wam just when walking

Aah, someone who spunked the cash for this at full price.

I’ve a feeling that there’s a few people holding back on buying this at full price, but the first time Howies offer a discount on it they’ll be in like Flynn. Pretty sure I will be, anyway.

What about Paramo?

Aah, someone who spunked the cash for this at full price.

Well you know how much they pay Moderators – he’s probably got one for each day of the week 😉

Just buy a Barbour

There is a discount guarantee, should they drop the price you’ll get a refund. So that isn’t really an issue. It really is just a case of whether it’s better to go get a man made or cotton based fabric.

I have three ventile jackets. They’re good, last forever, age nicely and as double ventile are “bombproof”. The Howies one is single ventile though so I wouldn’t expect it to be waterproof. One of mine is single and it gets wet fairly quickly. I reproof with Nikwax Cotton Proof after a guy from Ventile at a trade show said that was the way forward.

Maybe take a look at Vulpine jackets?

Not ventile but use cotton treated with teflon to make them somewhat water resistant.

Andyha, Barbour are now made in china, except for the really expensive ones. The Howies is made in Portugal, I think, and their ethics seem to be better. If that’s a criteria for anyone I know it is for me. I have one of the original pilot jackets and would have one of the new ones if I hadn’t recently bought a massively reduced patagucci….

Try Hilltrek. Made in the UK so better ethics than Howies. Cheaper also and they can customise garments. They even have a retro cycling jacket called the Greenspot
http://www.hilltrek.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_Ventile.html