Barbour Gear (Or Kit for you UK Guys)

16 April 2017, 23:40

Brad Hinn

Is it just me or has Barbour gone downhill and turned into a fashion brand?

I have always liked their jackets and sweaters and have bought gloves and socks from them. They used to be well made practical gear. Now they seem to be more high end fashion.

I have a few of their lambs wool sweaters and absolutely love them. I went to buy a new one like the old ones and could not find anything.

Are they changing or is it just me?

17 April 2017, 06:48

LHeym500

I agree. I looked at a Barbour gun coat in Louisville. It did not even have cartridge/ shell loops in the pocket. I still like Breatta.

17 April 2017, 10:08

Big Wonderful Wyoming

I have a number of recent Barbour items. They are more in line with a fashion company, for soccer moms and mini-van dads who want to appear as though they are British country people.

17 April 2017, 13:16

Kuwinda

Agree 100%.

Hardly anyone actually wears Barbour to go shooting nowadays - I have one hanging in my hall that I haven't used for about five years - and I am out every week with rifle or shotgun. Depending on what you are doing most people wear Harkila, Deerhunter, Swazi, WHY.

Mind you one big advantage of Barbours oiled cotton is that it is near impervious to barbed wire - something you can't say of most "membrane" type coats.

Not sure about Barbour (they may well still be made in South Shields) but certainly Hunter boots are now Chinese owned and made - for the fashion market.

(Shell loops - seriously?? Another fashion item - I need a coat with pockets big enough to take a box of shells in each pocket)

quote:
Originally posted by Brad Hinn:
Is it just me or has Barbour gone downhill and turned into a fashion brand?

I have always liked their jackets and sweaters and have bought gloves and socks from them. They used to be well made practical gear. Now they seem to be more high end fashion.

I have a few of their lambs wool sweaters and absolutely love them. I went to buy a new one like the old ones and could not find anything.

Are they changing or is it just me?

17 April 2017, 19:33

LHeym500

O they are not sir. And no they do not have them anymore. The point was they removed something because it a simple illustration of how they have removed a vester of the shooting sports.

Now for high volume shooting I agree dump a whole box in the deep side pocket of in a cartidge shatual (sp).

It was solid gear for anything that required being in daw barrier thickets and rain. About the only hunting we do in KY. Now not so much.

17 April 2017, 19:46

Brad Hinn

OK, so I am not crazy.

I have two Barbour wax coats, one is 20 years old, worn tattered and stinks, I don’t wear it anymore but can’t get myself to throw it away. The other is a few years old and I wear it when it rains. They are the same model and have not changed, so that I like.

But all the other stuff that I liked they got rid of and it place they have added some weird stuff that I don’t care for.

So now where do I go for a good Lambs Wool sweater made in Scotland?

17 April 2017, 23:26

Big Wonderful Wyoming

You buy one made in Britain, Iceland or Norway, and understand it will be hand knit by a machine in China. The wool will probably be from Britain, Iceland or Norway.

18 April 2017, 00:47

Kuwinda

Not so sir!!!

You can buy lambs wool or cashmere sweaters made by Johnsons of Elgin 20 miles from where I am sitting. They will be made on the premises in Burghbriggs in Elgin but the wool will be imported - its not economic for farmers here to shear sheep for the wool (or not in most cases).

You can certainly buy handknitted sweaters of Scottish wool made in Shetland or Orkney - very much in the Norwegian or Icelandic tradition - but then Shetland, Orkney and the northern part of the mainland was part of Norway until the 14/15th century - the same people!!

Mind you I never wear wool.......

quote:
Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
You buy one made in Britain, Iceland or Norway, and understand it will be hand knit by a machine in China. The wool will probably be from Britain, Iceland or Norway.

18 April 2017, 02:16

Brad Hinn

That's good to hear, I will be in Elgin for a few days in September and I was going to go to Johnsons for a tour. I just got done reading their book on sporting estate tweeds and wanted to go see the place.

I will get myself a new sweater. Thanks!

Funny, the Scott does not wear wool and the guy in California does...

18 April 2017, 03:05

jdollar

I have 2 Barbour coats that I wear hunting around the farm or walking the dog in the woods. Love them both. If I need more ammo than the front pockets will hold, I have done some piss poor shooting. I never bothered to buy their other clothes as I thought them over priced and too "stylish" as opposed to practical.

19 April 2017, 10:32

Big Wonderful Wyoming

quote:
Originally posted by Kuwinda:
Not so sir!!!

You can buy lambs wool or cashmere sweaters made by Johnsons of Elgin 20 miles from where I am sitting. They will be made on the premises in Burghbriggs in Elgin but the wool will be imported - its not economic for farmers here to shear sheep for the wool (or not in most cases).

You can certainly buy handknitted sweaters of Scottish wool made in Shetland or Orkney - very much in the Norwegian or Icelandic tradition - but then Shetland, Orkney and the northern part of the mainland was part of Norway until the 14/15th century - the same people!!

Mind you I never wear wool.......

quote:
Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
You buy one made in Britain, Iceland or Norway, and understand it will be hand knit by a machine in China. The wool will probably be from Britain, Iceland or Norway.

I rather like wool. I wear a wool sweater over my long sleeve polo shirt most winter days. I have several wool hunting coats made here by Rascher.

19 April 2017, 21:02

Capt. Purvis

In the South they are called an Oyster Tuxedo or Low Country Tuxedo. Entire outfit is Barbour Jacket, Bills Khakis and Plantation Boots. Acceptable attire at most any respectable Oyster Roast or Low County Broil. Go to the South Eastern Wildlife Expo and it looks like a Barbour convention.

I have probably worn out six Barbour jackets in the past twenty five years. Wore them throughout college in my Frat Star days and in my thirties. That said, I am harder on gear than most people. I think that I still have one jacket that has a single crest on the inside label.

They use to have great service. You could mail back and they would repair at a small fee and re-wax. They now charge and arm and a leg for service and it is less expensive to purchase a new one at Orvis with the right coupon.
I do like their style but they are just that. Wear to football game or night on the town. I do not consider it to be hunting gear. I do have several of their collard shirts that I do like.

Filson is the best upland gear that I have found. I also like their luggage. Quick tip. Do not check in Filson luggage because baggage handlers know how much it is worth!

There are also several new companies around that I like. One is Over and Under. I have a booth at the Side by Side Classic next weekend. The Barbour booth is just down from me. Braven, Beretta, Filson and several others will be there. I can check on some gear if you like.

I always say buy the best gear that you can afford but I do not consider Barbour hunting gear for use here in North America. They are not warm and tear up easily. But what is most important, is that they are great for keeping the salt water off of your shirt when shucking oysters!

25 April 2018, 10:02

ozhunter

You can buy Australian made Driz-abone oil skin still made in Aus.
The "Brumby coat" is similar to the Barbour.

25 April 2018, 22:28

Charlie64

.

Barbour now sells 90% to the fashion crowd from jackets to sweaters to boots to scarfs and 10% to the field sports crowd. Good for them they saw a market and moved with it.

I have two Barbour wax jackets - one for wet weather not too cold shoots and the other for dog walks. The one must be 20 years old and still going strong. Best £60/- I spent on a jacket! I also have their wax chaps / over trousers. Another useful bit of country kit.

.

01 May 2018, 03:06

mdstewart

I have 6 Barbour coats and wear them mostly in non hunting situations, although while in Scotland hunting with FallowBuck, I had my lightweight Barbour on everyday.

01 May 2018, 16:17

Big Wonderful Wyoming

I have one of the synthetic jackets, I bought it in 2010. I think it is very similar to a spoonbill, but I have never seen a spoonbill so I don't know.

It is a nice jacket. I used to wear it over suits, but now I don't wear suits anymore.

I am not sure that I have worn it since 2012.

01 May 2018, 16:18

Big Wonderful Wyoming

Look at this bs

$65 t-shirt

http://www.orvis.com/p/barbour-terrain-t-shirt/2rf3

01 May 2018, 17:35

cutiger

quote:
Originally posted by Capt. Purvis:
In the South they are called an Oyster Tuxedo or Low Country Tuxedo. Entire outfit is Barbour Jacket, Bills Khakis and Plantation Boots. Acceptable attire at most any respectable Oyster Roast or Low County Broil. Go to the South Eastern Wildlife Expo and it looks like a Barbour convention.
I have probably worn out six Barbour jackets in the past twenty five years. Wore them throughout college in my Frat Star days and in my thirties. That said, I am harder on gear than most people. I think that I still have one jacket that has a single crest on the inside label.

They use to have great service. You could mail back and they would repair at a small fee and re-wax. They now charge and arm and a leg for service and it is less expensive to purchase a new one at Orvis with the right coupon.
I do like their style but they are just that. Wear to football game or night on the town. I do not consider it to be hunting gear. I do have several of their collard shirts that I do like.

Filson is the best upland gear that I have found. I also like their luggage. Quick tip. Do not check in Filson luggage because baggage handlers know how much it is worth!

There are also several new companies around that I like. One is Over and Under. I have a booth at the Side by Side Classic next weekend. The Barbour booth is just down from me. Braven, Beretta, Filson and several others will be there. I can check on some gear if you like.

I always say buy the best gear that you can afford but I do not consider Barbour hunting gear for use here in North America. They are not warm and tear up easily. But what is most important, is that they are great for keeping the salt water off of your shirt when shucking oysters!

You left out the Boykins running wild and all the ladies wearing Bean Boots untied, and custom oyster knives.
BTW I do like Bill's Khakis, I have an old columbia Brushtuff waxed jacket that is the spitting image of a Filson, never been wet in it, but I rewax once a year things heavy as lead

04 May 2018, 02:18

drongo

quote:
Originally posted by Brad Hinn:
OK, so I am not crazy.

I have two Barbour wax coats, one is 20 years old, worn tattered and stinks, I don’t wear it anymore but can’t get myself to throw it away. The other is a few years old and I wear it when it rains. They are the same model and have not changed, so that I like.

But all the other stuff that I liked they got rid of and it place they have added some weird stuff that I don’t care for.

So now where do I go for a good Lambs Wool sweater made in Scotland?

i have two Barbours. My Northumbria was in bad shape so I sent it to the Barbaur repair shop in Maine. It came back like new.