British Wax Jackets
I've had the pleasure of testing another item for hunters and shooters this winter, one that should prove to be quite a nice addition to your foul-weather gear. This jacket by British Wax Jackets (BWJ) has a lot to offer, as well as a few negative features.
The wax jacket I tested is aptly called "The Hunter" and includes the optional snap-in liner and snap-on hood. It's loaded with pockets, is water-repellent, and bucks the wind well. Are you wondering what the heck a wax jacket is? Well, I'm sure my readers already know what a jacket is, so just imagine one with a tightly woven cotton shell that's been impregnated with wax for waterproofing. All of the jacket is cotton, other than the removable liner (100% acrylic), a small amount of the liner of the jacket itself, one inside pocket, and the liner of the game pouch (nylon).
This jacket is very well-made, and that's evident in all areas. The stitching is first-rate, with few or none of the loose "booby-trap" threads seen in many garments today (I call them this because if you pull on these threads, they usually pull right out, along with the seam or button they had been securing). All snaps work well, as do the zippers.
There's a full storm flap with snaps over the heavy-duty front zipper, which is "backwards," to Americans, anyhow. We're used to the zipper's pull being on the right side, and this one has it on the left (I hear they drive on the wrong side of the road, too). This is compensated for by its being a two-way zipper; once it's been zipped up, it can be opened from below by pulling the lower pull upward… very nice when sitting in rainy weather - you can cover your gun's action with the right or left side (especially handy when hunting with a muzzleloader) while keeping the upper part zipped up tight. As for the backwards zipper, it's not that hard to get used to.
There's a corduroy-lined stand-up collar to keep icy breezes off of your neck, and the flap closure snaps out of the way when not in use. The flannel-lined hood snaps to the outside of the collar down low and has a drawstring.
The plethora of pockets is not to be ignored, and is in fact a very nice feature. Outside the jacket are two handwarmer pockets, as well as two large top-loading bellows pockets with snapping flaps. Hidden nicely by pleats is a zipping, nylon-lined rear game pocket (called a "poacher's pocket" by BWJ), accessible from right or left. Inside on the left are a large, low nylon pocket, perfect for extra shotgun shells or the odd bird or two, and a zippered breast pocket.
The strong smell of the wax in the shell was very off-putting, especially at first. Eventually it fades, but it's quite pungent at first, and is still too strong now (after two or three months) for hunting deer or any other game with a good sense of smell.
It's also very noisy, not at all suitable for deer hunting, as the shell rasps loudly against itself and everything else it brushes. As a cold-weather raincoat, it's hard to beat, since most raincoats tend to be fairly noisy anyhow.
While I found the jacket and liner to be very cozy even while sitting still reading and enjoying a smoke on my back porch in temperatures in the thirties (Fahrenheit), I found myself wishing the nice removable liner lined the sleeves as well as the body of the jacket.
Good stuff
- Well-made. This is a good-looking, quality garment.
- Waterproof. While I haven't had a chance to use it in the rain, I have done a light spray test and found no leakage.
- Windproof. As is true with all waterproof coats I've ever worn, this jacket sheds the wind very well.
- Pockets. I like the many large, well-placed pockets, especially the neatly hidden rear game pouch.
- Hood available. Though optional, this is a nice feature and makes it a viable raincoat. Remove it when you don't need it, and it never gets in the way.
- Liner available. This option makes for a good deal more warmth and snaps in and out easily.
- Elastic cuffs. Helps keep the cold out and the warmth in.
- Two-way zipper. This can be very handy at times.
- Helpful folks. I found the people at BWJ to be very helpful and responsive.
Not-so-Good Stuff
- Strong smell. The wax smell almost knocked me down when I opened the shipping box my jacket came in. I hung it outside on a screened porch for a few days, which helped quite a bit, but the smell is still there. Spraying with scent-killer didn't dent it.
- Noisy. This is not a jacket for hunting deer, or for any other activity where silence is a must.
- No sleeves in liner. This is a minor point, but my arms did get pretty chilly while the rest of me was snug.
- Needs re-treating. To maintain its waterproof qualities, the shell must be occasionally treated with a wax dressing.
All in all, this is a fine jacket for bird hunting, shooting clays, or any other activity that doesn't require silence and/or scent control. I think this is an affordable garment that will probably last for many years to come, which is getting to be a bit of a rarity these days.
-Russ Chastain
