Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette in our series is it worth it?
In today's installment, we talk about Barbour waxed jackets and whether they're
worth $400 or not and if you decide on them, whether you should
go for the Beaufort style to Bedale or the Ashby jacket. The Barbour waxed jacket
is probably one of the most iconic pieces of men's outerwear there is.
With it's casual appearance, its waxed cotton shell that is water resistant, it has become a staple in the English gentleman's wardrobe just like a
pair of Hunter Wellies rain boots. By the way, if you want to learn if Hunter
Wellies are worth it, please check out this is it worth it video here. Barbour
jackets don't just represent the British country look but they are great for any
kind of outdoorsman who wants to hunt, fish, or just not afraid of the elements.
Over the years, the brand of Barbour has become synonymous with waxed cotton
jackets that many just call them Barbour jackets
even though Barbour produces a range of jackets that are not waxed cotton. Because
Barbour has such a huge range of outdoor jackets, we picked the most classic three
waxed cotton jackets and compared them to one another; those are the Barbour
Beaufort, the Barbour Bedale, and the Barbour Ashby. Before we focus on the
features, differences, and similarities of those three jackets, let's talk a little
bit into the history of Barbour. The company was started in 1894 by a
Scotsman, John barber, in South Shields in England and back then, he was an importer
of oil cloth. During World War II, Barbour produced the waterproof suits for the
British submarine service. After the war, Barbour continued to produce and market its
weather proof garments, particularly to sportsmen. It took until 1974 until his
Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, gave Barbour the first royal warrant.
Basically, the Royal Warrant means that you can supply your goods to the monarch
and his family and to learn more about it please check out this guide here. The
Queen followed with a royal warrant in 1982, followed by Prince Charles in 1987. In 1993,
the Beaufort model was introduced which is probably
the most well known waxed cotton jacket out of the three we have here. The
company Barbour is still owned by the fifth-generation family of Barbour and
interestingly, you cannot buy the jackets directly from them but just from
distributors and stores. They even have a shop locator on the website and they
have a very widespread dealer network so it's very easy to find a Barbour jacket no
matter where you are in the world. So now that you know a bit about the history of
Barbour, let's look at the differences and similarities of the Barbour Beaufort,
Bedale and Ashby jackets. First, let me talk about the things they have in
common. They're all made out of a hundred percent cotton canvas that's about six
pounds heavy and it's overall a medium weight. It is then treated with a silk
oil wax that gives us it's typical weatherproof characteristics. It also
provides this matte satin shiny finish that a lot of people like. Over the years,
it will develop a patina that becomes very characteristic of the waxed cotton
jacket. All three jackets have the typical washed corduroy collar
which gives it a typical country look. To learn everything you ever wanted to
know about corduroy please check out this video here. All three Barbour
jackets feature moleskin lined hand warmer pockets, they also have raglan
sleeves, as well as roomy bellows pockets the feature snap buttons just like
these storm flap which allows you to keep your collar together when it's
really rainy and the elements are hard on you. For all three of them, you can buy
a snap-on hood for $49 or a zip in liner for $129. They all feature a nice brass
double zipper from YKK that is built to last. All three jackets are suitable for
damp, cooler, and moist climates such as England or Scotland. If you live in a
very cold area, they're probably best suited for spring or fall. Now that you
know their similarities, let's talk about the differences. The Barbour Beaufort
retails for $399 versus the Bedale which is just $379
and the Ashby is again, $399. The Beaufort and the Bedale
feature a full traditional classic cut that is straight in the hips, it's very
roomy, it allows you to layer something underneath such as a cardigan, maybe
a sweater, or even a tweed jacket. The function definitely dictates the form so
while it may not look very attractive or modern or fashionable, it is meant to
give you a great range of movement when you hunt or pursue outdoor activities.
The Ashby, on the other hand, is a lot trimmer. I's basically a modernized style of the Bedale
that is just slimmer with a slightly
longer sleeve and it's more targeted towards young men who will live more of
a city life. The Ashby really doesn't allow you to have a lot of layers
underneath because the sleeves are too tight and so it's best one with maybe a
shirt or a thin sweater. When you wear different jackets you can clearly tell
that the Ashby has less range of movement. While both the Beaufort and
the Bedale come in 10 or 11 sizes in two inch increments such as 34 or 36, 42 or
44, the Ashby just comes in six sizes ranging from small, medium, large, extra
large, XXL, and triple XL. The Beaufort jacket is cut longer and about two and a
half inches longer than both the Bedale or the Ashby. This extra length comes in
handy, for example, if you want to wear a jacket underneath that would otherwise
poke out. The Beaufort is the most useful jacket for hunters because it has a
zippered game pocket in the back that's quite roomy. Both the Ashby and the Bedale
don't have a pocket like that because they're more targeted towards the urban
outdoorsmen. While the Beaufort has no vents in the back and a full Barbour
tartan lining, both the Bedale and the Ashby have a half tartan lining with a
polyester dripstrip at the bottom and side vents that have snap buttons so they
give you a little extra room especially if you have a big bum. The Barbour
tartan is obviously a nod to the founder's Scottish roots. Now for the
Beaufort, that lining is made of a 100% cotton
just like the shell. The Bedale, on the other hand, has 100% cotton shell but a
cotton polyblend out of 78 percent cotton and to 22% Poly. They have a slightly
different feel, the cotton polyblend maybe a little more hard-wearing but I
haven't worn them out yet so it's hard to tell. The Ashby is different yet again in
the sense that it has 100% cotton outer shell and 100% cotton half lining but
the sleeves are all lined in polyester versus the Beaufort and the Bedale; they
have the same tartan lining in the sleeves. The Beaufort jacket has wind
guards on your sleeves which come in quite handy and they have a little velcro
adjuster, however, they're not really soft and don't feel too great on your skin
but they'll do the job and keep the wind out. The Bedale jacket has ripped
knitted wind guards which are much more comfortable and better than the ones on
the Beaufort. The Ashby, on the other hand, has no wind guards and again, it clearly is
not made to be super functional, it's more about the looks. When it comes to
inside pockets, the Bedale has one on the right, the Ashby has one on the left, and
the Beaufort doesn't have one at all. If you look at those jackets, they look all
very quintessentially British yet when you look at the made in label, there are
some differences. While the Beaufort and the Bedale are still made in England,
the more modern Ashby one is made in Moldova. I guess the Ashby is not just
more modern in terms of the cut but also in terms of globalisation. They say each
Barbour waxed jacket is made of more than 10,000 stitches and obviously, I haven't
checked on that but overall, the construction of the jackets seems really
well and made for durability. So now the big question, is a Barbour waxed jacket
worth it? I think the Beaufort jacket is very iconic and truly something that you
could wear for decades to come. One of the few downsides is maybe that a lot of
other people have this jackets so you're hardly unique when you wear it. Another
con that I've found is that throughout the sizes, the sleeves are all rather
short. Personally, I have rather long arms so it's always a challenge because you
either have to size up which gives you a much roomier jacket that probably is too
big for you just to get the sleeve length right. Because the Bedale has
these ripped sleeve guards, it probably adds another one
and a half centimeters or about half an inch in length on your sleeve which is one of
the reasons I prefer that one the most out of the three. If you prefer a slimmer
or trimmer look, the Ashby is your only option
and if you want something really functional for hunters with a game
pocket then get the Beaufort. I'm not a game hunter or shooter and because of
that, the Bedale really serves my purposes best.
So whose the Barbour waxed jacket made for? I've seen many men wearing it in an
office context and personally, I find it's a bit too casual for that and it's
best for outdoors activities maybe getting the groceries or hanging out
with the kids on the weekends. Of course, you can also wear it for more hardcore
outdoor activities that we covered earlier. If you want a casual companion for
your jeans, chinos, corduroys, sweaters, and cardigans, the Barbour waxed jacket is
definitely worth it. Apart from that, there are also not many other companies to
produce a lot of waxed jackets and not many of them have the same commitment to
quality and durability as Barbour has. Why do I say that?
Well, Barbour jackets need quite a bit of maintenance. Barbour suggests that you
have your jacket rewaxed every year. In my book, that's a little much. I've seen
many people who haven't rewaxed for two or three years and the jackets are still
fine. I guess it all comes down to how often you wear the jacket. You can either
do it yourself or just send it to Barbour and have them do it. They also
offer repair services for zippers and all kinds of things so they truly have a
commitment for durability in their garments. That being said, the jacket is a
little more finicky, you can not just wash it in a washing machine,
you're also not supposed to use any detergent or solvents on it because that
would damage the surface. If you consider the jackets cost at $399 or $379, I
think it's totally worth it especially if you consider the longevity and the
cost per wear. It's one of those jackets that's really
hard wearing and we unequivocally think that it's worth its money. Now with a
little bit of luck, you may even find them on sale. Typically, I've seen they're
more on sale from smaller retailers that don't carry the entire range of Barbour
but maybe just a few jackets and if the Bedale or the Beaufort is one of
them and they just have limited sizes or maybe they want to discontinue it, you
may find it for 150 or 200 dollars. At that point, it's a no-brainer and you
should definitely go for it. That being said, because Barbour is so popular, there
are also lots of fakes out there so beware of used Goods on eBay and so
forth unless you can truly authenticate it's the real deal. In another is it
worth it video, we covered the Barracuda g9 jacket which is in a similar price
range it's quite different the cut is a lot trimmer at the Barracuda the
Barbours are wider and the waxed cotton jacket is a more country feel versus the
Barracuda g9 has to me more of a modern feel even though it was made and
designed in the 30s. In my mind, it's not an either/or between the Barracuda or
the Barbour waxed jacket but I think they complement each other very well the
Barracuda is a lot slimmer and may be a bit more dressier versus the Barbour is
more hard-wearing and for outdoorsy activities frankly
between the Barracuda g9 and any of the Barbour waxed jackets I think your casual
jacket needs as a classic gentlemen are pretty well covered. In terms of value
and attention to detail I think the Beaufort and the Bedale
are definitely my favorites not only are they made in England where it's more
expensive to produce than in Moldova but at the same time they also have the full
sleeve lining and the wind guards which the Ashby doesn't have at the same time
I like the look of the Ashby more simply because it's slimmer and trimmer and
just a little more contemporary at the end of the day there is a cotton waxed jacket
for most men out there and I hope this video helps you to find one that you
like. if you enjoyed this video please check out the other videos in our is it
worth it series because I'm sure you'll find them helpful as well In this video
I am wearing a barber Bedale in navy blue a Beaufort in olive dark green and an
Ashby in black I'm combining them with a pair of really old brown corduroys and
Tricker's English country boots because that's just part
of that overall country look I then combined it with a blue cotton shirt and
Ascot from Fort Belvedere which you can find in our shop here as well as either
a tweed jacket or a green wool cardigan likewise British the driving gloves as
you can see are all made from Fort Belvedere come in different colors and can
be had in our shop here