How do people find waxed cotton jackets for the outdoors. Barbour jackets are very popular in the UK but have never caught on with walkers. They also cost a lot. Are there any american jackets that are as good at american prices?
Any thoughts?

Good Morning; So far as I know, there is only one source for waxed cotton outerwhere in the US, that being Filsons. Definitly not cheap, but bomb proof. I think you are correct in that most outdoorsey kind of folks usually choose synthetics. Filson appeals to traditionalists, and to people that want clothes that they can hand down to their grands. There are people that are part of the wilderness living skills (bushcraft) philosophy that like them. People in the building trades use them. Seems to me, its the same people that search out a Dachstein sweater. Its bulky, heavy, $300.00 US, but for someplace cold and wet, theres nothing better. In my experience excellent clothes, though I think some of us got put off when they went preppy. Carrharts are pretty popular, not waxed but tuff. Hope this helps. Jim

What is a Dachstein sweater???
I have done a Google search, but have not found anything useful.

Try the Australian Dry-As-A-Bone brand. Considered superiour by people who are into that sort of thing.

Are you referring to Driza-Bone???

I am assuming that this is NOT in reference to my question about the sweaters...

A Dachstein sweater WAS an incredibly dense wool pullover. The wool was knit then the whole thing boiled and brushed to make a super dense wool sweater. They made mittens too...about the best wool mitts you could find....sadly I have not seen these for at least 15 years.

High-tech plastic clothes likely drove these out of the market.

I wear Filson all the time. I have both waxed tin cloth and waxed shelter cloth coats. I find them excellent, heavy and durable, and not quite as water tight as some would like but far more comfortable than they would at first appear. They are expensive but they do last. I have my Dad's wool jacket from the 40's....too bad it is too small for either of us though <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Google "boiled wool" plus sweater or jacket, etc. They're out there. Sierra Trading Post has some. Someone once told me that Austria makes the best.

Sue

The Dachstein mittens are still available at Campmor.com ( http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores...mberId=12500226 ). They also (sometimes) have boiled wool sweaters in their main store in Mahwah, NJ, although unfortunately not Dachstein.

Dachstein is from Austria, and can occasionally be found on Ebay.