OT: who makes a casual goretex jacket?

[d_douglas]

It's time I grow up and stop wearing my cheesy blue and black old school ski jacket with dress clothes.

Does anyone know who makes a plain Goretex jacket that can be stylishly worn with 'dress' clothes? Not just a black ski jacket, but one that could look OK if I was to wear a suit? No full length models - just suit jacket length.

For example, do companies like Hugo Boss use Goretex?


Thanks for any replies,

Darren

[R2D2]

Don't know for sure, but try searching Cabellas and LLBean.

[d_man16]

try to check sierra trading post from time to time they seem to get those types of things

[rice rocket]

Why not wool?

It's the "natural" fiber with Goretex like properties. Plus it doesn't look like ass. And make scratchy sounds while you're trying to be quiet.

[christian]

Get a wool car coat. Goretex shells are really only (marginally) useful for windy, exceptionally low-humidity, cold environments.

You'll need a minimum 33" back length to cover a suit coat, provided you wear a regular length suit jacket.

[AngryScientist]

i agree with the above, goretex is wildly expensive and not particularly useful with dress clothes. its meant to be a very technical fabric that will breath, and i doubt you'll be doing any extreme efforts in your dress clothes.

[Frankwurst]

Wool

[EDS]

You can get something like a Barbour if you want to bridge the gap between technical outerwear and a proper wool top coat or trench coat.

[christian]

You can get something like a Barbour if you want to bridge the gap between technical outerwear and a proper wool top coat or trench coat.And look like a Yorkshire farmer! (Kidding, kidding, I wore my Beaufort to work today... and looked like a Yorkshire farmer.) No, but seriously, I love my Beaufort. Probably wear it 100 times per year, looking, all the while, like a Yorkshire farmer.

[deechee]

I think there are some ugly waterproof coats from BOSS with their own tech fabric, but they never seemed breathable to me.

I have a Vaude jacket similar to this (http://www.vaude.com/epages/Vaude-de.sf/fr_FR/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Vaude/Products/06618/SubProducts/066180105200) and it repels water pretty well and blocks the wind too. I forgot my umbrella the other day and was wearing it in heavy rain and was fine.

I was looking at shells last year and it seems like there are a lot of alternatives to GoreTex; I never found GoreTex very breathable. Although, I'll admit I ended up with a new GT shell, but only cuz it was 50% off.

[BengeBoy]

You can get something like a Barbour if you want to bridge the gap between technical outerwear and a proper wool top coat or trench coat.

Or Filson.

http://www.filson.com/mens/coats-jackets/-1011/

[crownjewelwl]

And look like a Yorkshire farmer! (Kidding, kidding, I wore my Beaufort to work today... and looked like a Yorkshire farmer.) No, but seriously, I love my Beaufort. Probably wear it 100 times per year, looking, all the while, like a Yorkshire farmer.

Are you wearing wellies too? my wife was a buyer for bergdorf goodman...she approves of barbour! actually works with a suit, too!

[christian]

I'm a Metro North man, so my preferred commuter footwear is actually Bean Boots or Alden Indys, rather than Hunter wellies, but I have a pair (of non-brand) for yard work.

And though I'm guilty of it, I don't really think a Barbour works with a suit. With brown corduroys, fine, but a suit calls for a camelhair or navy cashmere overcoat. Or a double-breasted trench if it rains.

The Filson shelter cloth jackets are nice, but they are a bit more rugged than the Barbour. I do like my double mac cruiser, though.

[Uncle Jam's Army]

"a suit calls for a camelhair or navy cashmere overcoat. Or a double-breasted trench if it rains."

+1. The man knows of what he types.

[Ozz]

I have a Calvin Klein black raincoat that I wear with my suits. I got it at Macy's. Similar to this item, but mine goes below my knees: Calvin Klein Raincoat (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=202245&CategoryID=19558)

I get compliments whenever I wear it....

It looks nice and is not too expensive. I would love to spend a grand or more on a Burberry or such, but just don'e see the need. Besides, those have so many buttons, belts and loops, they look well, too much. This coat has a nice clean look to it. I am thinking of getting the shorter version to wear as a more casual jacket....rather than my gore-tex coats (Marmot)

[benb]

I'd love to see a modernized version of one of the various jackets Filson is selling or the various Barbour jackets..

I love the styling & the heavy/durable zippers, etc.. but I don't think I'd want to deal with the maintenance of waxed cotton, etc.. at those prices.

I'm pretty attached to gore-tex personally.. it's kept me comfy hiking/snowboarding/snowshoeing & motorcycling through some really nasty weather. The newer versions breath quite a bit better then the older stuff.

Part of the problem with the really modern stuff is they have a weight weenie approach to keep the garments light for mountaineering.. The main materials are very durable but the hardware (zippers, etc..) is not built for the long haul.

[mschoenhals]

Icebreaker makes merino wool jackets with a windproof membrane (not Gore). Coincidentally, I just received mine yesterday--it's called a Jetter, which is a shorter/suit jacket length. They have other versions that are longer too.

The merino wool/material, zippers, seams and workmanship are really nice which is consistent with the pricing. I couldn't find one locally, so I ended up buying mine online (actually, ebay...I think there's a newer model listed on ebay now).

[cadence90]

.
.
.Loro Piana Storm System (http://www.loropiana.com/eng/prodotti/tessuti/storm_system.php)

http://www.keikari.com/blogi/wp-content/kuvat/2010/03/Materiaalit-Loro-Piana-Storm-System.jpg

[bike22]

Buy an expensive arcteryx one. I see many professionals in downtown boston wearing a super expensive goretex jacket with professional attire.
By expensive i mean ~$400 for a goretex xcr shell.

Also works for weekend ski trips, weekend hiking trips, etc.

[97CSI]

Don't know for sure, but try searching Cabellas and LLBean.
+1 High quality from both.

[93legendti]

Icebreaker makes merino wool jackets with a windproof membrane (not Gore). Coincidentally, I just received mine yesterday--it's called a Jetter, which is a shorter/suit jacket length. They have other versions that are longer too.

The merino wool/material, zippers, seams and workmanship are really nice which is consistent with the pricing. I couldn't find one locally, so I ended up buying mine online (actually, ebay...I think there's a newer model listed on ebay now).
I had a Jetter and have a Icebreaker Landa. I find them to be wind resistant and not windproof. Unless there us a soft-shell outer, wool will not block all wind.

[dimsy]

there was this british company called Clerk & Teller that made some beautiful, stylish, classy looking technical wear. they had a north face/marmot type goretex paclite jacket in this very nice plaid and faint purple canvas texture. It was a collaboration with tech-wear manufacturer Berghaus, however, i think the economy got the better of them as their selection has dwindled recently.

I would refer you to a blog i visit regularly. it's mainly geared toward urban fashion of sorts and this means lots of techwear. some of it is very very nice and i believe along the lines of what you're searching.

hypebeast.com.

in addition, you might find some nice coats along the lines of what you want at these two retailers, they can be pricy and they're both outside the US, one in canada and one in england.

havenshop.ca
endclothing.co.uk.

good luck!

p.s. a lot of my inspiration for more formal type dress comes from this guys blog, if you haven't heard of it, it's top notch! : thesartorialist.blogspot.com

[rice rocket]

Uh oh, we got hyper on here...

I'm not hip enough to pull off half the stuff they post on there. Skinny jeans, throwback sneakers, deep v-neck sweaters, wayfarers...yeah, not hip enough.

[m.skeen]

You can check out www.nau.com as well. I have read good things. I'm getting ready to place an order for one of their trench coats.