Art-
Thank you.
owen,
As Art shared, this tight weave and waxed goes way back in history.
Egyptian cotton was considered the best due to properties of the cotton and how tight the weave.
Sailors also used for sails, and the clothing they worked in the elements in, hats, jackets, pants, or bibs made from wax cotton. Wool "watch caps" will fit under a waxed cotton hat.
Gets a big chilly in the North Seas.
Barbour [tm] goes way back in the history of the UK, still worn over in Europe.
Now some of my wax cotton is gone (fire) still besides just getting bigger, and outgrowing it, one coat is still in use by a lady, and that jacket I wore back in the 70's.
It has a few places re-sewn, like where a barbed wire fence and I had a disagreement, still it sewed back, and re-waxed just fine.
Current coat, with button in wool liner, I bought in early 90's.
I know of one waxed cotton coat that has been duck hunting since before the Depression.
Granddaughter now wears it. I was with her grandma when she wore this coat at age 82, and using a old Model 12, duck hunting. We had to ask her to NOT shoot, she was felling the ducks and the clients were not getting any shots.
"Well, when they do shoot they miss with them fancy smancy guns"
Gortex and other modern rain gear makes a unique sound in the woods, like synthetic stocks on guns do.
Wax cotton, has a different, more "natural sound" .
I was raised to keep in mind if out and about, I had to have equipment that worked, and could be kept up.
Now I have never seen or heard of a Zipper going bad on a Barbour jacket, pants set.
I have on other more expensive newer fabrics.
Button are my preference, lessens chance of a stuck , then getting busted Zipper.
Buttons are easier to re-sew on, and a spare or two will not take up much room, them again a stick can be fashioned to make a "button".
Easier to "work" when hands are cold.
Ragg Wool gloves are another thing I believe in, I like the fingerless ones, as they allow one to used a knife, shoot, use a compass and all, while being worn.
Keeps hands warm , even while wet.
Nothing wrong with new stuff, I understand weight considerations.
Just IMO, the old adage applies to a lot of "equipment:
Ninety percent of fishing lures are made to catch fisher-person's wallets - not fish
Natural fibers such as silk, wool, and waxed cotton are proven, and have been for a long long time.
Equipment the same way.
Compasses do not require batteries.
Number 2 pencils are easy to sharpen with a knife, and there is no ink to freeze.
Hypothermia can set in at 40* F.
Some folks got turned around, when the GPS went down.
They traveled light, had new gear, and could not get a fire to start.
Rain gear torn, ...in a pickle they were.
Old scratchy wool blankets - even in the rain. One fashioned into a "tent" and my Zippo started a fire in the wind. Yeah the blankets were heavy, scratchy, but they really appreciated being warm in the wet.
They did not even mind eating Vienna Sausage.
"Tea lights to start a fire?"
"Yep, in a hurry, but I could have used B-Day candles just the same".
My take - Mother Nature can be cruel.
Common sense, proven equipment will keep one alive.
Graves are full of heroes , and folks that let newfangled and egos get the best of them.
