any suggestions about good quality, tough outdoor clothing?

Stovepipe

Hi all,
Suggestions for good quality, tough outdoor clothing for general duty (not specifically bug-out stuff).

regards
Stovepipe

BreadnBuddha

What's your budget?

What kind of gear? Pants? Jacket? Smock? Waterproof? Insulating?

I can recommend a selection of items, but maybe some more of the above info would help others tailor a reply.

BreadnBuddha

Assuming you're in Wicklow, there are a few things I wouldn't be without, knowing the hills and winter conditions very well there

A Buffalo smock or jacket with hood. Keela, Paramo and Montane make similar items but the Buffalo is the grand-daddy. Warm, even when soaked through. Has to be experienced to be believed.

If you want something even tougher, try the Montane Extreme Smock. Jackson Sports have them and are just fantastic to deal with.

For pants look at Fjalraven or Lundhags, but be prepared to spend about 150 a pair. The Lundhags Authentic is a great choice and will last you many years. Online purchase for those, so have a look around.

Stovepipe

I am in Wicklow, as it happens. I have a few things like Snickers workwear,(tough as hell but hard to wear in hot weather) Regatta jackets and some generic cargo pants but I'd interested to hear what people use, for work (ie, knocking about at home) as well as outdoorsy stuff.

regards
Stovepipe

ShadowFox

In work most of the year I'd wear Rip stop combats super tuff wearing but light enough for this weather. For winter I'd wear mole skin padded combats and in general jumper fleeces off eBay don't know the make I'll check tags tomorrow for winter a real M65 jacket with liner be careful of knock off ones their crap. Track suits are best in this heat for general wear

Rucking_Fetard

What do the swedish army wear? Are they the ones with the "its only cold if you're wearing the wrong clothes"(or something) motto?

Tabnabs

I don't own any personally, but I hear great things about 5.11 gear. Expensive, but allegedly worth it.

Stovepipe

I was looking at them, the 5.11s. Nice cargo pants and they appear to have a bit of a mixed reputation for longevity (on their site feedback) (maybe asking for 5 years out of a hard-worked pants is a bit much). Not gone on some of their prices, especially for Tees and polos. I've had Dickies polos in work for years and they are indestrucible. I have a Carharrt fleece which is nice and warm but is lined with what appears to be seat insulation foam and which is easily damaged. One brand of sock that I find useful is "Jeep", about 3 pairs for a tenner. Quite durable for work.

keep it coming.

regards
Stovepipe

djflawless

I wouldn't be 1 for reviews etc.I like to go try something myself and put it through my own testing.
No point in trousers being good for such and such out cutting timber but no good to me shooting etc

IMO "follow me" camo cargo pants are excellent trousers.waterproofing up to thighs, with a kinda soft tweed patterned material inside.great for all weather.and cheap too!35E in most gun shops
And socks, when I'm out rambling I always have my "cat" socks.
I know they produce other heavy duty clothing but never tried any yet

lazybones32

I buy a lot of my essentials from an army surplus store and find it excellent for trekking, hiking and recreational uses.
I have yet to find a good rain-proof jacket that won't act like a mini-sauna while working though. Would be much obliged if someone could recommend...

djflawless

I got a defence forces coat recently from an ex army buddy.get 1 in the right size and just wear a long sleeve T-shirt underneath..A1

Stovepipe

@djflawless, I've used the "Cat" socks and they're very good. Only crib was that the heels fretted thru after about six-eight months. I've had Cat work trousers and they are pretty much identical to Snickers. I had Cat rig boots on oil rigs and they are pretty much unbreakable but hard on the feet. Cat stuff is expensive, though.

regards
Stovepipe

djflawless

I've 3 pairs at the minute.
Using them maybe twice a week so their getting rotated fairly well I have them roughly a year so doing well out of them.
Never had any luck with rigger boots of any variety.always getting the heels cut to bits

thehippychippy

I use snickers for work, though if I'm in the workshop I've several pairs of old jeans. I have a good few pairs of craighoppers which I find greater for hiking and camping. You can get them pretty cheap in tk max. Got a few pairs of the heat huggers socks in the last few years. €7.99 in the shops but a fiver in the market and I have to say, they are the dog's....They have a fluffy fleece lining and are greatly in the cold weather in work boots.

Edit My bad, they're called heat holders. Got mixed up because they're like a hug for your feet !!!

djflawless

i have a craghoppers bear grylls jacket
not sure if its a compliment or complaint but f##k me its warm!

Stovepipe

I have Craghoppers cargo pants and shorts and they are great.For general wear, I tend to use Clarks or Eccos as they appear to be the only shoe that will survive my abuse.Eccos fit like gloves, and appear to get better with age.

regards
Stovepipe

Kevhog1988

When in Ireland i bought 2 pairs of snickers trousers for work. Had two jobs as well as mixers so i was pretty much in these 6 days of every week….. Including fluting about with tractors/horses/cars at home in the evenings. Got about a year and a half out of them but finally binned them as they were covered in paint/oil etc.

In the uk now very much supervising and office based… have a pair of snickers trousers for site and crag hoppers and regatta fleeces.

monkeynuz

For fear of being flamed, I have country innovation ventile overcoat and trouser for foul weather and they are the best I have ever had, the ventile is robust and no membrane to get damaged.

conorRic

regatta...................thats all folks

monkeynuz

The country innovation stuff is pure cotton so tough as old boots and with the hood up it sounds like you're in a canvas tent lol

monkeynuz

conorRic wrote: »

regatta...................thats all folks

I personally wouldn't bother with regatta myself.

conorRic

why?

Rucking_Fetard

where do you buy?

monkeynuz

The op asked for good quality hard wearing, I wouldn't put regatta personally in that league.

monkeynuz

Rucking_Fetard wrote: »

where do you buy?

Do you mean the ventile stuff?

Rucking_Fetard

monkeynuz wrote: »

Do you mean the ventile stuff?

oh sorry no...well yea, lots of names (never heard of) in the Thread, where ye all buying from?

monkeynuz

The country innovation ventile stuff I get from country innovation in the uk just google the name. They sent the stuff out to me very good service (no affiliation just a happy customer)

Small company, well just a shop really so postage was at cost about £25 iirc.

The ventile gear is excellent, like I say I am out in all weathers gardening and walking the dogs and the stuff kept me dry even in the storms last winter and we live 200 feet from the sea so had plenty of weather.

Kevhog1988

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350737555268?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&var=620168730732&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Cheap!!