Derby winner

The editor finds his ‘go-to’ coat with the Baleno Derby jacket For more information

Often a shooting coat has to perform more than one function. Yes, you wear it to go out with your shotgun or rifle, but you might also wear it beating, to the shops, or to walk the dog. It is that ‘go-to’ coat, often carried around with us in the back of the car, which we all rely on. With all these functions in mind, the garment must be waterproof, comfortable, breathable, have plenty of pockets and be affordable.

Versatile

I’ve had the Baleno Derby coat on test for six months and it has been used in every one of these scenarios. It’s what I’d call a great allrounder. Like many shooting jackets, it has bellows pockets for cartridges. These have drain holes and the flap of the pocket can be held open to allow easy access. Behind these main pockets are hand-warmer pockets, useful for keeping a handkerchief or gloves in. There are also hand-warmer pockets on the chest and a ‘poacher’s pocket’ at the back of the jacket. There is a phone pocket hidden behind the storm placket next to the main zip and finally one more pocket inside the jacket for a wallet. I find jackets can have too many pockets, but this has just about the right amount.

Two pleats at the back of the jacket give freedom of movement when swinging your gun as does the general cut of the coat. Be warned, sizes come up slightly small, so order a size above what you usually take. I’m a 44-46in chest and I took an XL fitting.

To make this jacket extra warm, it can be worn with the Harvey or Henry fleece, which can be fixed inside the coat with the aid of some tabs, making it ideal for cold mornings.

Breathability

There are two small air holes under the arms that help ventilate the jacket, which also has a breathable lining. I put this to the ultimate test by wearing it to walk up a mountain in Scotland. Believe me it was tough going and when I came down a couple of hours later the inside of the jacket looked damp. Oh dear, I thought, but it felt fairly dry. My jumper was also dry. This showed that the breathable lining was doing a good job of drawing perspiration away from my body and moving it to the outer shell of the jacket. What is more, the jacket didn’t take long to dry and even better, it didn’t smell once it had dried, which is a problem you can get with some jackets.

Tough exterior

Even though the outer looks like it’s made of soft cotton, it’s actually made from a hardwearing polyester/nylon mix and is waterproof. The strong double-stitched seams are taped, so no water can permeate and a storm placket stops rain from entering through the two-way zip. The exterior of the jacket has a textured feel and I wondered if mud would stain it, but dirt was easily removed. The texture of the jacket also made it quiet, so it could even be used for stalking. Bound cuffs are another notable feature.

Conclusion

The Baleno Derby is a well-made versatile jacket that looks smart and should give years of service. I’ve had a Baleno fleece that is still going strong after 10 years and I’m sure the Derby will be just as good.