AIM FOR THE DRY
What makes a decent, waterproof shooting coat? We look at what some of the best on the market today have to offer
Clothing-wise, it is perhaps your most important item of kit. A poor-quality shooting coat can spoil a day in the field. So what should you look for? Firstly, it should be waterproof. If the coat doesn’t give a waterproof rating, measured in millimetres, it’s worth asking for it. The higher the rating the higher the degree of water resist- ance (see table, page 118). For a fabric to have a waterproof rating of 5,000mm, a oneinch-square tube held against the fabric can be filled with water to a height of 5,000mm before water begins to seep through. The higher the number, the more waterproof it is.
Secondly, a shooting coat should be breathable. According to Berghaus, the maker of mountaineering and outdoor kit, breathability can be measured in several ways. The most common is by using a Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate (MVTR). This measures the amount of water vapour that can pass through a square metre of fabric over a 24-hour period.
Using this method:
♦ 8,000g will give you a good level of breathability for general outdoor use;
♦ 20,000g will give you a good level of breathability for more active use;
♦ 30,000g or over will give you the best level of breathability for highly aerobic use.
Berghaus says Gore-tex fabrics are measured using a different method known as Resistance to Evaporative Heat Loss (or RET). In this method the lower the number, the more breathable a fabric is.
Using this method:
♦ <9 will give you a good level of breathability for general outdoor use;
♦ <6 will give you a good level of breathability for more active use;
♦ <4 or under will give you the best level of breathability for highly aerobic use.
Thirdly, a shooting coat should be designed for the task. It should be cut to allow free movement of your arms, have proper cargo side pockets for cartridges with flaps that can be attached to the coat, and, inside, waterproof, zippable ones for car keys and money.
Finally, a shooting coat should be the right colour. Most makers produce them in dark green, which is what the market wants, apparently. This is fine for reared game but can be a disadvantage with wild game, such as grouse. Colours darken when wet and a large, very-dark-green blob in a grouse butt
is pretty obvious. We prefer, then, a light olive or those based on tweed, the original “disruptive camouflage” pattern. And however good the coat’s claims to be waterproof, most leak a little if subjected to continual driving, heavy rain. In such conditions a second, dry coat is a blessing for the afternoon drives.