the best water proof arborist jacket to date

[markrufrider]

hi i am after a water proof jacket one that is going to keep me from getting soaked to the skin i work in forestry and arborist so something that's going to be not to heavy and breathable any suggestions please feel free iv been looking at the stein and sip they seem to be not ridiculously expensive like the pfanner rain jacket 

[L33 DA17ON]

What about the cut & climb smock I've never used one but the lad who did my chain saw assistant swore by his. 

[Pete Mctree]

I have 2 jackets. One is for 80% of the time it rains a bit when an ok breathable jacket will do. The other is a non breathable plastic jacket that keeps me dry in the worst conditions. I have spent a lot of money in the past trying to get a single jacket to do both. The nearest I got was a mountaineers style jacket, however the mud and dirt denatured the fabric eventually. 

[monkeybusiness]

A guy that worked for me swore by his Cut and Climb - I’m sure it was amazing, I have no reason to doubt him as he was very experienced and he’d worked all over the country doing both arb and forestry. I have no experience of an off the shelf version, but have the waterproof trousers which are very good.

On his recommendation I ordered a few for my lads, but had them made in a bright orange fabric which should (as far as I was concerned) have performed the same as the ‘off the shelf’ equivalent as the fabric was apparently the same. They unfortunately weren’t well received, described as like wearing a ‘crisp packet’. I’m not sure how waterproof they were, but the guys didn’t end up dry. 

[Acerforestry]

I have a Stein rain jacket, bearing in mind they are about 50 quid (ish) which these days is not a lot. mine's 3 years old, zip still fine and it does what it's supposed to. Unless you go Goretex I reckon these are fine

[htb]

Ex Army/RAF goretex, cheap and you don't cry if you rip them, or work with thorns

[Steve Bullman]

clark cut and climb is in a league of its own. Too warm for summer, but a god send in the winter, acts as much as a wind beater as it does a waterproof.

[Doobop]

I have a mountain warehouse extreme one that was £60 and it’s literally the best thing ever! Trust me you won’t look back. And they are a reasonable price

[jmac]

Anyone tried the arbortec waterproof smock? 

[IronMike]

1 hour ago, jmac said:

Anyone tried the arbortec waterproof smock? 

They're on offer on Jonesies this weekend I think. 

 

I just splashed some cash on a set of waterproofs from the  Magic Mountain sample sale. Got a full set of Mountain Equipment Makalu ones for £275, which is half price. 3 ply Goretex, bomb proof outer fabric. They are proper mountaineering ones, and I'm keeping them exclusively for when I'm sat on the Logbullet.

 

In terms of work ones, I've been thrashing a few Berghaus Goretex coats I got off a mate who used to work for them. I have tried various others over the years (Harkie being one) and just find them absolutely boiling. I'm not saying Goretex isn't hot, but it's the best of a bad bunch in terms of breathability, and hasn't failed me at keeping rain out. The issue with the others is they keep rain out but keep the sweat in!