Since we have officially transitioned to Barbour weather, I’ve been looking forward to touching on something that doesn’t get deserved attention. As I’m sure you’ve seen at your favorite online Barbour retailer, the selection of Barbour jacket designs has expanded quite a bit. QUITE a bit. LOTS of ‘new arrivals’. There are lots of different fits and cuts, but there are also quite a few styles that harken to the moto/racing world. They all look fine, and I don’t have any issue with brand expansion to bring new loyalists into the fold.
Personally, I’m a traditionalist. I like the Bedale and the Beaufort. They work perfectly for me and my lifestyle. Living in Atlanta doesn’t call for serious outerwear, and the color choices are subtle. These two choices make my decision easy. From a fit perspective, they are a little different, as Orvis shows us:
The Beaufort is a more traditional shooting jacket, with open cuffs, a longer length, and a game pocket in the back. The Bedale is a shorter jacket designed for riding. Both are made with waxed cotton to withstand the elements and a corduroy jacket. Keeping your jacket in tip-top shape is a subject that we cover quite a bit (rewaxing)…but not in this post.
I got my current Beaufort from Onward Reserve a few years ago. As for my recent Bedale, I went with Orvis.
Why? Because Orvis offers a color you’ll have a hard time finding anywhere else: Sage.
Sage is offered at Orvis and is a great green color, that’s just a shade brighter than the typical olive. It’s almost a British Racing Green. The plaid has a style all it’s own as well.
The Bedale features cuffed sleeves, different than the Beaufort, which are open. These sleeves are great, but you’ll have a hard time over a sport coat. The Bedale isn’t much of an overcoat; it wears more like a sport coat.
Barbour did update the design a few years ago, removing the chest flap pockets in lieu of hand warmers. Much more functional for holding your cell phone.
My favorite part of the Bedale design is the shorter length. For days when I’m wearing a button up, with or without a sweater, the Bedale looks a little more sleek.
Of course the Bedale comes with the Barbour pin for the collar. As with most things I own, I like to make them all my own, so I’m going with another pin for the corduroy collar that is a little more my style. Check out this Smokey Pin from Strike Gently:
Which Barbour is your favorite?
Great post. In the summer of 2015 my wife and I took a trip to Ireland. I put in some extra time at work specifically to save for my first Barbour prior to the trip. Our first day there I went to a popular men’s store in Dublin and purchased a Bedale in sage. Not only has it been my favorite coat it was nice because it was also about $75 cheaper in Ireland then stateside. I’ve since expanded my Barbour collection and its quickly became one of my favorite brands.
I read your blog almost daily and LOVE Barbour jackets. I live in Montana and rarely see them here. Three Northumbrias. Can’t get enough of them. Wool sweater or shooting vest as a mid layer, ( depending on the temperature), and I am “good to go” for anything from. 30 degrees either side of zero, (F).
7 degrees above last week and took the Barbour pheasant hunting with a Carhartt hoodie underneath and was war.m as fresh toast. The below pockets hold plenty of shells and a bird fits nicely in the game pouch. The free warmth of the fresh bird is a nice bonus!
P.S. At Garden & Gun’s Jubilee this past weekend in Charleston they were handing out free lapel pins. I got a trout and a duck that look great on the coat.
They’ve been making motorcycle jackets from the beginning. The company left the traditional roots back in ca 2000. If you look at catalogs from 1999 and 2000 you’ll see a huge difference.
I have one of the moto jackets and it awesome. It is my second Barbour and I am very impresssd with the quality.
I have a Moorland Barbour from the 1990’s and it is still going strong, I really like the older plaid lining on my jacket mores than the newer stuff
Love the Sage color.
That pin in awesome. My bachelor’s is in Forestry and I spent a summer while in college working for the Forest Service and fighting some wildland fires. I must have one.
Living in North London, it’s not terribly difficult to find Barbours at vintage shops and market stalls for around £30. After a proper cleaning, and a half a bottle of febreeze, they are good to go. They are already broken in, snagged, and possess a nice patina. After 6 months or so, i get a new color or style, and the old one becomes the dog walking jacket, and the previous dog walking jacket goes into a pile in the loft. These get cannibalized for patches, as the golden retriever likes to beat me with the largest stick she can pick up. When i get ambitious enough, one or two will get turned into vests.