Barnstormer in cold weather

[matei]

In light of the recent thread on wearing a Barnstormer in the snow... I can report that it holds up very well indeed. I wore it in Romania over the Christmas holidays, where it got down to -25C. It did a good job on stopping the wind, although I did layer it with a t-shirt and a jumper underneath.

In slightly warmer -4C weather back here in England, it did just as well with just a t-shirt underneath, keeping my warm and dry in the unexpected snow:

 

[andy richards]

Thanks for posting, Matei. I think the Barnstormer is a perfect coat for extreme weaters. Are there any other fellas on the FL who are wearing a Barnstormer right now?
Cheers,
Andy

 

[Edward]

Is that the standard length, or did you shorten it a touch? I have my eye on one of these, eventually, as an alternative to the B3 when I want to wear a suit underneath... I think I'd need a bit of length added to that in order to cover a jacket properly.

What lining have you got in there?

 

[matei]

Hi - it is indeed the standard length. The only thing that I do differently is that I cinch the belt in the back, as shown to me by another poster here on the FL. Otherwise it takes ages to fasten the belt.

There is too much "coat" to let it just hang otherwise.

I've got the standard wool (kilt material) lining. I was afraid that the alpaca would wear through too quickly.

The jacket itself isn't the warmest, however nothing gets through the horsehide so it is great for layering. With proper layers underneath it is fine.

To be brutally honest, it is a very heavy jacket compared to something modern and down-lined... that being said, the modern jackets don't look as cool!

The leather in this did initially stiffen up a bit in cold weather, however it has since stopped doing that ever since I got doused in a torrential storm.

 

[Edward]

Ah, they're a touch shorter than I realised, then.... I think I'd want one with 18-24" added to the body (bringing it closer to the knee, or just above the knee), for wearing over a suit coat. Given that I'm thinking of one of these as an anternative to the B3, I'd be tempted by a shearling lining (though not collar, love the look of a shearling or mouton collar on a longer coat like that, but they can be unpleasant in the wet... Also possibly a cotton drill layer over the lining, to keep it cleaner more easily...). Great looking coat, though. I gather the alpaca can wear a bit. I've opted for the tartan wool in a bootlegger I've ordered, for warmer weather. I'm always thinking of the coldest weather jackets at the minute, though.... I don't know, maybe I've just gone soft living this far south, but I really can't recall it ever being quite this cold for quite so long in Belfast in the Winter!