Barbour is a brand that is famous among lovers of fishing and countryside tours due to its unique style and vibrant design.
Barbour wax jackets are famous for their water-resisting character and evergreen shiny look which helps the outdoor lover in many ways.
But are they warm enough for people like us who want to consider it as winter wear or a short hike or a few days camping on cold days?
Let’s find out together.
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How Warm Are Barbour Jackets?
Yes, the Barbour jackets are warm which is mostly true with waxed cotton and quilted jackets. Though in cases the wadding, lining, or fabric used in it can make a Barbour jacket significantly warm.
Sadly, no Barbour jackets are warm and insulating enough for the sub-zero temperatures at least when you wear them without getting any support of heavy/mid-weight base and middle layers.
However, you can wear a Barbour jacket with just a jumper or a thin fleece to remain toasty warm in around 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit to roam with enough coziness in the countryside, fishing, or hunting.
Read Also: Can Barbour Jackets Keep You Dry? How Waterproof They Are?
Yet, it is good for you to know that not all jackets are made with the same material and focus, thus no two jackets may provide the same level of warmth and weather resistance.
For this, I’ve provided you a list of jackets (Men’s/Women’s) that will keep you warm in countryside life to fishing in the cold breeze.
Let’s start with our first question of what allows the Barbour to make warm jackets even when it is not their primary focus at all.
What Barbour Does To Make Warm Jackets?
First of all, Barbour or Barbour International does not use any technical fabric which is specially made to keep the jackets warm. But they use commonly available materials and insulation like grams of Wadding, fabric like polyester, fleece, and cotton.
Other things that look silly but play a role in the overall warmth of Barbour jackets are handwarmer pockets, bellow pockets, long sleeves (I’m a fan of Bedale wax jackets due to inner ribbed sleeves), and a big and wide waxed collar to block the wind chill around the neck.
The company uses these fabrics to provide an adequate level of warmth for mild temperatures but because there is no specific insulation like synthetic insulation is embedded in the coat itself, the jacket can not beat other brands that give a tremendous amount of focus on warmth like The North Face, Patagonia, Marmot, etc.
Are Barbour Wax Jackets Warm?
Yes, all the Barbour wax jackets have some amount of warmth because of using cotton and wax.
Though it is the cotton that gives the wax jackets its warmth but because cotton is not ample to retain the warmth when getting wet, the waxed cotton starts to play its role because it is the wax that helps the cotton to not get wet or absorb the moisture.
I recommend you to go for wax cotton jackets that have wadding lining and fur because the lining will provide extra warmth and fur will help to block the wind chill. One of such jackets that I like is the Barbour Macdui Wax Jacket that has Thermore™ wadding lining.
Because once it gets wet, instead of warming you, will make you darn freezing cool.
So we thank Barbour that it provides the waxed cotton jacket so that we can enjoy the warmth of it even when the jacket gets wet.
Another reason why I describe the ‘wax’ as important is that apart from waterproofing it also has the essence to block the wind chill to some extent that further helps us to stay warm for a prolonged period when the wind or even rain is in some mood.
Read Also: How Waterproof Are Barbour Wax Cotton Jackets?
Though there are fours styles of jackets Barbour offers (Ashby, Bristol, Bedale, Beacon, and Beaufort ), I love Bedale style only because of the functionality provided that is unmatched by any other style to provide the best coverage from wind chill, though the level of warmth is same as they all are 100% waxed cotton.
But it is due to pure cotton lining, inner ribbed sleeves, two-way zip for wind and rain protection, Corduroy collar, two handwarmer pockets, big body length for extra coverage, easy to layer, large bellow pockets, and it is ready for an optional hood.
Due to all the above features, you should choose the Macdui or Bedale series (for men) but women should go for the Bower style if want to get the best warmth that a Barbour’s wax jacket can offer.
Are Barbour Quilted Jackets Warm?
Yes, Barbour quilted jackets are warmer and I would say they are a few points better and worst than waxed cotton jackets.
First talk about where it wins and how warm it is?
There are many quilted styles of jackets available but I like two – Devon and Lutz (from the original classic Tartan collection) because they feature 100-gram wadding bagged lining with a diamond-quilted outer design which together provides extra warmth.
If you want to narrow even more, then go for DEVON design because it is made of 100% polyester and for your information, a 100% polyester have insulating properties in it which keeps you warm and gives some amount of protection from the wind, and keep you insulated in sudden showers of rain.
Now, let’s see what is worst…
Polyester is not the ultimate solution and thus when water crosses a certain limit it tends to get weaker in insulation which wax does not.
Also, it is the quilted design fabric, not some synthetic insulation like Coreloft, PrimaLoft, or Thinsulate embedded in it. Thus don’t expect anything higher.
Can You Wear The Barbour Jackets In Snow?
See, the optimal temperature for snowfall to happen is at or below freezing temperature and there is a minimum amount of moisture in the air.
In simpler words, when the ground temperature is at or below freezing, the snow will reach the ground[Source].
Thus, Barbour jackets are warm but not warm enough to wear in the snow because unfortunately, snowfall occurs at freezing temperature.
Yes, I am not saying that you can’t wear it in those temperature ranges. You can, but now you need thick winter layers under it.
If you do so, a Barbour jacket will not regret you because now it has the support of the pro players in insulation like The North Face, Patagonia, Arcteryx, Marmot, etc.
Remeber when wearing a Barbour jacket in the snow always go for a relaxed fit to remain comfortable and mobile when adding thick layers.
What Are The Warmest Barbour Jackets?
There are chances that a few of the jackets that I am going to recommend are not available to purchase online.
But can most probably be found in an official Barbour store near you. If you found them then you’ll not regret it.
Although, you may find eBay listings the chances are that they are counterfeit, so better try finding them at the store.
For Women:
- Clyde Long Quilted Jacket made with shiny fabric
- Dee Wool Jacket made from luxurious cashmere
- Barbour Kelsall Waxed Jacket for a classic look
- Barbour Bower Wax Jacket (Best wax jacket by Barbour for winter)
- Barbour Hartwith wax jacket
- Barbour Cavalry Polarquilt jacket (for everyday winter use)
- Snowhill Quilted jacket (good as a layer in cold days)
For Men:
- Classic Northumbira Waxed Jacket (Best to fit over layers and stay warm)
- Piquet Quilted Jacket that features a reversible construction (Best to tackle cold surrounding)
- Arden Wool Jacket to get the robust winter warmth and a comfortable fleece collar
- Any Waxed Bedale style are designed best to remain warm and cut the wind chill.
Read Also: Where Are Barbour Jackets Manufactured?
Does The Warmth Of Barbour Jackets Worth The Money?
If I am compelled to just give a statement on the warmth only and exclude all the good things of Barbour then, in terms of warmth only, the Barbour jackets do not satisfy the price tag we pay for.
Because at the same price as Barbour. we can get jackets that are solely focused on warmth and insulation, though they do not feature any other good quality of the brand Barbour like the wax and styling.
However, if you want a stylish jacket that can be paired with other winter clothing to enhance the look of the overall outfit then a Barbour jacket is worth it
For getting three things at the same price – warmth, waterproofing, and style for everyday winter use and fishing, forest, and countryside tour.
In terms of warmth Barbour has two categories of jackets – Waxed cotton and quilted jackets where the warmth is added intentionally and not as a side effect of the fabric and materials used.
So. now it is up to you whether you want wax jackets or quilted jackets.
According to my intuition, if you do a lot of fishing on mild cold days then you should go for a waxed cotton jacket (I recommend Barbour Bedale Waxed Jacket) but if you roam much in the forest where the temperature usually drops cool in the night then you should go for the Barbour quilted jackets like the DEVON style to remain warm even after some sprinkling of rain or moisture.
For year-round everyday warmth, Men can go for the Shoveler design and women can go for the Cavalry design.
You’ve reached the end! I hope this article helped you a lot. 🙂
Read Also: Are Barbour Jackets Waterproof or Water-Resistant?
Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. He will share his passion for outdoor life and brands or products we use outside our homes. He has good research skills, and that’s why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor.
