Author Topic: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please  (Read 5531 times)

Offline lazlokovacs

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #30 on: April 22, 2018, 04:21:09 PM »
Lannis

maybe people aren't waxing them?

if you wax em, they're highly waterproof

I was given a belstaff jacket 12 years ago and it's just the ticket for our UK climate and tootling around every corner of the city. high speed stuff, not so much.

Also got given some very old belstaff trousers as well a few years later, really like those for wearing over 'normal' clothes when it's wet out. I've worn those a lot and they're still going strong.

works for me



Offline Lannis

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #31 on: April 22, 2018, 04:26:30 PM »
Lannis

maybe people aren't waxing them?

if you wax em, they're highly waterproof

I was given a belstaff jacket 12 years ago and it's just the ticket for our UK climate and tootling around every corner of the city. high speed stuff, not so much.

Also got given some very old belstaff trousers as well a few years later, really like those for wearing over 'normal' clothes when it's wet out. I've worn those a lot and they're still going strong.

works for me

That's a good data point, but there sure seem to be a lot of people either saying or implying that you'll get wet in them in an all-day rain ... ?   I'd put up with the rest of it if they'd do that ....

Lannis
"Hard pounding, this, gentlemen; let's see who pounds the longest".

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #32 on: April 22, 2018, 04:47:18 PM »
My Belstaff pants were like a pair of medieval bondage strides! They had some arcane system of buckles and pop-studs which one assumes we’re supposed to allow you to fit them snuggly over whatever garments you were wearing underneath, (A chain mail tu-tu judging from the shapes they ended up when I tried to adjust them!). Needless to say they were hopeless so you could get the bottoms of the legs tight enough to cut the circulation off to your feet and the waist would still be enormous with this sort of cavernous, inverted bell-tent of stinky canvas below it. They might of worked superbly if you were a world champion ferret-legger but as waterproof riding pants they just made you look creepy and weird! When you got off the bike you’d see mothers glaring at you and shepherding their young children away to safety!

The tight calf figment and baggy uppers made you look like you were wearing a particularly pervy pair of First World War cavalry officer’s jodhpurs but with tha added benefit of smelling like a sweaty pit pony!

You have absolutely no idea how unspeakably awful these things are! Avoid at all costs!

Pete

Offline Zoom Zoom

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #33 on: April 22, 2018, 05:08:37 PM »
Pete, your words paint quite a picture, as usual.  :bow:

Your knowledge coupled with your entertainment factor is always a welcome relief to the daily grind! Thank You sir. :popcorn:

John Henry

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #33 on: April 22, 2018, 05:08:37 PM »

Offline lazlokovacs

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #34 on: April 22, 2018, 06:01:47 PM »
That's a good data point, but there sure seem to be a lot of people either saying or implying that you'll get wet in them in an all-day rain ... ?   I'd put up with the rest of it if they'd do that ....

Lannis


frothing hyperbole aside, 

If they're waxed within the last few months or so (I do mine twice a year), you won't get wet in all day rain


I dunno, they're well made, clearly not for everyone, will last forever and require maintenance



A bit like my old Guzzi maybe


Offline Paul Brooking

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #35 on: April 22, 2018, 08:56:11 PM »
Have fond and not so fond 30 year old memories of Belstaff gear similar to what Pete has described.

Used to wear a zip together two piece leather suit with long johns and woolen jumpers on underneath.
For wet weather protection and additional warmth I had a two piece set of waxed cotton.
It was large enough to go over everything and as such was useless by it self, flapped like crazy in the wind.

I remember long overnight winter bike rides where you would take forever to get all the gear off at service stations and rest stops, not a good look if you needed to go to the toilet in a hurry.

I also remember that it was always cold and clammy to the touch.

Reproofing wasn't too much work, just hang up in the summer(35c+) sun and wash the garment with a pressure washer nozzle on the garden hose. Let dry and then pour the melted reproofing agent on when the garment warmed up. A good stiff paint brush worked the reproofing into the seams and then let the warm sun do its work.

I had a monumental wash out at speed on a very fast bend wearing the jacket and leather pants. The waxed cotton survived with severe scuffing that I was able to patch with canvas and once reproofed, served well for many more years.

Wish I still had them for strictly "Pose" value only.

Offline redhawk47

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #36 on: April 23, 2018, 12:13:28 AM »
I have found this thread very interesting seeing how I recently ordered an Aerostich Cousin Jeremy two piece suit, and it is due this week.
My take of the information that has been presented here:
Belstaff and the other Old Guard waxed cotton suits kept you reasonably dry, could be greasy and leave dirty marks, had pants that didn't fit well, had no provisions for venting in hot weather and had no armor or other crash protection other that the material itself.
Aerostich Falstaff and Cousin Jeremy keep you dry, have good venting, and good crash protection armor.

PS: My second motorcycle jacket was a used Darian. I liked it, but after several years I went looking for the jacket with "better venting". After trying several that looked better and realizing that they did not work better (vents that didn't vent, or ones that were a PITA to adjust) I went back to the Darian and confirmed that the venting was excellent. Wanting a jacket that was shorter than the Darian I decided that the RC two piece was the answer, and that the Cousin Jeremy was right for the V7II (I'll probably get flak for that).

Dan
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Online chuck peterson

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #37 on: April 23, 2018, 05:18:35 AM »
definitely need recoating every once in awhile....diy or these guys

http://www.newenglandreproofers.com

If I remember correctly, at the time there really wasn't anything else for rain and crash protection in the USA...all we had were Levi jean jackets,an open face helmet and likely no gloves and farm boots..... while most riders in Europe were wearing full leathers all ready. Rain protection meant an overpass or garbage bag...nylon hadn't been put into coats yet...

The Belstaffs/Barbour coats were displayed in the shops as the top of the line...I know because I kept drooling over them as I counted my woefully inadequate paper route money...

One step up if you were really brave was an Australian drovers coat...which actually works too...see Iron Mike...
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Offline arveno

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #38 on: April 23, 2018, 05:27:17 AM »
They look good to go to the office but for serious riding Gore Tex  win them all
My 02

Offline Zoom Zoom

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #39 on: April 23, 2018, 06:16:00 AM »
They look good to go to the office but for serious riding Gore Tex  win them all
My 02

Yep.

John Henry

Offline Toecutter

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #40 on: April 23, 2018, 09:42:26 AM »
I've got about 50,000 km on my waxed gear... nobody told me it was only for wearing to the office. Elbow, shoulder and spine armour, pants have hip and knee armour.  It's survived riding from (at the earliest)  march 1st season opener, to (at the latest) November 27th season closer of a Canadian Prairie riding season. Through mountains, west coast fall rain, moutain snow and Prairie thunderstorms. Hottest weather of +34C., and coldest of -16C.

I love the stuff. Beats the shit out of synthetics in my opinion.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2018, 09:44:20 AM by Toecutter »
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Offline 93spada

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #41 on: April 26, 2018, 07:50:16 AM »
So this probably isn't the thread to try to sell my circa '76 Tour Master set?????
Its for tall skinny guys.
Paul
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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #42 on: April 26, 2018, 07:57:25 AM »
IMHO, As far as rain gear I don’t know if but two or hard even in the conversation as acceptable. Rubberized material or Gortex. The latter is the only one that is breathable. Oilskin I’d fine for horseback ridding though:).

Offline Lannis

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #43 on: April 26, 2018, 08:13:27 AM »
Its for tall skinny guys.
Paul

Move along, now, move along ....
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Offline Testarossa

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Re: Opinions on waxed cotton gear please
« Reply #44 on: April 26, 2018, 11:04:17 AM »
As a sailor, canoeist, climber, ski instructor, cyclist and motorcyclist I've been upgrading raingear since about 1960.

Oilskins were always horrible.
Leather was fine until it soaked thru and then was even more horrible. And miserable in hot weather -- absolutely the worst thing about road racing was wearing full leathers on a hot, humid day.
There was also macintosh, two layers of cotton with a rubber membrane between. Not breathable but fine for coldish weather.
Waxed cotton was better than both.
Plastic-coated nylon was light, packable and tough but didn't breath and got clammy in warm weather.
Then we had "60/40" cloth, 60 percent cotton, 40 percent polyester. Was breathable and good for light rain and cold snow but would soak thru in heavy weather. My Oxford armored coat is a lightly-waxed version of this stuff.
Goretex (expanded teflon film) arrived in 1987 and was kind of miraculous. I still think it's the best stuff going. Many imitators, some of them pretty good, some simply not breathable. My bright yellow armored jacket uses a non-breathable version and isn't very pleasant in hot weather.

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