Mackintosh raincoats - bonded cotton vs nylon?

[Ennius]

Hi Gents,

Any thoughts on getting the bonded cotton vs nylon Macktintosh rain coat? likely the Dunoon.

I am most interest in which is less of a sweatbox and style. My guess is the bonded cotton is a better less wrinkled fabric.

Thanks

 

[Andy57]

Hi Gents,

Any thoughts on getting the bonded cotton vs nylon Macktintosh rain coat? likely the Dunoon.

I am most interest in which is less of a sweatbox and style. My guess is the bonded cotton is a better less wrinkled fabric.

Thanks

If you're going to get a Mackintosh, get the real deal. Bonded cotton.

 

[Ennius]

thanks for solid advice

 

[dieworkwear]

I would go for the bonded cotton, but just know that it doesn't breathe very well. If you're on the East Coast, it's not something you would wear during summer rains or in a crowded subway car. The cotton is basically impermeable, so it traps heat and sweat.

That said, I love how it drapes and moves. It just has a nice, unique feel.

I would also look into the longer models, such as the Dunkeld. The Dunoon looks too short, IMO.

 

[bry2000]

I have a Dunoon in bonded cotton. I agree with DWW that it is not for an East Coast Summer. But perfect for Fall and Spring. I prefer the Dunoon length though.

 

[Ennius]

Hi,

What do you gents wear in the rain for East Coast Summers (I am in NYC)? I also tend to sweat heavily so am quite interest in breathable rainwear.

Is nylon any less a walking sauna in the warm weather than bonded cotton?

 

[bry2000]

I wear the Partition jacket from Arc'teryx Veilance.

 

[dieworkwear]

Gore-Tex is breathable. It keeps water out, but there's a breathable membrane inside that allows heat (and moisture) to escape.

There are actually really great technical fabrics that are even more breathable than Gore-Tex (like eVent), but I don't know any fashion companies that use them. They're more for technical/ outdoor outerwear brands. This shows the effect well.


[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[bry2000]

Nanamica makes quality gore-Tex jackets. Look at the Soutien model, which can be dressed up or down.

 

[dieworkwear]

Surprised nobody uses those eVent (or eVent-like) fabrics for a more fashionable garment. It would probably be overkill for a place like San Francisco, but I can see how it would be useful on the East Coast.

I like and wear Gore-Tex, but the breathability is limited by the outermost layer. So the middle layer is a stretched Teflon membrane that keeps water out, but allows air molecules to escape. However, they then just hit whatever PU fabric is on the outside.

It's more breathable than bonded cotton, but eVent seems so much better. Surprised Arc'teryx Veilance or Nigel Cabourn haven't picked it up.

To the OP, you might also want to look into Ventile. The fabric closes up once it gets wet (that's how it prevents water from getting in), but it's probably more breathable than bonded cotton. I think it might drape better for a raincoat than Gore-Tex as well, which is kind of stiff/ technical feeling. Ventile is fairly soft and would drape like a nylon blend.

 

[emptym]

+1. eVent sounds promising, but I've never tried it. Polartec has a new thing called NeoShell that's supposed to be very breathable too. I've owned Gore-Tex stuff for about 25 yrs and it's great stuff if you're going to be out in hard rain for long periods. Sympatex is good too. The problem with Gore-Tex, and I would guess any fabric that needs to have the seams taped, is that the seam tape degrades, rendering the garment permeable.

That's why i went w/ a Ventile coat when I wanted a raincoat a couple years ago. Figured it would age well. Haven't had much chance to use it though. If you want one of those, Luxire, which made mine, is a good bet. They've also recently establised a relationship with Schoeller and soon will be offering seam-taped waterproof garments, if they haven't already.

 

[dieworkwear]



The problem with Gore-Tex, and I would guess any fabric that needs to have the seams taped, is that the seam tape degrades, rendering the garment permeable.

True, although I've heard it takes years and years, if not maybe decades. Once that happens, you can also just tape up the seams yourself at home. I think they sell kits at outdoor stores.

The production process for Gore-Tex isn't very environmentally friendly though, which might be a concern for some people

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/oct/11/outdoor-clothing-ethical-living

 

[emptym]

Interesting points. Any links to DIY taping? I thought it was really hard and required special machinery. Couldn't find much from a quick google search.

I have two that degraded: One a LL Bean 2 layer anorak bought in 92 with failed tape by 2002 (Maybe they'd fix it.) and the other a pre-Prada Belstaff motorcycle jacket bought in 2002 that failed in 2008. Actually, the Belstaff probably wasn't real GoreTex. Both had a lot of use before they failed.

 

[dieworkwear]



Interesting points.  Any links to DIY taping?  I thought it was really hard and required special machinery.  Couldn't find much from a quick google search.

I have two that degraded: One a LL Bean 2 layer anorak bought in 92 with failed tape by 2002 (Maybe they'd fix it.) and the other a pre-Prada Belstaff motorcycle jacket bought in 2002 that failed in 2008.  Actually, the Belstaff probably wasn't real GoreTex.  Both had a lot of use before they failed.

AFAIK, at Mackintosh, they just glue the seam tape down and essentially press it in with a hand roller.

I've never done it before, but you can find DIY info online. One link I found through a quick Google search:

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/qna/qna.asp?uqn=528&P=28&SP=&V=7

IIRC, @robin did it to a Nigel Cabourn jacket that was leaking through the hood.

Edit: looks like one of Robin's last posts was on breathable waxed jackets. Maybe useful for the OP, although that's more for casual clothing.

http://www.styleforum.net/t/209255/nigel-cabourn/4680_20#post_7365114

 

[Ennius]

Thanks for a very interesting discussion.

I have been looking into Ventile cloth as some folks have highlighted. Private White VC makes some beautiful stuff.

Its a shame Event hasnt been used (yet) in good mens' stuff.