I’m looking at dusters, the ones that look best to me are from the down under. Like this one. OK, that didn’t work right…scroll down to the combo drover coat.
What are rain capes? Can they be used as hoods, or do they just cover the shoulders like the one over my rain suit? Is Oilcloth really waterproof, or should I look at something else?
Should I have started this post in the Café Society? :smack: If so, please report me and have it moved.
If anyone has other suggestions about where to look, I’d accept them happily. I want something that is waterproof, looks good and is warm. I also want a liner that can be removed in the spring and fall. I want something that is durable, I’ve got enough cheap coats in the landfills already, plus this isn’t something that I enjoy shopping for.
I just reported myself, nobody else needs to bother…but thanks if you did
I HATE them!! I live in the country and they are sold as being good for the outdoors etc … I’d rather not! The long ones are painful when walking and just mean the damp ends wrap around your legs, they always seem to leak at the elbows and everywhere else, they smell, they take forever to dry out, you have to keep re-sealing them, they go stiff as a board, you can’t move well in them, they’re uncomfortable and … they really do stink!!!
I bought a Jack Murphy coat when I was in the UK … much softer material, much more comfortable, isn’t 100% waterproof but is better than the drizabone, doesn’t stink!!!
Others love and swear by them! I’d really recommend seeing one and trying it on (and smelling it) … before you buy!!
Waxed dusters were all over the place some years back. After a while there wouldn’t be any wax left. As far as I know ‘oilskin’ doesn’t have a precise definition, it just means waterproof or water resistant material. I have a London Fog trenchcoat with a liner that keeps me dry in the rain, but I haven’t tried standing outside in a pouring rain for any significant amount of time. Maybe you just want a plastic coated raincoat and a sweater to wear underneath in cold weather.
I got one made by Kakadu traders years ago. It looks kind of like this.
It’s the only coat I’ve ever owned that could use an owners manual! I can wear it long, or fold up the bottom & button it to the interior to wear it short. I can wear it with or without the button-in wool vest liner. If the liner is in there’s an extra wool collar that attaches to the liner. When it’s oilskined, mine was waterproof. With the liner in, your torso stays quite warm; however, the liner is a vest & therefore, doesn’t extend down the arms.
The cape is just an extra later to protect against the rain. Just a warning, mine is not a light jacket.
Bonus: In looking at their website, they have reproofing creme, which I need. Thanks, flatlined!
P.S. Why do you think this thread should be in CS instead of IMHO?
Natural fibers don’t hold a candle to modern synthetics in terms of waterproofness. A cheap rubber raincoat will keep you dryer longer than even the best duster, and a high-end Gore-tex (or comparable material) shell will keep you dryer still. Dusters are much more hardwearing than most hardshells, but there’s no longer any reason to use them for rain.
Also, dusters have a sort of “internet geek” appeal. If you already own cargo shorts, a leather trenchcoat and a fedora, you might want to refrain.
OK, so the common vote is “don’t do it”. So, I won’t do it. I didn’t know that oil cloth had to be reoiled. I know from my riding leathers that it is a messy and smelly process. Not something I want to take on, so thank you for the advice.
I actually have a very good rain suit. If one doesn’t mind having HarleyDavidson or HD on their body about a hundred times (I’m serious, even the buttons and sipper pulls have HD), they make great rain gear. (I just looked at a boot and found the brand 19 times on one boot. Great boots, though.)
My rain suit is about 10 years old and still looks as good as new.
The problem is that its a pain to put on, its sized to wear over my riding leathers so when I’m not wearing chaps, boots and a jacket its way too big…and its unless I’m wearing it in gale force winds, its HOT! Not hawt, but seriously HOT. When I’m wearing it while riding, I’m the one who is all lets go, lets go, lets go for fuck sake, I’m roasting here. Its not so hot if I open the collar and sleeves, but then I get wet.
I just want a cool looking rain coat and I do like how dusters look. Yeah, I do have a slouch hat to wear with it.
So, thanks everyone for talking me out of a bad choice.
And Spiderman, the reason I wasn’t sure if I should have put this in the Café Society is because its shopping related. I get things moved there or out of there all the time. I’ll just let the mods sort it out…that’s why they make the big bucks
Dusters are dashing but I think they work best for riding; riding horses, that is. Purveyors of Western gear sell them down here. Or you can get one in brown for your Firefly cosplaying.
My favorite source for bad weather gear is L L Bean. Not so dashing, but sturdy. We’re having a wet & chilly winter so I may invest in one of their lady raincoats…
Look at cycling (bike not motorcycle) jackets. I have a couple that have pit zips in them. You can unzip them to get better airflow & because they’re in your armpit, you don’t get soaked when you open them.
I strongly second this. I recently moved from someplace that rains a lot to someplace that rains all the fucking time. Previously, I utilized a Columbia Omni-Shield shell, which was perfectly adequate. The first week after moving I was almost soaked as soon as I stepped outside. The Columbia jacket would simply fail in the torrential downpours I was dealing with on a daily basis, leaking at the seams and cuffs. I upgraded to this, and am happy with it.
I’ve used oilskin hats, and they work in a mild drizzle or for a short period. In my case, walking several blocks in the pouring rain, the oilskin was useless. Now I use a good umbrella and the rain jacket.
Now if I could find a waterproof backpack or messenger bag, I’d be set.
Oil-skin is oiled cotton and along with waxed cotton has been a very reliable fabric over the past 300 years. So don’t dismiss it lightly. Personally I like the smell of oil-skin and waxed cotton, possibly because they remind me of my childhood and also because they are light and comfortable. They are easy to reoil or wax.
I have a japara oil skin coat which is 30 years old, folded up under the rear seat of my SUV. Not bulky at all.
In NZ and Aus the Diz-a-bone coats are very popular for outdoors people. There are other manufacturers to. Mind you my city teenadult children wouldn’t have a clue what I’m talking about.
If you are horse riding then a duster makes complete sense. There is a reason this long overcoat style was developed a long long time ago. I’d imagine there are good dusters available in the horsey regions of the USA.
Personally my experience is with motorcycle gear but as you say, its strong and heavy and often too hot for ambling about.
I have this in bright yellow, and I wear it for everything from spectating in the rain (horse shows, usually) to doing barn chores to just going out and about in foul weather. The one thing I’ve not actually done is ride in it
It’s not warm but it IS dry, and combined with tall boots you really do stay dry head to toe - no damp knees and thighs. After 4? 5? years mine’s finally leaking a bit over the shoulders and it’s time for a new one, but I’ve used the hell out of it.
I have an oilskin duster. I rarely wear it. It doesn’t ‘breathe’ so it gets very hot. It is waterproof as hell. I wear it if it is sleeting or very cold. Otherwise I end up sweating so much I’m soaked when I get where I’m going but not by the rain.
About 10 years ago I bought a Darien jacket from Aerostich. I can’t imagine ever wearing anything else. Keeps my totally dry. In the summer I wear just the shell. The rest of the time the fleece liner is good enough to about 50 degrees. Below that I plug it in.
Yes, electrics built in!
It cost a lot, 10 years and about 50k miles it’s still in perfect shape.
I’ve got a Diz-a-bone and love it. When I was taking the train to work I had to walk about 5 miles a day in all seasons of English weather. I don’t like carrying an umbrella so the duster plus waxed leather hat kept me dry. My Gore-tex cycling jacket is probably more waterproof, but only covered to the waist so your jeans get wet. With the Diz-a-bone I’d just be a bit damp for the calves downward.
I bought myself one in Sedona years and years ago - probably over 20 - it’s an Outback Co. oilskin duster - and I love it. It’s my winter coat, it’s my raincoat, my husband and son have both worn it - I can’t say enough good things about it. It was worth every single penny I paid for it, and still looks as good as it did when I first bought it.
