How can they be improved if they have to have glued on fasteners and cease to function when dirty? What we have is more proffitable materials that work well enough to be accepted. Goretex can be welded while cotton has to be sewn with a waxed thread. Nylon thread does not absorb moisture to any great extent, natural fibres need treating. The current batch of modern gear is only more expensive at retail prices because the shops are selling to people prepared to pay and still be damp on the few occasions they get caught in the rain. The current crop of Belstaff copies are cheap because the fashion market won't pay bike shop prices unless they get the name and they are mostly made in what for want of a better word we'll call third world sweat shops (mine's Egyptian).

It's actually the same with the suit of armour you mention. Good early renaissance steel armour is shaped to deflect to sword strikes and with the layers underneath would stop small bullets (which is why the military use 3/4-inch musket balls for years). If you want something to save you in a hacking battle it's as good as kevlar. The reason it wasn't used for four hundred years is the cost of equipping enough people with it to make it effective. Knight versus archer is cash versus training. Knight versus musketeer is quality versus quantity, you can train a peasant to shoot faster than you can make the armour. Put some dodgy undersize actor in the armour without the leather and wool underneath and it ceases to function properly too . IMHO, Goretex bike gear is still at the red coat and needing four hands to carry your hat, pack and musket stage, not kevlar and ceramic plates.

Andy

OK Dod, I'll spell it out very simply...the mention of wildfowling etc was because this "antique cotton" material (Belstaff's words) isn't even good enough for its declared purpose. You first said you used it for shooting, so this might have helped you get it. On topic.

"Anti BMW? Who me?" .... you have often referred to BMW clown suits. By all means criticise the gear, but don't call HU people "clowns" because they buy gear you don't like. Please?

Very nice trip on your blog....I see your route passed near old Dodger in BC.

Be careful there with a BMW and if you wear a BMW jacket!

You've heard deers talking ????? What were they saying ? "that clown in the Barbour jacket thinks I hav'nt seen him"

Ahhh, ...I don't know. If everybody would adopt that approach, we wouldn't have CAN Bus, ring-antennas, fuel injection. And, we would still be typing our rants on DOS operating systems...

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Thomas

"Hey, ...I'm just ridin' shotgun"

It was the nylon and Goretex that cost £400. I broke my own rule and thought that as the £250 one didn't work that well a more expensive one would. The extra £150 seems to just buy a different colour . The Egyptian wax cotton one was £99 plus just over £10 for a squeezy bottle of "treatment". The Drizabone was £65 as some sort of return/shop second and needed a bit of work washing and spraying. I'm guessing a few of the peole unconvinced about the waterproofness maybe got wet on the way home from the shop? A mate of mine bought a £45 Belstaff copy and it leaked until sprayed.

Andy

Hi Caminando, hi Dodger
Would it be ok if you took your personal semantic wildfowl/clownsuit BMW lovers/haters/whatever debate offline? It would IMHO assist the reading of this thread to not have to train the brain to zone out the pointless and petty hot air. It's not the first time.

I can see this developing into yet another flame war.
Thanks
Chris

PS Are wax cotton jackets fire retardent?

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Brighty's website: TheBrightStuffDotCom

CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

I was flagging myself and about to throw in the towel.

Can't say for sure. Nylon vs exhaust leads to dripping and a vile smell. Waxed cotton vs exhaust leads to a sooty mark and a slightly less vile smell.

The bloke from Triumph who put the exhaust so close to the chain better hope I'm in a good mood if we ever meet .

Andy

Vanson , a US company that makes quality gear ,has a waxed cotton jacket .
From the photos ,I like the look of it ,it has pockets with rounded corners which won't wear out or fray.
But no belt , so maybe it's just another fashion item , !

SF - Vanson for Epaulet "Triton Waxed" Jacket - Style Forum

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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

Claymore jackets........

I have noticed in my many years riding and motoring in general that most people have accidents less than ten miles from home.
I have never worn armour and prefer a helmet with a peak to keep the sun out of my eyes. Do wear strong boots and gloves.