The thing with the British weather is the fact that you simply
can’t trust it. If it were to do as it was supposed to do, on cue, we
could hardly grumble. But as it is, unless you’re constantly prepared
for every extreme, you’re not prepared at all. And when you’re out in
the field, often with little-to-no shelter, things can get very wet, very
quickly. One minute you’ve got your sleeves rolled up, shielding the
sun from your eyes as you line up your shot; next thing the heavens
have opened and you’re soaked through, desperately looking for an
excuse to duck out of the next drive. Unless of course, you have the
right waterproofs...
Let’s rewind for a minute to the earliest days of waterproof
fabrics. Back in the early 15th century, North Sea fishermen began
using fish oils and grease in an attempt to waterproof their sails while
keeping them light and efficient – and subsequently using remnants
of these sails for capes to withstand high winds and waves, hoping to
stay warm and dry. By the mid-1850s, this sail-oiling process evolved
to use lighter weight cotton yarns treated with linseed oil; before
waxed cotton made its way onto land, soon becoming the material of
choice for any clothier in the business of bad weather. In recent years,
waterproofed textile innovation has become increasingly technical,
lighter and more breathable – tenets that provide the basis for much
of Purdey’s performance kit.
“Ours is the technical evolution of this type of clothing, designed
with uncompromising precision for the sporting world and beyond,”
says Purdey Creative Director, Giles Deacon, as we talk through
some of the best-selling weatherproof pieces. A discerning Gun,
he suggests, might opt for the Technical Yorkshire Field Coat – a
favourite of many of the team, and a sure-fire way to stay warm and
dry in anything but the most biblical conditions. For those extremes,
the brand’s most advanced (and longest) coat, the Technical Vatersay
Sporting Cape II, is a godsend even in horizontal rain.
Then there are the super-lightweight pieces, designed to be
packed neatly in one’s kit bag, on hand at a moment’s notice if
and when the weather turns. The culmination of years of material
research, experimentation and field testing, these are some of the
most innovative Purdey designs yet. “These pieces represent a union
of technical mastery and sporting tradition,” Deacon explains.
“They’re breathable, lightweight and field-ready. Every element
is engineered to offer protection, practicality and comfort while
upholding Purdey’s distinctive heritage of craftsmanship.”
The Cromwell Coat, Stafford Cape, over trousers and baseball
cap employ the same industry-leading three-layer waterproof
membrane as the Vatersay Cape, plus the same watertight
construction: the full-seam taping, waterproof pockets and zip
guards. No surprise then that these pieces sailed through the most
extreme levels of hydrostatic head testing – a process that involves
applying increasing water pressure to measure the volume the fabric
can withstand – which basically means that if you do find yourself
in weather ferocious enough to compromise this kit, keeping your
shirt dry should be the very least of your worries.
“Trialled across moor, wood and marsh to observe performance
under real conditions, the garments are assessed for durability, water resistance, heat management and comfort,” says Deacon, referring to
the weeks that the Purdey sporting team spent testing the collection
in the pluvial climes of Exmoor National Park. “Insights from
these tests feedback directly into the design process, ensuring each
piece is continually refined until it meets our exacting standards of
performance and resilience.”
Of course, those same exacting standards have been extended to
the look and feel, in a palette chosen for its timeless utility and ability
to harmonise with England’s moorland heather, woodland shade and
autumnal stubble. Beyond their incredible functionality, these pieces
share a certain elegance of form and assured authority that’s often lost
on technical clothing. “It’s no coincidence that they go beautifully with
our tweeds,” Deacon says with a knowing glance over his spectacles.
“But, ultimately they’re there to do a job.”
After all, as British fellwalker and author Alfred Wainwright
MBE, famously quipped, “There's no such thing as bad weather,
only unsuitable clothing.”