WHILE a new waterproof shooting jacket won’t guarantee success on the moor, it should keep you dry and make things that bit easier.
Traditionally, you might expect to gravitate towards a tweed style, but today the best shooting jackets are often made from high-tech synthetic fabrics including Gore-Tex, making them lighter, more comfortable and easier to wear.
A well-built jacket will keep you dry in the field whatever the weather, protecting you from rain, wind and keeping you warm during the winter months as well.
It shouldn’t just keep the elements out though. The best waterproof shooting jacket will be made from a silent material too, keeping any noises that might disturb or spook your target to a minimum.
Other features to factor in are the number of pockets, which are useful for carrying cartridges in; a colour that blends into your environment; and good breathability.
Not all waterproof shooting jackets are equal though. Read on to find out our pick of the best you can currently buy.
Musto Highland Gore-Tex Ultra Lite Jacket
- Musto Highland Gore-Tex Ultra Lite Jacket, £325 from Musto – buy here
Sailing specialist Musto knows a thing or two about keeping its customers dry in extreme conditions, which is why you know you can trust its shooting range to do the same.
On the surface, its Highland jacket might just look like your normal shooting jacket, but it is packed full of technology that more than justifies its price tag.
Musto has used Gore-Tex fabric to keep its wearer protected against water and wind, while retaining full breathability for all but the most intense stalking or beating.
Two large cartridge pockets, two handwarmer pockets and a zipped chest pocket allow you to keep your essential accessories at hand.
Finally, a DWR (durable water repellent) coating has been applied to the outer and inner stretch cuffs to prevent water soaking into the fabrics, keeping you comfortable for longer and speeding up the drying process.
Barbour Classic Beaufort Waxed Jacket
- Barbour Classic Beaufort waxed jacket , £192.95 from Country Attire - buy here
A classic Barbour shooting jacket, the Beaufort perfectly combines functional design with hard-wearing, high performance materials.
Made from the British brand’s iconic Sylkoil waxed cotton, it features expertly designed details including a two-way zip, moleskin-lined hand warmer pockets and a double-zip game pocket at the rear.
While it may have originally been designed for shooting, the great thing about the Beaufort is that it’s also perfect for casual wear. Thanks to its classic design and comfortable fit, you can just as easily throw it on over jeans and a shirt for weekend walks in the city.
Fjallraven Forest Hybrid Jacket
- Fjallraven Forest Hybrid jacket, £235 from Alpine Trek – buy here
Hunting can be a sedentary or active pursuit, and the Forest Hybrid from Fjallraven can handle both with ease.
Its outer is made from the brand’s G-1000 Silent fabric – a brushed material that is smooth and soft to touch, and quiet in the field – that has been waxed to provide wind- and water-resistance.
Although it’s not as waterproof as some of the jackets featured in this list, it makes up for it in interesting features, including underarm stretch gussets for increased movement and an attachment on the left shoulder for a clip-on radio pack.
The jacket is available in "dark olive" or "deep forest".
Ridgeline Pintail Explorer Jacket
- Ridgeline Pintail Explorer Jacket, £124.95 from Amazon – buy here
New Zealand-based brand Ridgeline’s Pintail Explorer jacket offers the protection and style of a smock but with the flexibility of a full-zip.
It is waterproof to 10,000mm, which means it’ll keep you dry in all but the heaviest British downpours, while its 10,000 MVT breathability should keep the sweat at bay when walking to and from hides.
It has three large exterior zipped pockets for easy access, is constructed from from Ridgelines rustle-free ‘Quiet-Tex’ material and comes in either teak or olive — we personally like the teak.
Laksen Gunnerside shooting coat
- Laksen Gunnerside shooting coat, £199.95 from William Powell – buy here
If you’re looking for a waterproof shell that offers protection during the warmer months, then the Gunnerside from Laksen could be it.
Its lightweight construction uses the brand’s CTX Membrane – standing for comfort, technology and extreme – leaving you with a jacket that is not only waterproof and breathable but very quiet too.
It features front cartridge pockets with retainer flaps, handwarmer pockets for colder spells, faux suede shoulder patches to minimise wear and tear from the butt of your rifle or shotgun, and a removable hood.
Harkila Orton Ladies Packable Jacket
- Harkila Orton Ladies Packable Jacket, £199.99 from Harkila – buy here
A lightweight waterproof shell is a useful addition to any hunter’s wardrobe, offering protection against the elements while remaining breathable and comfortable in the UK’s changeable conditions.
This packable jacket from Danish brand Harkila provides amazing flexibility – it can be folded down into its own pocket and worn on a belt – making it ideal for those spring or autumn days when the temperature is mild but there are showers forecast.
Other notable highlights include two large front cartridge pockets with quick load functions and drainage holes, two handwarmer pockets and a packable hood that doubles up as extra neck insulation when not in use.
Alan Paine Combrook Men’s Waterproof Tweed Shooting Coat
- Alan Paine Combrook Men’s Waterproof Tweed Shooting Coat, £384.95 from Alan Paine – buy here
Although the majority of waterproof shooting jackets are now made from synthetic materials, Tweed still has its place, as the Combrook from Alain Paine proves.
The brand claims that the 100% wool Tweed jacket is “guaranteed to withstand mother nature’s downpours” yet is breathable enough to allow body moisture to evaporate.
It also guarantees that it’s not going to itch thanks to a combination of a soft handle and a soft contrast inner collar.
Cartridge pockets (“plenty of room for those dog biscuits), handwarmer pockets and a secure map pocket (“Google maps doesn’t work in the field”) round out a traditional-looking jacket that has been made for the modern marksman.
John Field Storm Jacket
- John Field Storm Jacket, £160 from John Field – buy here
Crafted from a lightweight, weather-proof recycled fabric, the John Field Storm jacket will keep you dry in varying degrees of downpour. An ideal jacket for conditions that aren't too cold, the Storm jacket is lighter than others in this list, making it perfect for layering with chunky knitwear underneath.
Notable features include a game pocket on the rear that’s perfect for storing any successful shots and underarm eyelets and openings at the elbows for improved ventilation and movement.
Finished in forest green, this really is a waterproof shooting jacket for all seasons.
What is a shooting jacket?
A shooting jacket is a coat that is worn when clay pigeon shooting, hunting game or stalking deer.
It’s different from a normal jacket in a number of ways.
It will generally have a larger fit, allowing for a greater range of movement, and will include features such as large front pockets for carrying shotgun cartridges, shoulder patches to reduce wear from the butt of a rifle or shotgun and even places to store successfully shot game.
Which Gore Tex jacket is the best?
The best Gore Tex shooting jacket currently available on the market is the Musto Highland Gore Tex Ultra Lite jacket.
As well as being incredibly waterproof and breathable, it is so lightweight you’ll probably forget you’re wearing it.
What is the best waterproof shooting jacket?
For all-out performance, we'd be hard pressed to recommend an old school wool tweed jacket, considering there's so many high-tech alternatives available today.
If you're after a jacket purely for shooting though, the Musto Highlander style gets our vote as its multiple pockets and storm-proof Gore-Tex fabric will get the job done, every time.
If you want a shooting jacket you can wear casually too, however, the Barbour Beaufort is unparalleled for its timeless design. Available in a range of easy to wear colours, it should be the go-to choice if you're after a style that looks as good as it performs.
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