British invented a tightly woven cotton called Ventile for RAF pilots, which is waterproof, windproof and breathes quite well when not wet.

It has some disadvantages, but it's natural, it doesn't burn and it doesn't make funny noises. There are even some certified organic variants made in Switzerland by Stotz. Many manufacturers in Germany, Scandinavia and UK are adding this to some of their jackets, so it's worth looking around.

Else, Paramo has developed a clever cloth called Analogy, which works in a manner similar to animal fur to push rain out and keep you warm. It's not perfect either, and it's based on synthetic fibers, but it doesn't have nasty plastic coatings. It's used by some mountain guides in my region, and when I asked they were quite satisfied.

Ventile, long staple cotton, works by absorbing and swelling with water; "closing" the weave and preventing further water from getting in. However, the inner surface of the fabric is still wet, so your clothes underneath the jacket can still get wet through capillary action. So to mitigate this, oftentimes manufacturers will use two layers of Ventile or put a wool liner underneath the shoulders.

Also, once thoroughly soaked through, it will take just as long to dry as regular ol' cotton. This is why Stotz still treats their version, EtaProof, with DWR.

I think Ventile is great, but I think it's better suited for situations where you'll return to a heated shelter at the end of the night.

> RAF pilots

AKA people not exposed to the elements most of the time.

They did not have pressurised cabins (mostly) in ww2, it gets damm cold in a bomber at altitude.

If your plane goes down in the middle of a battlefield, you'll need a good coat...

You're kind of fucked in that case regardless, and waterproof jacket will be the least of your concerns. All you have is a small handgun.

Pilots spend most of their time flying over either friendly territory or open water. Assuming they survive the crash intact, cold is overall their #1 threat.

Wanted to add that a bunch of planes from back then didn't have sealed, heated cockpits like we know today.

The vast majority of military cockpits aren't pressurized even today.

Yes, they are (F-16 most commont)[1] (F-16 pressurized)[2]. It's just not enough to avoid needing additional air supply to prevent hypoxia.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_United_States_A... 2. https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/73143/is-the-f-...

I didn't clarify Ventile was created to increase their chances of surviving if shot down in the North Sea.

I think there are already alternatives. Dyneema fiber is superior to GoreTex in almost any way but price (I have ultralight backpacks made of the stuff and are amazing). Moreover, they are more resistant to UV light than other polymers, lowering the chance they end up as microplastics.

If, instead, you are looking for waxable gear, have a look at Fjällraven G-1000 series of products. They cost a penny, but they are ultra sturdy and, in general, top-notch outdoor gear. Moreover Fjällraven should be one of the more environmental friendly brands for technical gear ATM.

Dyneema fabrics aren't breathable at all are they? That seems to be gore-tex's main selling point over other waterproof fabrics.

You are correct, but I believe there were experiments about having micropores to let moisture escape. Also, I think it can be loosely wooven to have some degree of breathability. I think nobody invested in it yet with regards to clothing because prices would go through the roof.

So it is not really an alternative! :)

Look for Swedish outdoor brand Fjällräven, their G1000 material is waxed cotton. Not the cheapest but they are high quality and wil last.

I have a couple of pants made from G-1000, and I really like it's properties (light, durable, will not retain much water, can be made water-repellent with wax), but it actually is made from 65% polyester and 35% cotton [1].

[1] https://www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/about-fjallraven/materia...

Thanks, I should have double-checked.

They have a few different versions now, but the key to the membrane is that it’s really thin. It’s not like most average Joes can make their own even if they buy a bunch of PTFE pellets. It’s also overkill for most people and daily life, but Gore Tex (or some of the newer competitors) is worth it when backpacking or biking; you don’t want to carry the weight of a waxed canvas jacket for a long trip.

Try the North face Thermoball line of jackets. I put mine through all manner of environmental abuse this year and it performed extremely well.

The materials all seem pretty boring sounding.

Is there any reason why aerogel (e.g. PyroGel) hasn't caught on as an insulation for winter jackets? The demos look pretty impressive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1Ig8rW80uk

The first jackets using Aerogel as insulation are just hitting the market. https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-das-parka/85350.html?... is one example. The previous version of this jacket is a cult favorite; curious to see what reviews of the new Aerogel version look like.

As far as i remember, people wearing clothes with this type of insualtion had problems with overheating.

However things may have changed since then

https://www.outsideonline.com/1919251/forget-down—aerogel-in...

Interesting. I was wondering since I've felt cold in almost every Gore-tex jacket I have worn. Also it would seem to me that using a really thin layer of the aerogel stuff could prevent overheating, keep warm while being stupidly thin and impressive.

Gore-Tex is not meant to insulate unless you're talking about just the bare skin feel against the inside of the jacket. Some Gore-Tex jackets had a mesh liner which helps alleviate that cold surface feeling (and protect the teflon layer).

If you're interested in insulation for high-exertion activities, Polartec Alpha is now the bee's knees.

Without special treatment aerogel would be damaged by movement and moisture that is common with a jacket. It’s also very costly to produces compared to other insulating materials.

All the aerogel I've ever seen has been super fragile and flaky. It didn't even last as a desk ornament, let alone sewn into clothes.

I also to seem to recall that it is, like REALLY bad to inhale particles of, similar to stuff like asbestos

Waxed canvas is used a lot for woodworking aprons. I'd look for a waxed canvas rain coat.

I don’t know about general purpose jackets but in the motorcycling world waxed cotton is still used by some manufacturers. Check this one out: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/merlin-yoxall-wax-jacket

> (dense weave, regularly reapply wax)

Barbour?

Or Belstaff. Even Aigle makes pretty good waxed jackets on occasion.

But one of the best materials for rain is still... wool.

I have had several wool coats and none of them have been at all rain repellent. I’ve also worn many pure wool jumpers and hats in the rain, again none of them holding off anything more than the lightest drizzle.

What sort of wool is good for keeping off the rain?

Edit: Wearing (only) a damp wool jumper is fine if you’re up a mountain and it’s not too windy or freezing cold, but I’d still prefer to be dry!

Not the GP, so not sure what he was specifically talking about, but wool is known for retaining its insulative value even when wet.

Yes, you're wet, but you're still warm.

Many outdoorsmen prefer this to the uncertainty of being able to keep their gear dry.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about. By thick rainy weather I love nothing more than a coarse knitted woolen sweater and a heavy tweed jacket. It's warm, breathable and I'll never stay so long under the rain that it's soaked.

As far as strictly waterproofing goes, you do need coating or some hybrid material with PU weaved in. IMO it's more useful as a wind barrier than anything else.

This is why you always use layers with wool closest to the skin.

Gore-Tex has always been way overrated. It's willingness to debond with relatively little use, destroys its long term utility. There are better waterproof linings that will last. Ventilation can be provided by openings in the garment.

You might be thinking of something like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driza-Bone ?

Barbour maybe - but is expensive and you need to get the knack of applying the wax.

There's always boiled wool. ;-)