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Stormy Kromer Coat - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.

Stormy Kromer Mackinaw Coat and Vest

As some of you know I make a lot of my own equipment as I very often struggle to get kit that exactly fits my needs.

It was a pleasant surprise then to find a Mackinaw coat, that seemed almost perfect for my needs, in an outdoor store that I visit from time to time. The only problem... Not my size.

I looked at the label and it was a company I hadn’t heard of before, Stormy Kromer.

It appears that they have a good reputation on the other side of the pond for making hats and this is a lesser known part of their range.

I have to say the coat was not cheap but then good quality rarely is.

Some time later, I bit the bullet and ordered a coat and vest combination in olive green.

It’s made of heavy wool, 26oz. apparently, but this is much smoother than some of the other wool coats I have seen and used. The vest zips into the coat or can be zipped closed at the front. A loop at the neck line allows it to be buttoned into the coat there too.

Other than the vest there is no lining which I see as an advantage which I’ll talk about later.

One thing I may change is the buttons, they are plastic and although they are decent quality, I just think I would prefer some good wooden ones in their place.

The pockets are well thought out. On the jacket there are button down pockets for security with  open pockets above for things you want easier access to.

Behind the bottom pockets there is a space you can slip your hands into to keep them warm, although these couldn’t really be called pockets because they lack any sort of lip to stop things falling out.

The waistcoat has open pockets like the jacket and small vertical open pockets above.

Stormy Kromer Jacket and Waistcoat - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.
Stormy Kromer Waistcoat - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.

Again, I may modify these smaller pocket on one side by putting a couple of vertical lines of stitching to make pencil or pen slots leaving the other side open for a notepad.So, enough about the design, what is it like?

As mentioned it is good and thick without being itchy. I wore it out on the moor today in the tail end of ex-Hurricane Katia with just a T-shirt under it and it was definitely windproof.

Around the fire in the evening as the temperature dropped it was also warm and cosy.

The label says dry clean only although I can’t see that being a regular job as the lack of a liner means there is no synthetic filling to get stinky as it is worn. I often find that coat liners tend to wear out faster than the main material so I’m quite happy for it to be unlined.

It all appears well made as I’d expect from such a high quality jacket and the lack of lining means all the seams are easily accessible for repair should it ever need it.

The combinations of vest and coat, fastened up or left open gives a range of options when it comes to layering. I’m expecting this to work well for the Northern forests as Mackinaw coats such as this and the Filson Cruiser have evolved from the sort of clothing worn in that sort of environment across Canada and North America.

Update: Well Winter was a bit of a damp Squib this year but this coat has become a firm favourite.

I tend to wear it with the cuffs folded back most of the time,  folding them forward again in really foul weather.

It has kept me warm on long night shoots and walking the dog on the moors alike.

Wallking the woods - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.
Stormy Kromer Mackinaw Cap and Bunkhouse Trousers - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.

After seeing this review, Stormy Kromer sent me some Bunkhouse trousers and one of their Mackinaw Caps which is a beautifully made piece of work.

I’m not normally a cap kind of guy, I’ve always preferred a full brimmed hat but there are times when a cap is handy such as when wearing a hooded coat.

The clever thing with this cap is the extra band that can be pulled down to protect your ears against cold wind.

The cap is 100% wool outside with a soft cotton lining inside. Not quite as warm as a beanie but a lot smarter.

I don’t think it will replace my old ‘roo skin hat but I’ll certainly be keeping it in the pocket of my bergan on wet and windy trips for use with my waterproofs.

I reviewed the trousers properly here.

Sub Zero Crew - Bushcraft UK

Unless noted otherwise, all photography, artwork and content on this site is copyrighted. © Gary Waidson 2020 All rights reserved

The Ice Raven Project promotes sustainable and low impact bushcraft and wilderness skills in Arctic and winter conditions. This includes the use of  tents, tarps  and snow shelters where possible. Fires are only used where safe and where use and collection of firewood will not damage the natural environment. We often travel to locations by public transport and then use snowshoes, sleds, toboggans and pulks to transport our equipment into the wilderness.