# An Endorsement: The Lands End Waxed Cotton Field Coat



## MDCEMII (Apr 4, 2010)

As I slowly begin to get my wardrobe in order, in terms of high quality tradly items, I decided this year that the Barbour I'd been hoping to pick up would just have to wait. $400 could go a long way in shoring up my collection of shirts, pants, sweaters, etc., I figured, and so I set out on a search for an affordable outerwear alternative. 

After a horrible experience with a pea coat from Lands End (cheap, poorly made--do not bother) and a promising hunting coat from LL Bean (Size: ENORMOUS ANN UNFLATTERING), I wound up picking up a lightweight Canvas Field Coat from Lands End, which I like quite a bit and was an absolute steal at $30. It's not suitable for real cold weather, of course, so I started searching again. 

Scrolling through the Lands End site the other day, I came across the Waxed Cotton Field Caot--their version of a Barbour, basically. I went to the LE department of my local Sears today, and they had it there, on sale at 30% off the normal price. It's a nice, heavy jacket, lined in flannel with the standard corduroy collar, snap pockets, handwarmer pockets and full-width back pocket. 

Now, I have no real experience with Barbour, so I can't speak to how the LE version compares in terms of quality, but for just a hair over $100, I figured I really couldn't go wrong. It fits a little large, so I sized down, and I'm quite happy with the fit. It's the coldest day of the year so far here in NY, and I've been impressed by how well it stood up to the temperature. No telling how long it will last, of course, but who knows... for at least a year, it'll keep me from lusting after the real thing. 

One real-deal item at a time, I suppose...


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## bd79cc (Dec 20, 2006)

Please tell us where it is so we don't have to slog through the Lands End site, looking for a webpage whose appearance we don't know. Thanks!


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## MDCEMII (Apr 4, 2010)

Oh, my apologies! I forgot to link it: .


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## bd79cc (Dec 20, 2006)

It's at 



Per your kind words, still a steal at $159.50!


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## Pentheos (Jun 30, 2008)

MDCEMII said:


> $400 could go a long way ...


If you spend $400 on a Barbour, you haven't done your research.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Glad the coat worked out for you. I had seen it on their website and wondered what the quality was like. Judging from the pics, it looks exactly like a Beaufort from the outside, with the exception of the hood snaps on the collar, the hardware color and the sleeve hems. Beauforts are definitely a lightweight coat compared to other waxed cotton offerings and I wear mine with an LE down vest underneath for layering.

For a heavier weight waxed cotton though, I really like . Beauforts come in 6 oz waxed cotton where McAlister's field coats are 10 oz. Not as nicely detailed as a Barbour, but these are meant purely for hunting. They do have a "city" version of one of their coats though. Here's a good deal for one of their field jackets if you don't mind (or if you have a need for) blaze orange.


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## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

Pentheos said:


> If you spend $400 on a Barbour, you haven't done your research.


Agreed. That LE coat looks like a half-hearted knock off...


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## MDCEMII (Apr 4, 2010)

Pentheos said:


> If you spend $400 on a Barbour, you haven't done your research.


Oh, great! Thank you for your helpful and kindhearted comment! Sometimes I like to think about what it would be like if people acted in real life the way they act on the internet. Like, if someone spoke to you about something they thought was a good deal, and in the process said something that indicated to you that they didn't know something that would help them in their endeavors, and you simply said, "You haven't done your research," then walked away, boy would you be a jerk. Such is life, I suppose.


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)

bd79cc said:


> It's at
> 
> Per your kind words, still a steal at $159.50!


'imported'... .


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## Charles Saturn (May 27, 2010)

MDCEMII said:


> Oh, great! Thank you for your helpful and kindhearted comment! Sometimes I like to think about what it would be like if people acted in real life the way they act on the internet. Like, if someone spoke to you about something they thought was a good deal, and in the process said something that indicated to you that they didn't know something that would help them in their endeavors, and you simply said, "You haven't done your research," then walked away, boy would you be a jerk. Such is life, I suppose.


Unfortunately, you get that a fair amount around here. Never been able to figure out the point of being rude.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

I'm sure what he meant to say was:



Pentheos said:


> If you spend $400 on a Barbour, you haven't done your research. *Kindly see this for a much better deal. Have an awesome day!*


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## MDCEMII (Apr 4, 2010)

Heh, thank you, sir.


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## Pentheos (Jun 30, 2008)

hardline_42 said:


> I'm sure what he meant to say was:


Were one to spend even a minute searching the archives, one would find my repeated and glowing endorsement of that particular seller. One minute. Probably not even that.

I also don't use the word "awesome" much, so I probably wouldn't have said that.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

No worries, man. I just happen to know that, in some cases, unless you know exactly what to search for, it can be difficult to navigate the search option. Plus, it took me about 15 seconds to type the response, well under a minute. 

The "awesome" line was a poke at the OP. Nobody talks like that in real life either.


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## MDCEMII (Apr 4, 2010)

Were I to have posted a thread saying, "Hey, does anyone know where I can get a good deal on a Barbour," well, then your dismissive, unhelpful response, and later your explanation that a quick search would have produced a simple solution would have been understandable. Still not nice, but at least understandable. That's not what happened, though. I didn't even ask -- you just took me to task for not finding something I stupidly hadn't actually thought to look for.

I mean, this is silly and, frankly, not something that can be debated. As so many people do every day on the internet, you responded in a way that would be laughably inappropriate in real life, and that's all. It's funnier than usual, of course, and more drenched in irony when it takes place on a message board that seems (justifiably in most cases) to pride itself on carrying on forgotten traditions and overall gentlemanliness.


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## bd79cc (Dec 20, 2006)

This is another one of those threads we need more of on this Forum. I had no idea Lands End offered a low-priced alternative to Barbour, and I wanted to learn more after reading the OP's report. Keep in mind that (a) no mention had been made previously on this Forum about the Lands End coat, and (b) the OP was relating his direct experience with the product. Waxed cotton coats are part of the Trad canon, as I recall. This could be a new Trad item we're hearing about! 

I also liked the links to McAlister and Best In The Country provided by hardline 42. Icing on the cake!

MDCEMII, thank you for for the heads-up and for taking the time to tell us about Lands End's Waxed Cotton Field Coat. I'm looking forward to reading your follow-up report in April about how the coat made it through the winter!


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## Charles Saturn (May 27, 2010)

Too bad he got trashed for mentioning it by someone who had never laid eye's on the jacket yet nevertheless was confident enough to say that it looked like a half-hearted knocked off.


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## palmettoking (Jan 2, 2010)

This may be in the same vein...https://atripdownsouth.blogspot.com/2010/10/barbour-jacket-alternatives.html
I believe he used to/still does contribute here.


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## windsor (Dec 12, 2006)

There are quite a few English knockoffs of Barbour too. I found one made for Smith and Wesson, but not sure of the manufacturers name.Even the lining is copied.


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## blue suede shoes (Mar 22, 2010)

If one is interested in that type/style of coat, but does not want the waxed cotton, check out www.hawkeandco.com. The styles they have are very similiar to Barbour, but the shell is not waxed cotton. I am very satisfied with a water repellant Hawke overcoat with zip out lining that I just purchased. I did not want the waxed cotton type that Barbour, LLBean and Lands End sell because I have read too many bad reviews about the waxed cotton material as it ages. Hawke and Co. is available at major retailers some of which are listed on the website.


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## maximar (Jan 11, 2010)

The hawke website is kinda hip. I just got dizzy looking at the jacket carousel. :icon_smile_big:

Come on fellas! Lighten up! 

Hang on to that LE and enjoy it. LE has a good return policy. When you find that good Barbour deal, return the LE and get the one you really want for an extra $75. Problem solved.


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## Piscator (Dec 4, 2008)

Just got my LE waxed cotton today...for the price, this is an excellent jacket. For the record, I got mine 25% off using last weekend's sale. Thanks to OP for pointing it out to me


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

I just got my LE Waxed Cotton a week or so ago. Right when I tried it on, my wife said, "that looks REALLY good on you." It's a keeper. I spent about $100 on it. I've been using it to shovel snow and build snow forts with my toddler.

Count me as "satisfied" with my half-hearted Barbour knockoff.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Actually, I think there is very little rudeness here compared with much of the Internet, and certainly compared with The Other Forum. Folks on this forum tend to have manners, in my experience, and when they fall short, they are usually corrected.

But this is about waxed coats.

If you absolutely must have new, then I suppose that LE is a good option. But used Barbours are ridiculously cheap. I bought a Bedale about a month ago on the exchange that languished for the better part of a week with an asking price of $135 (I bought--stole--a sweater from the same seller and figure that I paid something less than asking price). The coat is mint as mint gets--I was stunned at the condition and figure, with no visible logos, it was one of my top scores in the past year. A fabulous deal, but then again, I saw a Bedale--not my size--on The Other Forum for $100 the other day. Looked great, and had been reduced after no takers at, IIRC, $115 or thereabouts.

I would way rather have a secondhand Barbour than a new LE for the same price (or a little more), presuming the Barbour is in good condition. The Barbour is tried-and-true. I just don't know about the LE--it could be perfectly fine, but it is an unknown quantity, at least to me.

Maybe it's my imagination, but secondhand Barbours seem to have plummeted in cost during the past year or so. Anyone have theories?



Charles Saturn said:


> Unfortunately, you get that a fair amount around here. Never been able to figure out the point of being rude.


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## Reptilicus (Dec 14, 2004)

32rollandrock said:


> Maybe it's my imagination, but secondhand Barbours seem to have plummeted in cost during the past year or so. Anyone have theories?


They became popular and everyone had to have one, for a year, and now these buyers are on to the next thing they "need" to have. There are a ton of low mile used Barbours out there.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
LOL. Indeed, it seems that Barbour has committed production and marketings errors that mirror those committed by our beloved Harley Davidson...mass marketing and over production have killed the appreciative value of the bikes and, might I presume to say, the jackets(!)?


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

I got the BB knock-off.

1/2 off - extra 15% and a 100 gift card from Discover = not bad!!

Except the zipper could be more robust...


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## Bandit44 (Oct 1, 2010)

32rollandrock said:


> Maybe it's my imagination, but secondhand Barbours seem to have plummeted in cost during the past year or so. Anyone have theories?


 I've seen these coats worn more and more. My theory is that waxed cotton promises more than it delivers. People purchase the jacket and then find out that it smells, collects lint and dust, is heavy, and doesn't breathe well. Connoisseurs of the "country lifestyle" are willing to put up with this, but neophytes move on to something else. Both Barber and Filson have done a wonderful job marketing these coats.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Ah. What a shame.



Reptilicus said:


> They became popular and everyone had to have one, for a year, and now these buyers are on to the next thing they "need" to have. There are a ton of low mile used Barbours out there.


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

Bandit44 said:


> My theory is that waxed cotton promises more than it delivers. People purchase the jacket and then find out that it smells, collects lint and dust, is heavy, and doesn't breathe well. Connoisseurs of the "country lifestyle" are willing to put up with this, but neophytes move on to something else. Both Barber and Filson have done a wonderful job marketing these coats.


Yeah, I think that's dead on. They look great in pictures, they're trendy, etc. - but they are a relatively high maintenance, limited-use garment, and they do have an odor..........I think their appeal wanes with usage for many.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Epaminondas said:


> Yeah, I think that's dead on. They look great in pictures, they're trendy, etc. - but they are a relatively high maintenance, limited-use garment, and they do have an odor..........I think their appeal wanes with usage for many.


 I think that, for those who are just discovering waxed jackets and are accustomed to nylon and goretex, a Barbour would be more high maintenance in comparison. Add to that the concept of having to reproof a jacket (instead of just throwing it away and buying a new one) and you have a concept that is totally alien to most "trendy" folks today.

Generally, the people on this forum are much more committed to their clothing (using shoe trees, brushing shell cordovan, polishing, waxing, altering etc.) and to their day to day items than most, so I think we're more likely to justify the additional attention required.

That being said, my Beaufort and Bedale are the two most versatile pieces of outerwear I own based solely on how often I wear them throughout the year, despite their "limited use." And, since my Beaufort has been serving faithfully since 1988 and still going strong, I'd say it's delivered more than expected with regards to durability.


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## David J. Cooper (Apr 26, 2010)

My wife and I daytripped to Seattle last weekend to buy her this jacket:



It was truly unsuitable for her lifestyle, too heavy and bulky to wear on the train back and forth to work. She is a short lady and compalined the jacket was so heavy it hurt her neck. Luckily we didn't order it online.

As the guy at Filson said these jackets are for breaking through bush, rubbing against barbed wire and doing winter chores or shooting god's creatures. How many people here are going to stick a recently killed bird into their jacket pocket?

We bought her this instead:


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

David J. Cooper said:


> My wife and I daytripped to Seattle last weekend to buy her this jacket:
> 
> It was truly unsuitable for her lifestyle, too heavy and bulky to wear on the train back and forth to work. She is a short lady and compalined the jacket was so heavy it hurt her neck. Luckily we didn't order it online.
> 
> ...


 Filson jackets are not for casual use. They are heavy, stiff, clammy and, as you mentioned, for serious outdoor use. A Barbour is much more commuter friendly, being about half the weight and lined in cotton flannel.

Good choice on the wool coat. Filson wool products are top notch.

Oh and by the way, the only reason I wouldn't put a recently shot bird in the game pocket of my waxed jackets (I have two "hunting-only" waxed jackets with game pockets) is because heat can easily spoil the meat and keeping it close to my body while I'm moving, while possibly piling other warm carcasses on top of it, would be bad. But I don't mind a little bit of blood and feathers on my jackets.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

I find the game pocket (AKA the Lindsay Lohan) handy at the supermarket.

"Oh, I thought that smoked salmon was left over from my fishing trip!!"


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

David J. Cooper said:


> My wife and I daytripped to Seattle last weekend to buy her this jacket:
> 
> ........
> As the guy at Filson said these jackets are for breaking through bush, rubbing against barbed wire and doing winter chores or shooting god's creatures. How many people here are going to stick a recently killed bird into their jacket pocket?
> ...


While I cannot speak for any other forum members, I for one do use the game pocket in my Barbour for carrying harvested small game. I've found the two Barbours that I've had direct experience with to be good fits for both field and in town wear!


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

eagle2250 said:


> While I cannot speak for any other forum members, I for one do use the game pocket in my Barbour for carrying harvested small game. I've found the two Barbours that I've had direct experience with to be good fits for both field and in town wear!


I've complained about this before, but I don't see how anyone can hunt in those things for any significant amount of time. After walking multiple miles on fields, terraces, and thickets in Iowa, looking for pheasant, in freezing cold weather in November, the inside of my Barbour was soaking wet from trapped perspiration within a couple of hours. I used it for that one day many years ago, swapped it for a technical fabric hunting coat, and will never again use it for hunting - a waxed Filson is no better.


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## David J. Cooper (Apr 26, 2010)

Respect to you fellows. I thought everybody here was a poseur like me.

They could tell at Filson that we weren't real outdoor sportsmen. Unless you include hiking and sailing.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Epaminondas said:


> I've complained about this before, but I don't see how anyone can hunt in those things for any significant amount of time. After walking multiple miles on fields, terraces, and thickets in Iowa, looking for pheasant, in freezing cold weather in November, the inside of my Barbour was soaking wet from trapped perspiration within a couple of hours. I used it for that one day many years ago, swapped it for a technical fabric hunting coat, and will never again use it for hunting - a waxed Filson is no better.


 It depends on the application. I can hunt just fine in my waxed cotton jackets, my Barbour included, if it's a leisurely upland hunt on relatively flat ground with no dogs. If I know I'm going to have to hustle to a point constantly, I'll pick something else. I also wear waxed cotton for waterfowl hunting. After the decoys are set, there's very little movement involved so, no sweating, and the waxed cotton helps cut wind and rain very well while also being much more durable than a gore tex shell. My only complaint is that the heavier fabrics from companies like Filson and McAlister make for very heavy coats. The Barbour isn't too bad in that regard, but I also can't bust through anything and everything with it.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
LOL. While I cannot recall the waxed cotton being that much of a challenge in terms of heat control (as I became too warm, I would unzip the jacket. When I felt a bit chilled, I zipped it back up!), I suppose it is possible that some of us will sacrifice a degree of convenience, for the sake of tradition!


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

eagle2250 said:


> ... I suppose it is possible that some of us will sacrifice a degree of convenience, for the sake of tradition!


 If this werent' the case, we'd all be wearing polyester fleece unitards and Ugg boots.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

hardline_42 said:


> ... the waxed cotton helps cut wind .


That's a big + around here!!


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

There are way better things, I think, than waxed cotton for hunting, climbing mountains, bicycle touring, backpacking, etc. There is no reason, I think, for looking good whilst hunting, climbing mountains, bicycle touring, backpacking, etc.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

32rollandrock said:


> There are way better things, I think, than waxed cotton for hunting, climbing mountains, bicycle touring, backpacking, etc. There is no reason, I think, for looking good whilst hunting, climbing mountains, bicycle touring, backpacking, etc.


 I've tried most of the "better things" and keep coming back to the traditional stuff. As for there being no reason for looking good while hunting, that may be the case, but I don't think it's why most people chose "modern" materials. If you take a look at deer hunting and waterfowl especially, it seems like it's become more of a fashion show than a sport. Every year there's a "new" camo pattern, more advanced scent-blocking technology, "better" ammunition in all kinds of exotic metals and all kinds of other gimmicks that only stop short of promising complete invisibility and superhuman accuracy. And heaven forbid you don't wear matching camo patterns from head to toe.


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

eagle2250 said:


> ^^
> LOL. While I cannot recall the waxed cotton being that much of a challenge in terms of heat control (as I became too warm, I would unzip the jacket. When I felt a bit chilled, I zipped it back up!), I suppose it is possible that some of us will sacrifice a degree of convenience, for the sake of tradition!


Zipping/unzipping didn't help. When its 5 degrees out, you cool off pretty quick when you unzip! Even "wicking" garments underneath don't help much if you have a layer on that traps the moisture - it can't evaporate and that freezing wind will chill you fast - really fast if you have moisture next to your skin. I can see it on slow/medium paced ambling walk hunts, but for me, it doesn't work. It's strictly for suburban wear and strolling walks in inclement weather for me.

P.S. - don't mean to imply that you're ambling about - but that's the speed I'd have to use not to overheat, I suspect.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

The only thing I know about hunting deer is how to write a check to a friend who bags a doe for me each year and asks only that I reimburse for processing. As for other back country endeavors, I have some experience with that and would take Gore Tex over waxed cotton a thousand times over for backpacking, etc. I remember the days before GT--that stuff was a godsend. So, too, polypropylene.



hardline_42 said:


> I've tried most of the "better things" and keep coming back to the traditional stuff. As for there being no reason for looking good while hunting, that may be the case, but I don't think it's why most people chose "modern" materials. If you take a look at deer hunting and waterfowl especially, it seems like it's become more of a fashion show than a sport. Every year there's a "new" camo pattern, more advanced scent-blocking technology, "better" ammunition in all kinds of exotic metals and all kinds of other gimmicks that only stop short of promising complete invisibility and superhuman accuracy. And heaven forbid you don't wear matching camo patterns from head to toe.


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## markdc (May 17, 2007)

hardline_42 said:


> I'm sure what he meant to say was:


Is Best in the Country the lowest price from UK online retailers that ship to the States?


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

markdc said:


> Is Best in the Country the lowest price from UK online retailers that ship to the States?


 It's the lowest I've found, and it's the vendor most often recommended on this site from which to purchase Barbours.


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## markdc (May 17, 2007)

hardline_42 said:


> It's the lowest I've found, and it's the vendor most often recommended on this site from which to purchase Barbours.


Great. Thanks so much!


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## CMDC (Jan 31, 2009)

^Agree. When I bought my Beaufort before Xmas I looked at pretty much every UK site I could find. They had the lowest prices. They didn't have a full range of sizes so I bought mine here because I got a 25% discount.


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## 4dgt90 (Dec 2, 2009)

CMDC said:


> ^Agree. When I bought my Beaufort before Xmas I looked at pretty much every UK site I could find. They had the lowest prices. They didn't have a full range of sizes so I bought mine here because I got a 25% discount.


Can you elaborate on the discount please? Discount on the retail price of best in country (~$225) or discount on the retail price in the US (~$400) at Orvis/JCrew?

I'd be interested in the discount if it were to the UK website as 25% off the Orvis price still isn't low enough for me to bite.

Thanks


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