Claymore waxed cotton gear

15th January 2016

Roadmeister | Belstaff | Barbour | Carl Wilson

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Claymore Jackets in Yorkshire is owned and run by Carl Wilson. The wholly British company was founded in 2003. Its remit is to create bespoke, stylish waxed cotton jackets at realistic prices for people who prefer not to wear gear created in a Far East sweatshop and/or off the peg items from established brands. Instead, Claymore's jackets are cut, machined, finished and despatched right here in the UK.

Just two people are employed at Claymore. The turnaround time is from 1 week to 12 weeks (depending on the workload). And how does Claymore get your measurements? Simple. Following your enquiry, you'll be sent a sizing chart that you'll complete (then probably add an honest bit more to allow for your wishful thinking), and then you'll pay, and then Claymore will set their elves to work. If you want the jacket armoured, you can select that option, and you can choose which manufacturer of armour you prefer.

Prices start from £240, and in view of the fact that these jackets are tailor made, that compares very well with gear from Barbour, Belstaff Matchless and so on. And if you want a waxed cotton jacket bearing a camouflage pattern, you can have it.

We should mention that we've heard criticism of Claymore, but not for the quality of the product. Instead, one or two riders feel that Claymore is simply "ripping off" established waxed cotton designs. For example, the Claymore Roadmeister looks, and sounds, a lot like the Belstaff Roadmaster. But then, so does the Matchless Roadfarer. Other jackets in the Claymore range bear similarity to other clobber from Barbour and Belstaff.

We can see the concerns, and we share them up to a point. But as with denim jeans, working boots, crash helmets and battleships, form follows function, and the basic design of waxed cotton jackets has become so "democratised" and ubiquitous that it's hard to see who's imitating who. Moreover, if there's serious and more obvious copyright infringement, Belstaff, Matchless, Barbour and Co can talk to their lawyers and slug it out in the usual manner. Ergo, if other manufacturers don't feel they' have sufficient grounds for legal complaint, neither should you.

While we remember, Claymore also make jackets using a Ventile® fabric as developed during WW2 to protect fighter pilots forced to ditch whilst on Arctic Convoy patrol. The fabric, as we understand it, isn't coated. Instead, it's 100 percent cotton weaved very tightly and designed to swell up when wet, thereby forming and effective seal. Ventile® is still being used by the RAF Tornado and Eurofighter pilots. Talk to Claymore if you like the sound of this stuff.

Meanwhile, you can check the Claymore website and get it straight from the horse's mouth. We ought to mention that Claymore was recommended to us by a Sumpster who bought not one jacket from the firm, but liked it so much he bought a second. Hard to get a better recommendation than that.

www.claymorejackets.co.uk

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