Swazi/Ray Mears AEGIS Tahr XP Anorak

  1 of 35

  Comfortable, well made and roomy. Excellent quality item.  

  K Curtis

  2 of 35

  I got the Swazi Jacket for my husband late August mainly for dog walking in the Sussex countryside. With the constant rain that we have had since October the jacket has been worn nearly everyday. It has lived up to its reputation keeping him dry and warm even in the heaviest rain that we experienced at the end of December. The material is very quiet, and tough enough to cope with thorniest of gorse bushes. The fit is great with plenty of room for layers, (size L and he's 6 ft 3 inches and 42/43 inch chest. The hood and high collar are perfect for keeping icy winds and rain away. After 5 months of wear and taking a few tumbles in the mud, it still looks new. Worth every penny.  

  Carolyn Hammond

  3 of 35

  I’ve had this anorak a couple of months now and I’ve purposely held back from writing this review, until I had put it through its paces so to speak. It's surprisingly light but still very warm and comfortable. I was able to stay comfortable just wearing a 200gm base layer and a thin unbranded fleece. Being an avid target shooter, I often visit Bisley shooting ground, where it always seems to rain. Last week was no exception as we started the afternoon shoot, the heavens opened and we were subjected to some pretty nasty weather, with driving rain and freezing temperatures. I must say I was really impressed, I was kept warm and dry the whole afternoon, the pockets are a nice size, I was able to keep my ammunition to hand, whilst still having room to keep my hands warm. The neoprene cuffs are comfortable, and secure enough to keep the heat in and drafts out so you can move around and work with your hands. The hood is great for protecting your face from the rain, keeping the warmth in and still leaving me with good peripheral vision. So being disabled I often shoot from a seated position on a bench. This has its downfalls in bad weather, as I’m often sitting in a puddle with water running down the backs of my legs. The length of this anorak is perfect, I can sit down without getting wet through whilst protecting the front of my legs from water running off the bench. When I first started looking at this anorak I really couldn’t justify purchasing it, but those couple of days in the bad weather it now has to be one of the best purchases I’ve made so far. The only thing I don’t understand: which isn’t necessarily bad, it was more of an annoyance really, was the extra extra long draw cord. I’m not exactly sure why it’s like that but it has the tendency to catch on things if you don’t secure it properly, by which I mean tying in consecutive bows. Otherwise it’s just fantastic.  

  Anthony Bool

  4 of 35

  Definitely worth saving up for! I am a size 12 and the Small fits really well, leaving enough room to wear layers underneath without the coat feeling enormous or bulky. I have sewn some extra velcro to the cuffs so that they close more snugly and cut out drafts, but this was very easily done. The coat is beautifully quiet, soft and warm, completely cutting out wind and rain and with enough length to cover me almost to my knees, allowing me to sit on damp ground without the need for waterproof trousers. The pockets are large enough to fit an A5 notebook, so provide enough space for essentials, often eliminating the need to carry a bag. All in all, it is a great garment, which I know will last me many years - I would recommend it to anyone who wants to be dry and comfortable outdoors in Britain!  

  Jessica Staniforth

  5 of 35

  Having deliberated if I could justify the cost of this jacket I took the plunge and ordered. I am so glad I did! I have now worn it in anger and can say hand on heart it is the best jacket I have ever owned and worn for walking and hiking. It is extremely well made, waterproof and comfortable beyond belief! Well worth the price. If I could change one thing about it I would include some pockets at waist level too.  

  Gareth B

  6 of 35

  After purchasing a Ridgeline smock and found its breathability sadly wanting, I was really damp from sweat, I finally decided to stretch to purchasing a Swazi/Ray Mears AEGIS Tahr XP. Unsure about sizing (I’m a 44 chest, so between a Large and Extra Large), I asked for advice and received a prompt and helpful response from Diana Taylor, the Assistant Director at Woodlore Limited. I ordered a large and it fitted comfortably. I have worn it a number of times on the hills of Northumberland and it has already seen plenty of wind and rain (the delights of a British summer). It is at least as waterproof and more breathable than any waterproof jacket I have previously owned and is performing much better than my Ridgeline smock. The hood is excellent and, as described, provides good peripheral vision. The hand warming pockets are good, but would be improved if there was an inner, smaller, fleece lined pocket for the hands, or, if the entire pocket had the same lining as the inner “palm side”. I like the neoprene stretch cuffs but I think that the jacket would benefit from having them recessed behind the Aegis sleeve. My Ridgeline smock has this feature and it reduces the dampness on the neoprene in extended wet weather. I have yet to establish the need for the extended-length drawcord at the waist. My only complaint is the length of the sleeves – they must have very long arms in New Zealand! The full length of the neoprene cuff is beyond my fingertips, I have tried turning the cuffs up (inside and outside) to make it more wearable, but this does not look or feel right. I wonder if when they added the cuffs, did they compensate by reducing the Aegis sleeve? It would be interesting to know if the standard Aegis XP sleeve length is the same? It is a real problem for me and not a problem I’ve had with other waterproof jackets (my Ridgeline fits perfectly – if only it were more breathable). I will try to have the smock sleeves tailored, otherwise it will put me off wearing the smock.  

  Steve W

  7 of 35

  Excellent heavy shell. I'm a slim 6 foot tall runners build (38 inch chest) and the size medium is perfect for me. I wore it out in a rainstorm last weekend while setting up camp in the Canadian forest. It protected me very well. I felt warm and dry and the hood provided excellent vision while protecting my face. Although I'm sure it's breathable, it is not breathable enough for anything in the summer aside from standing still. This is not a fault, just the price you pay for the level of protection you get. I own a very expensive waterproof breathable from a top world renowned brand, and it suffers the same fate in hot weather, it's only advantage is pit zips. I'm taking a 4 day canoe trip in October this year, and while I normally wait on the weather and cancel a trip if it's too wet, I think this shell has given me the confidence to go out regardless of precipitation. Really top notch shell, I'm very glad I finally purchased it, I can't imagine using any other coat now, and have been browsing the Swazi website for a shell for my girlfriend. As an aside, it's very nice that the jacket is made in New Zealand and the tailors name is put on each piece. A really nice touch. Thank you Sue for the great coat!  

  Jeremy Jurksztowicz

  8 of 35

  As expected, this is a top quality outer layer. I've already put it through its paces, wearing it whilst setting up camp in the recent storm. It kept me warm when working with just a single underlayer beneath it. The wide cuffs are handy as they allow for pushing the sleeves up to the elbow when walking with a pack on to help vent heat. I'm a fairly big build and the XL is baggy on me but comfortable and allows easy space for more layers when the winter comes. The waist drawstring is very long and I'm not sure exactly why, I've ended up just hanking it up, have to ask Ray why he asked for it that way! All in all, very impressed.  

  Richard V

  9 of 35

  This is a top product. I have tested it in the mountains here in Norway and it is an anorak that I feel well protected against the weather in these conditions. Love the lenght and fit. Also like the big pockets and think the way you can pull the cuffs up on the arms is a very clever idea and makes handling game/ fish etc very easy without getting blood on the clothes. Perfect on reindeer hunting and other activities in the outdoors. Thank you Woodlore.  

  John D Borgen

  10 of 35

  Amazing jacket. Worn in driving rain in Scotland. Dry and comfy, great length to allow sitting down. Generous fit but great for freedom of movement. Cuffs are very useful and sleeves can be pushed due to generous arms. All round it’s great. Only small criticism is that the Velcro tabs on the cuffs catch the fabric of the jacket when cuffs are pulled tight.  

  Napier