The Vest from the West
Britain is gripped in a late winter freeze, but there's always hope. The old saying is true: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing."
Well, having been stranded in my car for eight hours today as I battled my way home from Dorset, I decided to pass the time by listing my favourite outdoor winter clothing. The criteria was simple: warmth, old-fashioned country looks (green-brown palette), proven performance and, where possible, natural materials. Tweeds are excluded on the basis that snow sticks to them (although they are still my everyday wear).
It's an aspirational list, in that I don't own much of it (yet) and most of it is beyond my price range, but it's nice to dream – especially on a day when so much cold caused so much disruption.
Photos will follow, but here's the list from 'tip to toe', along with links that will take you to the shops where you can buy them. (They're my favourite retailers of outdoor kit: Nordic Outdoor, Ray Mears' Woodlore, Proadventure and John Norris.)
If you think I've missed something, please mention it in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Fennel's favourite outdoor winter clothing
Winter headwear
- Fjallraven Nordic Heater Hat – Dark Olive. £50.00
- Fjallraven Byron Hat. £34.95
- Aclima WarmWool Balaclava 2-layer. £34.95
Woollen Scarves
Winter jackets
- Fjallraven Singi Winter Jacket - Dark Olive. £369.00
- Buffalo Systems Mountain Shirt - Olive Green. £130.00
- Harkila Pro Hunter X Jacket – Shadow Brown. £479.00
Winter jumpers & shirts
- Dale Lakslev Sweater. £229.95
- Swanndri Ranger Xtreme Wool Shirt – Olive/Black Check. £125.00
- Pinewood Men's Lumbo Shirt – Green/Black. £47.95
Winter base-layers
Winter gloves
Winter trousers
- Fjallraven Keb Trousers. £184.00
Winter trousers (thermal)
Woolly socks
- Vicuna Alpaca Mid Hiker Socks. £21.95
Winter boots
- Le Chameau Mens Vierzonord Wellington Boots (neoprene-lined). £170.00
- Hanwag Fjall Extreme GTX Boots – Brown. £250.00
- Harkila Pro Hunter GTX 12inch Boot. £319.19
If you like this blog, you might like Fennel's book Fine Things. Please also subscribe to Fennel on Friday where you'll receive a blog, video or podcast sent direct to your email inbox in time for the weekend.