What jacket for a 12yr old boy?

[L&M]

My rapidly growing 12yr old son is looking forward to his first full seasons hunting.

He has a hacking jacket for autumn hunting, but even with a jumper under, will be too thin for mid season.

I am really struggling to find a thicker weight tweed for his age - there are plenty of ladies jackets but the cut is wrong, with the buttons on the wrong side. Equally he is too small for a 'mans' jacket....


Any ideas?

 

[Meredith]

We all wear thermal long sleeved tops, but you could try a waistcoat or ( although it might be too sweaty ) a kagoule Under the tweed. It keeps the wind out.

 

[LittleRooketRider]

Layers

eg. with my tweed I would normally wear: vest, thermal polar neck (as stock shirt- and when very very cold underneath a stock shirt) and knit jumper.

Thermal Sports-skins are very good for putting underneath shirts and cheap as well

 

[Kat]

Merino wool base layer under the stock shirt will add warmth without bulk. You could also consider a thicker insulated layer or a windproof under the jacket if it is very cold. Buy a good quality heavyweight wool tweed too for warmth.

 

[L&M]

thanks all - any opinions on a shooting tweed rather than a hacking jacket? I know they are not strictly correct but offer more warmth, plus big pockets to carry his (and mine!!) chocolate etc. I can find plenty at a reasonable price so cheaper to replace as and when he grows out of it.

 

[Meredith]

Lots of young people wear these out with us. Only problem I can see is some may not like to sit on the back hem, especially in a downpour!

 

[Tea Drinker]

Lots of young people wear these out with us. Only problem I can see is some may not like to sit on the back hem, especially in a downpour!

I think this might depend on who you hunt with. Not sure any child would hunt (regularly) with our pack in a shoot coat (unless in extreme weather conditions and needed the additional layer). Some hunts are less formal and a shoot coat would be perfectly acceptable, even for adults.
There are many older boys who hunt nationwide and manage to find themselves half decent tweed hacking jackets. I personally think that children should all wear correct hunting attire (ie tweed hacking jacket) but in filithy wet or cold condition,s by all means stick on a pony club waterproof or shoot coat over the top if needed.

 

[L&M]

I agree with you Tea Drinker - but I am struggling to find him a tweed. Boys tweeds tend to stop at 32' and mens generally start at 38' - his current jacket is one of my old ones at 34' but being a ladies, the cut is wrong and the buttons are on the wrong side.

I could go 'made to measure' but at the rate he is growing, the cost is not justifiable.....

 

[Dunlin]

Shires do a mens tweed in a 34", it's called the Huntingdon, it's not the got the full weight of a hunt coat but I managed half a season with just a flimsy show jacket and I used my motorcycle thermal base layers underneath and bought a good heavyweight wool waistcoat and thick cotton stock and was never cold;

http://www.fasttackdirect.co.uk/product-3-31-18297/Shires_Mens_Huntingdon_Jacket.html#col_id

Mears also do hunt coats from sizes 32" upwards;

http://mearsjackets.co.uk/gallery/mens-hunt

Hunting vintage have a 34" black junior gents hunt coat;

http://www.huntingvintage.co.uk/com...ntage/youths-black-weatherill-detail?Itemid=0

Good luck, I hope you can find something for him

 

[L&M]

great - will have a look now. Many thanks.