Are you fed up with that clammy feeling you can get from membranes?

In that case, a hunting jacket in Ventile cotton is a great solution.

This fabric has best-of-class breathability. Because it's made from natural fibres.

It is the shell fabric that will give you the greatest comfort in mild weather, when the sun is out and when you're on the move.

Plus, it will keep you dry in heavy showers and stop the wind from chilling you to the bone.

It's worth noting that Ventile cotton ages well.

It will keep performing for many years, especially when compared with membranes.

Here's an example to show you when Ventile cotton clothing shines

Imagine you're out hunting one morning.

You're wearing a membrane jacket because it's windy and rainy when you set off in the dark.

You're hunting in mixed woodland and hills, walking and spotting. Moving around keeps you warm in the rough weather.

However, as the sun rises, the sky clears, and it gets warm.

Now, climbing the hills makes you sweat.

And the sun makes you feel like you're baking in a plastic bag.

You start to fiddle with your zipper. One moment the jacket is open to cool you down. The next moment you zip it up because you get cold in the wind.

Staying focussed on hunting is difficult.

As you unzip your jacket for the umpteenth time, you spot a big buck. But he's also spotted you…

Dealing with this kind of scenario is the reason we started using Ventile cotton.

Imagine the same scenario, wearing a Ventile jacket.

In the morning, the Ventile fabric keeps you out of the wind and dry from even the hardest showers.

As the sun rises and the weather gets mild, you don't get that clammy feeling.

The cotton fabric is comfortable to wear.

And you don't need to constantly open your jacket to ventilate.

The jacket won't shoot that buck for you. But it will keep you comfortable so you can focus on hunting.

Having said that.

If you want best-of-class performance, no single fabric will cover all hunting scenarios.

There are some cases where Ventile cotton isn't our first choice.

When Ventile isn't the best choice

"Waterproof" is not either-or, but a scale. It's how much water pressure a fabric can withstand. It's measured in millimetre, but let's call it low, medium and high to simplify things.

Ventile will keep you dry in low and medium water pressure. Like falling rain.

But it won't withstand the water pressure created when you dig your elbow into wet ground.

Because Ventile is made from natural fibres, we also need to consider how long you're exposed to rain.

A well constructed Ventile hunting jacket will keep you dry in, say, 3-4 hours of continuous heavy rain.

After that, you will start to see moisture seeping through in the seams.

However, the 3-4 hours turn into a full day in changing weather instead of constant rain. Because Ventile fabric dries quickly.

Finally, Ventile fabric is a little heavier than the synthetic materials used in most hunting jackets.

So if you're after a lightweight jacket that packs easily, then Ventile isn't your best choice.

What does that mean in hunting terms?

It means if you're hunting involves crawling over wet ground, you should consider a membrane.

If you're going on a multi-day hunting trip, where you want a packable and lightweight, waterproof, outer layer. We'd recommend a membrane hardshell jacket.

In summary

Pick Ventile if you want maximum breathability and natural comfort. Together with protection from heavy showers and strong wind.

A Ventile cotton hunting jacket will keep you comfortable and focussed in all but worst, all-day rain.

Because it's a natural fabric, it also ages well. 

So compared to modern materials, your Ventile jacket will last you a very long time. Think hunting buddy, not hunting jacket...