THE golden carpet of crushed cowslips told their own story.
Days of rain peppered with spiteful hailstorms were cocking a snook at drought orders and flattening flowers by the dozen. Even the mallards, gadwall and tufted ducks looked exasperated bobbing on their squall-lashed lake. For April showers, read spring monsoons.

My bedraggled spaniel looked at me disapprovingly while I carried on birding as dry as one of her favourite dog biscuits.

The worst spring rains I can remember had tested my new Country Innovation Traveller Jacket’s waterproof credentials to the extreme but not a single drop had permeated its tough Cotton-Tec outer fabric and Innovation XL lining.

Country Innovation has been producing excellent outdoor wear for birdwatchers over the past 16 years and I swear by my heavy duty Rover Jacket and Buzzard fleece, which provide brilliant winter protection, but for the other nine months of the year the Traveller will now be my number one choice of outdoor wear.

Although it is waterproof, windproof and breathable – its superb “wicking” qualities mean that you do not feel like a boil-in-the-bag meal – the Traveller is remarkably light and comfortable and, what’s more, is also stylish, making it a coat for the City as well as the countryside.

Earlier this month I wore the Traveller on a weekend break in Florence and felt quite at home among the fashionistas in one of Italy’s most sartorial-conscious cities. I even got admiring glances from the hordes of soggy American tourists in brightly coloured, but unreliable, cagoules as I dodged rainstorms between the palazzos, art galleries and restaurants.

It was soon obvious why the Country Innovation had called their new tour de force the Traveller.

It is perfect travel aide with its incredible array of 13 pockets that can hold everything the tourist needs: security zip pockets for passport, wallet, keys and phone and still plenty of space for a camera, binoculars, guide book and much more.

All together, there are two large vertical pockets, two chest pockets with flaps, two lower pockets with two inner security pockets, two side entry pockets, two inner communication pockets and one large inner pocket. In these days of budget flights and tight luggage allowances wearing the Traveller was like having an extra suitcase.

Country Innovation’s founder Maria Chilvers and her team are to be congratulated on knowing the vital needs for the globetrotting birder. Hence, the large vertical pockets are just the right size for carrying the popular Collins Bird Guide, while I could also fit my Swarovksi CL 8×30 binoculars in the other without feeling overloaded. The fabric is also rustle-proof so you don’t frighten off the birds!

Adjustable cuffs, a two way main zip, bottom hem draw-cord and a full vision, detachable hood with wired peak, add those vital finishing touches to ensure the coat is perfect for keeping you dry when the going is wet.

I have often said to those in the outdoor clothing business that I’m not a fan of the pullover, smock style of coat. Ah. Well. I wasn’t. Until I tried out this coat from Country Innovation.
To be honest with you, for may years I’ve had a sneaking interest in this style of coat having encountered many folk working in the Arctic with the British Antarctic Survey who swore by them. More recently, I worked in the high Arctic with Inuit guides, all of whom used the smock style jacket.
So why have I been so resistant? In short, getting in an out of the thing. There is only one way, and that is of course to pull it over your head. But once on… aaaaah. Now that is what I call wind proof!
This coat is made from Ventile. It’s been a while since this fabric (a cotton weave that expands when wet keeping the water away from you) has been deployed in an outdoor jacket designed for the naturalist. I love it. Naturally breathable, very robust and thorn-proof, and very weather proof. I have been used mine exclusively during a trip to Shetland (where you definitely get some weather) and have to say, it gets a very big thumbs up! The jacket gets a little heavier when wet, but remains dry inside at all times, despite me often putting pressure on the elbows and shoulders in boggy ground and with a heavy backpack. There are two pockets in the jacket; one which doubles as a hand warmer with 2 vertical zips, one each end of a tube. As well as a hand retreat, this is great for stuffing gloves, hat and other bits and bobs away. The second pocket is an ample pouch at chest level with a single horizontal zip and weather flap. I found this ideal for stashing all manner of stuff from camera batteries and spare memory cards to maps and books. Because I was doing a lot of work with otters in Shetland, I often found myself sliding over wet grass on my belly to peak over low cliffs down to the sea. This jacket is super for this, with no front zip to snag or leak and the Ventile sliding easily over the terrain. After a month’s solid use, there was no sign of wear and all seams and zips were intact.
Wind proofing was excellent, and with a fleece for insulation, I was always as warm as toast.

The high neck can sometimes bang against your chin, but is lovely for keeping the wind and weather where it should be .. outside!

My Country Innovation Falcon jacket was an essential part of my birdwatching gear last autumn and winter, and my Venture waistcoat has been put to good use for several years now, so I was more than happy to give their new Traveller range a try.
As the name implies, this new collection of clothing is lightweight and designed to be practical in a variety of climates. The fact that the trousers and shirts (long and short-sleeved) are made of a lightly stretchy fabric would make them very comfortable for a long plane journey, or even an extended period sitting in a hide.
There are some clever seams on each side of the trousers, too. They prevent the fabric from drawing tight when you bend your legs, and stop them looking saggy-baggy when you straighten up.
The pockets on the trousers have additional security pockets inside them, which are useful to hold cash or little bits of camera gear, like a spare SD card.
The other useful garment in the range, for travelling as well as birdwatching, is the waistcoat. With four big pockets on the front and more inside, it’s idea for carrying tracel documents safely but ready to hand.
As we’ve come to expect from Country Innocation, pockets in useable sizes, and lots of them, are a big new feature on every item in the new range. Even the shirts have two chest pockets. If you wore a Traveller shirt, trousers, waistcoat and jacket you’d have 32 pockets for all your various treasures.
Not only that, but you’d have paid just £300 for an entire wardrobe of shirt, trousers, waistcoat and jacket, because the other thing about the new Traveller range is that it is very reasonably priced. Given that the jacket is waterproof, windproof and breathable, and the rest of the range is breathable, wicking and fast-drying, with the trousers also being windproof and the shirts providing UV protection, you get a lot of high-tech for your money.
One last thing to mention is that the shirts, trousers and waistcoat come in a pale beige or creamy sand colour. This was a plus for me as I don’t always want to be part of the regiment, and if I need camouflage on a windswept moor I can always put the jacket on top (which is regulation green) but, otherwise, I can blend into the non-birding world at an airport or a dry Mediterranean hillside quite nicely! (Posted on 13/10/2011)
 
To view the Traveller Jacket – click here

Country Innovation Buzzard Jacket

I always liked to look of this jacket when Country Innovation introduced it to their range a couple of seasons ago. It is a smart looking garment – ideal for birdwatching because of the colour, but also great as a jacket for everyday casual wear too.

It was great therefore to be asked to review this jacket back in summer 2010. Of course towards the back end of that summer we had quite a bit of rain and I was concerned that in a heavy downpour in the middle of nowhere on the north Norfolk coast that this jacket might not live up to its claim of being waterproof – it’s only a fleece isn’t it! Incredibly, it has never let water in, even in heavy and prolonged rain. CI has cleverly fitted this fleece with a lining but, unlike most linings you find in lightweight waterproof jackets, this one is breathable so you don’t even get wet from perspiration!

The coldest winter for 30 years – another great test for this jacket! Actually, in the extreme cold I found I needed a lightweight body warmer under the jacket, but that was it. In most ‘winter’ conditions all I needed was the jacket on top of normal indoor clothing. Marvellous!

I really can’t fault this jacket. Even the fleece doesn’t pill – but then this material doesn’t really resemble ‘fleece’. The large lower pockets (with zip) are generous and the breast pocket is neat and hidden (also with zip). The reinforced black shoulder and sleeve patches add style to the jacket, while the reinforced collar helps cushion binocular strap ‘cutting’.

Highly recommended.

Jeff Baker
BTO

To view the Buzzard Jacket – click here