Anorak : Like Pitt wears in "TIBET"

[Al Weber]

Prior to gore tex taking over the market for rainwear, at least in the US, quite a few companies made ventile jackets. The best was generally believed to be the version made by Synergy Works from Oakland, CA. I have a gore tex jacket by Synergy Works, as well as one of their packs, but have yet to get my hands on a ventile jacket.

I do have a ventile jacket make by Snow Lion, but it is in tough shape and in need to rehab. The Snow Lion jacket has mesh in the shoulder and chest area sandwiched between the shell and lining. Synergy Works did the same thing. I believe this was to keep the jacket from wetting through.

Yes, my "Synergy" Ventile Parka has weathered many mountain storms in the last forty years. I've never thought of going Goretex..My Helly Hanson bottoms complement my wet weather gear.
Expensive at the time but has never failed me. Still looks great, too..A little worn around the pockets..
Hope that you'll, "get your hands on one", someday..
Al

 

[Al Weber]

Synergy parka review, "Backpacker" magazine Aug. 1976

Synergy Parka review from, "Backpacker" Magazine, #16, August 1976, page 71

The $140 Parka

"Who needs it? Sure, it's made of the luxury fabric, Ventile; has three layers of fabric (four in the hood and shoulders; keeps rain out without keeping prespiration in; and has a hood that will move with your head instead of around it, a visorlike rainbill to keep the rain from dripping in your face, feltlike liners that attach inside the hand-warmer pockets, slits behind the handwarmer pockets so you can get in your pants pockets, double flaps over the map pocket so your maps will stay dry no matter which way the wind blows, a large zippered pocket in back where you can store a sweater, an elasticized drawcord which allows freedom of movement and countless subleties such as the leather tab over the top snap so the cold steel won't frost your chin.
Also, it's made in 10 sizes so you can be sure of a proper fit.
But, mon dieu, the price is 140 bucks"!
The ventile parka from Synergy Works, 6440 Valley road, Oakland, CA 94611

"Backpacker" magazine, August 1976

 

[tudo]

Try extremeoutdoorclothing owned by Keith Howes.He does some excellent gear all made to measure.I have selection of his stuff including the Where Eagles Dare jacket, which is totally awsome!
http://centralgroupuk.com/ebolcastle/extremecc/index1024.htm
look for the Alpine Windproof Smock it is almost identical to Brad Pitts.

 

[Creeping Past]

I saw a chap wearing one of his Where Eagles Dare <s>Windbluses</s> jackets in Brighton a couple of weeks ago.

 

[nobodyspecial]

Synergy Parka review from, "Backpacker" Magazine, #16, August 1976, page 71

The $140 Parka

"Who needs it? Sure, it's made of the luxury fabric, Ventile; has three layers of fabric (four in the hood and shoulders; keeps rain out without keeping prespiration in; and has a hood that will move with your head instead of around it, a visorlike rainbill to keep the rain from dripping in your face, feltlike liners that attach inside the hand-warmer pockets, slits behind the handwarmer pockets so you can get in your pants pockets, double flaps over the map pocket so your maps will stay dry no matter which way the wind blows, a large zippered pocket in back where you can store a sweater, an elasticized drawcord which allows freedom of movement and countless subleties such as the leather tab over the top snap so the cold steel won't frost your chin.
Also, it's made in 10 sizes so you can be sure of a proper fit.
But, mon dieu, the price is 140 bucks"!
The ventile parka from Synergy Works, 6440 Valley road, Oakland, CA 94611

"Backpacker" magazine, August 1976

Harry Roberts, the editor of Wilderness Camping magazine from the
1970's, called the Synergy Works ventile pakra, "The Best Damn Parka in the World." High praise from a guy who could be a bit of an ogre at times. I've since sold my Synergy Works gore tex parka, but someday hope to score one in ventile.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for photos.
http://monoblog.555nat.com/?cid=49248

Great looking anoraks in this photo, scroll down to the photo of the three guys in the orange anoraks.
http://www.archivalclothing.com/2009/12/archival-rock-climbing.html

 

[andy richards]

The anorak or "Gebirgsjäger Wendebluse" like in the movie "Where eagles dare" is a great garment. I own one of these and is made of Ventile cloth. Ventile is a great (and expensive) garment. Wind and rainproof. I use in on hiking trips, skiing and other outdoors activities. There are also other makers of fine anoraks. Fjällraven makes an excellent anorak with a nice 40's look.

 

[Daniel Hunter]

Not exactly like Brad Pitt's but not bad....

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=0L0A

 

[nobodyspecial]

I like the look of the Orvis jacket but it would be a disaster if rain began - untreated canvas with a sweatshirt lining; only good for town use.

 

[Dudleydoright]

These are also lethal in wet weather - especially if you're not wearing wool underneath.

However, don't tell me they're not cool !!

I also have an anorak from a very early Antarctic expedition which is made of the same cotton as the desert smock above. They were never meant for wet conditions - only cold and dry.

Here are a couple fo my British Antarctic Survey anoraks/smocks.

The photos are quite old and the smocks have a lot more wear on them than in the photos.




Dave

 

[andy richards]

Nice collections of smock you have Dave. Thanks for posting. Are the tan, camo and od smocks original? Most of the (so called SAS) smocks came without full length zipper. Great pics!
Cheers,
Andy

 

[Dudleydoright]

Hi Andy,
Thanks for the kind words. There is a topic in the WW2 section called windproof smocks. There is a good discussion about them and more information from myself and others if you care to look.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=45992

And yes, they are all original. The second one had a zipper put in in Hereford and the last one in green came with a zipper in it as made.

And you are quite right of course NOT to call them SAS smocks although the latter one was made specifically for the Regt. The others were very much general issue items and people like the SAS as well as the women in the ATS and infantrymen like my Sapper grandfather all had them too. The sand ones were also issued to National Servicemen in places like Greece and Palestine post WW2.

Happy New Year to you mate !!
Dave

 

[Dudleydoright]

Here's a few photos of my other BAS anorak. Nore also the internal storm cuff.

All in the heaviest gauge ventile.

Dave

 

[nobodyspecial]

LOVE the orange anorak.

 

[H.Johnson]

Over the years, I have been trying to locate or develop the (for me) ideal vintage anorak (or overhead windproof smock). The criteria are that it must be of a natural material, be satisfactorily windproof, reasonably shower resistance (I don't expect it to be 'waterproof'), pack to fit into a '58 Pattern utility pouch, have a map pocket, hand pockets and a throat zip (preferably a Lightning or an Aero) rather than buttons. And white hood and waist cords. Oh, and it must be cheap - say less than 20GBP - in unused form. And look completely vintage, of course.

The WW2 and Post WW2 Army smocks come close, but so far hasn't met the performance criteria. The Royal Navy smock in Ventile (R)-like fabric comes close, but not quite ITO of its pocket configuration. The Army Cadet Smock (1950s and 60s) came closest and is freely available but only in small sizes so the arms are usually very short. They come in olive and orange.

The answer I found? Lengthen the Cadet smock arms by adding spare Parachute Smock cuffs. The standard internal cuffs are like the WestWinds smock Dave shows above. Simple!

I have tried the prototype out in -10C conditions on the Pennines this Christmas (over a woollen pullover and trousers) and it performed excellently in all regards and several people commented that it looked like one of the anoraks in the 1960s film The Heroes of Telemark, which had apparently been on UK TV over Christmas.

Result!

 

[Dudleydoright]

Here's a few shots of the ventile BAS anoraks in action in the Antarctic ........

I'll see if I can scan some of my photos of me working in the Arctic doing oil and gas exploration. I used a BAS suit back then in the 90's along with a US Army reversible parka.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Creeping Past]

I'll see if I can scan some of my photos of me working in the Arctic doing oil and gas exploration. I used a BAS suit back then in the 90's along with a US Army reversible parka.

I'd be interested to see those.

You recommended that US parka to me in another anorak thread. I'm still looking for one in decent condition: a couple of near-misses.

 

[Dudleydoright]

Perhaps I should start a cold weather outdoor clothing topic and post a shed load of my photos of kit I've had or have or would like to have ?

I've got all sorts of mittens, mukluks, balaclavas etc in my attic. Most of it vintage although there is a bit of fleece in there !

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Creeping Past]

Perhaps I should start a cold weather outdoor clothing topic and post a shed load of my photos of kit I've had or have or would like to have ?

I've got all sorts of mittens, mukluks, balaclavas etc in my attic. Most of it vintage although there is a bit of fleece in there !

Cheers,
Dave

For a moment I thought you said 'fleece'!

I reckon there's quite a few here who'd want to read that, me included. And I should think members from the more frosty bits of North America and Scandanavia would be keen to pitch in, too.

 

[Dudleydoright]

I'm sorry I blasphemed by saying 'fleece' . Tis true though as it is a good material for balaclavas in that it doesn't itch like my old issue woollen ones do.

I prefer to wear a merino wool undershirt and one or even two light wool sweaters to wearing a fleece any day. More flexible for layering, smaller packed sizes and less bulky when wearing too. Plus EVERY dog wears fleece or north Face clothing now so I avoid that dort of fashion cr*p like the plague.

Once upon a time you could tell an outdoor pursuitist by the clothing they wore when the weather turned bad in town (kinda obvious when you see them in the hills !). Now everyone wants to look like a backpacker. Shame.

On occassion I even use a pair of hob-nailed boots that look very much like the WW1 Tommy's boots. They have their place .

Looks like I better get in the attic then :eusa_doh:

Dave

 

[H.Johnson]

The 1963 pattern smocks in olive or 'cabbage patch' DPM had a full length zip.

Nice collections of smock you have Dave. Thanks for posting. Are the tan, camo and od smocks original? Most of the (so called SAS) smocks came without full length zipper. Great pics!
Cheers,
Andy