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When it comes to outerwear, a waxed canvas jacket is among the toughest of the genre. It's the kind of jacket you expect to see a lumberjack wearing performing his various lumber-duties, while gorp'd-out hikers stride past in their triple-layer Gore-Tex anoraks. Not only are waxed jackets built like tanks, ready and raring to keep you company while you trudge through the muck, they also represent one of the oldest ways to stay fly and dry during a downpour. The technique involved in waterproofing fabric goes back centuries, to when enterprising seafarers applied grease and fish oil to their sails to improve efficiency and weather-resistance on the seas. Those savvy sailors would also use the proofed cloth to make capes for themselves to stay dry (but also, given the fish oils, fragrant). Eventually, the fabric evolved from a heavy sailcloth to lighter cotton canvas, and the fish-based coatings were replaced with linseed oil and modern-day wax treatments.
Though waxed fabrics have made leaps and bounds since then, better-performing synthetics remain the standard. Walk into your local REI and most of the raincoats will be made from multi-layer bonded shells with DWR coatings and heat-sealed seams. In almost every way, materials like Pertex and Gore-Tex surpass the old-school capabilities of their historical predecessors. So why bother buying a waxed canvas jacket at all?
Good question! The answer is twofold. As capable as they are, synthetic jackets will eventually break down. And once they do, they’re actually more difficult to repair compared to their waxed counterparts, which require re-waxing only sparingly. Secondly, waxed jackets are known for their unique patina. Like your favorite jeans, their propensity to fade and crease over time, redistributing their oily finish to different parts of their exterior, is a huge part of the appeal. And today, there's never been more ways to get your wax on. From brush-busting countryside coats to burly parkas to Bond-ian truckers, there's a waxy number for practically everyone in 2022—and almost definitely one on this list that's perfect for you.
Step 1: Clean your jacket by using a damp cloth to wipe away dust and debris.
Step 2: Prepare the wax. Waxes can come in different forms. Some come in a tin which you then place in warm water in order to melt the wax. Other waxes are sold as a bar which must be softened with heat, often with a heat gun or hair dryer.
Step 3: Apply the wax. For tinned wax, dip a sponge or a clean rag into the wax and wipe the jacket evenly. For bar wax, rub the bar all over the jacket, applying the wax evenly. Then use a heat gun to melt the wax into the fibers of the jacket.
Step 4: Allow the jacket to dry. Hang your jacket to dry for about 24-48 hours, keeping it away from other clothes or objects to avoid staining anything with the still-wet wax. And voilà! Good as new.
Chances are, Barbour is the first name that comes to mind when you think of waxed jackets. For well over a century, the iconic British brand has outfitted the countryside set in rugged waxed cotton gear, and today, the Bedale remains its most popular silhouette. It’s built with Barbour's Silkoil fabric, a 6 oz. waxed cotton canvas that's lightweight, pliable, and super durable. It comes with nifty details like handwarmer pockets, snap flap waist pockets, a protective storm flap, and a luscious corduroy collar. Take a peak inside and you'll find Barbour's signature Tartan cotton lining and a zipper detail for adding a wool or quilted lining for extra warmth. (You can also purchase a hood which snaps into the collar for even more rain protection.) All of those details amount to an insanely durable and versatile jacket that works for three seasons—four, if you're really pushing it.
Icons like the Barbour Bedale are hard to beat, but Flint and Tinder's flannel-lined trucker jacket is a modern classic in its own right. The slightly cropped silhouette is flattering on almost everybody, which is the natural outcome when you crib inspiration from vintage denim jackets. The spot-on fit alone would be enough to earn it a spot on this list, but of course, it's got plenty of cold weather bona fides too. It derives its warmth from a substantial-yet-soft 7 oz. waxed sailcloth from Martexin, which makes it one of the few options on this list to use an American-made fabric. Plus, the body is fully-lined with a polyester blanket fabric that's plenty warm and soft enough to wear with just a T-shirt (or, for that matter, without a T-shirt). On top of that, it's cut, sewn, and finished in the USA, which keeps the carbon footprint low and the quality high.
Favored by motorcyclists around the world, the Belstaff Trialmaster is the quintessential British racing jacket. Celebs like Daniel Day-Lewis and Ewan McGregor are big fans, but you don't have to have an Emmy or an Oscar to look like a high-wattage star wearing one. (You don't have to know anything about motorcycles, either.) That angled chest pocket sure makes it easy to whip out your road map, though.
Chore coats are a wardrobe workhorse, but if you need a little extra reassurance when you step out into inclement weather, Buck Mason's Highland jacket will give it to you. The hefty 14 oz. dry wax canvas is made by the famed Halley Stevensons Mill in Scotland and can take on a day of hard manual labor, and the toasty blanket lining is like layering your favorite throw inconspicuously beneath your toughest jacket.
Waxed canvas jackets tend to appeal to the scruffy-faced, shit-kicker-wearing types (y'know, close relatives of those brolic seafarers and their fish oil-soaked jackets). The Mfpen Commute coat does not. Like all great trench coats, the Commute coat offers volume and a beautiful drape. It's louche and elegant, like an Old Hollywood movie star. But it ain't just handsome to look at: it's made from an extra-durable ripstop cotton which is then waxed to keep you dry through the most dramatic rainstorms. It's dashing over a suit, rakish over a knit polo and jeans, or just plain cool with a thrashed hoodie and a pair of shorts.
If the rugged folks of the Pacific Northwest had an official outfitter, it'd probably be Filson. The brand has been doling out damn-near indestructible goods since the turn of the 20th century, and any one of its waxed jackets could've topped this list. But the down cruiser deserves the crown slightly more, especially in the deepest of winter. It's made from panels of 8 oz. and 11 oz. waxed cotton fabric, lined with toasty merino wool, and filled with responsibly-sourced 650-fill goose down for craaaazy warmth. It'll look right at home with a pair of beefy cords, but we sure wouldn't mind you wearing it over a beautifully tailored suit.
Minimal design and a tastefully-relaxed cut add up to one of the cleanest jackets we've ever come across, waxed or not.
Everlane's military-inspired waxed cotton parka is one of the coolest styles the brand's put out…like, ever. We dig the olive colorway as well, but the gray version takes the source material a little less literally.
AïE's FSG jacket is like a really dope riff on the Barbour Bedale—cropped length, boxy fit, ginormo pockets, and all.
Organic cotton, organic beeswax, and a natural, cruelty-free down alternative make this the earth-friendliest waxed jacket around. And, if it weren't obvious, it looks damn good too.
Like Barbour and Belstaff, Todd Snyder uses premium oil cloth from the famed British Millerain mill, so you can bet the brand's cruiser jacket will last you into the next decade.
MotivMfg's Deacon flight jacket masterfully remixes details from menswear hits of yesteryear to make a totally new banger. Part moto jacket, part flight jacket, all gas.
Scottish-made 8 oz. cotton that's waxed with organic beeswax, a 100% wool flannel lining, luxe copper snaps and zippers—if, somehow, the Barbour Bedale wasn't good enough for you, consider upgrading to Private White V.C.'s aptly named Deluxe jacket.
The Best Jeans for Men Under $100
The Best White Sneakers for Men Will Really Tie Your Wardrobe Together
The Best Hoodies for Men Look As Good As They Feel
The Best T-Shirts For Men, Period
The Best Men's Swim Trunks Are the Only Shorts You Really Need
By The Editors of GQ
By The Editors of GQ
By The Editors of GQ
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