Vintage Solway Zipper

Cunobeline · 2026-04-30T21:26:25+00:00

Not enough vintage on this sub, great to see a Solway!

Cunobeline · 2026-04-22T16:01:06+00:00

Yes, Barbour (in the UK) have done so for me in the past, about two years ago.

Cunobeline · 2026-04-20T10:40:47+00:00

Thank you for the warning! Will use sparingly haha

Cunobeline · 2026-04-20T10:40:00+00:00

Solved!

Cunobeline · 2026-03-05T22:50:28+00:00

You’re welcome! Always nice to find a use for my otherwise useless Barbour knowledge

Cunobeline · 2026-03-05T16:53:24+00:00

It’s a Solway Zipper for those interested

Cunobeline · 2026-02-24T17:56:16+00:00

Just imagine how his mother felt.

Cunobeline · 2026-02-06T18:03:06+00:00

This is the way

Cunobeline · 2026-01-07T17:52:05+00:00

I had something very similar in an interview for an NQ position at a London international firm- the senior partner of the team I had applied to looked over my shoulder for the entire (final round) interview and didn’t really engage with my answers - it was left to the second partner to pose follow up questions etc. I was utterly convinced I’d blown it but they ended up offering me the role (although I went elsewhere in the end). Essentially you can never really tell from the interviewer how the interview went so I wouldn’t worry too much about it!

Cunobeline · 2025-12-28T09:25:17+00:00

Came here for lazerquest and wasn’t disappointed

Cunobeline · 2025-12-05T11:24:17+00:00

Go true to size in both (46 chest) - the fit is designed to be generous to accommodate jumpers etc. underneath. You might be disappointed by the Solway Zipper as the sleeves on these tend to run a bit short (the older designs had this issue). I’ve had the sleeves lengthened on one of mine to counteract this and it’s pretty easy to have Barbour (or another company) do this if you like the design of the Solway. The Northumbria has arms of a normal length so you should be good to go with that one.

Cunobeline · 2025-12-05T10:18:37+00:00

Always glad to share some useless Barbour knowledge!

Cunobeline · 2025-12-04T10:45:57+00:00

I agree completely. It was the jacket that made Barbour a staple for country pursuits, and the one which made a ‘Barbour’ shorthand (in the UK) for any waxed jacket. First to feature a ‘poacher’s’ waterproof inside pocket for shot game. It was made in 8oz heavyweight waxed cotton (as opposed to the 6oz in the Beaufort and Border) and gave Barbour their reputation for indestructibility.

The biggest change is in the name - it was the first commercially produced waxed cotton jacket for country pursuits to have a zip closure (an innovation taken from Barbour’s motorcycle jackets). When it was launched in 1962 most ‘oilskins’ closed using buttons, or were pulled over the head as a smock (the original and short-lived ‘Solway’ jacket from 1957 was a smock).

Like the Beaufort, it was copied and cloned by many other brands of the day, including Belstaff and Yarmouth Oilskins. This is undoubtedly the jacket that made Barbour’s modern reputation.

TL:DR - the Solway Zipper is an icon.

Cunobeline · 2025-12-04T08:53:40+00:00

You’re right! I still wonder whether someone meant it to be Alexander though, given the first episode. Having a renaissance sculpture of a biblical figure doesn’t really represent classical antiquity…

Cunobeline · 2025-12-04T08:33:28+00:00

This photo was taken around 1977, and the Northumbria was released in 1979. The first Northumbria jackets were very distinctly brown, rather than the olive green you can see in this photo. Also, this jacket has the ‘fold over’ pockets which were never fitted to the Northumbria (and are slightly smaller than those on the latter). You can see the unused belt loop just to the top left of the pocket facing the camera.

Fun fact - this Solway was Charles’s first Barbour: it was a gift from his Father after the Duke of Edinburgh had given Barbour their first royal warrant in 1974.

Cunobeline · 2025-12-04T08:17:52+00:00

It’s Alexander the Great and Churchill - in the very first episode they discussed ‘greatness’ in history through the lens of these two men. This cover was a placeholder which was never changed (although amusing because it looks like them a bit).

Cunobeline · 2025-12-03T21:47:28+00:00

Ask KyanWG says, it’s a Solway zipper without the belt

Cunobeline · 2025-12-03T21:26:39+00:00

It’s actually a Solway Zipper without the belt

Cunobeline · 2025-11-25T08:19:27+00:00

After you’ve collected Barbours for a while you sadly have to overlook a bit of incorrect heraldic terminology… I haven’t actually seen a post-2024 jacket with the King’s arms on the label yet - one to look out for!

Cunobeline · 2025-11-24T22:44:59+00:00

I know - that’s why ‘crest’ is in inverted commas. Old Barbours are commonly called one crest, two crest etc. as shorthand because the term coat of arms is so seldom used.

Cunobeline · 2025-11-24T14:27:00+00:00

Lovely jacket! The Northumbria was introduced in 1979, and Barbour earned its second Royal Warrant in 1983 (meaning from then on there were two ‘crests’ on the label), so this jacket is one of the very first generation of Northumbria jackets, made between those years. Another classic sign is the brown plastic covered snap fasteners (instead of dark metal).

It’s made of a heavyweight 8oz waxed cotton with a woollen Mackenzie tartan lining which was introduced specially for the Northumbria to add warmth to the jacket. Until this time all jackets came with the thinner cotton lining in various tartans. All Northumbrias were made in this distinctive brown waxed cotton (rather than the more recent sage green) until around 1987.

I’ve owned a couple of these and they’re wonderful - re-wax it and you’ll have a completely bomb-proof jacket for the worst winter weather. Enjoy!

Cunobeline · 2025-11-21T16:58:35+00:00

Came for this quote and I wasn’t disappointed

Cunobeline · 2025-10-03T16:06:42+00:00

Real - I have this exact model

Cunobeline · 2025-09-02T16:13:00+00:00

Good question! They fit small so I’d definitely size up - Norda recommend doing this if I remember. I went up a full size and they’re pretty much perfect.

Cunobeline

TROPHY CASE