Think of Barbour and what comes to mind? We’re guessing that you’re already imagining traditional wax jackets set against a backdrop of the equally traditional British countryside. Sheep roaming around in the background.

It’s fair to say that waxed jackets are still the British brand’s bread and butter, but Barbour is starting to push into other areas to create jackets that may have that long-established appearance but with more modernised elements.

This brings us neatly to the Beaconsfield jacket. From the outside, you’d place it instantly as a Barbour, but rather than featuring a manually waxed exterior, it’s more akin to a typical waterproof jacket, ensuring that it can cope with the worst of the weather thanks to the smarts of the fabrics at play. 

Plus, with a detachable hood, it’s a little more adaptable to the elements than you might expect. Tying this blend of old and new ain’t easy – and it’s something that has been attempted by a lot of companies – so the Beaconsfield has a job on its hands to deliver. 

The Barbour Beaconsfield jacket might have a traditional aesthetic, but it feels more than capable of running alongside some of the latest gear. It’s superbly waterproof, and its variety of pockets makes it a great option for when you’re on a big hike and need to keep a lot of kit to hand. It’s also an impressively warm option, although a lack of a zippable liner means that it’s going to be quite toasty when the weather is slightly balmier.

Sphere Score

For

• Incredibly practical with large pockets all around 
• Very warm thanks to Thermore liner
• Detachable hood is handy 
• Solid build quality with robust popper and zips

Against

• Very heavy when loaded up
• Might be overly warm in some conditions
• Traditional design might not be for everyone
• Does fit quite long

Tech specs

• Fully waterproof 
• Breathable 
• Detachable hood 
• Thermore liner means it’s toasty warm on cold days
• Isn’t ‘waxy’ like a traditional Barbour
• Deep side ‘bellows’ pockets provide ample storage
• Hand warmer pockets at the chest are surprisingly useful 
• Price: £379

What does the Barbour Beaconsfield have to offer?

Straight out of the box, you can tell that the Beaconsfield jacket is a quality item. It does feel heavy – after all, this is no lightweight trail-running shell – but you get the sense that it’s been made to stand up to the very worst of the British weather. 

As we’ve already mentioned, it’s not waxed like other Barbour jackets, so it’s not tacky to the touch like some of the more traditional models are when fresh out of the factory. 

All of the fixtures and fittings are solid and robust, from the metal zip pull to the poppers on the pockets. The Beaconsfield comes in at a reasonably chunky £369, but the solid build quality that you encounter from the off goes some way to justifying this price tag. 

The liner is soft, too, and comes from insulation specialists Thermore. Going some way to reflect Barbour’s more modern stance, the Beaconsfield has an Ecodown liner, which is made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. In fact, every jacket made with Ecodown could feature up to ten recycled bottles. It’s completely vegan, too. 

And if outright storage is what you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. The side “bellows” pockets are absolutely huge and are tall enough to take a flask. For some people, they might prove a little too deep and hard to fully access. 

Inside, there’s an interior pocket that runs the full height of the coat. It’s a little too long, in truth, as anything you put inside it soon ends up right at the bottom of the jacket, leading you to dive in, Mary Poppins-style, to fish it out. 

As a nice nod to a Barbour jacket’s more traditional application, there’s a large zipped pocket at the rear. This was originally designed for storing fish you’d just caught, but it’s just as at home keeping your gloves safely stored away when you’re not using them. 

But what is the Beaconsfield like to wear?

But what’s the Beaconsfield actually like to live with? We’ve tested it through some pretty hefty rainstorms – as well as more gentle meanders on dog walks – and it does a great job of keeping you nicely isolated from the elements. 

The detachable hood is a great feature, too, as it means you don’t have to have it scrunched at the back of your head if you know it’s going to be a dry day. 

The pockets really are properly capacious and can turn into two black holes at your hip if you’re not careful. But for storing torches, caps or even snacks for the road, they’re spot-on. They’ve got the same warm liner as the main interior of the jacket, too, so they don’t get cold. 

You’ve also got two hand warmer pockets on the chest area and these have proven really useful as the temperatures have fallen. Though it may feel a little odd to walk with your hands stowed away like this initially, it actually becomes second nature after a while. 

They’re not deep enough to really store anything safely in, mind you, and if you were to place a phone in there – as they feel about the right shape to do so – you’ll quickly end up losing it. 

This is very much a late autumn or winter jacket, too. During the relatively balmy entry into October and November, the Beaconsfield did prove just a bit too warm, even for shorter hikes. 

Without a zippable liner or any real vents, there’s no way to cool it down and it’s quite heavy to carry. 

That said, Barbour makes no bones about it being a warmth-focused jacket, so you may just want to keep it as an option for when things get really chilly.

It can rival more traditional down or insulated jackets in the warmth stakes but can’t compete in terms of warmth-to-weight ratio. Despite modernising its approach, we still feel Barbour can’t compete when it comes to travelling light.

This is most definitely one for longer dog walks, lengthy schleps to the pub or general outdoor wear this winter. 

Should I buy one?

The Beaconsfield feels like a jacket for those people who want a traditional approach but with firmly modern features. It may be knocking on the door of £400, but for a jacket that’ll happily see you through winter – and is just as warm as many of its competitors – it does feel like a solid buy. 

But this is no performance layering piece, so anyone hitting the mountains or arduous hills this winter will want to look to the more performance-focused brands.