Everyone knows about that ‘go-to’ jacket and the Danner Woodsman GTX aims to be a modern-day take on it. Taking on the appearance of your classic ‘yard’ jacket but with far more modern touches, this is Danner aiming to blend the look and feel of a solid everyday coat with its typically high-end finish. 

The Woodsman GTX is one of the flagship items in Danner’s new Performance Heritage Apparel Collection which, as the name suggests, looks to bring together those time-honoured design touches with some of the latest tech in the business. The Woodsman, for example, has the boxy style that you’d find in a jacket of yesteryear, but it’s backed up by Gore-Tex technology for a truly waterproof finish. 

So whether it’s slogging out through the rain or sitting harbourside on a chill day, the Danner Woodsman GTX is here to be the kind of jacket you reach for no matter the conditions. But that classic yard coat you – or a member of the family – have hanging up on a hook ready-to-go is there because it’s comfortable, easy-going and has the right balance of style and function – so does the GTX Woodsman manage to do the same thing?

Sphere Score

For

• Feels extremely weatherproof
• Good number of pockets
• Detachable hood is a handy feature
• Styling is spot-on

Against

• No real insulation – this is a top-layer jacket
• Expensive at nearly £500
• Feels quite stiff when brand new
• Some questions raised about build quality

Tech specs 

• £495
• Three colours – Ermine, Black and Dusty Olive
• Game pocket at rear
• Hand warmer pockets
• Two-layer recycled Gore-Tex fabric 
• Leather collar 

What does the Danner Woodsman GTX jacket have to offer?

There’s a lot going on with the Danner Woodsman GTX – far more than with a traditional yard jacket, in fact. You’ve got a two-layer recycled Gore-Tex construction with an ePE membrane. What does that do? Well, it aims to deliver top-level waterproofing with fewer environmentally harmful chemicals. The inclusion of the ePE membrane allows the Woodsman GTX to breathe, too, allowing internal moisture to escape while keeping the weather out. 

You’ll find the same material used on the Woodsman GTX’s removable hood, too. It’s simple and easy to remove or install thanks to metal poppers and, for the most part, we’ve worn the jacket without it to maintain the old-school aesthetic. However, if you’re taking the Woodsman GTX to more testing conditions, it’s a very handy feature to be able to put back on. Plus, you can keep the hood stored in the ‘game pocket’ at the back of the jacket, so you never need to be caught without it. 

And speaking of pockets, there are plenty to use up on the Woodsman GTX. There’s the aforementioned ‘game’ pocket – where you’d usually store trout or pheasants – which is ideal for the hood or a set of gloves, accompanied by the two primary pockets at the front. They’ve both got storm flaps above them, too, which should help to keep whatever is stored away in there dry. Behind them are hand-warmer pockets, though there are also two additional pockets on the chest of the jacket where you could put your hands, too. 

Tying it all together are some upmarket finishes. The collar, for instance, is made from real leather and you even get a small bottle of conditioner included with the Woodsman GTX to help keep this area looking its best. All of the poppers and zips are made from hard-wearing metal, too, which should ensure that the Woodsman GTX keeps going for a long time to come. 

Wearing – what is the Danner Woodsman GTX jacket like?

First impressions are crucial and the Danner Woodsman GTX feels, well, quite a bit different to what you might expect. Though it’s designed in the image of the classic yard jacket, the Woodsman GTX is far closer to a traditional waterproof with a relatively thin, lightweight build. As with most waterproofs, the Gore-Tex construction feels a little rigid to begin with – it starts to ease up with use – but it’s far and away from the soft, comfy and insulated jacket that you might expect it to be from the pictures. 

But to readjust is to grow and the more you live with the Danner Woodsman GTX, the more you learn to see it in a new light. Of course, it’s worth layering up underneath but once you’ve got this dialled in, the GTX offers loads of versatility.

We got the jacket in a medium, and at 5”11 this felt spot-on; the arms are just the right length and the shorter cut of the jacket ensures you don’t feel like you’re dealing with too much material. Once the outer skin has begun to break in a little, you’ve still got plenty of movement available to you and you certainly don’t feel restricted by it. The leather collar adds some much-needed comfort, too, and helps to avoid any nasty rashes that can sometimes come from prolonged catching on waterproof material. Plus, you can raise the collar and it provides a handy shield against the wind. 

The pockets are usefully sized, too, with the two front ones being spacious enough for all types of objects. We did run into one issue – after a few days of wearing the GTX, one of the hand-warmer areas behind the main front pockets burst its stitching. It’s not what we’ve come to expect from Danner, but it has assured us that it is investigating the problem, having not seen it before. A replacement jacket has since arrived, and we’ve experienced no such issue, so it’s likely to have been a manufacturer defect. 

The timeless look of the Woodsman GTX also means that it’s good to wear for all types of occasions. Whereas traditional waterproof jackets can look a little too ‘technical’ for everyday wear, the GTX hides its go-anywhere credentials underneath its classic styling. That means it’s a great option if you’re setting out for the day but don’t know entirely where you’ll end up – or what you’ll need to wear. 

To finish

Though Danner says that the Woodsman GTX jacket has been inspired by hunting jackets of old, it feels quite different to that. This isn’t a replacement for your heavily padded ‘yard’ coat, but should be seen instead as a lighter option that’ll fend off weather that would leave that padded jacket sodden and uncomfortable. 

As a top layer it makes the most sense, given that its relative lack of insulation means you’ll need to add some warmer items underneath should things get chilly. However, if you’re looking for a jacket with the aesthetic of a classic but with far more modern features, then the Woodsman GTX hits the nail on the head.