LONG WATERPROOF COATS FOR DOG WALKING AND PUDDLE JUMPING
I spent 5-years striving to find the perfect, full-length, waterproof coat (over the boots long) and wasted money along the way. I finally found my perfect long coat. I set up Longcoats Trading to help others source waterproof long coats.
You need an extra long raincoat in your life…
Once again Reg the Lurcher and I stepped from the rain into the house following the daily dog walk, both rather wet. Reg shook in the hallway, sending a pattern of spray onto the hall wall. Perhaps I could learn to do that.
I was soaked. My top half was dry but my jeans were pressed flat and freezing against my thighs. I pulled off my gloves and stood glaring at my other half's smile. "You should have put your waterproof trousers on" said Teresa.
"You know I hate those things" I said. "It takes longer to put them on than it does to get to the beach. Anyway I can never find them. And you know what? It isn't even raining that much - all the water from the jacket just runs off and soaks my legs. I'm like a house without guttering. Bloody weather. I need a man's long rain coat, full length - just for dog walks".
"Well if you find one let me know," said Teresa "I need a women's long waterproof coat for the yard. I get soaked so often it gets boring. The dog's got a better coat than me".
NO MORE WATERPROOF TROUSERS
Later that day finds me on the Internet, striving to find a long men's raincoat, a coat long enough to cover my trousers and hang over the wellies. Then another coat - a women's long waterproof coat for my wife.
So many times we have needed long coats like this. When I think of all the soakings we have had, with the dog usually: at the Badminton horse trials, watching my wife eventing, watching Life of Pi at the outdoor Minack theatre in Cornwall, on the boat between the various Scilly islands and just shopping in Truro! Summer soakings are not so bad but Badminton was in April with freezing easterlies and we were in a tent (well a very big bell tent with rugs and some wicker ;-)
What do you search for? A women's long raincoat? A full-length man's waterproof coat? A trench coat? A long waterproof coat? A ladies long raincoat? But I did find one to trial: a wax cotton full-length Drover's coat by a well known brand ("sounds like" male hairdresser), and it cost me a fair few quid. I used this long trench coat for a year of dog walking and other assorted adventures. My wife did not care for it for some reason.
I wore it to work a couple of rainy days as well, with the cowboy hat I got for my birthday. It was all a bit much really for herding a lone Lurcher. With the hat on - the horse-humour would come thicker and faster than stampeding Bison.
I wanted to like this particular men's long coat, but we did not get along. It was fine without wind but, once the branches were moving, that coat would open up and the rain would once again pay visit to my thighs. Yes, I know it has some weirdo-fun leg-straps but, honestly, they did not do it for me. This raincoat was an expensive mistake and the recompense from Ebay would feed a hungry Lurcher for less than a winter month.
The search for the ultimate long women's raincoat and men's raincoat continued.
Designed in Ireland
My next "find" was was a designer in Ireland and lightweight women's and men's long coats were duly purchased for my wife and I.
At this stage I had no intention of building a "long coats" brand - we were just tired of getting wet and fed up of waterproof trousers.
These coats performed far better than my first purchase and, as long as winds were not too strong, kept my wife and I dry from head to toe.
Once the wind really gets going rain can sneak through leading to dampness around the calf/knee area: the material is quite light and the bottom of the coat blows around in the wind, exposing leg. This is a minor annoyance in an otherwise excellent coat, especially for the price.
For me, this was a much longer term relationship than my previous dalliance, only ending when the full-length zip began the process of separating from the main coat (the result of me catching the coat on the corner of a stile).
These coats are functional and light and will provide a few seasons of use.
Following the demise of this coat I did revert back to jacket and waterproof trousers for a winter. What a faff. On one occasion I rushed the process and got my boot stuck part-way down a polyester trouser leg. Stuck fast. Reg crying for his adventure whilst I hobbled to the kitchen to look for a sharp instrument to extricate my stuck-fast boot. Mr Bean would have been proud.
The two coats mentioned above are in our range today. The men's lightweight long coat we named the Tremayne and the women's long lightweight coat the Tamsyn.
These coats are inexpensive but well made and should last a fair few seasons. The two coats are long, and available in dark green or navy blue (update: other colours now available) with a tartan inner lining. I certainly walk a few inches taller when wearing mine.
The same designer has since created two new beautiful, breathable "winter warm" designs and we now sell these as the Tamara and Trystan, in a thicker and more durable material with a light padding. This level of padding was chosen as many will use the coats when walking and heavily padded coats will get too warm and overwhelm the breathability. One can always add a layer (e.g. jumper or fleece) but if we had overdone the padding then there would be no way of the customer removing it if too warm.
Irish heritage lightweight: Tamsyn and Tremayne
Irish heritage winter warm: Tamara and Trystan
For Him
stay dry in any storm
Back to Google and to before I set up Longcoats Trading.
Five years after my initial search began, I eventually found my perfect long raincoat for dog walking adventures. A breathable, masterpiece of a coat that is easily long enough to cover boot or wellington, is extremely tough and hard wearing, waterproof, has a hood, and fully stops the rain in a proper storm (a storm with a name ;-) without the need for waterproof trousers. And the press studs have strength in them (it is this detail that counts - many other coats the poppers often pop when you crouch to pick up the dog's poop).
I was so impressed with this manufacturer and their coats that I met with them very swiftly and, after a successful series of meetings, I created Longcoats Trading and this website.
Cornwall is where we are based and where the first batches of coats were thoroughly tested - on beaches or cliff-tops in the full fury of Atlantic storms. Cornwall is also where the majority of photographs were taken and where the star of the show, Reg the Lurcher lives. Hence our coats are named after the Cornish places and names we love.
The breathable Longcoats range includes three coats: Lamorna, Demelza and Newlyn alongside four zip-in fleeces: Morwenna, Merrin, Penrose and Piran.
These are genuine 4-season raincoats: light enough for milder rainy days (you do not want padded coats walking the dog when it it is mild and wet) and upgradeable with a zip-in fleece for when it gets really cold (or supply your own layering).
For those not wishing to break the bank we also offer the Longcoats Hepworth and Eden - our lightweight offering. Our zip-fleeces do not work with these two models but layering up is always available.
The Lamorna, Demelza, Newlyn, Hepworth and Eden coats and all fleeces are designed and developed in Belgium.
When it comes to fabrics, the parent company "Sioen" are really something quite special. Sioen are a world market leader in coated technical textiles and technical apparel designed "to protect people and their belongings".
Okay that's their marketing hype - you are not that easily led into spending a couple of hundred quid on a coat I am sure. Well how about this then? Sioen make clothing for foresters (think chainsaws), firefighting, divers, workmen and the army (think bulletproof vests for tactical, covert and overt operations). Basically they manufacture some serious kit for some very serious customers. What they learn in their more demanding markets is used to create product for countryside and lifestyle ranges.
Our Finest Women's long coat
Our Finest Men's long coat
Benefits of a long raincoat
Wear wellington boots, or long boots of any kind, with your long coat and you will stay dry from head to toe. During 2020, when storm Ciara and storm Dennis blew through with their 50-80mph winds and icy rain we stayed dry and warm whilst others got a soaking.
No more waterproof trousers.
Teresa, my wife, uses her Longcoats Lamorna on a daily basis - at the yard. No more "chilled to the core" due to soakings whilst riding or whilst taking horses from stable to field. No more searching for the world's best long raincoat for women.
I use my Longcoats Newlyn men's long coat primarily for dog walks but it comes in useful at our local outdoor theatre and on rainy days shopping in Truro.
Long coats are not just for the sprightly. My father has a mobility scooter and he wears his men's long raincoat and cowboy hat with pride (cool look Dad ;-).
Waterproof testing
We are pretty obsessed with staying dry. As well as using our coats all year round, in all weather conditions, we test them in a variety of ways - including a fairly intense hosepipe test. Even after a full five minutes of hosing the coats remain completely dry inside.
