Wax Jackets vs Gore-Tex vs Cordura — My Honest Take as a British Manufacturer Who Uses All Three

I see the same Reddit questions pop up time and time again:

    1.    “How breathable are wax jackets really? Will I overheat if I use one for commuting or city wear?”

    2.    “Are wax jackets actually worth it, or is Gore-Tex the better everyday buy?”

As someone who manufactures outerwear here in Britain — waxed smocks, Cordura smocks, and soon waxed jackets — I want to answer these questions honestly, from experience, not marketing.

I work with these fabrics every day. I’ve worn them in the military, on the yard, at shows, on long rainy days at events, and during real British weather — not catalogue weather.

Here’s the truth.

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1. How Breathable Are Wax Jackets Really?

Let’s not sugar-coat it:

Traditional wax jackets are NOT as breathable as Gore-Tex or Cordura.

A heavy waxed cotton coat — like the old-school Barbour-style jackets — traps heat. That’s the trade-off for having a naturally water-resistant fabric that lasts decades.

But this doesn’t mean wax is unusable for commuting or daily wear. It just depends on the type of wax.

Here’s the honest breathability scale from my own experience working with these fabrics:

    •    Heavy wax: Low breathability

    •    Medium wax: Low–moderate

    •    Light technical wax (like Halley Stevensons dry wax): Moderate

    •    Gore-Tex: High

    •    Cordura (PU-coated & tape-seamed): Moderate–high depending on design

If you run hot or move quickly, a heavy wax jacket will feel warm.

If you’re using a lighter, more modern technical wax, you’ll be absolutely fine for normal city wear.

Wax breathes enough for everyday life but not enough for high-output activity.

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So Will You Overheat While Commuting?

If you’re:

    •    diving in and out of the Tube

    •    cycling

    •    doing fast-paced walking in warm weather

    •    running naturally hot

…then a heavy wax jacket might feel warm.

But for:

    •    office commuting

    •    city wear

    •    countryside living

    •    dog walking

    •    equestrian days

    •    normal UK temperatures

…wax is not only fine — it’s brilliant, comfortable, wind-resistant, and long-lasting.

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2. Are Wax Jackets Actually Worth It? Or Is Gore-Tex Better?

It depends what you’re buying a jacket for.

I’ll say this clearly:

Gore-Tex is better for pure performance.

If you’re climbing, hiking, mountaineering, doing cardio in the rain — Gore-Tex wins.

But for everyday life, Gore-Tex isn’t everything it’s made out to be.

Why I still think wax is worth it:

    •    It lasts decades

    •    It can be rewaxed

    •    It repairs beautifully

    •    It develops character and patina

    •    It’s quiet, soft, and natural

    •    It doesn’t age badly like synthetics

    •    It feels like proper outerwear, not a crisp packet

For 90% of the activities people actually do — pub walks, commuting, country life, yard life, events —

wax is more comfortable and far more sustainable long-term.

But there’s something else people never mention.

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3. The Fabric I Think Becomes the Real Winner: Cordura

This is where I bring my own experience as a manufacturer into the conversation.

Before starting Lockwood Smocks, I wore all the usual fabrics — wax, Gore-Tex, softshells — in military and equestrian life.

But when I started building my own technical smocks, I chose Cordura PU-coated and tape-seamed for one reason:

**In real British weather, Cordura outperforms Gore-Tex.

Not on paper — but in real life.**

Here’s why.

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Gore-Tex vs Cordura: My Real-World Comparison

Breathability

    •    Gore-Tex breathes brilliantly during high-intensity activity

    •    Cordura breathes better at low to moderate activity (most people’s daily reality)

Most people are not mountaineering. They’re:

    •    commuting

    •    walking the dog

    •    mucking out

    •    working outside

    •    walking around events

For that kind of use, Cordura feels more stable and comfortable than Gore-Tex.

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Waterproofing

    •    Gore-Tex wins on hydrostatic head numbers

    •    Cordura wins in the real world because it doesn’t fail the moment it gets punctured or rubbed

People forget:

Gore-Tex is a membrane. When it tears, it’s done.

Cordura survives being dragged across walls, branches, fences, muck, kit, and military equipment.

And if it does somehow get damaged, you can repair it properly.

I’ve seen Gore-Tex delaminate, bubble, peel, and fail.

I’ve never seen Cordura quit under normal use.

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Durability

This isn’t even close.

    •    Cordura: Absolutely bombproof

    •    Wax cotton: Tough and repairable

    •    Gore-Tex: Fragile, membrane-prone, and not built for abrasion

As a serving soldier myself, I’ve worn all three.

One survives the battlefield.

The others don’t.

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Where Cordura Sits Between Wax and Gore-Tex

    •    More breathable than wax

    •    Nearly as waterproof as Gore-Tex

    •    10x more durable than Gore-Tex

    •    Easier to maintain than wax

    •    Repairable, long-lasting, dependable

It’s the perfect middle-ground fabric for the UK.

And this is exactly why I use PU-coated and tape-seamed Cordura for my Lockwood technical smocks.

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So Which Should You Choose? Here’s the Honest Answer.

Buy Gore-Tex if:

    •    you’re prioritising pure breathability

    •    you’re hill walking, hiking, mountaineering

    •    you want the lightest high-performance shell

Buy Wax if:

    •    you want something long-term

    •    you care about heritage, patina, natural feel

    •    you want a quieter, more characterful jacket

Buy Cordura if:

You want the best all-rounder for real British weather.

It’s the fabric I personally trust above everything else.

And this is why I brought it into my business — because I know how well it performs after years in uniform, years around horses, and years in the countryside.

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Wax jackets are brilliant — characterful, heritage-rich, long-lasting.

Gore-Tex is fantastic in the mountains — lightweight, breathable.

But for everyday British life, commuting, work outdoors, equestrian life, or even military use…

Cordura is the best-performing, most reliable fabric I’ve ever worn.

That’s why I build with it.

And it’s why so many people who try one of my Cordura smocks never go back to Gore-Tex again.

God bless, God save the King,

Jacob ⚔️🇬🇧⛰️