Swazi Tahr XP Anorak Review
I originally found Swazi after I had been on a descent on Mardi Himal on Nepal. I forget what I was wearing, but it leaked through as soon as the rain came in and I was soaked to the bone as I was coming down the mountain. I swore I would find the most waterproof technical jacket possible and my hunt led me to the Swazi Tahr XP. I think I actually googled, “most waterproof jacket” and this is what came up. Swazi is a brand most associated with hunters from New Zealand, but it has a strong following in the UK as it was used by Ray Mears. Norway seems to have a following as well in the hunting community. As it is a hunting jacket, the colors are limited and durability is emphasized. I have owned mine for around ten years now. It is easily the piece of outdoor kit that has outlasted everything else I own.
A successful roebuck harvest in Middle Finland
The Tahr is a simple, pullover anorak, with a drawstring at the waist and a center zipper that comes down to your navel. There are two pockets which are unlined and a generous hood with a slight brim and cords to tighten it around your face. That's it. Now, while there is beauty in this simplicity, there are some downsides. The lack of pockets can be seriously annoying and if you are used to more of a “field coat” then this jacket might annoy you. There really isn’t any room to stow stuff away. In addition, the pockets that you do have, while serviceable, definitely don’t keep your hands warm and if your hands are wet when you put your hands in, then your pockets tend to stay damp due to the waterproof lining. I would have loved to have a bit of fleece or moleskin in these.
The material is Swazi's own proprietary Aeigis waterproof fabric, which is then lined with a microfleece on the outside. You wind up with an insanely waterproof jacket that is hard wearing and relatively silent due to the fleece. As a result, you have a brilliantly waterproof jacket that is ideal for stalking. I have strayed away and bought and tried a few other jackets in the decade that I have owned this one but I always just wind up selling those and sticking with this. Swazi really is hard to beat. The only true downside to this fabric, is that it tends to weigh more than similar ultralight options from brands like Sitka or Kuiu. The cost is also high and I can understand the hesitancy to spend that kind of money.
On a canoeing expedition on Lake Inari
I have used this jacket from the tropics of Nepal, to the mountains, to the Arctic and it has never let me down. It can get pretty warm, but if you unzip the center zipper you should air out fairly quickly. Newer models seem to include pit-zips which I feel is an excellent addition to the design.
If you want something hard wearing, that will absolutely keep the elements out, then this is your jacket. I wore this on a week-long survival course in the Arctic; it rained like four days straight and out of 16 people I was the ONLY one who was dry. Pair it with a Swazi Back 40 fleece and you are good to go!
Hunting in Southern Finland