There has been a revolution in the design and material of shooting garments. Modern synthetics and manufacturing processes have seen to that.

But still giving the latest breathable bendable newcomers a run for your money is good old fashioned, dependable tweed. In fact this classic hard-wearing material is enjoying something of a comeback in terms of popularity.

It's not hard to see why. Growing numbers of shooting men are tiring of turning out in regulation waxproofs and the rest. They want to dress differently but stay traditional. In this respect tweed is unbeatable.

And helping the cause is its price: for little more than a high quality man-made shooting jacket it's possible to find a range of tweeds that are superbly hand crafted with water proofing qualities which are second to none.

For example the Goretex-lined coats tailored by people like Charles Gale of Fareham, Hampshire.

For years now Charles Gale has been making lovely tweed suits in a variety of patterns for estate owners, syndicate captains and gamekeepers all over the country. During the closed season he travels hundreds of miles, alternating between northern Scotland, furthest most Cornwall and the English Midlands getting the measure of his customers.

Now he has expanded the service to cater for telephone orders. Potential customers are sent a brochure explaining how to take the necessary measurements for a very individual garment and you then 'phone them through. Orders for the waterproof tweed shooting jacket take about four weeks. Price for this is £395 + vat. Made-to-measure suits (jacket, waistcoat, trousers) cost £595 + vat. The excellent tweeds he uses come from two Scottish mills and have been carefully chosen for their hard-wearing qualities. Charles Gale also makes breeks, plus twos and fours - as well as tweed sock garters embroidered with the shoot or estate name.....an unusual gift idea for visiting guests to remind them of a special day.

Prices of comparable shooting outfits and accessories vary wildly from tailor to tailor and Charles admits to being baffled and bemused by some of the rates being charged. "Last time I was up in London I called in at a well known outfitters to look at their tweeds. I also asked about the price of a lined jacket while I was about it.....and just about died when they quoted me £1,200! Maybe I ought to look again at my charges...."

The mainstay of Charles Gale's operation will continue to be supplying tailor-made traditional suits to shoot owners and their 'keepers but he sees a bright future for the new generation of lined shooting jackets now appearing on the market. These feature a thin membrane of waterproof material sandwiched between the tweed and its inner lining. "The advantages are obvious" says Charles. "Not only does it offer all the traditional qualities that come with tweed but also the waterproofing - done properly - will also keep the wearer as dry as any all-weather garment will." Added benefit, too, is that its owner can dress as individually, and smartly as he chooses.....

From Shooting Gun