We had this jacket listed as a ventile ski jacket when we first set up our website, though a little bit of research has revealed a rather nice pedigree. The jacket is made from ventile and was used for skiing, but it was also used for walking, climbing and general mountaineering by instructors at Scotland’s National Outdoor Centre, Glenmore Lodge, based in the foothills of the Cairngorm mountains near Aviemore.

We can’t be 100% sure, but we think the jackets were made by a company called Tulloch Mountain Craft, unfortunately there’s no maker’s label in the jacket to prove, or disprove, this theory. Dating from around 1980, maybe a little earlier, the jackets were made from ventile, which was one of the best waterproof materials around at the time, in the days before Gore-Tex. The closely woven cotton fabric expanded when wet to keep out the rain, while still ‘breathing’ a little. Unfortunately, in the temperate climate of the Cairngorms, where it gets a lot colder as you get higher, the wet jacket jacket froze solid, making it more like a coat of armour. If you could manage to shuggle out of one, it would stand up on its own before thawing out.

They were much loved and fondly remembered by the Glenmore Lodge instructors, despite the drawbacks. This particular one was kindly donated by Fred Harper, who was principal at Glenmore Lodge for many years.