How to Tell If a Jacket Is Good Quality in Ireland

When you’re walking through Galway’s wet cobbled streets in November, or hiking the Cliffs of Moher in a sudden Atlantic squall, your jacket isn’t just fashion-it’s your first line of defense. In Ireland, where rain falls more than 200 days a year and wind cuts through layers like a knife, a bad jacket isn’t just uncomfortable-it’s a liability. So how do you know if a jacket is truly good quality? It’s not about brand names or price tags. It’s about construction, materials, and how it holds up in real Irish weather.

Feel the Fabric-It Should Feel Heavy, Not Flimsy

A good quality jacket in Ireland starts with the fabric. Look for wool blends, waxed cotton, or technical waterproof membranes like Gore-Tex. Avoid anything that feels thin or stretches too easily when you tug it. If you’ve ever bought a cheap parka from a supermarket chain and watched it leak after one storm in Dublin, you know what we mean.

Brands like Belville and Barbour (popular in rural counties like Kerry and Donegal) use heavyweight cotton treated with paraffin wax. That’s not just for looks-it repels rain without trapping sweat. Wool jackets from Irish weavers like Johnston’s of Elgin (used by local outfitters in Westport) are dense, warm, and naturally water-resistant. If the fabric feels like it could survive a day in a Connemara bog, you’re on the right track.

Check the Stitching-No Loose Threads, No Weak Seams

Look closely at the seams. A well-made jacket will have double or even triple stitching along stress points: under the arms, at the shoulders, and around the hood. If you see loose threads or uneven stitching, walk away. In Ireland, jackets take a beating. You’re hauling gear on the Dingle Peninsula, rushing for the bus in Belfast, or carrying a backpack through the Rock of Cashel. Weak seams don’t just tear-they fail when you need them most.

Many Irish-made jackets, like those from Claddagh Wear in Galway, use lockstitch or bar-tack reinforcement. You can spot this by looking for small, tight stitches at the corners of pockets or where the hood attaches. These aren’t decorative-they’re functional. A jacket with reinforced seams can last 10 years. One without? Maybe two.

Test the Waterproofing-Not All ‘Waterproof’ Is Created Equal

Just because a jacket says ‘waterproof’ doesn’t mean it is. In Ireland, you need more than a surface coating. Check for sealed seams-these are thin tapes stitched over the needle holes to stop water from creeping in. Run your finger along the collar and cuffs. If you feel raised ridges, that’s the seam tape. If it’s flat and smooth, it’s probably just a spray-on finish that’ll wash off after a few rains.

Look for jackets with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish. You can test this at home: splash a little water on the sleeve. If it beads up and rolls off like it does on a newly waxed car, the treatment is still active. If it soaks in, the jacket’s waterproofing is fading. Reapplying a product like Nikwax TX.Direct (sold in outdoor shops in Cork and Limerick) can restore it-but only if the base fabric is solid.

Look for a Hood That Actually Works

Here’s a truth most people ignore: if the hood doesn’t stay on your head, the jacket isn’t worth buying. In Ireland, wind doesn’t blow-it howls. A good hood should fit snugly around your face without needing to tie it. Look for a stiffened brim-usually made of a thin plastic or wire insert-that holds its shape in a gale. You should be able to wear it over a beanie without it flopping backward.

Check the adjustability. The best hoods have multiple drawcords-at the back, sides, and front. Brands like Mountain Equipment (stocked in Dublin’s Outdoor Gear Store) design theirs to cinch tightly without bulk. If the hood slips off when you’re cycling through Wicklow or standing on the Giant’s Causeway, you’re just wearing a rain hat with sleeves.

Zipper and Pockets-The Little Things That Matter

A zipper is the weakest link in most jackets. If it’s plastic or rattles when you walk, it’ll break before winter ends. Look for metal zippers-YKK is the gold standard, and you’ll find them on jackets from O’Neill and Mountain Equipment. Run the zipper up and down a few times. It should glide smoothly, not catch or stick.

Pockets matter too. A good Irish jacket has at least two deep, lined handwarmer pockets-perfect for slipping cold hands into after a morning walk in Phoenix Park. Internal pockets with zippers are a bonus for keeping your phone or wallet dry. If the jacket has a chest pocket, make sure it’s flapped and secured with a button or snap, not just a velcro strip that’ll come undone in the wind.

Weight and Fit-It Shouldn’t Feel Like a Tent

A quality jacket isn’t bulky. It’s layered smartly. If you’re buying for layering (and you should be, in Ireland), try it on with a jumper underneath. You should be able to move your arms freely without the jacket pulling or riding up. The sleeves should end just past your wrist-no more than an inch of cuff showing when your arms are down.

Too light? It won’t hold warmth. Too heavy? You’ll sweat on a mild spring day in Kilkenny. The sweet spot is a jacket that weighs between 1.2kg and 1.8kg-enough to block wind and rain, but not so much it feels like you’re wearing a sleeping bag.

Where to Buy in Ireland-Local Brands That Deliver

You don’t need to buy from overseas giants. Ireland has a quiet tradition of making tough, well-built outerwear. Look for:

• Claddagh Wear (Galway)-handmade waxed cotton jackets, built for the west coast
• Belville (Dublin)-heritage brand, used by farmers and fishermen since the 1950s
• Irish Wool Company (Cork)-100% Irish wool, naturally breathable and warm
• Mountain Equipment (national stockists)-technical outerwear for hikers and commuters alike

Visit local outfitters like Clare Outdoor in Ennis or Outdoor Gear Store in Dublin’s Temple Bar. Staff here know what works in real Irish conditions-not just what looks good on a mannequin.

How Long Should a Good Jacket Last?

A cheap jacket lasts one or two seasons. A good one lasts 8 to 12 years. In Ireland, that’s not a luxury-it’s a necessity. Think of it this way: if you spend €250 on a jacket that lasts 10 years, you’re paying €25 a year. A €80 jacket that falls apart in two years? That’s €40 a year. The math doesn’t lie.

And when it does wear out? Repair it. Many Irish tailors still offer jacket repairs-replacing zippers, re-waxing cotton, patching tears. Try Galway Tailors or Leitrim Repairs. Keeping your jacket alive is part of the Irish way.

Final Test: Would You Wear It to a Wedding in the Rain?

Here’s a real-life test: imagine you’re at a wedding in County Tipperary. It’s pouring. Your shoes are soaked. Your hair is damp. You need to look presentable-but you also need to stay dry. If your jacket looks neat, keeps the cold out, and doesn’t make you feel like you’re wrapped in plastic, you’ve got a good one.

In Ireland, a jacket isn’t just clothing. It’s a companion. It carries you through storms, keeps you warm on long drives to the Aran Islands, and stands by you when the forecast says ‘showers’ but the sky says ‘downpour’. Don’t settle for anything less than quality. Your future self-drying off in a pub in Sligo with a pint in hand-will thank you.

If you’re shopping for a new jacket, don’t just look at the price. Look at the seams, the zipper, the hood, and how it feels when you move. In Ireland, your jacket doesn’t just keep you dry-it lets you live your life, no matter what the sky throws at you.