Voyageur Travel Jacket

LEFT: The Voyageur jacket has buttoned and zippered inside pockets. INSET BELOW: Jacket colors.

Cotton sport jackets have long been popular for summer wear, but they seldom travel well, and most offer little protection against cool weather or rain showers. The new Voyageur Jacket is a conspicuous exception: It might be termed the "Burberry of blazers," because it's made of Swiss Etaproof Ventile--a breathable yet water-repellent cotton fabric that was developed for the immersion suits worn by Royal Air Force pilots in World War II. Ventile is still being used today by the RAF and in upscale hunting jackets, expedition clothing, and survival gear.

Despite its rugged outdoors pedigree, Ventile fabric has a beautiful weave and a soft "hand"--two charactistics that contribute to the elegance of the Voyageur Jacket, which resembles a worsted blazer unless it's drizzling (when the jacket beads up like a waxed Rolls-Royce as the Ventile threads expand to close the fabric's pores at the first sign of moisture).

My comparison of the Voyageur Jacket to a Rolls-Royce isn't just whimsy: The jacket costs a whopping US $750, which means you're more likely to see it in the back seat of a chauffeured Rolls than in a Fiat or or a Geo.

Still, if you're the sort of traveler who shops at Burberry or Aquascutum, the Voyageur Jacket is a purchase worth considering. Not only does the Voyageur offer better protection against wind and water than other blazers do, but it also deserves top marks for elegance. The jacket was designed in collaboration with the former head of the tailoring operations of Southwick and Hickey-Freeman, and the two samples that I examined were beautifully made. If I owned a Voyageur Jacket, I wouldn't hesitate to wear it in the dining room of a five-star hotel or a luxury cruise ship.

More facts and observations:

• The Voyageur Jacket is a two-button, single-vent sport jacket with a traditional American cut.

• The jacket is available in three colors--khaki, charcoal, or navy blue. The full crimson lining is German bemberg, a smooth, moisture-absorbent fabric derived from the cotton plant.

• Seven pockets offer storage for your travel essentials. On the outside, you'll find two flapped side pockets and a usable breast pocket. The interior has a deep pocket with a button flap, a smaller zippered pocket for a passport or mobile phone, and a huge pocket with a hidden vertical zipper where the lining meets the Ventile shell.

• In inclement weather, you can turn up the collar and fasten the jacket at the neck with a hidden button and cloth tab.

• Sizing is generous. I normally wear a 45 or 46, but the Voyageur Jacket's Large size (nominally 44-46) was loose enough that I would have needed alterations if I'd purchased the sample. My recommendation: E-mail your chest, waist, and sleeve measurements to the company's owner, Jeffrey J. Carmel, and let him suggest a size. (His e-mail address is on the "Ordering Information" page of the Voyageur Web site site.)

For more details, photos, and other information, see www.voyageurjacket.com.

Photos courtesy of Voyageurjacket.com.

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