Relwen Fly-Waxed Trap Blazer

Look, full disclaimer, I have no relationship with Relwen, but I am going to be writing a lot about their gear. Because their gear is tremendously good, so far every single item I have bought. Today we are talking about the Fly-Waxed Trap Blazer they released just before fall hit — I picked this up right away and sat on it anxiously waiting for Houston to cool off.

And you better believe the moment it cooled down here, I was wearing this all day. I love this jacket.

Materials

This is not just another waxed jacket, it sounds like it, but the wax treatment on this is very unique in hand feel and appearance. It’s close to a well loved Barbour, but not quite the same. The make up of the shell is: “41% cotton, 43% polyester, 16% nylon, water resistant resin impregnated sheeting cloth, matte finished, 190 gsm.” For the lining there’s sateen bindings on the interior, and a small panel of chamois flannel which works nicely as positioned along the back of your shoulders. Relwen helpfully notes the temperature range they see for this jacket as 50º to 65º.

The temperature range seems accurate to me, and is also dependent on what you wear underneath the jacket. It is not a waterproof jacket, but will shed light rain drops from the shell. The sleeves all have working buttons, and you can button the jacket all the way up with a neck closure as well, or wear it as a 2 button jacket.

Relwen does indicate you can machine wash this, but I have not tried it, nor do I think I am likely to try any time soon. As with my other Relwen jackets, this is a well made item, with great materials.

Fit and Style

I typically wear a large in letter sizing, and so far a large in all Relwen tops, no exception here. The fit is fantastic. Relwen cuts the sleeves a little longer than standard, and the articulation they build into their patterns allows for a more tailored fit, without it having the restrictions of something which wears more trim.

This very much has British hunting jacket vibes, not waxed trucker jacket vibes. It’s not a formal jacket in any sense, it’s a layer meant to shrug the wind off. It has a game pocket at the back, which is noted that should not be used for actual game. It does feel a little more Americana than a Barbour which feels more British.

It’s best not to think of this as a blazer, and instead think of it as any waxed jacket and wear it accordingly. It’s any easy wear and fits a wide range of styles.

Performance

I can tell you with confidence that you’ll be much to warm trying to pull this off above 70°F as I was the day I wanted to wear it. But, I did wear this down a touch below 50°F without issue. In light rain, this jacket had no issues at all.

Where it really excelled was in an unexpectedly windy and chilly walk back from lunch. I buttoned the jacket all the way up, and while it added no warming insulation, it cut the wind effectively and made the walk tolerable. The movement in this jacket is great as well. A lot of times I might find myself wanting to shed a layer like this before starting my commute in the car, but with this jacket I tend to put it on, and wear it all day without issue.

I’ve had no issue with lint or fuzz being attracted to this fabric, as anything seems to brush off easily. It doesn’t get as many of the waxy scuffs others waxed jackets can get, so it has a more even appearance which will help it to be worn indoors as well.

The only thing lacking for me on this jacket is the pocket setup. There’s two patch pockets at either side on the front of the jacket, the game pocket in the rear, and a patch pocket on the chest. Inside the jacket is a single zipped pocket. Here I would love to see two interior pockets, as the jacket has plenty of structure to support this.

As it stands, this jacket is on par with the performance of most waxed items. If it truly can be machine washed without issue, that’s a big win, but I am unlikely to try that until forced into it.

Overall

This is a great layer for transitional weather, and is very easy to wear even for those who shy away from a blazer. It has just enough small details that it never feels like a hinderance to wear, like you chose a blazer when you needed a full jacket, as it can transform into one should you want it.

I keep grabbing this jacket, and I suspect that won’t change as our winters here in Houston live in the temp range for this jacket.

I highly recommend it, buy it here, $298