Bespoke Post’s Waxed Ranch Jacket Review | How So Cheap?

Waxed jackets rarely cost less than $300, so when I saw that the Waxed Ranch Jacket from Bespoke Post cost a cool $158, I knew I had to try it out.

As you may be aware, Bespoke Post is a brand that sends you fun items in a subscription, from clothing to camping and everything in between. But you don’t have to partake in the subscription to buy items — you can still buy stuff individually, which is what I did for the Ranch Jacket.

This piece is specifically from Line of Trade, a sort of in-house brand that was founded by the team behind Bespoke Post. It checked off just about every box I had, and was much cheaper than other options I was looping at. So let’s dive into the specifics.

Summary: The Pros and Cons

I’ve got a lot of thoughts about this jacket, but you’re a busy guy — here’s the long and short of it.

Pros

• Radically affordable
• Hefty 10-ounce waxed canvas shell
• Body is cotton lined
• Classic, vintage design

The main pro that sticks out is the price — Stridewise spends a lot of time investigating the waxed jacket space and even unlined and imported waxed jackets (like Iron and Resin’s) never get as low as $158.

It’s also just a classic look that does a good job of looking great with anything without making you look like you’re trying ‘re trying to dress well.

Cons

• Little transparency regarding manufacturing, sourcing, and fabric specs
• Marketed as cotton lined, but the sleeves are poly lined
• No waist cinches to adjust fit
• Not versatile; firmly casual

My main concern is the lack of information that the company provides. They don’t tell you how thick the canvas is or where the jacket’s made. I had to receive the thing and look at the label to see it’s made in China. It’s to be expected at this price, but it feels like the brand was trying to hide this fact.

They also say that it’s cotton lined, but the sleeves aren’t cotton lined, it’s some kind of nylon in there. Most guys prefer that because it doesn’t catch their sleeve like cotton lining would — but you’ve got to say that in the product description!

Other than that, having long or short options would be nice to offer, something competitors like Filson and Flint and Tinder do — albeit at much higher prices.

Materials 

• Shell: 100% cotton with waxed treatment 
• Body Lining: 100% cotton flannel
• Sleeve Lining: Polyester or nylon
• Brushed, flannel-like twill for the collar
• Brass shank buttons 

This is an impressive price for a jacket with a 100% cotton shell, and a very impressive price for one with cotton lining as well — though the sleeves are lined with some kind of nylon. I would have preferred cotton lining, but it wouldn’t have been a fair expectation given the price.

What I like is that the wax doesn’t feel too thick; it’s balanced nicely with the thickness of the coat. With it being flannel lined, it has a super soft feel that you may not get with other jackets.

How Heavy Is This Fabric? 

What’s frustrating is that the company doesn’t tell you how thick the cotton is; I had to reach out to them to find out it’s 10 ounces per square yard, which is actually a commendable weight for a canvas jacket. (I compare this with competitors later in this review.)

Design 

• Double needle stitching
• Angled utility pockets
• “Grown on” workwear cuffs

With a couple of nice deep pockets on the exterior, this jacket offers good storage. This is a coat I’m going to be wearing in cold weather, and I like to have enough space to toss a pair of gloves in and still have room to use the pockets. The Ranch Jacket succeeds there.

The immediate thing that stuck out to me with this coat is that it’s flannel lined. I live near Buffalo, NY. It’s cold. It’s snowy. You have to be prepared. While I looked at several other jackets that were thinner, I liked that this one had a relatively cozy flannel lining with enough room to put a wool sweater underneath if I need to.

So I’ll be able to wear it for more months out of the year.

There are 5 colors available: Black, Bark, Field Tan (mine), Surplus Olive, and a striking wine color they call Garnet. I commend them for pushing the boundaries with that Garnet color, though I’d have liked to see a blue or brown in there.

An extra little bonus for me that I like is that the collar is made of brushed twill. This gives a nice contrast with the rest of the jacket and it feels nicer against the neck than the clammy waxed canvas would.

Sizing Bespoke Post’s Ranch Jacket

• I wore my normal size (Large)
• Fit is a little boxy, which is typical for this kind of jacket
• Good amount of room for layering
• No button cinches to adjust the waist

I usually wear a 42 regular, and I usually order size Large, which is the size I got in the Ranch jacket.

Ordering this coat in whatever regular size you normally wear will give you a great fitting jacket that’s cut like a traditional trucker jacket: short but roomy.

If you want something longer, or shorter, or to be able to adjust the waist, you’re out of luck.

The Insane Price 

• $158

The Waxed Ranch Jacket from Bespoke Post comes in at an astounding $158.

That is an incredible price for a coat of this caliber. I assumed it was made in China and my assumption proved correct, and even then it’s a good price for a 10-ounce jacket with cotton body lining.

Line of Trade vs. Their Competitors

Let’s compare Line of Trade with the three superstars of the waxed jacket world: Flint and Tinder, Rogue Territory, and Filson.

Flint and Tinder’s Waxed Trucker: Comes in at $298. The fabric’s 7 ounces (some two thirds as heavy as the Ranch Jacket) and the lining is all polyester, though it has the advantage of being made in the USA and is available in more sizes and fits.

Filson’s Tin Cloth Lined Cruiser: much pricier at $425 and it’s not made in the USA anymore, it also has a cotton lined body and polyester lined sleeves. But it has the advantage of being 40 percent heavier (14oz) and Filson has a lifetime warranty that’ll repair anything you buy.

Rogue Territory’s Supply Jacket: Also pricier at $325. The canvas is the same weight but it’s made in the USA and it feels much stiffer and denser than the Ranch Jacket. Downsides are that it’s unlined (which makes waxed canvas very stuffy) and the fit is unforgivingly slim.

Conclusion

I did not like having to reach out to the company to find out where the jacket’s made and what it is made from. I’m referring to the fact that you’re not told how heavy the canvas is or where it’s made or what the sleeves are lined with.

What’s funny is that if they’d been forthright about all that, I’d still be calling this jacket a great deal. Now I’m calling it a great deal and dissing the company for their lack of transparency. They could have avoided that!

Still, all in all, it’s still a nicely made coat and probably the best value in the space. For my needs, it does exactly what I had hoped: something that could withstand the elements while still looking stylish for a reasonable price. This jacket checks all of my boxes, but it’s up to you to decide if it meets your own expectations from a jacket.