Few textiles are as suited for duck hunting as waxed canvas. It’s puncture-resistant, highly water-resistant, and will outlast just about any modern textile. Waxed canvas is created from a tightly woven cotton blend that is impregnated with wax. The end result is a rugged and weatherproof garment, but you don’t have to take our word for it; just look at waterfowl hunters of the past century, and you’ll see it time and time again.
In the past several years, we’ve seen several companies go back to their waterfowl roots and debut waxed canvas garments ready for the modern duck woods—one such being Chêne. Their most recent launch, the Founders’ Reserve collection, reiterates their commitment to building premium gear that will last a lifetime. This new collection features four new garments: an insulated shirt, wading jacket, bib, and a vest, all featuring waxed canvas.
Initial Impressions
Last week we got our hands on The Founders’ Reserve collection from Chêne for a first look. Out of the box, each piece comes freshly waxed, as evident by the tacky, waxed feel on the outer layers. Since these garments are waxed, they’ll feel stiff out of the box, so consider wearing them prior to the season to help break them in, especially if you want the best range of motion.
Diving into the individual pieces, the Jac-Shirt is a utility button-up designed to be worn in the blind or around town, and has a thin layer of insulation for warmth. The Waxed Down Vest is designed as an over-the-wader vest packed with down insulation for warmth and front pockets for shells and other necessities. Rounding out the collection are the Waxed Wading Jacket and Waxed Bib, which offer ample weather protection whether you’re standing in the timber or sitting in a dry field.
While we haven’t had the opportunity to get in the field with this new collection just yet, we’re impressed with the quality and design of the new collection. Stay tuned as we continue to test this gear throughout the season and report back on how it holds up in the duck woods.