Barbour’s Underrated Rival Dropped the Best Waxed Canvas Moto Jacket of the Year

When most people hear the term “motorcycle jacket,” images of Marlon Brando, the Ramones and countless other impossibly cool people in a black leather jacket with a cross-body zipper, epaulets, a waist belt and lots of zippers comes to mind.

Or they might think of the Italian-inspired cafe racer, another leather number, with a sleek, form-fitting silhouette, a throat latch and a cropped waist. However, the often-overlooked third moto jacket category hails from the British Isles, and Peregrine has just reaffirmed that it makes the best example.

Peregrine

The British moto jacket has its own robust history, dating back to full-body waxed canvas jumpsuits worn for motorcycle racing in the 1920s, and it’s been endorsed by no less than Steve McQueen, the King of Cool.

McQueen was a Barbour man, as demonstrated by the brand’s long-running series done in collaboration with the late actor’s estate. The Barbour International Jacket, which I’ve owned and loved for many years, is the ideal example of the original style.

Belstaff’s Trailmaster and the Belgravia Biker from Private White V.C. are excellent options if you’re willing to pay a premium, but for my money, the best British moto jacket comes from Peregrine.

Peregrine

I’ve worn and examined a couple dozen waxed canvas moto jackets over the past decade and a half, and Peregrine’s Bexley Jacket stands out from the crowd with impressive attention to detail.

The Bexley matches the classic look established by Barbour and Belstaff a century ago. But while those two brands remain faithful to the form, Peregrine layered on a list of minor but impactful alterations.

Attention to detail

The Bexley Jacket has a slim silhouette, more akin to a Trailmaster than an International — the brand recommends sizing up. It has three external front pockets, rather than the traditional four, and they are all inset, as opposed to the bellows style, further streamlining the fit.

Inset pockets reduce the carrying capacity of each pocket, but Peregrine compensates for this with a 10-inch back pocket and an internal zipper pocket. The Bexley also adds a pull loop attached to the chest pocket, which I can attest is very handy.

Peregrine

Like the Trailmaster and unlike the International, the Bexley has reinforcement patches. However, they offer more extensive coverage, extending from the elbow through the forearm, and an additional shooting-style shoulder patch is located on the right-hand side.

True to form, the mock neck is lined with corduroy that runs through the inner storm flap, and where those other British jacket brands place a throat latch, Peregrine has a removable neck strap.

Peregrine

The two most useful innovations made by Peregrine to the traditional British moto jacket are easily overlooked until you’ve field-tested it. Firstly, the back has a center vent, much like a blazer or suit jacket, which comes in handy when sitting down.

The other detail I appreciate is the adjustable waist tabs, which secure with snaps. I can count the number of times I’ve used the waist belt of my International jacket on one hand, and it has remained tied behind the back for years.

Seeing plaid

What really puts the Bexley over the top for me is the new Iona Check tartan waxed canvas. It blends shades of olive and forest green with red, blue and black lines.

Barbour has produced tartan jackets like this in the past, but they are few and far between. The Highland pattern is fittingly sourced from Halley Stevensons, the renowned Scottish textile mill that produces some of the finest waxed cotton in the world.

Peregrine

The Bexley is topped off with solid brass hardware, and unlike most Barbour jackets, it is manufactured in England — not that that makes a significant difference in quality.

Availability and price

Peregrine’s Bexley Jacket in Iona Check is available now from Peregrine for $440, which also makes it more affordable than its primary competition.

It undercuts the SRP of Barbour’s International jacket by $45, and Belstaff charges over 50 percent more for a Trailmaster.

Peregrine

Peregrine Bexley Jacket in Iona Check

• $440 at Peregrine

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