The circle of Channel 5 faces were gathered around a conversation as I wandered across and helped myself to a can of diet coke. 

I could sense the questionable look from Graeme Hall the dog trainer as Helen Skelton held court with JB from JLS looking on. I struck up a conversation with Ben Fogle over our joint enthusiasm for vintage jackets. 

A few fever dream this is not but just one of many situations Mallin & Son has led me into over the last few years. It was about to get stranger.

I was hosting a stall in our very early days at a Channel 5 event held at Cannon Hall farm, the location for a popular farming show on the channel. 

Late in the weekend, a very smart Barbour-attired woman arrived at the stall for a chat. I introduced myself as a 'wax jacket expert' and was knocked for six to hear the response, 'so am I, my name is Helen Barbour'. Yes, of the Barbour family. 

The next half an hour was spent deep in conversation and I can report she is indeed a lovely person but the crux if the conversation was around the Barbour Solway Zipper jacket, arguably one of Barbour's most sought after and iconic pieces. 

A few weeks earlier, I was tipped off that the patent was about to expire which it had in fact done by the weekend that we met. 

I shared this info with Helen and a day later on checking, the patent was indeed renewed. So in short I'm not saying you have me to thank for saving the Solway's association with Barbour but.. (inserts David Brent locking fingers meme).

So as you can see, my own association with the jacket is storied enough and it's a piece that our customers seemingly revere quit a lot. Whenever we post about it, it gets engagement and whenever we sell one, it doesn't hang around.

Last year I did some work with a TV production company (more on this hopefully very soon) where I provided a number of jackets. I provided a good selection across the Barbour spectrum from the standard run of the mill, modern Beaufort to the collectable Solway. 

When I received them back post filming, they hung on our workshop wall. Then one day I decided to wear the Solway as I'd left my jacket at home. Fair to say it's not been back up on the wall since and I've probably worn it most days. 

Followers of our instagram account will know that I like to layer and the main rule of layering is for the longest layer to sit on the outside. 

The Ashby and Bedale sit perfectly at the waist with the Beaufort offering something only slightly lower. All great jackets, but the peeking of a cardigan, blazer or shirt below the hem makes my hurts my eyes as much as they hurt when I read back this sentence. 

The Solway sits over everything like the shroud that it is. It's missing the hand warmers but I don't care when I can dangle them down to rest in the bellows. I wear mine one size up too so there's room for a padded gilet when needed. 

I've also worn it for smarter occasions, with a shirt and a sweater and I don't think it looks odd. It works just as well on a muddy walk as it does out for an evening visit to somewhere smart (just make sure you clean it first. We know someone if you need help).

For now, the Solway underpins my collection of jackets and I think it will be one that will probably stay the distance. 

Obviously everything I've written is over-flourished nonsense but if you've read this far then you probably have the same jacket fettishisms as I do and don't actually care. 

So when it comes to buying a vintage Barbour, I think you should invest in a Solway should you get the chance. They are wonderfully storied (even just to tell mine) and they will always hold their value. I've seen them for as little as £100 on Vinted with is frankly, madness. 

Let me know if you agree or disagree.

Thanks for reading. 

Ryan