Outdoor coat/jacket NO ZIP

[Chuggy]

Need some help, please. I'm a stroke survivor and have no use of my left hand. I'm looking for a decent outdoor jacket with velcro and/or button fastenings. I'm unable to fasten zips together with just my good hand so my old Barbours and goretex jackets are of little use. Anyone any ideas, thoughts or suggestions ??

[996Type]

The Barbour Beacon jacket replaces zips with large buttons and can be worn open, they tend to be out with their size descriptions though and are quite a close fit, but might do the job for you?

https://www.allweathers.co.uk/products/barbour-bea...

[Regbuser]

A poncho, or cape?

[Mr Pointy]

Chuggy said:

Need some help, please. I'm a stroke survivor and have no use of my left hand. I'm looking for a decent outdoor jacket with velcro and/or button fastenings. I'm unable to fasten zips together with just my good hand so my old Barbours and goretex jackets are of little use. Anyone any ideas, thoughts or suggestions ??

if you have already have a jacket with a zip & a flap then you could take it to a tailor/seamstress who does alterations & they can almost certainly sew velcro on for you. I had a jacket with a broken zip & the repair was better that the original so adding velcro or even buttons should be quite feasible.

[eliot]

i wonder if something could be done with magnetic buttons (does such a thing exist?)

[bunchofkeys]

Something like this?

[davek_964]

eliot said:

i wonder if something could be done with magnetic buttons (does such a thing exist?)

If it doesn't, it should!

[greygoose]

Could you manage a Duffle coat, seem to be a range of makers and prices online?

[Cardiff_Exile]

I recently came across a charity than alters clothing for those with differing needs https://www.dressability.org.uk/

Maybe there is an option to get what you ant and just adapted to work for you.

[Harpoon]

Mr Pointy said:

if you have already have a jacket with a zip & a flap then you could take it to a tailor/seamstress who does alterations & they can almost certainly sew velcro on for you. I had a jacket with a broken zip & the repair was better that the original so adding velcro or even buttons should be quite feasible.

Alpkit have a repair service for outdoor gear:

Alpkit said:

Our Repair Heroes love a challenge, whether it’s saving a much-loved rucksack or converting an old jacket into a Mountain Rescue dog’s new winter coat. Our dedicated repair stations in Hathersage, Keswick, Edinburgh, Betws-y-Coed, Ilkley and Bristol are fully equipped to breathe new life into your old kit.

https://alpkit.com/pages/repair-station

[Moulder]

How about something like this...

https://www.napapijri.co.uk/shop/en-gb/npj-gb/men-...

There is a zip to do it up, but it doesn't ever unzip completely apart so avoids the fiddly bit. It is also under your left arm which will allow you to do the zip with your right hand.

[TheRainMaker]

What about a sailing jacket, they tend to have massive zips for use with gloves + normally have big Velcro flaps which might be enough on its own.

[silentbrown]

Something like this?

https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/montane-mens-ext...

Still a zip for the top, but it's hopefully possible with one hand. Although smock may be awkward to put on/take off in the first place.

[silentbrown]

TheRainMaker said:

What about a sailing jacket, they tend to have massive zips for use with gloves + normally have big Velcro flaps which might be enough on its own.

Probably the difficult bit is joining the two halves of the zip at the bottom of the jacket?

[TheRainMaker]

What about getting a jacket with a two way zipper and put some easy to grab toggles on each of the zippers.

Hold the bottom with your arm or between your legs and pull up the other one.

[TheRainMaker]

silentbrown said:

TheRainMaker said:

What about a sailing jacket, they tend to have massive zips for use with gloves + normally have big Velcro flaps which might be enough on its own.

Probably the difficult bit is joining the two halves of the zip at the bottom of the jacket?

Might be, they do also tend to be oversized zippers though.

[Oneball]

There are companies that specialise in sourcing adaptive clothing.

Eg

https://www.so-yes.com/en/collection/?store-page=r...

[Chuggy]

Thanks everyone. Lots of really useful suggestions there.
Interestingly, I've had to make a lot of changes and adaptations to my personal, domestic and motoring life and I've become quite used to asking strangers in pubs and restaurants to please 'zip me up' but I continue to find zips a real challenge !
Becoming old is a gradual change: Becoming disabled overnight is difficult and didn't feature in my retirement planning.

[Alpacaman]

Fjallraven do some good jackets=

https://www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/men/jackets/ou...

[Mr-B]

I have a cheap Trespass jacket that has a zip but also a flap that covers the zip to make it water/wind proof, it has 5 small strips of velcro on it but if you got a similar jacket you could get someone to put a full strip of velcro on it and then not bother with the zip.