Jim sent in a tip that Waterfield has come out with their first-ever waxed canvas workshop aprons (thank you for the heads-up!).
Waterfield is known for their USA-made bags, totes, gear organizers, wallets (I have one!), and other such products for personal items and electronic devices.
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Now, they have a limited edition workshop apron.
The aprons are available in two colors – waxed brow canvas with dark leather straps, and waxed blue canvas with light brown leather straps.
The aprons are made from 15 oz waxed canvas and full-grain vegetable tanned leather. They measure 28.5″ long x 34″ tall.
Waterfield says:
All our products are crafted locally in our workshop by the most skilled sewing team in San Francisco.
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I don’t own many Waterfield products, but the few ones I do have are very well-made of high quality materials.
I’ve had a couple of other items on my wishlist, but some of Waterfield’s products are a bit pricey and too much for me to justify.
These aprons are priced at $89 plus shipping ($7 ground being the cheapest option I see). This puts the aprons in “luxury” territory, but not “you spent HOW MUCH?” territory that fancy leather woodworking and shop aprons tend to be priced at.
We ordered one for review – I couldn’t pass it up. I’ve used (and greatly disliked) lower-priced aprons before, and am curious to see if this one is a lot better – hopefully it is.
There are a couple of pockets for small tools or related items, but I wouldn’t think the apron could stand up to carrying heavier tools. Maybe it’ll surprise us, but keep in mind that aprons aren’t designed to carry the types of tools you’d load into a tool pouch or belt.
Waterfield says this is a limited edition item that will only be available through October 31st, 2020. At the time of this posting, the order page says to allow 10 days before the aprons will ship.
Features & Specs
- 15 oz heavy duty waxed canvas
- Full-grain leather straps
- Double-stitched seams and riveted pockets for strength
- D-ring shoulder attachment for straps to swivel and land on shoulder
- Utility pockets: 2 hand pockets, 2 tool pockets, 1 mobile phone chest pocket
- Leather holders: 1 towel and 1 heavy tool
- Long back straps allows more flexibility and movement
- Apron can tie in the front or back.
- Cross-back straps relieve stress from neck
Waterfield says that aprons are made from the same canvas they use in their bags, and can be spot-cleaned with a damp cloth and freshened up with wax if necessary.
Price: $89 plus shipping
If you think this is too much to spend on an apron, definitely don’t look at how much leather woodworking aprons cost in comparison.
There are lower-priced aprons easily available at online retailers. For two examples, Dickies has a workshop bib apron priced at $19 at Amazon, and there’s a Vulcan Workwear waxed canvas apron for $30.
Yes, the Waterfield costs quite a bit more than these budget offerings, but it looks to be made from better materials, and it’s made in the USA.
See Also: Dickies Apron via Amazon
See Also: Vulcan Apron via Amazon
Industrial suppliers have general purpose aprons for low cost, and those are the kind that steered me away from wearing shop aprons. I’m giving this Waterfield a try because of good past experiences with this company’s small gear organizers, and because it looks like a good middle ground between low-durability fabric aprons and much higher priced leather aprons.
I also figured that if one reader sent in the new product tip (thank you again, Jim!), others might be interested in it as well.
I hope that this experiment works out well for Waterfield – there’s definitely a need for quality USA-made tool-related workwear and tool storage.
Rafe
These look nice. Way nicer than the clothes I wear to work!
Josh
I’m in the market for a really nice work apron, but for $90 I’d want to try it on and get an idea of the fit/feel before buying
Big Richard
Part of the “instagram influencer starter kit”, also comes with an end grain cutting board (made from scraps but retail value of $200), epoxy river table how-to book, and a plastic scraper to spread finishing oil with instead of a buffing pad even though you still need to go over it with said buffing pad.
These tunic looking things always remind me of Enik fron Land of the Lost.
Stuart
hehe
Rafe
I wish I could give upvotes on this forum.
clarence
Over $100 with taxes and shipping, modeled by skinny-jean “guys” and from San Francisco, CA?
That’s a big NOPE for me.
James B
I’m sorry, are these not guys because why?
Clarence
Per Merriam-Webster, guys is used in the plural to refer to the members of a group regardless of sex. Italicised with punctuation marks so as to not profile their gender identity from outward appearances.
You are sorry why?
Stuart
The use of quotes like that is typically used to criticize and place judgement on the masculinity or femininity of the subjects. Whether you meant to or not, your comment suggests the idea that real men don’t wear skinny jeans.
Clarence
I identify as portly (my Dr. says obese), and I am a person of Color. The skinny jean models suggest I am excluded from the target market, but I am no less a “guy”.
JoeM
I also identify as… Wait… No… I AM Joe… I am who I am, I don’t conform to much of anything visually… I AM Nerdy though. I gotta back up Clarence a LITTLE bit… As I am also kinda heavy… The “Models” used are not necessarily “Guys” as they are pretty clearly representing a SINGULAR type of body for a Male. In fact… I’m not positive, but it could be the same model putting on both aprons, and just changing between shoots, then compositing them.
There’s no real… “Pleurality” or “Universality” to the design they’ve chosen. And yeah, when you’re relatively heavy, tall, or even slightly short… When you show a MODEL wearing something, all measurements and visual cues as to how it would actually suit you get thrown out the window.
That said… I think Clarence and I share a bit of a sensitivity to this situation, because trying to buy ANYTHING that fits us takes forever, and we often have to use passwords, special handshakes, and the odd unspeakable favour to the right people, just to find something made in our size.
This thing is made in Hipsterville, USA. The price is through the roof. For nearly $100 US (Probably $180-$250 CAD after shipping, duties, and 6 months being locked down at the border crossing.) that kind of price for something we can’t see on ourselves is about as smart a purchase as throwing a lawn dart straight up in the air and trying to catch it in your teeth would be as a party game.
On the LUCKY side for me… I do work with Leather frequently, and MY Shop Apron is going to be hand made by me, out of heavyweight waterproof military grade shoeleather. And… I hate to fanboy this much on a single evening of typing… but I’m modelling mine after the one Adam Savage made himself. Except, instead of the Waxed Canvas that Adam used, much like the ones being offered here, Mine is going to be heavy Leather. And I may build it with split leg design, and fasteners. And a second lap apron for when I’m working on things at my desk or workbench, and I need something to catch things that roll off the edge, or fly at me and fall down. They go straight into big baggy pockets along the front of the lap apron, and I don’t lose anything.
So, Clarence… I feel your pain man… I just think these are not right for us. Move on to something more YOU.
Joshg
Adam Savage’s recent coverage if adopting wearing one and then making a new one for himself on his tested YouTube channel made me rethink. I like some aspects of apron for tossing all your shop EDC on right as you enter and guarding somewhat against onslaught of gunk, chips, etc. No specific thoughts on this particular model Or alternative but if you’re considering Adams takes usually spur thinking on my part even though I don’t always agree with him
JoeM
I agree with you. He prioritized certain types of pockets I don’t agree with, and I would prefer Leather over Waxed canvas, personally. But the idea of wearing an extra layer of protective shop-armour, for lack of a better description, does appeal to me. And yeah, when time comes to clean up my work area, it’s nice to have some nice pockets for holding stuff while you grab other things, on your way to putting them away for the day.
I AM sold on his split-leg design, and fixed size choices. I have no need to fasten and unfasten an Apron all the time, but if it’s locking into my legs, it’s nice to know it will follow said legs evenly. I had bought the Apron leather a few months ago, and was putting off making my Apron until I figured out what pockets and such I needed. Then Adam released the making of HIS Apron, and a lot of that design questioning fell away for me.
Matt J.
Love aprons and this looks nice, but doesn’t seem to be a lot of thought beyond aesthetics. Granted I love the look of it, but I think I’ll stick with my Duluth one, especially since it cost half as much and has way more pockets designed to hold tools.
Jim Felt
Matt J.
I too used to love Duluth in their beginnings decades ago.
But way too much of their present inventory is sourced from the least expensive places.
Mostly to the exclusion of higher quality products.
They know their mostly consumer market and ROI needs better then I but I vote with my dollars.
Festool v. HB if you like. Or at least Milwaukee v. HB. ;-)~
Chrisk1970
Ahh shucks. I bought it. It’ll replace my Festool one I have been using at my lathe.
EL
Great Company , Just got my leather wallet back from them after 5 years hard use
zipper had failed . less than 2 week turnaround , Only cost was my shipping to them . High quality products .
Jim Felt
My experience exactly. And “Made in America”. AKA San Francisco.
Kent
Stewart,
When you get yours, please do a photo shoot showing a variety of tools in the pockets and such? I’d love to see what fits and what doesn’t.
DRT
The Rockler cross-back aprons are very nice, more attractive, fit astoundingly well, comfortable … and 1/3 the price. Anyone interested in a shop apron should check them out.
Hon Cho
I want a French Foreign Legion Pionniers (Pioneers) apron
Manly European Fighting Men! With tools!
Scroll down the wikipedia article for pictures
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Legion_Pioneers_(Pionniers)