Not only are waxed jackets built like tanks, ready and raring to keep you company while you trudge through the muck, they also represent one of the oldest ways to stay dapper and dry during a downpour. Eventually, the fabric evolved from a heavy sailcloth to lighter cotton canvas, and the fish-based coatings were replaced with linseed oil and modern-day wax treatments. So why bother buying a waxed canvas jacket at all?