Which Bucas turnout rug should you choose? Freedom, Irish, Greenline, Atlantic or Smartex

At first sight, Bucas turnout rugs look very much alike: all waterproof, breathable, with cross surcingles and a tail flap. In this guide you will read how to choose the right fill, what sets the Freedom, Irish, Greenline, Atlantic and Smartex lines apart, when a neck cover makes sense, how to measure the size and how to care for the rug.

Two questions decide your choice

Every Bucas turnout rug in this guide is waterproof to more than 5000 mm hydrostatic head and has a breathability of more than 3000 g/24h/m². The choice comes down to two other questions: how much thermobonded polyester fill does your horse need, and which line suits your horse?

Question 1: how much fill?

• 0 g: a rain sheet without fill. It keeps out rain and wind without an insulating layer. At Maddelin this is the Freedom Turnout Light.
• 50 g: a thin layer of insulation for the in-between seasons, when a rain sheet is just too light and a winter rug too warm.
• 100 g: the middle ground between a light in-between rug and a winter rug.
• 300 g: the winter rug, with the heaviest fill in the Bucas range at Maddelin.

Bucas attaches a Rug Selector label to every rug with the recommended temperature range for that model. Start from there and then look at your horse: breed, clipped or not, humidity and wind all play a part.

Question 2: which line?

The line determines how tough the outer fabric is, how the rug fastens, how it sits around the shoulder and whether you can attach a neck cover or an extra layer later on.

The five Bucas lines side by side

Bucas Freedom Turnout: the entry model with a slim fit

The Freedom Turnout is Bucas's entry model. The outer fabric is 600 denier ripstop, a weave that makes tears less likely and stops them from spreading. The lining is the silky, moisture-wicking Dermo-care. The chest closes with an overlapping T-bar with a hook-and-loop strip.

The big difference: the Freedom has no shoulder seams. Bucas calls this a slim fit, and it is the only Bucas rug without them. Narrow horses and Thoroughbred types take their normal size. Cob types, or horses with a long distance between the withers and the front of the chest, may find the fit a little tight; for them a line with shoulder seams is the better choice. Bucas does not list attachment points for a separate neck cover or liners on the Freedom.

At Maddelin: the Light without fill, the Freedom Turnout 50 and the Freedom Turnout 300.

Bucas Irish Turnout: the versatile all-rounder

The Irish Turnout has a 1200 denier ripstop outer and the same Dermo-care lining. The T-bar closes with the magnetic Snap-lock, which replaces the hook-and-loop on the chest. Shoulder seams give more room and a better fit around the chest and shoulder.

There are attachment points for a neck cover (separate, on request) and connection points for Bucas Liners, Quilts and Coolers, so you can fasten layers under the rug. For anyone looking for one tough rug that adapts to the season. Available as Irish Turnout 50, Irish Turnout 100 and Irish Turnout 300.

Bucas Greenline Turnout: made entirely from recycled yarn

The Greenline is built like the Irish, with the same T-bar with Snap-lock, shoulder seams and attachment points for a neck cover (on request) and layers. The difference is in the material. The outer fabric (600 denier ripstop), insulation, lining, straps and binding are made from recycled yarn, spun from shredded plastic bottles. According to Bucas, producing this yarn takes considerably less energy and water.

At Maddelin as Greenline Turnout 100 and Greenline Turnout 300.

Bucas Atlantic Turnout: ballistic nylon for horses that are hard on their rugs

The Atlantic Turnout 50 has a 1680 denier ballistic nylon outer: very densely woven and tear-resistant in every direction. Here the Dermo-care lining has moisture-wicking Stay-dry properties. The chest closes with Click'n Go, Bucas's patented closure with magnetic Snap-lock. It has shoulder seams, Deluxe fillet strings are included, and a Combi Neck (on request) as well as Liners, Quilts and Coolers can be attached.

Bucas Smartex Extra: the winter rug you can put on a wet horse

The Smartex Extra combines the same 1680 denier ballistic nylon and Click'n Go closure with 300 g fill and a Stay-dry fleece lining, with smooth Silk-feel at the shoulders. According to Bucas you can put the Smartex on a wet horse after work or a wash: the lining wicks the moisture away and stays dry against the skin itself. On top of that: reflective strips front and back, elastic fillet strings, shoulder seams and attachment points for a Smartex Neck (on request) and layers.

Comparison table: Bucas turnout rugs

Line	Outer fabric	Lining	Front closure	Shoulder seams	Layering system	Fills at Maddelin
Freedom Turnout	Ripstop 600 denier	Dermo-care	Overlapping T-bar with hook-and-loop	No (slim fit)	Not stated by Bucas	0 g, 50 g, 300 g, 100 g with neck
Irish Turnout	Ripstop 1200 denier	Dermo-care	T-bar with magnetic Snap-lock	Yes	Yes	50 g, 100 g, 300 g, 50 g and 300 g with neck
Greenline Turnout	Recycled ripstop 600 denier	Recycled Silk-feel/Dermo-care	T-bar with magnetic Snap-lock	Yes	Yes	100 g, 300 g
Atlantic Turnout	Ballistic nylon 1680 denier	Dermo-care with Stay-dry properties	Click'n Go with Snap-lock	Yes	Yes	50 g
Smartex Extra	Ballistic nylon 1680 denier	Stay-dry fleece, Silk-feel at the shoulders	Click'n Go with Snap-lock	Yes	Yes	300 g

With or without a neck cover?

A neck cover also protects the neck from rain and wind. Bucas itself is honest that in heavy rain water can run down the neck and under a rug.

At Maddelin you will find three sets in which the rug comes with a matching neck cover:

• the Irish Turnout 50 + Neck, with 50 g fill in the rug;
• the Irish Turnout 300 + Neck Set, with 300 g in the rug and 100 g in the neck;
• the Freedom Turnout + Neck 100, with 100 g fill and the same slim fit as the other Freedom rugs.

Measuring the right size

Bucas measures from the centre of the chest, over the highest point of the shoulder, to the back of the hind leg. If you are between two sizes, choose the closest one. Do not go a size up to be safe: a rug that is too big slips sideways, presses on the withers and can cause rubs.

Maddelin keeps sizes 145/195/6.6 and 155/205/6.9 in stock. If your horse needs another size, we order it on request.

Care: keeping the rug waterproof

Manure, dirt, urine and skin grease attack the coating, so washing regularly is better than waiting until the end of the season. Wash by hand or in the machine at a maximum of 30 degrees on a gentle programme, and use only Bucas Rug Wash. An ordinary household detergent can damage the waterproof coating. No fabric softener, no spinning, no tumble dryer and no dry cleaning. Let the rug dry flat or hanging at room temperature.

The outer fabric has an extra water-repellent finish that wears with weather, use and washing. Restore it after washing with Bucas Rug Conditioner, only on the clean outer side and in a well-ventilated room. And be realistic: even with a well-kept rug, water can get in during heavy rain along the edges, seams and neck.

In short

• Choose the fill first: 0 g, 50 g, 100 g or 300 g, with Bucas's Rug Selector label as a guide.
• The Bucas Freedom Turnout is the entry model in 600 denier ripstop, with a slim fit without shoulder seams that suits narrow horses best.
• The Bucas Irish Turnout (1200 denier) and the Greenline Turnout (600 denier, recycled yarn) have shoulder seams, Snap-lock and room for a neck cover and layers.
• The Bucas Atlantic Turnout 50 and the Smartex Extra are made of 1680 denier ballistic nylon with Click'n Go closure; according to Bucas, the Smartex can go on a wet horse.
• Do not choose a size too big; Maddelin keeps 145/195/6.6 and 155/205/6.9 in stock and orders other sizes on request.