Around May or so of this year, I saw a post by my friend Maury Abreu of Omega Protective Concepts wearing a hoodie in a downpour saying how good it was keeping him warm and dry. Having only a lightweight summer rain jacket and my old woodland camo Gortex jacket from my Army National Guard days I decided to order one for the fall and winter seasons. Well fall and some cold rainy weather have arrived and I’ve been able to finally give it a test.
The following specs are from the 221B Tactical website:
- Wind-blocking outer skin
- Water-resistant
- Grid Thermal internal layer for Maximum warmth and breathability
- Comfort designed front pockets with magnetic Smart-Closures
- Zippered smart pockets on the ends of both sleeves
- Waterproof primary pocket on front
- Dual internal concealed pockets (zippered)
- Anti-sag Tactical Fit material keeps you looking sharp and ready…not frumpy
- Hood features built-in brim to protect you from the elements
- Hood contains concealed speaker pockets for Bluetooth Speakers/earbuds
- Zips all the way up to cover mouth and nose for extreme conditions
- Sleek, thermal, smart-touch gloves included keeping your hands warm
- YKK zippers and heavy-duty construction all around
- 96% Polyester 4% Spandex
- Care Instructions: Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low.
The pockets on the forearms are great for putting small items that I like to have handy while driving so I don’t have to try and dig them out of my pants pockets like lip balm, cash for tolls, Swiss Army Classic, even my cell phone or wallet. On the left front is a vertical zipper pocket that is huge, I can literally fit my 12” IPad Pro in it. The slash pockets on the sides are held closed with magnets, this is a nice break from zippers that get stuck or noisy Velcro. On the left inside of the jacket, there is a zipper pocket that would be good for holding passports, cash, or other similar items. The hood provides good protection and keeps the rain off your face which is a plus if you wear glasses as I do, the front zipper comes up high to protect your lower face and aid in keeping the chill off of your neck.
One suggestion that Maury gave me was to order the jacket a size larger than I normally wear. I ordered an XXL as opposed to my normal XL. The extra size allows me to wear a sweatshirt or flannel shirt under it. Even on its own with just a t-shirt it has been comfortable down to the mid to lower 40’s. It has proved to be highly water resistant in even the hardest of downpours that I’ve been out in (The only reason I don’t call it waterproof is that nothing is totally waterproof). There are no Velcro patches on this jacket to put patches so it doesn’t have the tactical look that many jackets on the market today have. Over the past few years, I’ve my share of tactical looking jackets, this jacket has an outdoorsy technical look to it that reduces attention. I think I’ll be able to wear it throughout most of the New Jersey winter with the exception of the coldest weather. Prices run between $129.99 – $149.99 depending on the model you want. The Equinoxx Rendition Hoodie can be found HERE.
Author – Art Dorst is the owner of A. Dorst Consulting & Training Services and is a Senior Consultant for LaSorsa & Associates. He served in the U.S. Navy and Army National Guard, and is a retired municipal Police Officer, NRA Instructor, and is currently a security provider/trainer.
