Winter has finally arrived in my little slice of Florida, with temperatures in the 50s it’s downright chilly for us sun people. I can finally put on my new Propper BA Softshell Duty shell. The fine folks at Propper sent it to me a while back but it’s hardly been cold enough for a proper review. The Softshell duty jacket is perfect for my winter season and over the last two weeks has proven to be a well-designed coat.
The BA is BA Softshell Duty Jacket does stand for Body Armor. The Jacket is made to be worn over body armor to keep our boys in blue warm and well protected. You order your size as normal, but without armor, it’s slightly baggy, not terribly or sloppily, just a bit. My XL size is perfect with an XL soft armor vest and conceals a minimalist hard armor carrier with ease. The new Propper BA Softshell Duty Jacket has a number of additional features that put it a step above the classic BA Softshell.
Inside the BA Softshell Duty Jacket
The BA Softshell Duty Jacket rocks six pockets with two waist pockets that are oversized and very wide. It’s easy to fit hands equipped with gloves inside and they are also nice and warm inside. There are two vertical chest pockets secured with zippers, although they are reserved for ID Panels if these aren’t needed the panels can be discarded for two very small additional pockets.
You also have two deep horizontal chest pockets that are seamlessly built into the jacket. Instead of being secured via zipper these are secured via magnet. They are silent to open and close by themselves. It’s been the hiding spot of my phone for the last few weeks, but it is large enough for different applications. Inside the jacket, you have a small internal pocket located on the left of the zipper.
The BA Softshell Duty Jacket comes with a rear “pocket” that houses an ID Panel as well. The jacket also comes with a hood that attaches via hook and loop, I’ve removed it and I’m not a big fan of hoods in general and my pretty hair shouldn’t be hidden.
In the Field and On Duty
This jacket is immensely comfortable. It feels great against the body and is quite toasty and warm. The elastic in the arms allows it to stay tight against the body and retain body heat. The high collar keeps the neck warm and gives it a clean appearance. Appearance wise the jacket looks professional and neat. It’s a simple jacket, but is still fashionable and doesn’t scream “Look at me I’m tactical!”
It’s clean cut, professional, and comes in either black or LAPD Navy. The pockets are seamlessly integrated into the jacket for a smooth and sleek look.
The inside has a mesh-like coating around the body, and the shoulder is a fleece like material. While it is a softshell it has some hardshell qualities, like water resistance and a windproof design.
I faced whipping winds and pouring rain last week, on top of the low temperatures. The jacket held up like a champ. I couldn’t feel the wind and water on my torso, and it made working outside comfortable. Albeit as long as I kept a beanie and gloves on.
One of my favorite features is the side zippers in the coat. These zippers allow you unzip and have access to belt mounted items. This is perfect for easily getting to a duty belt, especially a firearm. There is also vent for under the arms to let a little cool air in and to help regulate temperature.
Concealed Carry
From a conceal carry perspective that little extra room the jacket provides allows you to carry a nice sized firearm. I like full sized guns and with this jacket concealing something like a CZ P09 or optic’s equipped Glock 17 is easy to do without printing.
Plus drawing it is equally as easy as the extra material makes it easy to defeat the cover garment. The Propper BA Softshell Duty Jacket is perfect for the prepared civilian. It keeps you warm, doesn’t make you look like a mall ninja, and allows you to pack the gear you need for your daily adventures.
On top of that, the additional functions of the jacket make it a great go-to for preppers, hunters, and those with a call for adventure. It doubles as a normal jacket, but can also accommodate gear in a survival situation, or for hunting, and living life to its fullest.
