Unboxing the RedHead Rocky Oak field coat for men
SNAPSHOT: RedHead Rocky Oak Field Coat For Men
- Shell: 100% cotton canvas
- Lining: 100% polyester berber fleece (top) and 100% cotton flannel (bottom)
- Suede leather trim
- Zip front with button storm flap
- 2 double-entry hand pockets
- 2 snap-flap chest pockets
- Left-sleeve snap-flap pocket
- Adjustable cuffs
- Machine washable. Imported.
Web ID:100105982
I was looking for a good hiking jacket for mid to late autumn – that time where in the Midwest it might be 20 degrees Fahrenheit when you leave in the morning, but 60 degrees by lunch. Or vice versa. But I didn’t want to invest in some fancy new layering system, as I prefer keeping it simple – and less confusing. And, I prefer more traditional styling, such as my Propper M-65 “Coat, Cold Weather, Field.”
But, as much as I love my 12-year old Propper M-65 field jacket for this time of year, after wearing it daily when I was traveling the Midwest for my pet store, and on many hikes in between work travel, it has seen better days. The thermal liner is worn through at the shoulders and underarms, and the zipper is starting to stick at inopportune times, no matter how well waxed. So, I hit the ‘net to look for a replacement.
I could have just bought a new M-65 field jacket, which, in my opinion is probably the best-designed field coat ever … if you are going to be moving. The coat is excellent at keeping you warm but not overheated if you are walking slow or fast. However, if you will be sitting still for long periods in very cold weather, its ability to shed excess heat quickly becomes its downfall.
So, I searched for something that has the styling and utility of an M-65 field jacket, but does a better job at keeping you warm when not moving. There are a gazillion options on eBay and Amazon for clones of the M-65, and I waded through most of them. They ranged from near exact copies to those simply influenced by the standard.
I finally settled on the RedHead Rocky Oak Field Coat, which certainly shows its parentage, but also moves away in a more civilian direction. The advertising copy offers “a comfortable yet durable design and plenty of pockets for gear, ammo, and more.” It features a zipper front closure with a button storm flap, two lower pockets with handwarmer entry and flap entry, two snap-closed flap pockets on the chest, another on the left sleeve, and adjustable cuffs.
I especially liked that it featured a 100% cotton canvas shell, which should be easy to clean. The polyester berber fleece lining in the top of the body should help with maintaining warmth, while the cotton flannel lining in the bottom of the body should not only be warm, but more resistant to wear from moving legs and hips. It says it has “strategically placed suede leather trim,” but the only place I could see it was on pocket flap edges where one might grip them to open them.
The coat was offered in light or dark tan. I opted for dark tan.
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