Warrior Wear Operations Jacket - ArniesAirsoft

Author

Ranger_Captain

Pissin' people off one post at a time

Registered: July 2005
Location: West Point, New York
Posts: 1,229

Review Date: 11/6/10

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: �120.00 | Rating: 9

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Machine Washable (Tested Personally, comes out fine), Strong Build, Reinforced Seams, Very Warm, Water proof, Super Comfortable
Cons:	A little pricy, Dirties Easily

Blackhawk! Warrior Wear Operations Jacket

Introduction

For those airsofters who play in warmer climates, especially those that spend most of the year trudging through murky slush, a warm jacket can be a tricky piece of equipment. Just because a jacket is warm to sit on a bus in doesn�t mean it translates well into running and crawling through a skirmish site. Likewise too thin of a jacket doesn�t really do much and might not have qualities needed such as being waterproof or sturdy enough to survive a decent amount of torture.

That said most jacket�s, even those designed for military use such as Field Coats and the 5.11 Sabre jacket, while very warm, don�t really work well for fast paced airsoft action. For one trying to get a vest, chest rig, or plate carrier over these large jackets can be somewhat of a hassle. Additionally they tend to be too warm, and after a full day of running you�re twice as beat as you need to be (that or you end up dumping the jacket halfway through).

So this brings me to the Blackhawk! Warrior Wear Operations Jacket. As the middle level of a three part jacket system when looking for a jacket I figured that this product would offer a reasonably sound compromise between warmth and maneuverability.

Sales Article

The Warrior Wear Jacket System consists of 3 jackets designed to be used separately or layered in combination with each other depending on the temperature, elements, and the wearer�s need for insulation, ventilation, and wind or water resistance. Each layer of the system has a highly sophisticated design using the highest grade performance fabrics and most advanced construction techniques available. Jackets are sold separately only.

http://www.blackhawk.com:80//CatalogImages/18-178-IMG1_L.jpeg

� Substantial warmth and element protection in a lean, high-speed package
� Provides wind & water resistance with excellent breathability
� Durable Water-Resistant (DWR) soft-shell with sealed outer seams
� Brushed tricot/brushed mesh inner lining and collar
� YKK� center front zipper with semi-auto locking slider, and wind-proof back-flap
� Hidden locking draw cord waist adjustment in hand pockets
� YKK� waterproof zipper sealed outer pockets
o 2 hand pockets
o 1 breast pocket
o Large rear (tailbone ) pocket with Left or Right (2-side) access
� 3 large YKK zipper-top interior pockets
� Scuff resistant panels protects elbow and forearm

*Courtesy of Blackhawk!

First Impressions

In shifting a little bit of my focus from purely U.S. Military issue items to broader, even non-combat items, I decided to get jacket that I could use not just for airsofting but for general cool weather wear. I�ve owned 5.11 jackets in the past and while those are nice, as mentioned they tend to be too �poofy� and too warm for a full day of play. More over I don�t think they look appropriate for everyday wear.

The Operations jacket on the other hand, from the moment you unbag it, clearly doesn�t share this quality. It is very lightweight and has an extremely sleek appearance. On top of that it�s as comfortable as you could ask a jacket to be.

Appearance

The Operations Jacket comes in black and Foliage Green. While I wouldn�t get it I think they should have offered a desert shade as well.

Anywho, I love the way this thing looks. I wouldn�t be able to get through this whole review without saying it so I�ll get it out of the way, yes, it sorta looks like the TF141 jackets from MW2. No it isn�t fluffy like a fleece but in the Foliage green it does have a similar look to it. If that�s you�re sort of thing, then that�s a plus, if not, then it�s no big deal.

That aside the Operations Jacket has a sleek looks and the reinforcement tape on it gives it a unique look that I�m yet to see in a jacket.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Ranger_Captain/TF1414a.jpg

Look Grade: 10/10

Feel/Aesthetic

I�m not exactly sure what this jacket is made out of but whatever it is it�s nothing like I�ve ever felt before. The closest thing I can compare it too is a wet-suit�s material however it is completely waterproof (more on that later). It is extremely soft to the touch and very comfortable to wear around.

Since all the zippers are covered up there are no real catch points and everything has been sewn together in a way as to avoid pressure points. That was a chief complaint I had with the Sabre jacket as the zippers, when worn under a vest or something, tended to dig into your chest or sides. With this they seem to lay flush against the material and you really don�t notice them.

One thing I happen to like most about this jacket is that it is quite feature packed. It has no less than 6 pockets, all securely zipper closed. The two regular hand pockets, a single vertical chest pocket, the rear tailbone pocket which has two access zippers on each side of your lower back, and two zippered pockets on the inside of the jacket great for storing documents and flat electronics you want to keep dry.

Every seam, both elbows and the tops of all the pockets all have reinforcement tapes sewn in place which act both to stop seems from popping but also to prevent friction (as they are all textured to reduce friction on the tape itself). I love this idea and I would think anyone who�s hard on their equipment would too. This will greatly improve the jacket�s survivability and resistance to hard wear.

About the only complaints I can raise against this jacket here is that its material starts to make those little fuzz balls when worn for a period of time but these pull right off with little issue. But at that point it is quite literally nit picking.

Feel Grade: 9/10
Aesthetics: 9/10

Use

I love wearing this jacket. I use it basically every day on for bike riding and just going about life. For one the ventral pockets on the lower back of the jacket are great when riding both my motorcycle and bike as their much easier to access than regular pockets. That isn�t to say their useless, the upper chest pocket is great for keys and other thin items.

Additionally the reinforcements do serve a serious purpose. The ones on the elbows do make a serious difference as that tends to be the point on where most of my fleeces start falling apart. Not so with the Operations jacket. I doubt this jacket will wear out any time soon.

But how does this jacket hold up for airsofting? Well I finally got to use it at a skirmish and I definitely prefer this to even my ACU blouse. For one this is much more breathable. I tend to go all out at matches, probably more than I should Wink

but that aside this does tend to leave me a sweaty mess after a few hours of playing so being cooped up in heavier jackets. I find that the Operations Jacket breaths very well without suffering from a �breeze� effect inside the jacket that ends up leaving you half frozen. I wouldn�t suggest wearing this jacket in subzero temperatures, but for a moderate (29-49F) temperatures this is a perfect wear.

Also this jacket has a low enough profile I can still wear all my equipment quite comfortably. Without having to resize it my CIRAS fits fine as does my chest rigs and tactical vest. The ventral pockets are also easy to access as is the chest pouch which lets you store mission critical papers and such in easy to access places closer to your chest.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Ranger_Captain/IMG_0781.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Ranger_Captain/IMG_0790.jpg

The jacket�s waterproofed ability is a huge plus as well. As mentioned this is a good �slush� jacket and this jacket easily passes the famous Cordura test; letting water pool on it and sit for a half hour. This jacket passes just fine and not a single leak through.

One thing that is a double edge sword, this jacket gets dirty easily and seems to stain even easier. Thankfully it is machine washable and although you can machine dry, I wouldn�t. I let it hang dry and it came out better than when I used the dryer. Even still you�re gona want to wash this jacket after every match. Not the biggest of deals but something I haven�t had to deal with other jackets in the past.

Use Grade: 9/10

Conclusion

Pros:
Machine Washable (Tested Personally, comes out fine)
Strong Build
Reinforced Seams
Very Warm
Water proof
Super Comfortable
Free Portal!

Cons:
A little pricy
Dirties Easily

Overall Grade: 9/10

At about $150.00 USD this jacket runs a little expensive but for that price you get a hell of a coat. While being warm enough for those cold winter matches yet being compact enough to be worn underneath your equipment comfortably.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Ranger_Captain/IMG_0792.jpg

On top of that the Operations Jacket can be great for everyday life, providing the warmth you need and look great in the process. I know that for me, the Blackhawk! Operations Jacket will be part of my wardrobe for a long time to come.

Credits:

http://www.blackhawk.com/

http://www.blackhawk.com/product/Warrior-Wear-Operations-Jacket,178,31.htm

------------------------------
Never argue with a gun, it may argue back...
United States Corps of Cadets, USMA
Cadet, United States Army
2012 "For More Than Ourselves"