Rain Defender® Relaxed Fit Softshell Jacket - 1 Warm Rating

Abstract: I have owned this jacket for 1 year. It's an average jacket for a reasonably affordable price. Definitely not as rugged and durable as I'd expect for something this heavy. I'd compare this to a Rothco softshell. This softshell has an inner fleece type liner, it is not a lightweight softshell with just the soft-shell (like a Patagonia Level 5 PCU). Fit: I wear a loose fit 2XL heavyweight Tshirt for comparison. Those fit a little big on me. I'm 6'5" 275lbs with a 54" chest. HOWEVER, this softshell jacket fits very snug. I ordered a 3XL-Tall. Thankfully I sized up. If you get this jacket, I recommend you size-up too. Warmth: This jacket is really only suitable for activity in temperatures <60 degrees F. Anything higher and you're going to start overheating. I would not recommend anything higher unless you naturally run cold and need a jacket in 60-70 degree F weather. You will sweat if you take this on a hike in weather over 60 degrees F. On the flip side, this jacket is nice if you need something warm between 20 degrees F and 60 degrees F, provided you are wearing additional layers underneath. Material: So-so. This is not a bushcraft jacket. I would not take this out through brush and go rolling around in harsh terrain. It's also loud when your arms swing as you walk. Weight: I couldn't find the listed weight for this item on the website, but Google AI says it's 13.9 ounces. This 3XL-Tall jacket feels a lot heavier than that. It is not lightweight. But it also isn't super heavy. Waterproof: Suitable for light rain. I live in the PNW half the year, and this jacket is suitable for the average sprinkle. But if the rain really kicks in, it starts to absorb the water and get through to the fleece lining. If you're doing physical activity, you will start steaming and overheating. This is not a rain jacket. For sprinkling rain, or brief intermittent mild rain, you should be good. Anything more than that and you should use a regular rain jacket. Closing thoughts: I would recommend this jacket to professionals who do not do heavy activity. This is nice for very low activity in weather <60 degrees F. It's my go to for daily wear when I want something that looks nice and will keep me warm on an overcast cooler day, but isn't a hoodie. Size up definitely, even if the jacket is supposedly larger than your circumference. If you need this jacket for cold weather, layer it up with some moisture wicking layers underneath. Improvements to Carhartt: Add a hood you can stow away in the collar. This jacket is missing a hood, which is a huge let down for when you need something for any potential rain. There is also a serious lack of pockets on this jacket. You get two zip-up waist pockets (that aren't very big and I can barely fit my gloved hands into them), and you get one internal pocket that's big enough for a phone. This jacket could also use armpit zippers for ventilation, as well as a Napoleon-style breast pocket. These are standard features you will find on any softshell jacket on the market. I have no idea why Carhartt doesn't have these features, but my best guess is that this jacket is not one of their best sellers.

This jacket is an addition to the three other various Carhartts that I have hanging in my coat closet. I was needing something on the lighter side this time for doing some e-bike trail riding around metro Detroit and also something to match the camo paint scheme on my fat tire. This jacket's Moss color turned out being about as close to U.S. Army "mean green" as you could hope to get and I also really like the high zip neck and velcro adjustable sleeves. The fit was perfect too, as always. Since I have the sincere "need for speed", I was also duly impressed with how warm it was against the Spring windchill temps. I paired this jacket up also with some Carhartt fingerless gloves which is another story but the combo has worked out exceedingly well for riding. After all the accolades though, what stands out the most about this brand to me is that it was born in the City of Detroit for the tough, honest, hardworking man and wearing it, to quote Doc Holiday, kind of reminds me of me.

Not as nice as the Denwood 102219!!!! Bring it back

Nice Jacket, runs a little small in the bigger sizes. It is really warm I would rate it at a 2 instead of a 1. I love soft shell jackets like this and this one is very nice. Rated 4 stars because of size running small.

Just a sharp looking jacket!