Warmth without weight: Dickies jacket review

Roger Bisby weighs up the benefits of Dickies’ latest winter jacket.

It might seem a little early to be thinking about winter and I for one keep my shorts on until October.  After that we are on the slippery slope into the cold and damp that has become the iconic image of this island, and what better for the cold and damp than a winter jacket.

This Dickies Pro jacket uses modern fabric technology to give you warmth without weight and bulk and waterproofing without trapping moisture. The fabric is made up from three layers. The inner layer is the moisture transporter and temperature regulator. The middle layer contains the  insulation which is also vapour permeable and the outer layer is a breathable waterproof fabric.

If, like me, you are always losing your van keys and phone then this jacket might at least keep them together. All you then need to do is search through all the various pockets to find them

On the outside of the jacket we have Cordura panels on the high wearing areas and more zip pockets than any jacket I have seen. If, like me, you are always losing your van keys and phone then this jacket might at least keep them together. All you then need to do is search through all the various pockets to find them. No doubt there are people out there who always keep their keys in the same pocket and know exactly where their phone is but, sadly, I am not among them. I guess that makes me a loser.

So that is the pockets covered but how to test this jacket, given that we are not yet in the winter jacket season? Well just as I was writing this I saw that a thunderstorm was due so at least I can look at the waterproof aspect. At the risk of being struck by lightning I ventured out. Now there is ‘waterproof’ and there is ‘water resistant’. This jacket was good for standing in the rain but motorcyclists will tell you that rain can find its way in when you get enough rain and a bit of speed so maybe I should have ran around a bit. I would say that  for any reasonable use it will keep you dry and is a lot better than a totally waterproof ‘boil in the bag’ rain suit which just makes you wet from the inside.
I like it but, in terms of fit,  I could have done with something a little more body-hugging. Still plenty of room for layers and as my mum used to say “you will grow into it”.