REVIEW: Hi-Tec Black Jack Parka

[the_griffinator]

I know what you're thinking when you read "Parka" in the title. a Little early for a cold weather gear review, I know, it won't be a full review until I can get out in the snow and cold with it, But I'm kind of excited about this jacket. Its a great option for the airsofter on a budget. I figured a brief overview/review was in order. I'll try and take some better pics, just need to source a better camera. Next big thunderstorm we get I'm gonna go for a walk in this, see how it holds up. I'm confident it will keep me dry.

I've been on the hunt for a hardshell jacket since last winter. I have a great hunting jacket that fits the bill, but I'm not a fan of Realtree Hardwoods as daily wear. I didn't really find anything the suited my price range, so I left it, it wasn't something I really needed, just nice to have. Fast forward to the middle of May, I was doing what I normally do, browse gear sites looking at things I can't afford, and I stumbled upon this jacket. The Hi-Tec Black Jack Parka.

The first thing that drew me to it was its look. It reminded me of some the Arc'teryx LEAF offerings, but with a much lower price. I can't and won't compare it anymore to Arc'teryx, simply because I don't have an Arc'teryx jacket to compare it to.

I purchased this jacket through LA Police Gear for $40 on closeout. It's available directly through Hi-Tec on their website, but it lists there for $130. Taking a quick look round the internet I found this jacket anywhere from $60 to $100, shopping around always helps. As of this post LA Police Gear still has these listed at $40, they were very easy to deal with, would not hesitate ordering from them again.

Looking over the jacket when I got it out of the box, I was impressed. It's offered in two colours, black and petrol, I went with the petrol colour as I have too much black gear already. Although most of the pics you'll see on the web give it a coyote tan colour, in hand the jacket is much closer to a sage/ranger green.

The exterior shell is made from Hi-Tec's 3k/3k Dri-Tec material. According Hi-Tec, The 1st 3k desgination is a measurment in mm, it would take a column of water 3000mm wide running onto the jack to comprimise the waterproof ability. The second 3k designation indicates that 3000 grams of water vapour will pass through 1 square meter of fabric in a 24 hr time period. It's insulated with 100g Mycro-Tec insulation in the body of the jacket, and 80g in the sleeves. The stitching is close to excellent. There is an area on the back that's not necessarily loose or popping out, just not properly stitched it seems. All seams are taped for full waterproofing.


Jacket exterior



Interior shot



stiching SNAFU

All zippers are YKK, the left chest pocket zipper is welded and totally waterproof. The main zipper is not welded, but protected by a storm flap secured with a snap on the top and bottom, and four velcro closures. All exterior pockets have high traction zipper pulls. The interior pocket is adequately sized, it has a cord pass through and bungee loop for your smartphone or ipod, small radios would fit in here too. The hand warming pockets are lined with tricot and are very spacious.


Interior pocket. Cord pass through and bungee loop for comms cables are a big plus for me.



Chest pocket. Laser cut and welded waterproof zipper.



Large main zipper pull. They're fine checked on the front and back and are easy to grab wet or dry. No need to paracord replacements in my opinion.

The cuffs are elasticized with simple velcro tabs for sealing the jacket against wind, and the waist has standard bungee and cordlock cinching on the left and right hand sides, nothing really fancy here.

As a daily wear jacket it will serve me very well. It has a good all around fit, but enough space to layer when necessary. It's also very lightweight and packable. I wouldn't hesitate to take this on a day hike or bushwhacking trip. Its a high collared jacket with no hood, which may be a downside for some, but I personally won't miss the hood at all. In an airsoft/tactial role the jacket may leave a bit to be desired, you lose access to two pockets when wearing a plate carrier, and the material is a bit noisy when moving, but if you need a hardshell jacket on a budget, this will work in a pinch.

Hi-Tec has many other offerings that intrigued me. Their main business is footwear, Ranging from hiking boots to sandals. For some reason, their main site www.hi-tec.com does not list their outerwear. you have to go to www.hi-tecstore.ca to see their other jackets.

Pros
Lightweight and waterproof
Affordable
Well made and durable

Cons
Limited colour options
No hood( not a con for me, but may be for some)
Limited tactical application due to pocket layout