During the summer of 2003, I had the honor of serving in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps. Needless to say, the thought of a tactical jacket never entered my mind as we endured the desert sun and grueling 130-degree temperatures. Half the time, when back inside the wire, we walked around wearing nothing but our best “tactical underwear.” Yet, I’ll take the desert heat any day over operating in some of the frigid locations the Corps sent my way. Without a doubt, the only way to maintain readiness and operability in the freezing cold is to have the right gear. Thus, let me introduce you to the tactical jacket. There is no single "best" tactical jacket, as the ideal choice depends on the environment, activity, and specific needs. When selecting a tactical jacket, consider factors like weather resistance, insulation, pockets, mobility, and whether it needs to be concealed carry-friendly. Whatever jacket you choose, just be sure it holds up in the environment you intend to train and operate in. Hitting center mass on a bad guy while shivering from the cold is no easy task.
What is a Tactical Jacket?
Creating a tactical jacket is a delicate balance between ensuring that the jacket will keep you warm enough without sacrificing the necessary mobility needed to engage in a fight. It is designed with durability in mind so it does not rip or tear in a tussle. It has the necessary pockets to hold items such as knives, extra magazines and ammunition. Finally, a tactical jacket is stylish enough that you can wear it on any given day without looking like you are going out to hunt. That’s because the bad guys rarely schedule appointments, and calling for time out during a mugging so that you can go home and get your fighting jacket is a poor strategy. Now, let’s talk about the three distinct seasons where a tactical jacket might come into play.
Tactical Jackets for Fall - Layered Comfort and Mobility
Keep in mind that when we say fall, winter, or spring, that is relative to where you may find yourself in the United States. Fall is extremely different in Missoula than it is in Miami. As such, you may want to regionalize these suggestions so that you are picking up a Fall jacket for the winter in Miami. The same is true for the elements. Cold weather looks different in Seattle than it does just over the Cascade Mountains in Spokane, despite both being in Washington State.
For example, if you are facing a dry, windy Fall in your location, you may want to prioritize a fleece jacket that focuses on blocking out the wind rather than keeping out the rain. Places like Great Falls, MT come to mind where relentless gusts of wind sweep across the wide open spaces for seemingly hours on end.
M‑Tac Fleece Jacket Windblock Division Gen II
On the other hand, if you are along the Pacific Northwest coast you will want to think more along the lines of a softshell jacket that is made of an interlayer polyurethane membrane that protects from the elements. During the Fall, the coast from Oregon up to the Canadian border is battered with relentless rain and cold winds. You know your local conditions, choose accordingly.
M‑Tac Softshell Tactical Jacket
Tactical Jackets for Winter - Maximum Protection and Insulation
The greatest demand for top tactical jackets is during winter in the United States. Again, you have to assess your own geographic region to see if it's worth going for the extra protection. The city of San Diego has not recorded any measurable snowfall since a freak storm in 1967.
However, if you are in Buffalo, Denver, Helena, and even Flagstaff, AZ, you could see at least 100 inches of snowfall per year. Also keep in mind where you may find yourself traveling. If you live in San Diego, but the Sierra Nevada mountains are your final bug out location, you’re going to want to prepare for the winter.
M-Tac Winter Jacket Alpha Gen.IV Pro Primaloft
For these winters, think of a tactical jacket for winter that is insulated with something like Primaloft 170 g/m2. It is designed to keep you comfortable in temperatures down to -20 degrees. Make sure that it is a jacket that will hold up in a fight. I’ve seen Marines return fire in their underwear in Iraq, but that underwear won’t get you far in a fight up in the mountains of Montana in the winter.
There is also wisdom in going with a winter jacket that doesn’t look overly tactical. Remember, you want to wear this jacket often so that you are ready one day someone tries to test you in the winter. As such, it needs to look stylish enough and minimalist so as not to draw any attention to yourself when there is no threat present.
M-Tac Winter Jacket Paladin Pro Primaloft
Tactical Jackets for Spring - Waterproof, Lightweight, Reliable
The ice pack is starting to melt and spring showers are on the horizon. More often than not, Spring weather can be remarkably unpredictable in certain parts of the country. You can experience all four seasons within the same week and just when you thought winter was over, you get hit with an April snowstorm that forces you to break back out the snow shovel.
M-Tac Delta Fleece Jacket - Tactical Underwear Top Sweater 1/4 Zip
Versatility is the name of the game when picking out a tactical jacket for spring. This makes something like a tactical jacket that can be worn as a fleece liner within your tactical setup important. If the wind picks up, throw on the outer shell. When the sun comes back out, revert back to the simple fleece. As they say in any tactical situation, “stay calm, improvise, adapt, and overcome.”
If you live in a region with mild, but still cold winters, choosing a tactical jacket suited for Spring as your winter jacket may not be a bad idea. Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia can witness some chilling temperatures in the Winter, but on the average winter day you are not going to want to roll out in a jacket that is designed to keep you comfortable down to -20 degrees. A simple fleece jacket can be considered a great tactical all weather jacket.
M-Tac Delta Polartec Fleece Jacket
Tactical Jacket Features that Matter
Finally, let’s get down to the features that matter most when picking out a tactical jacket. After all, much of this decision boils down to preference as some people feel cold or warm more quickly based on their own physiology. You know your body best and so you get to make the call. However, some features should be non-negotiable in your search.
Jackets That Were Built with a Fight in Mind
There are some great winter jackets out there that will keep you warm in the cold, but they come bright orange so that you don’t get shot by another hunter. There are jackets with a variety of woodland camouflage patterns for hunters that will stick out like a sore thumb in Flagstaff. There are jackets that are waterproof and warm, but do not offer no access to your concealed carry.
Whatever jacket you choose, just make sure it was built with the fight in mind. Pockets, accessibility, and durability are all key features to a good tactical all-season jacket. Durable synthetic fibers that won’t rip the moment you snag your jacket on razor wire or a tree.
Jackets that offer you the mobility to reach, twist, and pull without restriction while still being thick enough to handle the current temperature is essential. We’re not just a tactical clothing company selling recreational outerwear. We’ve got the best military tactical jackets being tested right now in the brutal winters on some of the most dangerous frontlines on the planet. The feedback from the warfighter community is clear and overwhelmingly positive.
Tactical Jackets You Will Actually Wear
Finally, it is important to pick a jacket that you will actually wear on the other 99% of days where no one is trying to kill you. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll get in one fight for your life during your entire days on the earth. Still though, losing that one fight can be quite problematic. The best tactical winter jacket is one that you actually wear.
You have to be ready on the day that most people dread and for that to happen, you have to play the odds. That’s the entire thought process behind concealed carry in that it is the difference between probability and possibility. Think about your homeowners insurance. You don’t pay extremely high premiums because it is probable that your house will burn down. It’s actually remarkably rare. Rather, you pay those premiums willingly because it is possible that it may burn down.
Just because it is possible that you may have to draw down to protect your family is reason enough to be ready as the loss would be too great. Tactical jackets for men should be built with this in mind. Train like you intend to fight is the mantra that has kept many alive since the history of combat. Granted, we never trained to fight in our underwear in the Marines, but we somehow made it work. Keep training and stay ready friends.
