Reviews: Carhartt Quick Duck Woodward Active Jacket and Other Cold Weather Accessories

By: Robert Bellenir

What does a Carhartt Quick Duck Active Jacket, a Snoopy bomber hoodie (hat), hand warmers, wool gloves, and a thermal face protector have in common?  Easy one, right!  They keep you warm when venturing outdoors in the wintertime.  And, like it or not, winter is here to stay for at least few more months.   If you live in or travel to a cold weather state (like Michigan where Surplus Today calls home), you need to do whatever you can to stay warm all winter long.  Aside from staying warm and cozy, many people like to remain fashionable with their outerwear!  So we put together reviews of some cold weather gear that will keep you warm and toasty until Punxsutawney Phil pronounces winter over (or at least almost over)!

CARHARTT QUICK DUCK WOODWARD ACTIVE JACKET

Carhartt is well known for making quality outdoor wear.  Carhartt is very popular with folks that work outdoors for a living.   The Carhartt Quick Duck Woodward Active Jacket reviewed features a lightweight construction comprised of an 8.5-ounce, 60% cotton/40% polyester canvas blend with a durable water-repellent finish.  This jacket features a nylon lining quilted to midweight polyester insulation, triple stitched main seams, and rib knit cuffs and waistband.  This jacket is equipped with a quilt-lined hood with drawcord closure and multiple pockets, including a left chest map pocket, two lower front pockets, and two inner pockets.  This Carhartt jacket comes in black, army green, and canyon brown, and sizes ranging from small to XXL.  The jacket reviewed retails online from $109.00-$199.99.

Here are what some online reviewers had to say about this particular Carhartt jacket.  Based on my research, these comments are consistent with most of the other Carhartt jackets available for sale online.

“Best quality garments for working outdoors and construction sites.”

“Great jacket for working in cooler weather, even windy conditions.  Not great in cold below 20 degrees with wind though… keeps water off of you if you spray the jacket with a repellent.”

“This jacket is very warm. Even on the coldest days it still keeps me warm. Also, this jacket is 100 percent waterproof.  When I was duck hunting I wore this and even though I was getting hit by waves no water made it through.”

“Great jacket. Long enough so it does not ride up your back when you sit down.  Very warm.  Strong material, water resistant. Good zipper.  All in all, good product.  I’d buy more.  Plus, a great price, especially for the big and tall guy.  Would recommend to others.”

Bottom Line:  This Carhartt jacket is outstanding in just about all categories: it’s warm, windproof, durable, and made of high-quality materials and workmanship.  The fit is sized for active work and layering.  Best of all, the jacket is made right here in the U.S.A.  The only thing that I did not like about this jacket was how stiff the jacket was at first.  Perhaps overtime, the jacket would break-in and loosen up a bit for a more relaxed fit.  I would recommend this to anyone looking for a jacket tough enough to work in everyday, yet stylish enough to wear out to the movies on a Friday night.

GI WOOL INSERT O.D. GLOVES

The GI Wool gloves are made of 100% wool and come in black, olive, gray, foliage, and olive drab.  They can be used as either glove liners or as gloves by themselves.  The gloves are made in the U.S.A.

Based off online feedback, many people bought these to use as liners inside mitten shells.  These GI wool gloves retail for $3.95.

Bottom Line:  The GI Wool gloves fall somewhere between gloves and glove liners—a bit too thick for liners and a bit too thin for gloves.  They are warm, but not windproof, meaning they are good at low temperatures, but not when it’s also windy.  The biggest issue with the gloves was that they are not very soft against your skin.  They are a little scratchy but still comfortable.  Perhaps they would soften-up with time.  Each glove fits either hand.  I did find that they fit fine on either hand.  Overall, these GI Wool Gloves are a decent buy, if you need extra liners or a pair of low cost, no frills wool gloves.  That said, I don’t think that I would be happy with them for regular daily wear.  The sizing also was a bit of an issue.  I was left to guess that the sizes 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 correspond to XS, S, M, L, XL, respectively.

GRABBER HAND WARMERS

Grabber Hand Warmers are air activated and offer instant heat for up to 7 hours.  The Grabber Hand Warmers retail for a mere .88 cents or $21 for a pack of 40 online at Amazon.com.  No preparation is necessary—just expose the hand warmers to the air.

The interesting point about these hand warmers is the differing point of views on whether they work as advertised.  When I used the Grabber Hand Warmers, they did indeed heat up pretty quickly.  However, the initial heat subsided after about ½ hour or so.  Thereafter, they only remained “warm” for the next 5 hours.  Most of the people who reviewed the hand warmers online gave the product 5 stars.  Most of the negative comments had to do with the heat going from “hot” to “warm” too quickly (much like my experience).

Bottom Line:  For less than one dollar, the Grabber Hand Warmers are worth the investment for those days when you forget your gloves or if your gloves are just not getting the job done.  They also can come in handy while hunting or at sporting events when you are not able to move around or you will be in the weather for an extended period of time.  They could be warmer, in my opinion, but they help fight the cold. So worth a try!

SNOOPY BOMBER WITH HEATLOCKER INSULATION SYSTEM

The Snoopy Bomber Hood (hat) is constructed of  taslan and faux fur.  Taslan is a modern, high-tech, woven polyester fabric.  It is a strong, durable fabric, ideal for winter accessories and gear because it’s very quick drying and able to draw moisture away from the body quickly and efficiently, so you don’t get all sweaty.  The Heatlocker design maximizes warmth and comfort.   The unisex hood comes in only black with gray faux fur and is made in China.  The hood retails for $27.99.

Bottom Line:  The Snoopy Bomber Hood keeps you warm and looks good too!  I found this hood works well to prevent heat loss and for keeping wind off my neck.  Combine the Snoopy Bomber Hood with the Masque Thermal Face Protection (below) and you will have a combo that most assuredly would keep your face, head, and neck warm even in sub-freezing winter conditions.  Highly recommended as a top cold weather fighting tool!

MASQUETHERMAL FACE PROTECTION

The Masque Thermal Face Protection (or cold weather face mask) keeps most of your face and head warm on those cold, windy, winter days.  Since the head is a major source of heat loss, a face mask is an ideal choice when facing frigid temperatures and a brisk wind.   The face mask can be worn alone, with goggles, or it will fit comfortably underneath a helmet (for you winter sports enthusiasts).  The Masque Thermal Face Protection is made from stretchable, smooth neoprene and light insulation that has excellent moisture management.  The face mask is contour-fitted with an adjustable Velcro closure that fits comfortably under goggles without fogging.  The face mask claims to incorporate a scientifically designed ventilation system that keeps you warm even in the most frigid temperatures.   The face mask is also reversible and washable, so it should be useful for quite a long time.  The Masque Thermal Face Protection retails for $11.99.  Prices online for the same thermal face protector range from $9.99 to $14.99.

Bottom Line:  It works and is quite comfortable!  The Masque Thermal Face Mask works very well for cold weather and wind protection.  However, if the temperature is anywhere near freezing, the face mask makes you sweat a bit.  Did I just complain about being too warm during the winter?