Mil-Tec Men's Mil-tacs Fg Jacket

Great jacket for wet and windy weather. Versatile as well as it has a removable fleece.Very happy with this jacket as living in Manchester it rains a lot. This jacket keeps me warm and dry.

I have had countless fishing jackets over the years, having bought specific fishing clothing , army surplus and high street items but never really found the perfect one. They were either warm but not waterproof or waterproof but not warm or, in some cases, neither of the above! Recently I did a search for something better, read all the reviews, specs etc and kept being drawn back to this one, and at £80 it was cheaper than quite a few out there (quite a few were less expensive but I have learnt the hard way that cheapest is quite often a false economy). Having purchased it my first impressions were that it was well made, perfect fit for me and quite heavy which I find a reassuring quality in an item of clothing such as this. Remove the inner fleece and its much lighter, for summer wear. Being a typical Uk summer we had heavy rain the same day it arrived so I went outside and pranced about in it for a while and remained dry throughout. I continued the test with an all night fishing trip which turned quite chilly in the early hours (Uk summer again!) and with the fleece in, jacket zipped up and the hood up too, I was beautifully snug. A cold breeze sprung up soon after first light (did I mention the UK summer weather?) and can vouch for it being wind proof too. My only slight gripe is that I would have liked hand warming pockets but I guess gloves are a sensible option (note to self; start warm glove search!). Going back to size, I selected XL which is what I am in everything clothes wise and this seems just right, still big enough to wear another fleece under it if I need to but not massive on me. Time will tell how long this item will last and remains waterproof but it does look well constructed, I have high hopes for it and at £80 I would be happy to purchase a new one every two to three years if I need to. I think it's the best fishing jacket I have purchased since I started fishing in 1970 (ok I was 8 and my mum was buying my jackets then, but you get my point!) so I'm a happy bunny.October 2023 Update I really just wanted to add some pics to this review and also to say the jacket is still going strong, still comfy, still waterproof and still warm; as I get on in years I do feel the cold more and there was a day last week when I went fishing, getting to the lake before first light. It was proper cold for the first few hours and I although my feet were cold the top half of me was proper snug with the jacket zipped up and the hood up...I had a light fleece base layer, the inner fleece and then the jacket (see pics) and although I was toastie, the fit still allowed for plenty of movement without feeling like the Michelin Man, and trapped lots of warm air between the layers.The pictures show; fleece without jacket...dead comfy The big chunky zips that are never going to let you down A zipped inner chest pocket next to the main zip for keys, wallet etc A Velcro phone pocket on the upper arm that I use to put my glasses in Me with hood down in cosy mode Me with hood up in cosy modeDespite looking dead miserable (my default look) I am actually still very happy with the jacket and it has stood the test of time..four years later and still going strong.

I like my jackets to have plenty of room, not snug. That's what I get with this XXL size. I measure around 49" plus around the chest, so I did wonder if an XL size would be better. I think the XL size would be more snug on me and be a more 'conventional' fit like most people like. I however, like plenty of room to move about and plenty of ventilation.The inner fleece is good enough quality wise, to wear as a casual jacket around the house or un-heated shed/garage etc. if need be. Indeed, it's better quality than a lot of 'working' fleece type jackets I have (the ones that cost around £12+) The fleece has two large pockets inside for gloves etc. with a good zip and isn't tight on me at all across the shoulders. The main outer jacket gives plenty of room for movement (with the fleece) due to being XXL and the hood covers the face very well from rain. Along With the inner fleece your talking about a very warm jacket, so wearing the whole lot inside a heated house is only recommended if you want to sweat after a few minutes.I intend wearing mine as a casual fleece when out driving the car, with the main waterproof overcoat ready in the car for use when it rains or just when it is cold and windy outside. I do recommend this jacket for overall quality, but an update will follow when winter arrives. If you are around 48" chest or just under, then maybe the XL size would suit you better. But as I am a little bit bigger than 49" chest and I like a loose fit, the XXl size is good for me. You could wear any thin fleece under the outer shell, not just the one supplied. In effect your buying two coats really, one is a nice thin fleece and one is waterproof. The XXXL size would be much too big for me though. The zip is a little awkward, but i soon got used to it. Don't force it is my advice until you have used it a few times. The outside pocket on the left arm is too narrow for modern mobile 'phones which are like small tablets, but older narrow models will fit no problem.I will update this review in a few weeks, when the weather gives more of a proper challenge, but things are looking good so far for this combination. It cost me around £96 for the XXL at time of purchase, this was down from £111 originally.