A great, warm, well-made, and durable jacket, but not for me
Overview:
I bought this jacket after reading a ton of hype about Freenote Cloth as the top of the mountain when it comes to US-made waxed jackets. I ordered a large and loved the hearty construction and insulation, however I had to return it because the alpaca wool lining felt incredibly prickly and irritating on my skin, even through a T shirt and flannel. The Freenote team was incredibly helpful and friendly in facilitating a return and full refund. While this jacket didn't work out for me, I'll keep an eye out for when their regular riders jackets are back in stock as those seem like a better fit for me. Read on if you want a full scouting report on the jacket, which I'd love to share here since I know it can be tough to know what you're getting just based on the photos and product description available online.
Sizing & fit:
I'm 6'3'' and about 175 lbs and I ordered the large. It fit well and true to size. It's definitely a bit stiff and boxy out of the box, but I know that new waxed canvas is always like this before it breaks in and molds to your body. I will say that the 20 oz Martexin waxed canvas is noticeably thicker than other jackets I own-- this is a heavy duty jacket that can take a beating. The alpaca wool lining doesn't leave much room for layering underneath, but it's so warm that I doubt you'd want or need to wear anything thicker than a flannel shirt underneath this beast of a jacket, to be honest.
Look & feel:
This looks like rugged work wear and has a timeless silhouette that's reminiscent of a leather motorcycle jacket. One clear downside for me was that the side hand pockets are unlined waxed canvas, meaning they're cold and clammy to the touch. This was a bit odd for a jacket that's meant for cold weather, though to be fair the F&T waxed trucker also has this problem-- waxed jacket makers please line your pockets.
Color:
I loved the color on this jacket, though it looked a bit more like a deep midnight navy blue than a black in person.
Warmth:
Between the heavy waxed canvas and the thick alpaca lining, this was an incredibly warm jacket. I live in Northern California and was mainly planning to wear it when visiting the East Coast and the Sierras, since it almost felt too warm for our milder coastal winters. If you live somewhere that gets legitimately chilly seasons, this jacket would be great for you.
Final thoughts:
It's clear to me that Freenote Cloth makes incredibly well-made jackets. In hindsight, I think I was so excited to get one given how scarce they are that I jumped the gun and got the wrong one for me. That said, I have a lot of respect for this company based on their reputation, the sturdiness of the jacket I tried on, and how friendly and accommodating their customer care team was when I needed to make a return and had follow up questions. I'd recommend that you get a jacket from them and I hope my review helps you find the right one for you.
