Rothco Special Ops Soft Shell Jacket - Unbeatable Weather Defense and Tactical Versatility

I bought the Rothco Men's Special Ops Tactical Soft Shell Jacket because I wanted a durable, weather-resistant coat for everyday wear. Little did I know, I was also signing up for an unsolicited military background check by every self-proclaimed veteran in my neighborhood.First off, the jacket itself is awesome. It's warm, lightweight, and has more pockets than I have belongings to put in them. I could smuggle an entire Thanksgiving dinner in this thing, and no one would know. The material is tough, the zippers are solid, and it even repels rain like it’s got a personal vendetta against water.However... the moment I stepped outside, I apparently activated “Tacticool Mode.” Within minutes, some guy at the gas station side-eyed me and asked, “What unit were you with?” Before I could even process what was happening, he started interrogating me like I was on trial at a military tribunal. “Where’d you deploy? What’s your MOS? What’s the capital of Uzbekistan?” (Okay, maybe not that last one, but it felt like it.)I tried to explain that I was just a regular civilian who likes extra pockets, but the guy scoffed, muttered something about “stolen valor,” and walked away. Later that day, another stranger called me “operator wannabe” under his breath at Walmart. I was just trying to buy cereal.On the plus side, I feel way more intimidating than I actually am. Dogs respect me now. Strangers don’t cut me in line. And I think my neighbor believes I work for the CIA.Final Verdict:Great jacket, super functional, but be prepared to have your non-existent military credentials questioned by random people. If you want to look like you just came back from a classified mission—but were actually just on a snack run—this is the jacket for you.

This is a great jacket. Do not cheap out and grab the other brands. This is the Yeti and the others are Ozark Trail. This is operator all the way!Material is nice and heavy for what you think it will be looking at pics online. It's not Goretex heavy but you can tell it's not a cheap Walmart windbreaker. I got black only because I already have green jackets issued from the Military. My only real complaint is the hood when zipped into the collar. I have a USAF issued Goretex jacket and the hood isn't as uncomfortable stored in the neck as this. I removed it and put it in the hind quarters pocket then just gave up and put it in my car.I used my Glock 17 mags and my Glock 17 for size reference. pics aren't loading so I may add them later on.The 2 front pockets are a bit high so you have to unlearn waist high hand warmers. if you wish to do this you will have to "Chicken Wing" it. Just be aware this pocket and the Hind Quarters pockets both allow fresh air to come in when they are unzipped. the Hind quarters shoot s the air to the small of your back and these front pockets sends the air down the back of the inside pockets to your crotch. they have 2 pockets each that can hold a pen and a knife mine hold the G17 mag snug. If you wish to conceal in these pockets the G17 may be a bit much if left open. If it were me I would have the gun on clip draw and have the Mig style trigger guard attached to the d ring found in both of these pockets "In theory". If you sized this jacket just right for normal use, you will print like crazy when you zip the main zipper close. I guess you just have to remember most folks don't go around looking for a gun silhouette besides other concealed carry folks. Both sides have headphone jack opening.Both upper Velcro arm pockets are Glock 17 size but the gun will not go in there. you will have to cut the zipper defeating the purpose of even having a zipper. Bot these pockets have headphone jack openings as well.Single wrist pocket is G17 mag size but same as shoulder, the zipper wont let it in. sleeves are long so after you close the Velcro tight you have some slack this slack makes 1 handed closure interesting. My workaround was middle finger at the base of the zipper and use index & thumb to pull up. May take a few tries to get it right. There is no headphone jack opening here.Inside pockets are 2 and a half G17 mags but 2 are about as far as you push it. These pockets do not have headphone jack openings.Hind quarter pocket is spacious, and vented. I put my hood in there at one point but abandoned it as it was uncomfortable there too. I put my patrol cap, neck gaiter,and gloves there instead. Remember up top I said this pocket is vented so if you leave this unzipped as well as the top chest pockets air will get in.2/22/2018 updateWashed it 2 times and it's still the same size. i wish I ordered 2X but whatever. Still works well but layer up. if it's 38*F outside and you have a T-Shirt on this will not only fail to black the cold but the zippers in the arms will be cold on you. Just a simple sweater or layering up goes wonders.

I've had good experience with Rothco products in the past - bags and such. Previous items were made in India, so I was a little disappointed that this product was made in China, but after a full season I'm happy to say it held up well. It picked up a few stains, but hopefully they will come out in the wash.Winter temperatures where I am can dip to the low teens and occasionally sub-zero. This jacket will keep you warm if you are moving, not so much if you plan on sitting around in the cold. It does a great job as a windbreaker, and I've walked around in serious snow and rain and felt well protected and remained dry even though the jacket looked soaking wet.Some people complained about the hood or the collar, but I love them both. The collar zips right up to the chin, with some extra material to block the zipper. No need for a scarf. The hood is huge - I'm guessing because this is a tactical military jacket designed to fit over a helmet, but in our tactical dog walks through the city, I've found it handy to stay warm and dry in the rain. Rolled up and packed into the collar the hood still didn't bother me - although I've never bothered folding it back up into the neck. It's big enough to serve as a travel pillow.The cut of the jacket is near perfect for me. 6 foot plus, long torso and arms. The sleeves are long and keep me covered on a bike, and the body of the jacket ends right at my waist. I was concerned about it riding up my back, but it seems to be a bit longer in the rear than the front. There are some cinch chords at the waist that do wonders to keep the wind out.As others have mentioned, despite the photo, it's not a jacket you can shove your hands into. It's cut so that your hands would go in your pants pockets. The jacket pockets are high on the chest and deep. There are also sleeve pockets on each arm, and zippered interior pockets. Plenty of storage for a jacket.Saw some reviews mentioning the under arm vents. Wearing the jacket with a t-shirt you may feel the zippers under your arms. It doesn't bother me, but it may bother some. I don't really see wearing this jacket over a t-shirt anyway. It seems better suited to being the final layer of a fall/winter outfit. I'll probably wear this jacket the next time I go skiing.Overall, for my money this was a great purchase. It served well in all kinds of weather at a fraction of the cost of some other trendier options. With spring here, it's time to throw it in the wash. I hope it survives and doesn't shrink, but if it did, at this price I'd probably grab a new one for next season.