Tactical Hoodie

[Chimpy]

Agreed, the TAD seems more like a civvie jacket. The SORD wins hands down for ruggedness though. Mines on its way back to have a zipper fixed at the moment though.

 

Hoods? Wear a hat.

[JCYC5]

The price difference between the two is quite high...

 

Me wants SORD Hardface....

[HaVoC]

The SORD wins hands down for ruggedness though. Mines on its way back to have a zipper fixed at the moment though.

Not sure I'd want to say that unless you've handled and worn both. I've not so I won't say it - what I can say is that the TAD is a better design, though (for my uses, anyway)

 

I'd imagine they're both about as rugged and well-made as each other, bar the thickness of the material perhaps. At that level (think of Eagle and Paraclete pouches) there's likely to be very little difference

[Chimpy]

Have you owned both?

 

How do you know it's a better design then?

 

 

The SORD jacket has 1000D cordura on the lower arm and elbow. I destroyed my last soft-shell at the elbows. I'm not new to owning one and I can safely say from looking at the TAD offering that the SORD will last longer if used roughly.

 

As mentioned the price difference is an important point. Plus the SORD jacket you can actually get hold of without a few months wait. That is important as I trash a jacket about twice a year.

[The Reptile House]

The SORD jacket has 1000D cordura on the lower arm and elbow

 

This is a good point. Also, the SORD has pit zips - which is an underrated feature.

[HaVoC]

Have you owned both?

 

How do you know it's a better design then?

 

Fair point

 

For me it's a better design, like I said. Might not be for other people. The sheer number and placement of the pockets, along with the hood, more than balance out the lack of elbow reinforcement in my books.

 

I say again, your milage may vary. Personally I think they're marketed at totally different markets anyway.

 

This is a good point. Also, the SORD has pit zips - which is an underrated feature.

I'm not convinced pit zips are a big thing here. The SPEAR fleece is a warmth garment, and the pit zips help you to reign it in a little if you feel too warm.

 

However, the soft-shell jackets are something else entirely - they're rain and wind stoppers, and if you want warmth, you should be wearing them over something else.

 

To my eyes, pit zips on a jacket like this are not only a moot point (it's not going to stop rain or wind if you open them ), but they're one more thing to fail, thus leaving you very wet indeed.

 

Also, on the TAD, if you really need a lot of airflow through the jacket, the chest pockets are massive and lined with quite porous mesh anyway, so I'd imagine they'd do the same job.

[Chimpy]

Actually the SORD is pretty fleecy on the inside. I'll snap some photos when I get back before packing it up to post.

 

On the pit zips, they are ideally placed to not get rained in (unless you walk about on your hands) and are essential for cooling you IMHO. You could open the front a touch but I often find thats a little much, especially in colder weather when it's windy.

 

The TAD looks like a great general use jacket though I just baulk slightly at the price and would probably pick a jacket off a high-street 'outdoors' brand instead. TNF being my favourite at the moment.

 

I agree on the marketing POV though.

[HaVoC]

Sounds like the SORD is more of a fleece combined with a soft-shell, then. A general bad-weather jacket, if you will.

 

The TAD is lined, but not very thickly. It's warm enough, but these days I find a fleece is needed underneath if it's cold out there (as it is at the moment).

 

Sounds like the SORD is more focussed at soldiers, and the TAD aimed more at a general market (soldiers, outdoorsmen, hikers, etc).

[Chimpy]

Would agree with all of the above.

 

The SORD Jacket is warm, I've not needed more than a t-shirt under it yet this Winter (although it's been unusually warm up this way).

[TheKurodaVagrant]

Man, I want a TAD Stealth hoodie in ME green, but for $235??? WHAA?

[The Reptile House]

I'm not convinced pit zips are a big thing here. The SPEAR fleece is a warmth garment, and the pit zips help you to reign it in a little if you feel too warm.

 

However, the soft-shell jackets are something else entirely - they're rain and wind stoppers, and if you want warmth, you should be wearing them over something else.

 

I guess my armpits get hotter than yours

 

I tend to keep my existing softshell (3 year old TNF Apex) on for wind protection, but shed underlayers as I get hotter from running about. Extra zippage at the pits would be an enhancement for me as this area is where I get rid of most of my excess heat.

 

No day of airsofting has yet been cold enough for me to not shed layers, and I've been out in the snow etc.

 

The reason I've chosen the TAD, however, is that it finely balances form with function. Indeed, the reason I can justify the price of the TAD is that I can wear it outside airsoft. It's simply more versatile.

 

Of course, I'll probably end up getting both.

[Chimpy]

Rich bugger.

 

SORD doesn't look too out of place on the highstreet. I hope.

[The Reptile House]

SORD doesn't look too out of place on the highstreet. I hope. smile.gif

 

Nah - I just love the hood on the TAD. I've not seen a softshell with a hood before.

[teetee]

In a little late but... Having handled both the SORD (own) and the TAD (through a friend) softshells, you guys are correct in your conclusions. The SORD is a harder wearing jacket because of the cordura elbows which runs through basically half of the entire sleeve. Also, the pit zips and heavier material allows it to be used in a wider temperature range. That said, the TAD looks better than the SORD, and has nice useful features such as the wire-holes through the pockets and such. The hood is also invaluable in certain situations, at least to me. Both have a crapload of pockets, are built very well, and are extremely functional while still looking pretty damn good. Hard to go wrong.

 

Ideally, we'd get a cordura reinforced jacket with a hood and all the TAD & SORD features combined. Till then, these two jackets still hold their own.

 

Nah - I just love the hood on the TAD. I've not seen a softshell with a hood before.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Check out the (MUCH more affordable) Orc Industries L5 softshell. It's not as fancy, but does the job well and has a hood. Remember, you get what you pay for.

[tinkle60]

I would argue that a thicker jacket has narrower temperature range as you can change your base/midlayers when it gets colder, but once you pass the upper temperature comfort zone then you have to ditch it.

[HaVoC]

THE WET TEST

 

It's p*ssing it down, blowing a gale and cold as sh*t outside, so why not?

 

Having just come back inside, I've had to change my trousers. To say that I may as well have just taken a bath is no exaggeration...

 

...for my lower half. For my upper half, however, it's the opposite. I stood outside for half an hour, with a SPEAR Fleece and my TAD softshell (over a t-shirt). I was toasty warm, the wind didn't bite at all, and it didn't skip a beat when it came to keeping the rain out. Everything protected by the TAD softshell is dry as a bone.

 

 

Observations:

 

1 - The hood is brilliant. Obviously, if you turn into driving rain, you get a wet face. However, the peak works really well, preventing stuff from dripping onto your face (ooh err ). The design seems to keep both the wind and rain out very effectively indeed.

 

2 - The material doesn't appear to absorb water. At all. It just beads and runs off the surface. To test this to the limit, I spent the last 10mins of my half-hour test standing under a gutter (the things I do...). No leakage at all, and the inside of the jacket still feels almost completely dry (there's probably a very little bit seeping in, but it's hardly suprising, and not really noticable).

 

3 - Needs moar cuff. Yeah, without gloves, my hands were wet and cold. To be expected, probably, but perhaps there's room for improvement (or at least, extra design features) here. Didn't let in any water above my hands, though, and to be fair there is room to pull your hands in a little to keep them sort of dry...

 

 

Verdict:

 

Can't fault it really, besides the cuff thing. Considering the rain and wind (especially when I was standing under a gutter, from which the excess water was being blown onto me by the wind), I'm mighty impressed.

[JCYC5]

Wow...sounds quite awesome...

 

Tempting me to get one Whilst you do get what you pay for, it is quite a high asking price...

 

Would the jacket be too short for skiing/snowboarding usage?

[HaVoC]

Never been skiing or snowboarding, so I can't really say.

 

It has a longer 'tail' that comes down to cover your *albartroth* for when you sit down, but I'm not sure. It's not that long (a little shorter than a SPEAR fleece of the same size).

[JCYC5]

Where on your body does it come down to?

 

Is there a draw cord on the bottom of the jacket to cinch it up?

[The Reptile House]

Verdict:

 

Can't fault it really, besides the cuff thing. Considering the rain and wind (especially when I was standing under a gutter, from which the excess water was being blown onto me by the wind), I'm mighty impressed.

 

Nice work. Mine should be with me on Monday.

[HaVoC]

Where on your body does it come down to?

 

Is there a draw cord on the bottom of the jacket to cinch it up?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At the front, comes down to just below the trouser line, I suppose. Much like any other jacket of reasonable fit. At the back, it comes down lower to cover most of the buttocks.

 

There is a draw-string at the bottom, yep. It's quite form-fitting by design anyway, though, so how much you'd need it is debatable.

[HaVoC]

If you want more information, please follow the link through my sig banner and feel free to ask away on the forums. You're all welcome there.

 

As is, I think I'll mainly be off to better climes. I'll stick around occasionally, but not much.

 

Cheers all, for possibly the last useful and positive discussion on this forum.

[Chimpy]

You fail at the banner creation it seems.

[The Reptile House]

You fail at the banner creation it seems. smile.gif

 

It was there yesterday. It's been removed.

[JCYC5]

He's leaving Arnies?