U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)-This winter was an interesting time to be a gun owner and 2A advocate in Virginia. The liberal majority in the state legislature led by Bloomberg’s pawn, Governor Ralph “Black Face” Northam, decided to enact Draconian gun laws across the Commonwealth.
The people of Virginia stood up for their rights and rallied through the cold winter weather against tyrannical gun laws. Being a journalist and a gun owner, meant I had to attend these pro-freedom events and brave the winter elements. Lucky for me, 5.11 offered me their Aggressor Parka to keep me warm while standing up for my rights by the side of other liberty-minded individuals.
5.11 Aggressor Parka
The company is well known for its duty ready gear, and the 5.11 Aggressor Parka is no exception to their mission. 5.11 based its parka on its popular 3-in-1 Patrol Jacket that many people in law enforcement use daily. The difference is that the Aggressor Parka is better suited for off duty use than the Patrol Jacket. The difference in situations doesn’t mean that the Aggressor Parka is any less functional than the Patrol Jacket. It is just a little more discrete and doesn’t scream “cop.”
The 5.11 Aggressor Parka comes in two different colors. I got my coat in “Tundra,” which is an olive drab green color. Wearers can also get the jacket in “Coyote,” which is a tan color. I wish 5.11 offered the Aggressor Parka in black. That is my most significant criticism of the jacket. Almost all my winter coats are black. It probably has to do with my OCD, but I was able to deal with a green jacket. I am not sure why the company chose only to provide the coat in two colors. I think 5.11 could increase its sales if the company offered the parka in other colors.
One of the reasons why I like the Aggressor Parka is that the wearer can use it in various weather conditions. During my time with the coat, I wore it while snowboarding in freezing temperatures, in the rain, and during the early spring. In every situation, the parka worked well for me.
The first thing I noticed with the 5.11 Aggressor Parka is how much the coat weighs. It is heavy. I mean, it is cumbersome. I have worn a lot of heavy jackets in the past, but this one is the heaviest coat I have ever owned. My wife picked it up and asked me if I left my gun in the coat. It isn’t unmanageable, but the weight is noticeable.
Virginia might be in the mid-Atlantic region of the east coast, but during the winter it can get cold and does drop below zero then a week later it could warm up into the 50s. That is what makes this Parka great. The wearer of the parka can remove inner fleece leaving a breathable outer shell for when the weather is a little warmer.
During Lobby Day in Richmond last January, I wore this jacket all day, and my upper body never felt cold. The other people that I attended the rally with were in other brands of coats, and they froze their asses off. The 5.11 Aggressor Parka, along with the camaraderie of the other gun owners, did a great job keeping me warm that day.
A month later, I attended and spoke at the “For the Love of Country” pro-gun rally outside DC. That day turned out to be the coldest day of the year in Virginia. It was freezing and extremely windy. My legs were cold as hell. My hands were ice, and my face was numb. The cold would have been unbearable if it wasn’t for the 5.11 Aggressor Parka. Although my legs, face, and hands were ice cubes, the coat kept my mid-section nice and toasty. It did its job.
I also wore the Aggressor Parka in the rain. A lot of parkas claim to be water-resistant, but after an hour of being in the elements, the rain ends up soaking the wearer. I took the 5.11 coat on a snowboarding trip to test out the waterproof quality of the parka. I am not the best snowboarder (or even average), so I don’t stay too dry. Couple my snowboarding skills with snow tubing I did with my family, and I got soaked from head to toe.
Even though the rain-soaked 5.11 Aggressor Parka on the outside, my t-shirt stayed dry, and I stayed warm. I also wore this coat in the soaking rain and snow in New York. I spend a lot of time in the Empire State, which gave me an excellent opportunity to test out the parka in a harsher environment than the Virginia winter. It worked just as good for me in New York as it did in my home state.
I think that is the real strength of the 5.11 Aggressor Parka. With the removable fleece, it is very versatile when it comes to multiple weather conditions. The fleece can be removed and reattached quickly. Another cool feature is the side zippers. When I took the parka snowboarding, I would get a little warm, and I didn’t want to take off the jacket to cool down. I was about to use the side zippers to open up the side of the jacket to let in the cold air I could cool down without having to move the coat.
It might sound crazy to rave about, but the zippers that 5.11 chose to use on the Aggressor Parka are very high quality. They used YKK zippers. The zipper is an area where a lot of companies skimp out on using in their designs. A bad zipper can make a great coat unusable.
5.11 included plenty of pocket room in the Aggressor Parka. By my count, 5.11 included nine separate pockets. Two of the pockets were on the inside and the rest on the outside. I usually kept my cell phone on in the inside zipper pocket, and there was plenty of room.
The parka also included the 5.11 “Ready Pocket.” These pockets are massive. I was able to store my full-size notebook in the pocket easily. For someone who has to carry anything like a notebook, then this is a great jacket.
Overall, I was happy with the 5.11 Aggressor Parka. I wish it were a little lighter, but it does its job admirably. The price point of $249 isn’t too bad for what you get. The Aggressor Parka does go on sale from time to time for $199. At that price, I think it is a steal!
Check out 5.11 at www.511tactical.com.
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.
I could not even find on the 5.11 site the manufacture origin of the jacket. If like their other clothing I have viewed, it is either “China” or “Imported”. I will keep buying USA as much as I can. If I needed a jacket and were interested in this one, I would email the company, first, to learn country of origin.
@John Dunlap Crump, could you provide the readers with the country of origin, as you own one of these jackets?
I agree with the BLACK… I will wait till it is available.