I was in the market for a soft shell and after quite a bit of research chose one from SORD, (Special Operations Research Design), an Australian based company. One of the factors besides the technical details was SORD has a factory in Kentucky. Having a company in the US is good, but having one below the Mason Dixon is fantastic. The design fit my criteria and seems very well thought out. It is semi-sterile with only a small company label over the kangaroo pocket and a size tab in the usual rear neck position. The form fitting hoodie is a 1/4 zip design with a "kangaroo" chest pocket, slash hand pockets and zipper pulls on each lower side at 3 and 6 o'clock that extend up to app. 3"/4" below the arm pits. This feature is to access a concealed weapon or any other belt carried accessory. I carry AIWB, but the zippered section still eased access to draw and the offside zipper allowed quick access to extra magazines carried at 7-8 for reloads. I like this feature since the coat is slim and not overly stretchy which could possibly be an issue in drawing a firearm. I have also found that unzipping the two sections make removing and putting the hoodie on easier as well. I am not sure exactly what the material is and have heard no one else is using it. So far I've worn the coat with just a T-shirt under it in temps between 30-ish* up to the mid fifties and have not been uncomfortable at all; I am fairly hot natured so I'm sure I can easily go down to the 20's and still be comfortable if active. I ordered the hoodie from predatorarmament.com and it shipped from Frankfort, KY the following day, arriving in three days here in VA. The SORD hoodie is available in tan and black; I ordered the latter and am pleased.
I picked one of these up and am quite happy as well. The kangaroo pouch is great for my droid and a spare magazine. I also like the cuffs a lot. It hasn't cooled down a lot yet, so I have only worn it a couple times, but it definitely kept me warm with the fleece like interior. I got a tan hoodie and think the color is pretty discrete.
Agreed Huntingbuddy, the cuffs are a nice setup. I liked the tan a lot, but since I wear kackies more often than jeans I felt like tan on tan would be too much. I found the kangaroo pocket is a perfect dump pouch for GLOCK mags instead of dropping them in the mud during mag changes.
TARFU, I guess I'm a strange egg. I try to buy items that are uncommon and I am also a research nerd. I looked into several brands and the SORD design stood out to me. Being that the company has manufacturing facilities here also impressed me.
The hoodie and hard shell look really nice. How is the cut / fit of these items? I need an athletic cut with long sleeves, And not a Carhartt-ish cut for thick bodied guys with average arms?
I'm 6'1" + with a long torso and weigh over 230, the XXL fits snug to my body and the sleeves have plenty of length even when I reach out. I definitely couldn't layer a heavy sweater under the SORD Hoodie, but it will work nicely under my Filson Waxed Tin Cloth Jacket shown in my avatar pic. I think this Hoodie will fit like you want it to Goju.
I am 6'4" 190 with a size XL. Sleeve length is not an issue for me either. Again, the wrist cuffs are awesome for tightening it where you want.