5.11 Aclite Anorak

The Taclite Anorak Jacket is one of the latest designs to come from 5.11, who are renowned for producing tough, well-designed and well-made clothing and equipment. The Anorak is stylish but discreet, and should blend in in any environment, but is also practical, versatile and easy to wear. Of a traditional, almost retro, over-the-head smock style, the Anorak has a fixed, three-panel, shaped hood with a front draw cord that has leather adjuster locks. The 12 inch deep front opening extends to the lower chest and has a metal YKK zip with a leather pull extender and has both an internal ‘drip strip’ baffle and a deep storm flap fastening with a single press stud at the top. This opening gives good weather proofing closed, or good ventilation open.

The Anorak has plain cut sleeves with shirt cuff-type cuffs, with six-inch vents and twin position press stud fasteners. This design allows you to turn back the cuffs for ventilation, or to fasten them tight in bad weather. There is a Velcro ‘fur’ patch on the right upper arm for mounting patches.

Hemmed In

A draw cord in the hem allows ventilation options, as does a 12 inch side opening on the right side seam. The side opening has a YKK coil zip, internal baffle and storm flap with a Velcro tab closure at the hem. A cunning quick-release buckle system at the hem allows the zip to be open without the front flapping loose, and also to allow easy access to internal layers. A tug on the cord on the buckle allows the zip and hem to be opened quickly – the 5.11 patented ‘Quixip system’.

The Anorak has two huge chest pockets with vertical, Velcro tab closed openings and a lower ‘kangaroo’ pocket, with twin pockets with angled, flap covered, pockets. All the pockets have fleecy back linings and the kangaroo pocket has twin angled ‘RapiDraw’ zips, allowing access to internal layers. The Anorak has a tough 65/35 polyester cotton ripstop outer fabric, with a Teflon water/stain/soil resistant finish, a subdued check patterned flannel lining to the body and a nylon, snag resistant, lining to the sleeves, plus a 40g polyester wadding quilted insulation to arms and sleeves.

Easy on and off In use, the Anorak proved easy to wear, the side zip making it easy to put on and take off. The insulation makes the Anorak comfortably warm to wear, but the ventilation options help avoid over-heating. While only shower-proof, the outer fabric dealt with some pretty heavy rain, and the repellency can be renewed with a Nikwax or similar product when it eventually becomes less effective.

Overall, I found the 5.11 Taclite Anorak to be a real ‘classic’, looking good and performing well with loads of freedom of movement and ‘street cred’. My only negative points to mention are that I found the neck a little tight if I closed it up fully, and that there are no cord locks on the hem draw cord.

Available in sizes S-XXL and weighting approx 2lb 12ozs size XL, the 5.11 Taclite Anorak is available in Stone, Brown and Tundra colours and costs around £130.00.