Review: ThruDark Engage Jacket

I’m an adventure film and TV director and producer for BASE Films, so I spend a lot of time outdoors chasing down content on really varied terrain and all kinds of weather conditions.

Accessing great locations takes a fair bit of legwork and often some rope work too. While I’m definitely not a technical climber, my gear still needs to be tough enough to tackle a rock face or two. Warmth is also important as I can be out on location for long days, stood around in all kinds of weather, waiting for something awesome to happen.

Put simply, I need a tough jacket that I can take refuge in and that allows me to concentrate on whatever the job chucks at me. It’s a bonus if it’s lightweight and packs down well – I’ve got enough heavy gear to carry around as it is!

Accessing great locations takes a fair bit of legwork and often some rope work too

With its military inspired ‘stealthy’ design and the shiny black outer shell, I was a tad nervous that this jacket might be a little too Gucci to perform well when it really counted. Trying it on for the first time, I was actually immediately impressed by how lightweight and fluid it felt, like a much thinner jacket but with the warmth of a bulkier standard down. The fit was great (I’m normally a medium) and I wore it with a long sleeve sweat top but you could easily pair it with a standard fleece on colder days and it not feel too cumbersome.

I hate weak hoods that are baggy around the neck or hard to pull up, but the cut of this one was spot on. It’s confident and chunky with just the right fit to give you that scarf like neck protection and with its cap-like peak, paired with an elastic brim, it stayed in place when the wind and rain kicked up.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how simple and paired-back its design and features were for such an expensive jacket. Basically, it’s not packed with loads of gimmicky zips and pockets, which I prefer. Simple is better in my books.

If you want a tough jacket that packs down well but is lightweight and will protect you from most of the elements this might be the go-to jacket for you. In constant rain you’ll need to eventually pair it with a proper waterproof outer shell, but if this is the only jacket you can fit into your kit bag, you’ll be in safe hands.

Additionally, if you don’t want to stand out like a distress beacon in the wild, the Engage jacket is about as subtle as they come. A cardinal sin of any director is to pop up in the back of the camera shot, but ThruDark prides itself on a military heritage, adding a touch of stealth to all their deigns, which worked perfectly for me. If however, a distress beacon becomes a necessity (hopefully not) the jacket also features velcro patches on the arms for attaching reflectors, strobes and lighting systems for use in emergencies!

I must admit to secretly feeling rather covert with the black shell and camo inlay as I stalked around the mountain top. When I’d completed my ‘fantasy mission’ the paired-back, non-technical design was good enough to allow me to transition seamlessly to my next mission – a pint down the pub.

if this is the only jacket you can fit into your kit bag, you’ll be in safe hands