CONDOR

Nice lightweight fleece jacket. Very sturdy and functional. Not a real cold weather jacket, 30's and 40's F kind of jacket. The sizes are kind of tough, usually wear a XL tall or 2XL depending on the garment. Read the reviews-saw that the jackets may run small got a 3XL, way too big, went to 2XL which was still a little big, and finally got the XL which fits fine-like a heavy sweatshirt.Use it mainly for outdoor stuff, lawn work, firewood cutting (fleece collects sawdust but it cleans up easily enough), and fishing etc. This has the best and most practical pockets and is built tough-at least so far.Very pleased.

I work in a flight-line (like an airport) environment in Washington state where its seldom warm or dry enough to go without some kind of outer clothing. I was searching for something better than a sweatshirt, but less than a winter jacket, something that had pockets, would keep me dry and warm but not be bulky. The Condor Micro Fleece fits that task with a 5-Star rating. It has on the left chest a zippered pocket that is durably designed. All of the zippers on this jacket are what I consider military grade- that is they aren't cheap. The left arm sleeve also has a zippered pocket- perfect for carrying a smart phone and employee ID badge.There are two waist level pockets- these are slip-u'r-hands-in out of the cold pockets. On the inside left is a 15 inch deep pocket. That's right....15 inches deep. It has about a 5.5inch mouth opening that is diagonal, but goes all the way down to the bottom of the jacket and feels as sturdy as the rest of the jacket. On the right inside is a 10 inch pocket that has a 6 inch mouth that is straight. On the left and right sleeve is a Velcro patch for insignia that measures 3.25" wide by 4" long. I wear a USA flag on the left, and a USMC eagle, globe and anchor on the right side.The elbows and forearm are protected by double-layered material.The cuffs are unique to me. They can be folded inside the jacket, or pulled out to go over gloves. And they have thumb hole to keep the cuff warmly around your hands.I am told that this is standard on most high-end winter coats. The idea is great. When you don't need the extra length, just a few seconds and you can tuck them back inside the arms of the coat. Brilliant.I've worn this in some heavy wind and rain. My legs and head got wet. This jacket does not absorb rain. It tends to bead up and fall off. It is not wind-proof though. I would say it is breeze-proof. Winds of 35mph cut through it. Winds around 10mph aren't a problem. I will be reviewing another jacket later on that takes care of the wind.This is a great option if you have to be exposed to inclimate weather for short periods. The functionality, and warmth give it 5 Stars.People ask me where I got it from a lot. It is just a nice jacket all around.

Condor 601/Alpha Micro Fleece JacketNote: I also purchased the Condor 606/Phantom Soft Shell Jacket as an outer layer and will review it along with this item; so expect a little overlap.PRICE$45.00 - $55.00. Hard to beat for this type of jacket!USEThe 601/Alpha is a mid-layer fleece jacket with plenty of features for a range of activities from general outdoors and hunting to tactical and urban utility.FEATURESIt has zippered slash pockets at the waist, a vertical zippered chest pocket that is sized for glasses, mobile phones, etc., and a zippered left shoulder pocket similar in size to the chest pocket. All pocket zippers have nylon strap extensions on the tabs, and the chest and shoulder pockets have rubber X-grommets for cords to pass through to the interior of the jacket.The front zipper has top and bottom pull tabs, an interior wind flap, and it zips all the way up the collar. The top pull tab has a looped cord extension that is molded into a plastic brand-tab with “CONDOR” in raised letters on it.The jacket has nylon reinforcing from the collar to the shoulders; from the elbows to the wrist; and on the inner waistline. The inner waistline has a corded elastic drawstring with beaded barrel locks on the left and right side. There are 3.5” x 4” hook and loop patches that are Box-and-X stitched on each shoulder.MATERIALSThe polyester micro fleece is of good quality. Not quite as heavy or soft as what is used for high end jackets, but it is more than adequate for mild weather or as a middle layer. The mesh lining is quite good and is of close enough weave that it does not snag like the open weave mesh on some jackets. The nylon reinforcing is good quality and heavy enough to do the job, but not so heavy as to be stiff. The nylon does make the 601/Alpha a little noisier than an all fleece jacket, but that is to be expected. The inside and rim of the collar are fleece and keep the nylon reinforcing from being uncomfortable.QUALITY AND CONSTRUCTIONWell made in general. I turned the jacket inside out and trimmed a few thread ends, but found none that were loose or likely to unravel. Zippers are not YKK, but seem to be of good quality, and are the thick-tooth type I prefer. The cord on the front zipper pull extension seems a little thin, but I doubt I will ever pull it hard enough to break it. The molded brand-tab on the front zipper pull extension has a good form and texture, but it needs a rounded edge where the cord goes into it. The nylon strap extensions on the pocket zipper tabs, as well as the waistline drawstring and barrel locks, work well and seem to be good quality. The hang loop in the collar is too thin, but even worse: most of the loop on mine was sewn into the seam along the label edge! It makes the loop almost unusable and I don’t think I can get it out without splitting the seam. Not a show-stopper, but pretty inconvenient. Still, I like the jacket so much I’m going to keep using it and see how it works out.SIZE AND FITI am 5’-5”, 150lbs., with slightly broader than average chest and shoulders, so I’m in a generally hard to fit Small-Medium size range for clothing. I took a chance on a Small, but it fits me quite well, even with a base layer and/or shirt on. The length and waist diameter of the Small are also just right for me. The overall sleeve length is a good fit, but the 2” sleeve extensions with thumb holes are a little short. I don’t notice it with my arms at my side, but I do notice it if I stick my arms out in front or bend them past 45 degrees. I have a 15-16 inch neck so I was worried that the collar on a Small would not fit when zipped all the way up, but it is okay.PERFORMANCEI’ve worn it casually, with a few trips to the woods, and it seems fine. I need to wear it a little more in other conditions, especially foreign travel, before commenting further, but I expect it to do well.AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENTMore color choices, especially a Gray! And a true Gray, not that Gray-Green (Grayn!) that a lot of tactical/outdoor clothing comes in (I’m looking at you Triple Aught UE Gray ;). A second shoulder pocket, and maybe a forearm or interior pocket. Some D-rings or snaps in at least one of the pockets, and armpit zippers. Better overall quality control inspections!SUMMARYGreat price, features, and fit! Despite the one sewing flaw the 601/Alpha is a pretty good jacket and I am looking forward to continued use from it.