Coming from someone who has spent decades wearing waterproof gear, I was surprised to find the FORLOH AllClima Soft Shell Jacket incredibly waterproof and wind-resistant, yet still silent as I tramped all over Montana, field-testing it and trying to find this year’s muley.
This jacket ran the gamut of weather with me — sun and sweat, rain, hail, snow — but it balanced breathability with keeping me dry, no matter what the conditions threw at it. FORLOH has done a great job building a functional hunting jacket for all types of terrain and weather conditions, while keeping affordability in mind.
In short: The AllClima Soft Shell jacket is an all-around hunting workhorse. FORLOH has done a nice job balancing technical performance with affordability, and you can count on this jacket to perform in all weather conditions for seasons to come.
Shopping for a women’s hunting jacket? Check out our buyer’s guide.
- MSRP: $299
- Material: DWR, Woven, Pet/Spandex 86/14, 124 GSM, bonded interior micro fleece backed
- Water resistance: Minimum 20k mm (35k+ mm membrane only)
Pros
- Quiet and breathable fabric
- Highly waterproof
- Camo pattern options to match the country you hunt in
- Functional pockets and zippers for hunt necessities
Cons
- Form-fitting cut makes it important to carefully measure for fit
FORLOH AllClima Soft Shell Jacket Review
I’ll be honest in saying that I wasn’t expecting much from this jacket when I opened the box. I expected it to be thin, lack durability, and fit funny. But boy, I’m glad to have been wrong.
For a midweight jacket, it’s fighting above its weight class. My spouse and I both tested this jacket on our fall deer hunt in Montana this year, and we both feel confident that we can hunt in this jacket for years to come — no matter what the weather throws at us.
Built for All Weather and Terrain
First off, I love that this jacket is available in six colors/camo patterns. I chose “exposed,” and the pattern was very well suited to the Montana fields and mountains we hunted in, with its muted greens and browns.
My spouse chose “deep cover,” and while it also worked in the Rockies, I could see how that would be better suited to hunting the Pacific Northwest, where we live, with its dark greens and blues. Honestly, it made me want to have one of each, so I could choose the pattern I wanted based on where we were hunting.
That said, the camo designs are flexible enough. Just choose the pattern that most looks like the area you’ll be hunting.
The AllClima Soft Shell jacket is weatherproof, as tested when I lay in a field for almost an hour, in sideways hail and rain (and eventually snow), waiting for a buck to stand up on a hillside. I stayed dry on my belly, which was laid against the cold, wet ground, and I stayed dry on my back, which was exposed to the rain, hail, and snow.
Moreover, we experienced some gusty conditions (50+ mph winds), and the material is an excellent windbreak. Especially when you pull the hood over to protect your neck and face. Speaking of the hood, it was a nice fit and was easy to get over my head, no matter which hat I was wearing.
Because the jacket is a shell, you’ll want to ensure you buy a size that allows for multiple underlayers. First thing in the morning, we both had down layers under the jacket, which we quickly peeled off once the sun was up and we were hiking. For most of the day, it was enough to wear just a wool base layer top.
Functional, But Has Some Room for Improvement
The waterproofing on the AllClima Soft Shell doesn’t end at the material. Even the zippers have a gasket of sorts, so you don’t get water leakage through those seams. The zippers are strong, easy to pull, and have a smooth motion. I especially loved the underarm vent zips. They were just the right length.
Sometimes I find that jackets have overly long vents, which can be almost unmanageable. This is not the case with this jacket. Just like Goldilocks, these vents are just right. In fact, I liked them so much and used them so often that I actually got the under-netting of the vent caught in the zipper on day three, though, and boom — ripped the netting. Whoops.
Pockets
The pockets are pretty standard and what I would expect: two lower pockets, a chest pocket, and one on the left arm. I’m not entirely sure that the one on the left arm is for, as it’s tiny, but I did pop my lip balm tube in there. It’s about the only thing that would fit.
I was a little disappointed in the size of the chest pocket. That’s where I like to put my phone. My iPhone Pro didn’t fit in that pocket. I would have liked a bit more space in that one, so most phones can fit in that pocket.
There was one feature that I had never seen on any jacket I’ve owned, and it was a true surprise and delight moment: the asymmetrical wrist cuff. I had no idea I would want a wrist that was “cutout” at my thumb. This was helpful when I was doing pretty much anything with my hands, including field dressing a deer.
Final Thoughts
The FORLOH AllClima Soft Shell is a reliable all-around, all-climate hunting jacket, with thoughtful design elements for hunters’ comfort and performance in the field. It’s a great choice if you are looking to buy one jacket for many hunting scenarios.
