A Work Coat for the Everyman

The warmest outfit I’ve ever worn was a paint- and oil-spattered canvas coverall a mechanic friend lent me. It was about two-and-a-half sizes too small. But it valiantly fought back a wicked January wind on a camp excursion in central Minnesota.

But for all its warmth, it was about as flexible as a tree trunk — and roughly as cozy. Still, as its battle scars attested, it could withstand all manner of hard work and abuse.

While a set of serious coveralls is just about unbeatable when it comes to absolute warmth and protection, a great work jacket can be almost as good at both and is infinitely more practical for most applications. A true work jacket needs to prioritize warmth, weather resistance, and serious durability.

For that reason, a great work jacket often doesn’t make for a stellar outdoor or all-around jacket. Those tend toward mobility and lightweight to accommodate general outdoor activities. BRUNT, a literal 21st-century company, identified this gap and developed what looks and feels like a 21st-century work jacket. It’s a piece that blends worksite durability with all-around comfort and flexibility.

I tested The Scott utility work jacket, one of three silhouettes launched by the brand this season. I took it on travel across the Midwest, wore it during some basic outside DIY jobs, and donned it as my exclusive jacket for 2 weeks through rain, sleet, and a 5-day cold snap.

In short: BRUNT continues to find inroads as a modern workwear company. Where conventional designs in the workwear category maximize longevity over comfort, BRUNT’s new jacket — like its hallmark boots — elevates comfort and employs modern materials to make a cozy, easy-to-wear jacket that has plenty of chops to tackle demanding work in nasty conditions.

BRUNT ‘The Scott’ Jacket Review

BRUNT Launches Work Jackets

As a gear tester, I see a shifty Venn diagram between workwear and outerwear. Brands like Patagonia, Danner, and 686 have product lines that cater to each demographic and employ much of the same performance technologies. I’ve seen hikers whose favorite pants are a pair of durable work pants. And I’ve known carpenters whose favorite footwear are wide-toed running shoes.

In other words, when one industry falls short, the other industry often has a serviceable replacement. So I was already familiar with the BRUNT brand — having tested and enjoyed its boots and work shorts. And I was curious just where its debut work jackets would land on the spectrum between The Outdoors and The Trades.

And for its part, BRUNT seems aware of this overlap, because its foray into jackets brought with it three options — three different builds that each fall on a different part of that spectrum. If you’re shopping strictly for maximum utility and warmth on the job site, you’ll probably gravitate toward The Couvee. The next step down from workwear-specific is The Roughton.

And finally, there’s the jacket I tested, The Scott. It not only carries a highly versatile, everyday construction, but it also has the most accessible price point ($129).

Materials & Construction

As a utility jacket, The Scott offers up a canvas for the outer material. It’s not extremely rugged canvas — like that Kevlar-adjacent coverall. But it’s plenty abrasion-resistant to sticks, pokes, and scuffs common when working in the garage or traipsing through the woods.

Reinforced paneling on the elbows adds some defense from scuffs and tears in high-wear areas. Finally, the sizing runs just big enough to accommodate extra layering underneath for a thick hoodie. But it’s true enough to size to stand alone over just a shirt and fit nicely. All four pockets on the jacket are zippered, so nothing falls out when you’re crouching, reaching, or hacksawing through an old pipe.

On the flip side, as a modern, everyday outer layer, The Scott has 2% spandex for all-way stretch and an added “Action Back” yoke to enhance the range of motion. There’s also a DWR coating for weather resistance and two clever device pockets, one on the outside of the chest and the other inside.

The Scott vs. Real Life

I received this jacket in mid-October, so it’s been my go-to coat from fall right through the winter solstice — in Minnesota. It’s also been a La Niña year, so while overall temperatures have not been abysmally cold, there’s been quite a bit of moisture and spitty rain. In other words, the testing has felt more like Pacific Northwest crabbing weather, with an occasional Arctic blast cold snap.

And that’s proven a spectacular matchup that favors The Scott. The DWR has held up perfectly, and the high collar zipped all the way up is perfect for ducking your nose and chin under when a nasty wind picks up.

The quilted polyester insulation has provided sufficient protection down to about the high 30s. Once it’s dipped lower than that, I found a light puffy or synthetic midlayer under The Scott made for abundant warmth. It hasn’t gotten any lower than the high teens in my testing, but with proper layering, I’m confident this jacket as an outermost layer can stand up to plenty of what winter here will throw at it.

But its muscle really isn’t what’s made it a winner on my coat rack. It’s the overall comfort, flexibility, and convenience. The “Action Back” and stretch material make this at least as easy to wear as any of my puffies. And its fleece-lined hand pockets add a little slice of luxury to the overall utility. Two smart tech pockets, one inside and one out, allow you to choose between quick access or extra cover for your device (or stowed items).

Is The Scott a Good Jacket?

My only gripe with The Scott is a minor one. When I have the jacket zipped about three-quarters up, the collar can be a little intrusive. Zipped any higher or lower, and it’s a non-issue. Similarly, when I have a hooded midlayer on, it also doesn’t present an issue. So, it’s a minor annoyance at best — and frankly, it’s the only knock I can give BRUNT for this one.

I put a premium on durability — I have some of the warmest puffies on the planet ready to go when temps plummet below zero. But almost none of those are built to take on a wet “wintery mix,” let alone changing my vehicle’s oil in January. The Scott, however, is the right tool for both of those jobs. And because it’s $129, it’s about 10x more valuable.

The bottom line is that for most folks who want a jacket that can tackle most scenarios, The Scott is indeed a jack of all trades.