Inside Products: Oxford Rockland Jacket

I think Oxford has another hit on its hands with their Rockland Adventure jacket!

The Rockland is a great looking jacket; particularly the charcoal/black/red version that I tested. It has a variety of liner options that make it an effective jacket regardless the weather; the jacket shell is well vented for hot days, the thermal liner helps you stay warm on cooler days, and the waterproof liner/waterproof jacket are great for the days you can’t escape the rain.

When the temperatures rise, the jacket’s ventilation system is particularly effective, with four large mesh openings on the front of the jacket that are accessible behind zippers and hook and loop fasteners, a huge mesh opening on the back of the jacket, and zippered sleeve vents.

The downside of the venting system is that when the vents are open, the flaps covering the vents must be rolled down and tucked into a pocket. If the flaps aren’t tucked away properly, they will work their way out of the pocket and fly around in the wind as you’re riding. Ask me how I know…

Unfortunately, wearing a hydration backpack blocks the rear vent, preventing the venting system from functioning optimally. And when it’s hot enough to wear the jacket in its venting configuration, it’s also the time you would want to be wearing a hydration system.

The jacket sizes run true; I typically wear a size large jacket, and the size large Rockland Jacket fit me perfectly. No need to order a size larger or smaller to get the jacket to fit properly.

Adjustments abound for the Rockland jacket: the neck and sleeves have adjustable snaps, hook and loop material seals up the sleeves, there are adjustable straps for a snug fit in the torso, and the lower hem has an elastic cord sewn in that can be tightened to stop a breeze blowing up your jacket. The adjustment snaps are quality items; they hold in place with confidence. The adjustable straps however came loose easily, and the buckles tended to dig into my sides when I moved. This was much more noticeable when I wasn’t wearing the inner liners.

The shoulders and elbows are armored, but the jacket does not come with a back protector. There is a mesh pocket to install a back protector but installing one would definitely interfere with the jacket’s ability to vent hot air.

While the Rockland Jacket itself is waterproof, it also has two inner liners, a waterproof breathable liner, and a separate thermal insulating liner. The waterproof liner (which Oxford refers to as their “Dry2Dry moisture management system”) is effective at keeping you dry, however with the waterproof liner in place, the jacket doesn’t ventilate well. The waterproof layer is breathable, so in theory is lets moisture out so you don’t get too sweaty wearing the jacket. It wasn’t particularly warm during my test, so I didn’t really get a chance to try out this technology. However, I can tell you that when the Dry2Dry liner is combined with the insulating liner, I was very warm while riding.

One downside of having two inner liners is that you are not shedding layers or adding them back into the jacket quickly. Although having two liners makes this a true all-weather jacket solution, the variety of snaps and fasteners required to remove or install the liners is a complex job. Pay attention to how you take it off, because the liners must go back in the same way!

There are many pockets, particularly considering the amount of space on the jacket which is dedicated to vents. There are two cargo pockets on the lower front of the jacket shell and one large mesh pocket on the lower back part of the jacket meant for drying out wet gloves or other apparel. The front cargo pockets are divided into two pockets each, and only one of the pockets has a zipper. The others are all closed with hook and loop fasteners and snaps. The waterproof Dry2Dry liner has an inner pocket that closes with hook and loop, and the thermal liner has a mesh inner pocket which is rather loose and not very secure. I wouldn’t put anything too valuable in it.

The Rockland Jacket has a zipper sewn into the lower back to connect to Rockland Pants (or most other Oxford pants), and it has reflective strips up high on the jacket to make you more visible when riding at night.

While the liners make the Rockland Jacket a little fiddly, I think the versatility they offer makes this jacket a great solution for your next extended ride. I certainly plan to take it on my next trip to the mountains; I think it will be the best solution for those rides with cool mornings, hot afternoons, and the ever-present chance of rain.