SMOKING JACKET? ENOLA GAYE TECH ONE REVIEW!

Over the winter months, I have been searching for a lightweight softshell that is both affordable and weather resistant. After sampling a few jackets from different brands I’ve found a suitable, affordable soft shell from an unlikely source – Enola Gaye!


Enola Gaye is the worldwide leading pyrotechnics manufacturer – covering airsoft/milsim, simulation, training and their products have even been featured in blockbuster films such as King Kong. There’s no denying that their products are the best in the biz and their branding is impeccable! Since discovering EG in 2016, their soft goods so far have been pretty much my daily apparel but can a company that primarily produces things that go boom, give us practical apparel for our sport? That’s exactly what they’ve done with the TechOne jacket.

What are the features of the TechOne? It is a windproof, semi-water resistant softshell jacket with 2 x zip pockets too, and I quote ‘keep your sh*t safe’ and a high collar to protect your neck from wind and of course those ‘unexpected knife slashes’. The pockets have textured zip pulls which makes them easy to manipulate even in adverse weather and with gloves on. The inner lining has a fleece-like feel which is comfortable on the skin and helps keep you warm, as it is still lightweight it’s pretty comfy to wear in the British springtime when the weather is a little warmer. The jacket also features loop Velcro on both arms, ready for the player’s favourite patches.



How is the fit? I have both the TechTwo jacket (model with the hood) in grey and the TechOne in black from EG and I will say the fit on the TechOne is much better in my opinion, I opted for a size small and the garment is true to size. It fits well around my shoulders and is roomy without being baggy, unlike the TechTwo it isn’t too long in the body and the arms are a good length as they end just past my wrists. It also features Velcro cuffs to adjust the fit on the wrists and also to keep any drafts out. Overall, I’m really happy with the fit!



The TechOne jacket from EG comes in a few colourways including Tan, Grey, Black and Olive so there’s a colour to suit any loadout, unfortunately, they don’t come in any camouflage options yet which is a development that I would really like to see! In regards to size, it is available in small (which is the size I opted for) all the way up to an extra-large, so the size range is inclusive.

The TechOne jacket retails at £39.00 from Enola Gaye’s website which is a really good price point on a windproof and semi water resistant softshell, cheap enough to have one for each loadout, which is my plan. One development I would love to see on the Tech jacket line is underarm zippers to cool down the body during game days!

Hardwick, K. (2018) Smoking Jacket?. Airsoft Action. 89 (July), 63.
Photo credit: Daniel Castro Photo
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