RECON: A look at the Triple Aught Design Tracer Jacket
When I saw the release of the Tracer Jacket a month or so ago in our much anticipated Friday newsletter, I have to admit, I was on the fence. I wasn’t sure what it was. Like the name of the green colorway “Leviathan” implies, it was a mysterious sea monster the likes of which we’d never seen. I was confused about it but scared that if I didn’t buy it I would regret it. I still wasn’t sure if I needed it badly enough to add to my already overcrowded collection of TAD outerwear. After traveling to SF for the Dogpatch Warehouse Sale and seeing one in person, my fears were realized. The jacket was awesome and I should’ve bought one. Sadly there were no medium black Tracers to be found anywhere in San Francisco. As soon as I returned home and the stock was replenished, I purchased a Tracer.
It’s a bit odd because you don’t quite know what to make of it. Is it a jacket? Is it a sweater? Yes and Yes. It’s sort of like a Flux and a Garage Jacket had wild drunken night, but then a pair of F10 AC pants got involved. Not sure what TAD meant by the first run of the “limited edition” so that added to the mystique of this article of clothing. Will the next run be a different material? Who knows?
The majority of the “limited edition” Tracer’s material is made of this fancy new fiber sourced in Italy that I think is a blend of Merino, Polyester and Elastane. TAD states it as “a unique double face stretch fabric made on a special knitting machine”. I don’t know what sort of machine it is but it makes awesome. The other parts of the jacket like the samurai shoulders and elbow panels are protected by the nylon AC type material that we all know and love.
The zipper pulls are new and improved. They are these tiny cylindrically shaped pulls with “000” molded on there. All I could think to myself was, “how cool is that?”
“Samurai shoulders” you ask? The inspiration for the shoulder area was apparently the articulated shoulder armor that the elite Japanese warriors wore to keep them protected without sacrificing mobility. The shoulder panels, made of the nylon cover the top of the shoulder and continue down covering the upper arm pockets. The interior of the jacket is brushed polyester and is as soft as angel cheeks. This jacket is not light on pockets. One reason we love TAD is for it’s generous helpings of pockets. There are a total of 8 pockets. That is if I didn’t miss a secret pocket or two. There’s the high chest pocket that is similar to placement of the Equalibrium jacket, which at first glance seems too high for a pocket.
It’s an ample sized pocket and after using it for sunglasses I realized it’s a perfect size and perfect placement. There’s the aforementioned shoulder pockets and the hand pockets which are open. Inside the hand pockets are another set of zipper pockets which are my favorites.
You can secure items in your pockets but still use the hand pockets freely without worrying that you are inadvertently pulling out important items and dropping them accidentally. Then there’s the interior breast pocket that is good for a phone or a pen or whatever else you need close to your heart.
One word to describe the Tracer….Versatility. This jacket is versatile in many ways. You could wear it to the range or wear it out on a date and you will get compliments either way. The merino blend makes it highly adaptive to multiple climates. I have been wearing it steadily since I got it. In Florida’s winter, it is useful in a wide range of temperatures. Wearing it between 40 degrees F to 70 or so I can tell that it breathes well. But it’s also very warm when you need it to be.
The fit is pretty standard as their website states. It fits about the same as a Stealth LT, perhaps a bit more generous in the chest. I could however be deceived by the elastane stretch material which allows for a more contoured streamlined fit, without being too tight.
Gone are the thumb holes from this jacket, but TAD has made the sleeve length a big longer to compensate for that. When you lift your arms above your head, the sleeves don’t ride.
It’s a slight departure from TAD’s heritage of tactically inspired gear, but it seems that is where the latest styles in the industry are going and I can’t say it bothers me much. I don’t feel it stands out in a crowd, even in the patched version. It’s a good mix of tactical and practical.
It’s just a really sharp jacket. If you’re on the fence, get off, because you will miss your chance at a really awesome piece of kit.