Brunt Workwear Winter Gear Review
Stay a little warmer outdoors this winter
Back over the summer, we reviewed a pair of pants from Brunt Workwear (the Costello Tech Pants, here). Those were lighter-weight, and perfect for the warmer temps of summertime. Now that we’re firmly in the grip of winter temps, you’ll be looking at something a bit warmer. So, I’ve been spending time with two items from their winter line: the Shevlin 1/4 Zip Hoodie, and the Torra Lined Pants.
Why Brunt Workwear?
That’s the first thing we should talk about, I suppose. I mean, you’ve got a lot of workwear options out there, especially from the bigger brands, or even the off-brand stuff you can find at your local big-box store. Well, for one, Brunt is working with actual crafts- and tradespeople that put these things to use. The names of the Shevlin and Costello? Named after the people who helped inspire the designs. These are people who put their gear to hard use, and are helping guide what these ended up being, putting the things in that they couldn’t find in other gear.
Secondly, I’ve been quite impressed with every piece of gear from Brunt that I’ve handled. From lighter-weight items through to boots, a jacket, and now this winter gear, I’ve liked what I’ve seen. The construction has been top-notch (no loose threads or stitches yet), and they’ve held up quite nicely to the outdoors activities and yard work that I’ve thrown at them.
The Shevlin 1/4 Zip Hoodie
One item that just about everyone is going to be reaching for in the winter is a good hoodie. They’re comfortable, they’re familiar, and they keep you warm. Now, for myself, I can sometimes get a bit too warm in them. However, with this 1/4 zip version, you can zip it down, and let some heat out. Or, if you’re headed out into the deep freeze, you can zip it right on up, and protect your neck a bit.
Now, other than the 1/4 zip, what else is different about the Shevlin? For starters, it’s got a DWR coating on it that will help it resist getting wet if you get caught out in the rain (or snow); as an added benefit, it also helps keep stains out.
Next up, let’s talk about that kangaroo pocket. There’s actually another pocket inside that (against your body), which helps for organization. In other words, you can put your wallet, phone, or keys in there, and not worry about it slipping out of the large pocket without you noticing.
Finally, there’s that hood. Given the intended purpose of the Shevlin, that hood is built to fit on over a hardhat. As you can see in the photos, I just had it going over a beanie. With the extra room, you can see it pulls forward some, actually allowing it to shield your face a bit more - helpful for if you’re out in the snow.
The Torra Lined Pants
Right out of the gate, the Torra pants were very familiar. In fact, they looked more than a little familiar, as it has the same drop-in pocket on the right leg that we saw on the Costello Tech Pants. Obviously, it’s something a bit more substantial than rip-stop material used here. Here, it’s an 8.5 oz cotton/nylon/spandex blend that feels like a softer canvas, and of course has some stretch. It’s got reinforced points on the pockets for where you’d clip tools (or a pocket knife) on, and also a DWR coating to help keep you dry.
Along with the heavier material for the outer layer, you’ve got that soft fleece inner layer as well. As you can see in that photo gallery above, it’s patterned (like the Brunt logo). Why? Ostensibly, it’s to help with airflow. When you’ve got an insulated layer like this, it can be easy to get overheated and sweaty, and when you get wet, you get cold. This should help keep the air moving, helping you stay warm and dry. Oh, and along with the stretch, you’ve got articulated knees, which gives you some excellent freedom of movement.
Putting the gear to the test
That’s where the real proof comes in. Now, because I’m not on a jobsite, my testing is a little bit different. Of course, the easiest thing to do was just to put the Shevlin and Torra on, and then go down in my basement for an at-home work day. And yeah, it was warm and comfortable. But that’s not really pressing these.
So, the first real test was right before we got walloped with some snow. We were heading out to look at a used vehicle, so I layered these on, knowing I was going to be outside bit. Stayed plenty warm, and didn’t have any issues with I needed to get down on the pavement to look at something under the vehicle.
Then we came to what was probably the most realistic test - I headed out for my second day in a row of clearing snow. Instead of layering up with multiples, it was just the Torra pants (and some snow boots), the Shevlin over a t-shirt, and then a jacket over that, plus some gloves and a hat. Despite having less gear on than I normally do, I was plenty warm, and was unzipping the jacket and the Shevlin after not too long. So, yeah, if you’re active, you’ll be plenty comfortable. With the DWR coating, that also made brushing off the snow that accumulated a cinch. And even if you didn’t get it all, it’s not going to soak in.
Wrapping things up
As with everything that I’ve handled so far from Brunt Workwear, I came away quite pleased with my experience with both the hoodie and the pants. Frankly, I’m anticipating them becoming a part of the regular winter rotation, especially when I need to be headed out into the yard or garage to work on something.
Both of these items are available in a variety of colors, and actually some differences in construction as well. For example, the Torra Pants can be gotten unlined, and the Shevlin can be gotten without a zipper, or as a full-zip, for example. As reviewed here, the Brunt Shevlin 1/4 Zip Hoodie runs $69.99, and the Torra Lined Pants are $79.99. I’ve got those product pages linked right there, or you can also just go to the main site and see the full range. bruntworkwear.com
Key Features
Shevlin 1/4 Zip
Quarter Zip Hoodie
Comfortable Midweight Fabric
Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Finish
Hard Hat-Compatible Hood
Zip Collar
Dual Hand Pockets
Hidden Tech Pocket
Torra Lined Pants
Versatile & Comfortable
BRUNT Fleece Lining
Two-Way Stretch
Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Finish
Articulated Knees
Drop-in Cell Phone Pocket