Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat Review

Insulated canvas work jacket for men and women.

Another lifetime ago I bought a heavy-duty, wool-lined canvas work jacket from a dry goods store in rural Minnesota. I wore that jacket for years and years for all my chores: working on my car, shoveling show, and working on the yard in cold weather. I loved that jacket, but . . . I always wished it was a brighter color. Brown kinda brought me down. In my search for a more colorful replacement work coat, I found Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat.

Warm and Protective

Made of out heavy cotton duck canvas fabric and lined with a lightweight, quilted, insulated cotton flannel, the Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat is warm, comfortable, and built for hard work. The coat has a relaxed fit that makes it feel quite baggy, but I don’t mind the loose fit because I like having room for layering. I can wear a hoodie and vest underneath the coat or a thin, hooded insulation jacket. 

The Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat works well in wet weather, which I appreciate since I most often wear it for outdoor projects in the cold, wet winter months in Seattle. It has a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish that has done a good job of keeping me dry in light rain and drizzle. I really appreciate the articulated sleeves that give me some ease of movement in my arms. 

There is some break-in time for the Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat. It’s quite a stiff jacket because of the duck fabric, and I don’t want to wash it too often because of the DWR finish. The fabric is softening over time, and already feels more comfortable. I had to wear it a few times to get used to the different style and fit since I most often wear lightweight nylon jackets. 

Durable and Functional

The Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat is well-made, with double top-stitched hems and seams, waxed canvas on high wear areas (shoulders, collar, pocket flaps), and a sturdy front zipper. I like that the coat has weather a protective strip under the zipper for comfort and to block out the weather. There’s also a protective flap containing the tops of the snaps, so there are two layers of fabric between me and the weather. I appreciate having options about how I close the coat. When I’m in a hurry or need more ventilation, I use the snaps. When it’s cold I use the zipper or both zipper and snaps. 

I also like Waxed Canvas Chore Coat’s pocket options. I can stash a lot of items into the large snap-to-close side pockets, such as my large phone, my key lanyard, and other essentials. There are side-entry hand warmer pockets underneath these pockets that I use when the top pockets are empty. When the top pockets are full I use the smaller hand warming side pockets located above the main pockets. (One thing I don’t like is the lining of these smaller side pockets. It’s a small thing, but I wish these pockets were lined with the same cotton flannel that’s inside the jacket). There’s also a flat pocket on the inside of the jacket that seals closed with a Velcro tab and a snap-to-close hidden pocket on the back hem.

Bottom Line

Overall, I’ve been very happy with the Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat. It’s quite durable and stands up well to dirt, rain, and scrapes. It’s well-insulated for 40 degree F weather, and it has room for layering underneath when the temperatures drop. I like the soft feel of the quilted lining, as well as the warmth it provides. The articulated sleeves are key for ease of movement. I tested a women’s jacket, and found a great fit in my usual size.

I love the two-tone blue colors so much. For a work jacket, the the Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat is quite attractive, and I enjoy having a work jacket in a bright color (it’s also available in brown). There are a few sweet elements with contrast colored (red) stitching that really pop against the blue. I’d love to see it used more on the outside of the jacket to pump up the style factor. 

Details

The Dickie’s Waxed Canvas Chore Coat is available in:

Men’s sizes S-3XL in Airforce Blue, Brown Duck, Moss Green. 

Women’s sizes XS-2XL in two colors: Airforce Blue and Brown Duck. 

$159.99 women’s coat, $159.99 – $162.99 men’s coat.