10 Best Bi Swing Jackets for Added Work Flexibility

A bi swing jacket provides you with more range of motion through your shoulders. Most bi swing jackets have gusset panels on the shoulders which allow your arms to move more freely, and prevent the jacket from feeling like a straight jacket.

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These are our choices for the best bi swing jackets for work:

As I mentioned above, most bi-swing jackets will have a gusset panel on the shoulder, but some may also have an under-arm gusset for additional range of motion. It is also quite common for bi-swing back jackets to have pleated elbows.

In this article let’s take a closer look at the best bi swing jackets so that you can decide which one might work best for you.

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Bi Swing Jacket Meaning

The problem with wearing work jackets and work coats is they can often limit your freedom of movement, and make it very difficult to use your arms effectively. To combat this, many companies offer bi swing jackets that offer greater range of motion.

A bi swing jacket has gusseted panels near the shoulders that allow you to move your arms more freely while wearing the jacket. Some bi swing back jackets will also have under-arm gussets and pleated elbows to offer even more range of motion.

For example, here is a look at the shoulder gussets on my bi swing work jacket:

Here’s a close-up look at the shoulder panel gusset, and the under-arm gusset:

Again, these gusset panels allow you to use you arms more efficiently. It won’t feel like you are wearing a straight jacket while working.

As I mentioned earlier, a bi swing jacket will have the shoulder gusset panel, but not all bi swing jackets will have the under-arm gusset panel. This will vary by brand (mine is a Carhartt Full Swing Jacket).

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Best Bi Swing Back Work Jackets

Carhartt Men’s Full Swing Armstrong Active Jacket

Carhartt has a line of “Full Swing” jackets that use stretch panel gussets to open up freedom of movement through the shoulders and arms, and will be perfect for you if you are looking for a bi swing back jacket for work.

This is what the Carhartt Men’s Full Swing Armstrong Active Jacket looks like:

This is the current price of this Carhartt Men’s Full Swing Armstrong Jacket (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:

• Material – A heavyweight, 12-Ounce 100% ring-spun washed cotton duck gives this jacket durability that lasts.

• Type of Lining – This jacket features a warm, 100% polyester fleece lining. This jacket has an attached, insulated hood.

• Full Swing – This is a Carhartt Full Swing Jacket, which means it uses gusset panels to add range of motion. There is a bi swing back stretch panel between the shoulders for increased ability to use your arms. Additionally, there is a gusset under the arms and also more room to bend in the elbows.

• Pockets – There are a total of five pockets. One left front chest pocket with zipper and two internal chest pockets to help you store essentials.

• Water Resistance – This jacket is not water resistant. This is also not a flame resistant jacket.

Click here to buy this Carhartt Men’s Full Swing Armstrong Jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This Carhartt winter work jacket is available in several different colors.

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Dickies Men’s Rigid Duck Blanket Lined Jacket

Dickies is a trusted name in workwear and well-known for making dependable clothing for a wide range of jobs. They do offer several bi swing work jackets, including this popular blanket-lined duck canvas jacket.

Here’s what this Dickies Men’s Rigid Duck Blanket Lined Jacket looks like:

This is the current price of this Dickies work canvas jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:

• Material – This jacket has a 100% cotton duck canvas outer shell fabric. It has a blanket lining and a corduroy collar.

• Bi-Swing Back – Yes, this jacket has a paneled, bi-swing back that gives you extra freedom of movement while working.

• Pockets – This jacket has two front hand warmer pockets, a zippered front chest pocket, and an internal pocket to safely store essentials.

• Water – This jacket has a water-repellent finish. No, it won’t stand up to a monsoon, but it will repel light precipitation to help keep you warm and dry.

Click here to buy this Dickies corduroy collared canvas jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). To read more about fit, visit our article about Dickies jacket sizing.

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Dickies Men’s Denim Blanket Lined Chore Coat

If you are looking for a chore coat, Dickies has a Denim Blanket-Lined Chore Coat that has a bi swing back. This is what the Dickies denim chore coat looks like:

This is the current price of this Dickies Denim Chore Coat available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this coat:

• Material – This is a 100% cotton (12-ounce) denim coat with a corduroy collar. It is a button front coat, not a zip front coat.

• Lining – This coat has a blanket lining to help keep you warm during the winter months.

• Bi-Swing Back – Yes, this coat has a paneled, bi-swing back that gives you extra freedom of movement while working.

• Pockets – This jacket has four front patch pockets and one interior pocket for storing essentials.

• Drop Tail – As is the case with most all work coats, this coat will drop well past the waist for extra protection. This coat also has storm cuff sleeves to help keep the weather off your wrists.

Click here to buy this Dickies bi swing coat available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This coat will need to be dry cleaned.

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Carhartt Men’s Full Swing Briscoe Jacket

If you are looking for more of a lightweight spring bi swing jacket, then I’d suggest considering the Carhartt Briscoe Jacket. Not only is this jacket made with a lightweight material, it also has back-venting to make sure this jacket is breathable.

Here’s what this Carhartt Briscoe jacket looks like:

This is the current price of this Carhartt Briscoe bi swing work jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:

• Material – This is a 100% (4.5 ounce) nylon jacket. It has a water-repellent finish.

• Lining – This jacket has a mesh lining that dries quickly. This is not a heavyweight winter jacket. It is best for wet spring and fall days, or some mild winter days.

• Bi-Swing Back – Yes, this jacket has a paneled, bi-swing back that gives you extra freedom of movement while working.

• Pockets – This jacket has two hand warmer pockets, two front chest pockets, and one interior pocket.

• Back Vent – This jacket has a back vent that allows some heat to excape while you are working.

Click here to buy this Carhartt Briscoe jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Again, this is a jacket best used in the spring and fall months.

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Filson Tin Cloth Jacket

Filson is a clothing company based in Seattle WA that has a deep-rooted tradition in providing heavy-duty dependable workwear. Their founder, C.C. Filson, opened shop in 1897 and, at that time, specialized in making ultra-tough, ultra-dependable clothing for stampeders heading north for the Klondike Gold Rush.

Making clothes that could hold up in the sub-freezing wilderness meant C.C. Filson couldn’t cut corners, and had to emphasize toughness and dependability. And although the Klondike Gold Rush has long since passed, that tradition of toughness and dependability has carried over to Filson’s current collection of workwear.

Filson has several jackets that have a bi-swing back, including the Filson Tin Cloth Jacket, which is one of their most popular jackets.

This jacket is not lined, but you can buy Filson zip-in liners to go with it for extra warmth. The strength of this jacket is its toughness. This jacket uses a 14-ounce fabric that has an oil-finish to make it extremely abrasion resistant. Special care is needed for these types of jackets; they’re not machine washable.

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Other Bi Swing Jackets to Consider

• Berne Original Washed Chore Coat – Berne is a well-known name in workwear and they have a 100% cotton canvas chore coat that has a bi-swing back. This coat has snaps so you can attach a hood if needed. Plenty of pockets for storage and heavyweight quilt-lined taffeta for warmth. Click here to view this coat at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

• Carhartt Men’s Full Swing Armstrong Jacket – This jacket is a trucker-style jacket with no hood. It has a bi swing back. This is a zip-front jacket with a fleece lining for warmth. It has a washed cotton duck canvas shell which will have a broken-in feeling off the rack. Click here to view this jacket at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

• Walls Men’s Breckenridge Vintage Duck Hooded Jacket – One thing I like about Walls is they make really cool vintage style workwear. This Walls Breckendridge jacket has a vintage, weathered look and, yes, has a bi swing back. It also has a buffalo printed plaid fleece lining which adds to the vintage look. Click here to view this jacket at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

• DRI Duck Men’s Yukon Hooded Water Resistant Work Jacket – DRI-Duck is based out of Kansas and puts an emphasis on making jackets that don’t feel stiff. This is a water-resistant jacket with a bi-swing back. It has a built-in hood and 3-ounce polyfill insulation for warmth. Click here to view this jacket at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

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Best Women’s Bi Swing Jacket for Work

If you are looking for a women’s bi-swing back jacket, then I would suggest considering the Carhartt Women’s Full Swing Caldwell Jacket. Here’s what this jacket looks like:

This is the current price of this Carhartt Women’s Caldwell jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Not only is this a bi swing jacket, but it also has a little bit of spandex mixed into the canvas fabric to give the jacket some stretch.

This jacket comes with a removable sherpa-lined hood and has a fleece lining. It has two hand-warmer pockets, a front zipper chest pocket, and two interior pockets.