This is a Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket review. The Cheyenne Jacket is a popular, more-affordable replacement to the Carhartt Active Jackets. Carhartt is the standard in workwear, very few argue that, but there are several other companies that make similar types of durable winter jackets, and Dri Duck is certainly one of them. Here’s are 4 jackets that might work for you as Carhartt replacements:
- Berne Original Hooded Jacket – Berne is a no-nonsense workwear company whose roots pre-date WW2. Their jackets have a clean, simple, to-the-point style. Expect a durable, dependable, and warm jacket. Heavyweight insulation, heavy-duty duck cotton outer-shell fabric, full-front zip with insulated hood. This jacket has a pleated, bi-swing back for easy movement.
- Walls “Blizzard Pruf” Lancaster Jacket – Walls has been around since the 1930s. They know how to make tough, warm outerwear for workers. Their “Blizzard Pruf” Lancaster Jacket features their warmest insulation inside a tough, duck outer shell fabric. Storm cuff sleeves help keep your wrists warm and dry. The jacket is hooded and water-repellent.
- Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket – This is the jacket we review in this article. This jacket is very comparable to the iconic Carhartt Active Jackets. The DRI-DUCK Cheyenne Jacket features insulate body and hood, full-zip front, cuffed waist, and the tough cotton duck exterior fabric.
- Dri Duck Endeavor Jacket – Another durable and comfortable option by Dri Duck. Collared, no hood. Sherpa-lined for quality warmth without the bulk. Insulated hand pockets which is an awesome bonus (not enough work jackets do this).
If you want to read our full list of potential Carhartt replacements, visit our article Best Carhartt Alternative Brands. Spoiler Alert: The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket is our #1 choice for Carhartt Alternative, so you’re in the right spot.
If you’ve read any of my workwear articles, you will know that I am actually a big fan of Carhartt, and prefer them in most cases. But there are other jackets out there that have similar style, warmth, and functionality, and a more-affordable price point.
Before we go into deep detail, here’s a quick description of what you need to know about the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket. Note: Dri Duck is a workwear company headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas (source).
What You Need To Know
- Style – The style of the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket is very similar to the Carhartt Active Jackets. This is a hooded jacket, with a durable (but comfortable) outer-shell, full-zip front, and a cuffed waist.
- Price – The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket is more affordable than most Carhartt Active Jackets. If you are concerned about price, then the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket makes a lot of sense for you.
- Comfort – Dri Duck prides itself on making comfortable outerwear. They do not believe in stiff jackets. The Cheyenne Jacket has a durable 12-ounce heavyweight cotton shell, but it is pre-washed to give it a worn-in, comfortable feeling off the rack. It gives you toughness without stiffness.
- Insulation – The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket has a Diamond-Quilted brushed tricot-lined body and hood with 3 oz. polyfill insulation. This insulation is capable of keeping you warm in most all winter conditions.
- Fit – The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket has a true-to-size fit. The overall fit of this jacket is very similar to the fit of the Carhartt Active Jackets. Here I am wearing a size medium (6’3″ 200 pounds):
Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket Review: Warmth
Warmth is obviously one of the most important, if not the most important, aspect of this jacket. As mentioned previously, this jacket has a Diamond-Quilted brushed tricot-lined body and hood with 3 oz. polyfill insulation. But what does that mean? Can you expect this jacket to be warm?
The short answer is yes, you can expect this jacket to give you enough warmth to serve as a capable winter jacket in most all US climates. That said, if I was in the extreme northern parts of the US (or Canada), working in potential sub-zero wind chills consistently, I personally would probably opt for Carhartt’s Extremes Arctic Active Jacket (Carhartt’s warmest).
For my region (Kansas), this Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket is plenty warm enough to serve as a go-to winter work jacket. Even if you do live in the extreme northern parts of the US (upper Rockies, Maine, etc), if you don’t spend every working hour outside, then this jacket is more than capable of keeping you warm during the winter months.
But if you do work outside all day, and you do experience extreme winter temperatures frequent to those extreme parts of the US and Canada, then you may want to consider paying up for a premium work jacket that is built for such conditions (just my opinion).
In my Carhartt vs Dri Duck article I do a deep comparison on how the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket stacks up to the Carhartt Active Jackets. Be sure to check that out if you really want to know the detailed differences between these two types of jackets (including how they compare on warmth).
Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket Review: Outer Shell
The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket has a 12-ounce quarry-washed Boulder Cloth canvas outer-shell fabric. Dri Duck prioritizes comfort in their canvas jackets, and the pre-wash effect gives their jackets a worn-in feeling off the rack.
Carhartt, on the other hand, offers both types of shells (firm and pre-washed). With the firm shells, you get a bit more weather and wind protection, but some find the firm shells uncomfortable to wear.
Dri Duck’s emphasis on comfort has made them a very popular workwear option. You can expect their pre-washed fabric to still be durable enough to stand up to most all work conditions, and you don’t have to worry about breaking the jacket in.
Dri Duck Jacket Review: Other Things to Consider
Here are several other aspects of the Cheyenne Jacket you will want to consider, especially if you are comparing this jacket to Carhartt jackets.
Triple-Stitched Seams
The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket has the triple-stitched main seams that have become the expected standard in work outerwear. Here is a look at my Dri Duck Jacket seams compared to a Carhartt Active Jacket I own:
Pleated Elbows
The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket has pleated elbows which gives you added movement in your arms. This is something that the Carhartt Active Jackets do not offer.
Hang Loop
The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket is a little different than the Carhartt Active Jackets when it comes to the hanging loop. Carhartt has their hang loop located in the standard spot (inside the jacket collar under the hood), but the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket has the hanging loop on the outside of the jacket, underneath the hood:
Cuff Material
One thing I really like about the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket is their cuff material. I wish Carhartt would adopt it. The Carhartt material is spongy and, in my opinion, wears loose after a couple seasons. The Dri Duck waist cuff feels much stronger and more dependable. Here are some photos of the Dri Duck cuffs (gray) and Carhartt cuffs (brown):
Pockets
The Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket features the standard hand-warmer pockets on the outside of the jacket, but it also has two pockets on the inside. One is a large pouch pocket, and the other is a button-close pocket which gives you a good place to store your phone:
Conclusion
In most all situations, the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket serves as a perfectly reasonable replacement to a Carhartt Active Jacket. Yes, I still personally consider Carhartt to be the more premium option, but if you are looking to save some money, the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket gives you a dependable and comfortable winter work jacket that won’t break the budget.
***If you are shopping for extreme winterwear, we have a guide that discusses the warmest Carhartt jackets and coats. Visit our article: Warmest Carhartt Jackets.
