Many of us grew to love the Carhartt J130 Jacket. The Sandstone Duck Cotton Canvas shell was micro-sanded and pre-washed to give it a brushed, broken-in feeling even on the first wear, and the quilted-flannel lining was comfortable and one of Carhartt’s warmest linings.
If you recently started shopping for a new Carhartt jacket, and can’t find the J130 in stock, you might be wondering if they still make it – does Carhartt still make the J130 jacket?
UPDATE: The answer is yes and no. No, Carhartt does not make the J130 Sandstone Jacket anymore. But, yes, they do offer an updated version of the J130 jacket, now known as the Loose Fit Washed Duck Insulated Active Jac (style 104050). This updated version uses a washed duck canvas shell instead of the sandstone shell, and uses a quilted-nylon lining instead of the quilted-flannel lining.
To confirm this change, I reached out to Carhartt customer service, and they responded by telling me that “Unfortunately, we recently made the decision to discontinue our Sandstone duck line. The closest line to our Sandstone duck would be the Washed duck products.”
This updated version of the J130, style 104050, uses the Washed Duck Canvas, which has some similarities to the Sandstone Canvas shell. Both the Washed Duck and the Sandstone Duck are pre-washed to help break the fabric in, but the Sandstone Duck also used the micro-sanding process to help soften the canvas, and the Washed Duck does not use this micro-sanding process.
I’ve worn the old J130 for several years but have also tried this updated version, style 104050. In this article I want to compare the J130 vs 104050 jacket to help you understand the differences. I also want to discuss some alternatives in case you want to shop around.
Carhartt J130 vs 104050 Jacket
Carhartt jacket style 104050 is an update to the J130 jacket, which was the very popular Carhartt Sandstone Active Jacket. Overall, the design is similar in that the new version has a full front zip and an attached hood just like the J130 did. Here I am wearing both:
Carhartt J130 Jacket
Carhartt 104050 Jacket
But even though the designs are similar, there are also some significant differences. The outer shell is different, the inner lining is different, and the sleeves are different. Let’s discuss these one by one.
Outer Shell Difference
The J130 used the Sandstone Duck shell, and the 104050 uses the Washed Duck shell. The good news is just like the Sandstone Duck, the Washed Duck is pre-washed. This pre-washing process helps break the canvas fabric in and gives it that worn-in feeling on the first wear.
But the major difference here is the Sandstone Duck, in addition to the pre-washing, used a micro-sanding process to give the fabric a brushed, weathered look. Not only did this give the apparel a sort of rustic look, it also added some softness to the fabric itself.
Washed Duck Sandstone Duck
As you can see above, the Sandstone Duck on the right has a more weathered look from that micro-sanding process. The Washed Duck line of apparel does use the pre-washing process, but the Washed Duck does not use the micro-sanding process, and therefore does not have that brushed, weathered appearance that the Sandstone Duck had.
Sometimes all the different canvas outer-shell fabrics can get confusing. If you are trying to understand the different Carhartt outer shell fabrics, here’s what you need to know:
| Outer Fabric Duck | Details |
| Extremes Nylon | Toughest; Wind/Water Resistant |
| Firm Cotton | Toughest Cotton; Wind/Water Res. |
| Traditional Cotton | 2nd-Toughest Cotton Shell |
| Washed Cotton | Durable, but Pre-Washed |
| Sandstone Cotton* | Durable, but Pre-Washed/Sanded |
| Quick Duck | Lightweight, Flexible Blend |
As we have discussed, the Washed Cotton Duck does have some similarities to the Sandstone Cotton Duck. But the Carhartt Quick Duck line of products is another good option that is very flexible and does not feel stiff. The Quick Duck is a canvas fabric blend that weighs less than other types of canvas duck.
Inner Lining Difference
The J130 Jacket had a quilted-flannel lining. The quilted flannel has always been my favorite lining and is one of the warmest linings that Carhartt offers (it is still used in the J140 jacket). Here’s what the quilted flannel lining looks like:
The quilted nylon lining does look and feel a bit different. Here’s what the quilted-nylon lining looks like in the Carhartt 104050 (updated J130):
Having worn both the old J130 and this new version, the warmth is similar. As you probably know, Carhartt does not assign a temperature rating to their products, which makes it a bit more complicated to find the right jacket. I can’t give a temperature rating either, but I’d probably say the original J130 was slightly warmer (warmest Carhartt work jackets).
This new jacket (style 104050) is also warm and isn’t as bulky to wear, and in my opinion can handle moderate winter conditions. But, again, it doesn’t have that flannel lining that the old J130 had. If you prefer a flannel lining, visit my article about the best flannel lined canvas jackets.
This new version style 104050 uses 80g of 3M Thinsulate as insulation. 3M Thinsulate is a popular synthetic insulation to use in workwear because it is very good at trapping heat, but is lightweight and non-bulky. To read about more winter options visit our article about the best winter workwear jackets.
Storm Cuff Sleeves Difference
Overall, the design is similar in these two jackets. Both versions have a sort of hooded bomber style, with a full-front zip and an attached hood. Here is the design of my Carhart 104050 jacket:
But it’s important to note that this new version has storm cuff sleeves which the old J130 did not. In the photo below, you can see how the storm flaps extend past the cuffs on my wrists to help keep the weather off the wrists and prevent water from getting into the jacket:
In my experience, this new version fits true to size, but has a loose fit. Here’s my size medium Carhartt 104050 compared to a size medium t-shirt:
Overall this updated version of the Carhartt Sandstone J130 is a very comfortable Carhartt jacket and is suitable for moderate winter conditions. If you are replacing your old Carhartt Sandstone J130 Jacket, this updated version still gives you that classic Carhartt Active Jacket design, with a shell that has been pre-washed for comfort.
Alternatives to the Carhartt J130 Jacket
Carhartt J140 Jacket
The J140 flannel lined canvas jacket is my favorite Carhartt jacket. This jacket is designed almost exactly like the old Carhartt J130 jacket, only this jacket uses a firm duck canvas shell instead of the sandstone duck shell (best Carhartt duck jackets).
Perhaps this difference in shell is a deal breaker for you since the firm duck canvas can be very stiff at first. Let me just say this: in my experience, once I break in the J140, it feels just like the J130. The canvas is very comfortable and does not feel stiff once you work in it for a while.
For example, look at my old J140 here sitting on top of my new J140. The shell definitely softens out over time:
This J140 jacket uses the quilted flannel lining that was also used in the old J130 jackets. And the design is basically the exact same with the cuffed waist, attached hood, and traditional cuffed sleeves. The J140 is a very durable and warm winter jacket. To read more, visit my article about the Carhartt J140 jacket.
Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket
Dri Duck is an apparel company based in Kansas, and is a nice alternative to Carhartt. I think the Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket has one of the softest canvas shells that I have tried. It is styled very similar to Carhartt Active Jackets in that it has a cuffed waist, cuffed sleeves, attached hood and a full-zip front.
I think this will be a nice option for those of you who want to find an ultra-comfortable canvas work jacket to replace the Carhartt Sandstone Duck Jackets. In my experience, this jacket fits true to size, but isn’t quite as loose as Carhartt Active Jackets. I’d recommend ordering your normal sizing for this Dri Duck jacket, but if you prefer a loose, baggy fit, you may need to size up.
It’s tough to compare warmth, because none of these companies publish temperature ratings, but I think this Dri Duck Cheyenne Jacket is capable of handling moderate, but not extreme, winter conditions. I wear it in Kansas and it meets my needs (Dri Duck vs Carhartt). This Cheyenne Jacket is a nice replacement to the Carhartt J130 Jacket.