Wool shirt jackets provide both warmth and breathability, and can offer more natural weather protection than cotton. I like the Filson Wool Jac Shirt because it has a clean style that looks good both in a field and on a barstool. It’s a versatile jacket that can be worn practically anywhere.
Filson first introduced this wool jacket to their clothing line over 50 years ago. Its popularity and design has kept it on the market for multiple generations. It is made using durable 18-ounce wool and is sewn in Filson’s USA facility to ensure quality.
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Here are my choices for the best wool shirt jackets:
- Filson Made in USA Unlined 100% Wool Jac-Shirt (click here to view)
- Filson Flannel-Lined Mackinaw Plaid Wool Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- Pendleton Men’s Quilt-Lined Wool CPO Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- LL Bean Men’s Maine Wool Guide Shirt with PrimaLoft (click here to view)
- Smartwool Men’s Anchor Line Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- LL Bean Men’s Maine Wool Zip-Front Guide Shirt Jac (click here to view)
- Pendleton Men’s Classic-fit Board Overshirt (click here to view)
- LL Bean Men’s Unlined Maine Wool Guide Shirt Jac (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Pendleton Cardwell Button-Front Wool Jacquard Jacket (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Filson Made in USA 100% Wool Unlined Jac-Shirt (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Pendleton Wool Women’s “Board” Overshirt (click here to view)
Almost all wool shirt jacs come with chest pockets for storage. Some options, like the Topo Designs jacket on our list, have oversized chest pockets for extra storage space. The biggest thing you will need to consider regarding pockets, is do you want handwarmer pockets? Not all the options have handwarmer pockets.
Wool shirt jackets come in both lined and unlined versions. The unlined options are still warm and capable of keeping your warm during a cool fall or spring day. For winter conditions, you will want to turn to a lined wool jacket unless you plan to use this shirt jacket as a layering piece under your winter coat.
Many of these shirt jackets are made using 100% wool, but there are also options that use a wool blend. Sometimes wool is blended with polyester, or other fabrics. These wool blend shirt jackets often do not need to be dry cleaned, which makes product care a little bit easier.
In this article let’s take a closer look at the best wool shirt jackets so you can find an option that fits your needs. Let’s also discuss several things to consider when buying these types of shirt jackets. If you want to explore more options, visit our article about the best wool work coats.
Best Wool Shirt Jackets
Filson Made in USA 100% Wool Jac-Shirt
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.
Modern day, they’ve transitioned into a company that provides a wide range of outdoor gear (not just workwear). Their gear can be worn by fisherman, loggers, miners, engineers, explorers, and even just everyday folk looking for rugged casualwear.
This is what the Filson Wool Shirt Jac looks like available at Filson.com (affiliate link takes you to filson.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:
- Material – This Filson wool plaid shirt jacket is made using 18-ounce wool. It is made with 100% wool and does not use a wool blend. This jacket is warm enough to be worn as an outer layer on its own, but also functions nicely as a layer underneath a work jacket. It is sewn in Filson’s Seattle facility using imported parts.
- Design – This Filson shirt jacket has a rugged, but casual design that blends in nicely anywhere from a field to a barstool. It has a straight hem that looks good untucked. It features two flap-close chest pockets with a traditional button-front design. This is a Filson classic – they first introduced this wool shirt jac to their line of apparel over 50 years ago.
- Weather Protection – This Filson wool shirt jacket is wind-resistant and can insulate in both wet and dry conditions. The wool fabric is naturally water-repellent to help keep you dry on those cool, rainy days.
Click here to buy this Filson wool shirt jac available at Filson.com (affiliate link takes you to Filson.com). This jacket needs to be dry cleaned. This jacket is made in the USA (see which Filson clothes are made in the USA).
Pendleton Men’s Quilt-Lined Wool CPO Shirt Jacket
The Filson shirt we discussed first is an unlined wool jacket. This Pendleton wool CPO shirt jacket is different in that it also has a quilted lining with poly-fil insulation for extra warmth. This will be a nice option for colder climates.
Here’s what this Pendleton wool CPO shirt jacket looks like:
This is the current price of this Pendleton wool shirt jac available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:
- Material – This Pendleton shirt jacket is made using 100% wool. Just like the Filson shirt jacket we discussed first, this Pendleton shirt jacket is woven here in the USA.
- Insulation – What makes this shirt jacket different than the Filson shirt jacket we discussed first is the lining. This Pendleton jacket has a quilt-lining that has poly-fil insulation for warmth (best insulated shirt jackets). The Filson shirt jac we discussed first in unlined.
- Design – This Pendleton jacket has a CPO design, with a full button front and button-close chest pockets. The main design differences between this shirt jacket and the Filson jacket we discussed first, is this Pendleton shirt jacket has the quilt lining, a rounded hem, and the buttons on the chest pockets are visible from the outside.
Click here to buy this Pendleton wool shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This jacket needs to be dry cleaned.
Topo Designs Wool Shirt Jacket
Topo Designs is a Colorado-based apparel company focused on providing dependable clothing and gear for an outdoor lifestyle. This wool shirt has an over-shirt design and has extra large chest pockets for convenient storage.
This is what the Topo Designs wool shirt looks like available at Topodesigns.com (affiliate link takes you to filson.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:
- Material – This Topo Designs wool jacket uses a recycled wool blend that is sourced from Italy. This shirt does have a lightweight inner lining to help provide additional warmth. Because this jacket uses a recycled wool blend, it is machine washable.
- Design – One thing that makes this Topo Designs wool jacket stand out in comparison to other options on the market today is this jacket comes with side-seam hand-warmer pockets. It also has extra-large chest pockets to give you additional space to store essentials while you are on the go. This jacket has a squared-hem design.
- Fit – This shirt jacket has a large, oversized fit so that it can be worn as a jacket on top of other clothes. But because it is reasonably thin, it also functions nicely as a layer under a winter work jacket.
Click here to buy this Topo Designs wool shirt jac available at TopoDesigns.com (affiliate link takes you to TopoDesigns.com). This jacket does not need to be dry cleaned.
Other Wool Shirt Jackets to Consider
- LL Bean Men’s Maine Wool Guide Shirt with PrimaLoft – Looking for a warm wool shirt jac for colder environments? This LLBean Maine Wool Guide Shirt has a quilt lining with Primaloft insulation to help keep you warm. It has a traditional design with a button front and two flap-close chest pockets. This jacket is also available in tall sizing. Click here to view this LL Bean men’s wool guide shirt jacket (affiliate link takes you to llbean.com).
- Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. Riverton Wool Shirt Jac – This Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. Riverton Wool Shirt Jac is made with a polyester and wool blend. It features two hand-warming pockets, but is unlined. It has a rounded hem and has two flap-close chest pockets for storage. Click here to view this Buffalo Jackson wool shirt jac at buffalojackson.com.
- Women’s Filson Made in USA 100% Wool Jac-Shirt – Filson does offer their popular wool shirt jac in a women’s version. Just like the men’s, this women’s version uses 18-ounce wool and is sewn in Filson’s USA facility. But this women’s version has some unique details, like side hand-warmer pockets and extra weather protection around the shoulders and chest to keep rain out of the pockets. Click here to view this Filson women’s wool shirt jacket (affiliate link takes you to Filson.com).
5 Things to Consider When Buying Wool Shirt Jackets
Warmth
We all know wool is very good at naturally repelling rain, but what about warmth? How warm do you need you wool shirt-jac to be?
Even unlined wool jackets can provide adequate warmth on a cool fall or spring day. But if you need something for winter, buying an insulated wool shirt jac might be your best option. For example, the LL Bean Wool Guide Shirt Jacket on our list uses Primaloft as insulation so it can take on colder environments.
If you are looking for a shirt jacket to wear in colder environments, you might also consider a Sherpa-lined shirt jacket. And, of course, there are also several types of flannel shirt jackets with lining that offer premium warmth.
To read specifically about merino wool, visit our article that discusses the warmth of merino wool.
Pockets
Almost all wool shirt jackets come with chest pockets for storage. Some options, like the Topo Designs jacket on our list, have oversized chest pockets for extra storage space. The biggest thing you will need to consider regarding pockets, is do you want handwarmer pockets? Not all the options have handwarmer pockets.
Durability
Will you be using this wool shirt for work? If so, would you be interested in something more durable? Wool has many good qualities that are useful for workwear, like being naturally water-repellent and stain-resistant. But if you need something ultra durable, would a canvas shirt jacket be a better option?
Canvas shirt jackets are made with durable cotton canvas outer shell fabric that is more abrasion-resistant than other materials. You can find both lined and unlined canvas shirt jackets. To read more, visit our article about the best canvas shirt jackets.
I also like to wear the Filson Hyder Jacket which uses a durable, quilted outer shell fabric. To read more, visit my article about the best quilted shirt jackets for winter.
Product Care
Most wool jackets will need to be dry cleaned and cannot be machine washed. There are certain types of wool shirts that use a wool fabric blend (often blended with polyester) that make the shirt machine washable.
If you need a machine washable option, the Topo Designs wool shirt on our list is machine washable and does not need to be dry cleaned. If you prefer a casual shirt jacket, but would like it to be machine washable, then I’d recommend considering a corduroy shirt jacket.
Design
Do you want a rounded hem or a squared hem? Sometimes a squared hem can look a little cleaner, but the rounded hem has a more traditional style.
Most shirt jackets have a button-front design, but there are exceptions. For example, LL Bean offers their popular Maine Wool Guide Shirt Jacket in a zip-front version. Click here to view this LL Bean zip-front wool shirt jacket (affiliate link takes you to llbean.com). To read about more zip-up options, visit our article about the best zip shirt jackets.