Photos by Nathan Michael.

Remember that T-Pain song about being in love with a stripper? Replace the lil’ mama that’s poppin’ and rollin’ with a Seattle-made, vintage-inspired rain coat, and that’s exactly how I feel about my new Freeman Jacket from Freeman Seattle. Made from two-ply waterproof / breathable nylon, the jacket offers all the protection of any comparably priced technical piece, but, thanks to its classic styling and slim-fit, it does so in a much handsomer way.

The jacket’s most impressive detail is its hood. When tightened it takes on a shape similar to a six-panel cap. Not only does this provide greater protection from the elements, it also means the hoods moves with you, making it ideal for rainy bike rides.

The flannel lining is a great touch. It’s super soft, prevents that clammy feeling nylon jackets tend to get, and, it adds just enough weight to make the jacket a viable stand-alone option for moderate days (ie, no extra layers required).

As for pockets, there’s one internal chest, and two outer hip. All are flannel lined. I wouldn’t hate to see the addition of a zipper to the internal pocket, but by no means is the lack of one a deal-breaker.

And lastly, there’s the fit, which is based on chest measurement (like a suit jacket). I purposely sized up one, so I could layer for winter biking, and I’m very pleased.

If I could change anything, it would be the addition of buttons or Velcro to the storm flap – sometimes you don’t want your jacket flapping in the wind, but you don’t want to zip it all the way up either. Otherwise, the jacket’s slidin’ up and down dat pole and got me mesmerized. You know what, on second thought, maybe that song isn’t the best analogy. Either way, the Freeman Jacket is great.

Big thanks to the guys at Huckberry for the hook-up.

And an equally big thanks to Nathan Michael for the photo help.

For price and purchase info, visit Freeman Seattle.