DeWalt Deluxe Zip Front Class 3 Hoodie

First impressions

I put the DeWalt hi‑vis hoodie into rotation on a shoulder-season utility project—pre-dawn starts, 35–50°F swings, damp air, and a mix of pavement work and light trenching. Right away, it felt like the rare piece that bridges a safety vest and a cold‑weather layer without adding fuss. It’s a true Class 3 garment, so I could ditch the separate vest, and the layout of pockets and the detachable hood made it feel more like a work jacket than a sweatshirt.

Design and build quality

This hoodie uses a soft, hi‑visibility polyester fleece for the body, with black panels at the cuffs and hem. The color blocking is more than a style choice—it hides grime where it shows first. After a week of chalk lines, diesel dust, and a muddy afternoon, the black panels looked presentable while the hi‑vis areas still did their job.

The full‑length front zipper is smooth and adequately chunky—easy to run with gloved hands. The tailored collar rides slightly higher in the back, which helps seal out drafts without rubbing a hard hat strap. The shirt‑tail hem is another thoughtful detail; the extra coverage at the lower back stayed put when I was bending or reaching overhead.

Reflectivity is handled by segmented heat‑transfer tape. The segmentation is worth calling out: it moves with you, reduces that plastic‑panel feeling, and breathes better than solid bands. Brightness is what you expect from an ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 3 garment, with the tape arranged for clear definition around the torso and arms.

The hood is detachable via snaps and adjusts with a draw cord and toggles. It’s sized to sit under or over a hard hat in a pinch, but I found it behaved best under the shell—less wind flap and better visibility to the sides. The snaps feel firm, and the placket hides them well when the hood is off.

Fit, comfort, and mobility

The cut strikes a balance between layering room and a clean profile. Over a base layer and light long‑sleeve, it stayed comfortable without pulling across the shoulders. In a harness, the shirt‑tail hem kept my lower back covered while the higher collar didn’t interfere with hardware. Range of motion is good; the segmented tape and fleece stretch mean you don’t get that “boardy” feeling when reaching or twisting.

Warmth is solid for a fleece—ideal in the high‑30s to mid‑40s while moving. If you’re standing still in wind, you’ll want to add a shell. Breathability is decent for this category. It’s still fleece—work hard enough and you’ll heat up—but I didn’t feel clammy during moderate exertion, which I credit to the segmented tape and the ability to run the zipper down without losing visibility.

Sizing is offered up to 5XL, which is a major plus for outfitting a crew. My piece ran true to size, with enough sleeve length to cover the wrist when reaching.

Visibility where it counts

Class 3 compliance isn’t just about tape quantity; placement and contrast matter. The hi‑vis yellow/black combo creates strong edges in low light, and the segmented reflective tape remains bright at the angles that matter around traffic—headlights pick it up quickly. Early mornings in foggy conditions, I didn’t feel the need to supplement with an additional vest. If your job requires Class 3 explicitly, this satisfies the letter and the spirit of the standard.

Pockets and day‑to‑day usability

Pockets are well executed. The chest cell‑phone pocket holds a modern phone with a slim case; it’s high enough to stay out of the harness chest strap and doesn’t bounce. The lower kangaroo pockets are divided: two open for quick hand warming and two zippered for things you don’t want to lose. I kept a small notebook and keys in the zipped pockets and didn’t worry about them during ladder work.

The zipper pulls are glove‑friendly, and the lower pockets sit low enough not to interfere with a belt or basic pouch setup. If you’re wearing a full tool belt or fall‑protection lanyards across the front, plan on using the chest pocket for essentials.

Durability and care

Fleece will never be as abrasion‑resistant as a canvas or softshell, but this one is holding up well so far. The cuffs and hem—the usual wear points—benefit from that black paneling, and I didn’t notice premature pilling after normal wear. Stitching is tidy, with bar‑tacks at stress points on the pockets.

The heat‑transfer tape adhesion looks and feels secure. After multiple wears and a couple of cold‑wash/air‑dry cycles, the segments stayed flat with no lifting at the edges. I’d avoid hot drying to preserve both the tape and the fleece loft—standard care for safety fleece anyway.

Snaps for the detachable hood are stout, though like any snap system, grit can shorten their life if you constantly pop the hood on and off. If you plan to run hoodless most of the time, remove it once and store it clean.

Weather performance

This is a fleece hoodie, not a rain shell. In mist and light drizzle, it sheds a bit and dries quickly; in a steady rain it will wet out, and the wind will cut through. For blustery, wet days, use it as a mid‑layer under a shell. The hood is shaped well and provides decent face protection without tunneling your vision, but consider a brimmed cap or hard hat for water runoff.

Where it excels is cold‑dry or cold‑damp days when you’re moving: roadwork staging before sunrise, utility marking, warehouse yards with forklift traffic, or shoulder‑season site cleanup.

What could be better

• Water resistance: a DWR on the face fabric would extend comfort in light rain. As-is, plan for a shell when it turns wet.
• Reinforcements: a touch of overlay at elbows would help longevity for ground work.
• Bulk under a vest: you won’t need a vest for Class 3, but if your site enforces a vest anyway, the combined bulk gets warm and fussy. This is best used as the standalone compliance layer.
• Warranty length: the 90‑day limited warranty is standard for apparel but shorter than some workwear brands.

None of these are deal‑breakers in the intended use, but they’re worth noting if you’re rough on layers or frequently working in wet conditions.

Value and use cases

Without quoting prices, the overall package feels fair for a branded, Class 3 fleece with segmented tape and a detachable hood. If you routinely wear a vest over a generic hoodie, this consolidates layers and adds better pocketing. If your work leans toward heavy abrasion or persistent rain, a softshell Class 3 jacket might be a better primary outer layer, with this hoodie in reserve for dry days.

Trades and roles where it makes the most sense:
- Road and traffic control crews needing Class 3 without a separate vest
- Utility locators and survey techs who move a lot and value breathability
- Warehouse and yard workers transitioning between indoor/outdoor tasks
- Supervisors who want compliance and a clean look without a bulky jacket

The bottom line

The DeWalt hi‑vis hoodie checks the right boxes: true ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 3 compliance, smart pocket layout, a detachable hood, and comfort that makes it easy to wear all day. The black panels hide grime where it shows, the segmented tape breathes and flexes, and the fit works alone or as a mid‑layer. It’s not a rain solution and it’s not armor, but for the vast majority of cool‑weather, high‑visibility tasks, it’s a dependable, no‑nonsense layer that reduces gear juggling.

Recommendation: I recommend it. If you need Class 3 visibility in cooler conditions and prefer a comfortable, practical layer over wearing a vest on top of a hoodie, this hits the mark. Pair it with a lightweight shell for wet days and you’ll have a versatile setup that covers a long stretch of the work year.