Bool flame retardant anti static softshell jacket

This is a flame retardant, anti static softshell jacket from Bool Workwear, built for crews who need both warmth and FR protection on the same shift. The shell is a 360gsm three layer softshell that pairs an inherent FR poly shell fabric with a breathable FR PU layer, so the build aims to keep weather out while still letting the garment breathe.

What sets it apart from an ordinary softshell is that the FR construction runs right through it. The fleece is inherent flame retardant, the thread used in the seams is flame retardant too, and even the zippers are Nomex. It is also insulated for cold conditions, which makes it a jacket you reach for when the work is cold and the hazard profile demands FR rather than a standard insulated layer.

Visibility is built in as well, with segmented FR heat applied reflective tape in an H front and back configuration plus biomotion tape on the sleeves to pick up limb movement. If you want to weigh it against the rest of the range first, you can view the full listing on Done Right Safety.

Deciding whether it suits your site

Start with the hazard, not the weather. The jacket earns its place where flame retardant outerwear is a genuine requirement rather than a preference. The shell, fleece, seam thread and zippers are all built around FR, so the FR behaviour is intended to be consistent across the whole garment rather than relying on one treated panel. If your work does not call for FR, a standard insulated softshell would cover the same cold conditions for less.

The listing does not state a specific Australian standard, an arc rating or a hi vis class, so confirm those on the product page or the manufacturer datasheet before you commit to it for a site that mandates a particular rating. The same goes for the anti static performance: treat it as something to verify against your site requirements rather than assume.

Getting the size and layering right

Because it is an insulated softshell, allow room for the base and mid layers you would normally wear underneath in cold work. The H front and back tape plus the biomotion sleeve tape only do their job if the jacket is worn done up and sitting properly, so a size that closes cleanly over your layers matters for visibility as well as warmth. Check the radio loop sits where you actually clip your handset.

Care and inspection

FR garments rely on their construction staying intact, so inspect the tape, seams and zippers regularly and pull the jacket out of service if the FR fleece or shell is damaged or heavily contaminated. Follow the care instructions on the garment label, since incorrect washing or aggressive additives can affect FR fabrics over time. Confirm the wash and care guidance on the product page or label rather than guessing.

These are like-for-like comparisons against two other same-type jackets in the Done Right Safety range, chosen because they sit at different points on the warmth and construction scale: one is another softshell, the other is a heavily insulated freezer jacket.

The clear separator here is flame retardancy. The Bool jacket is the only one of the three that lists FR construction throughout, so if your site requires FR outerwear it is the natural pick even though the King Gee and Bisley are warmer or lighter in their own ways. The King Gee is the lighter, water resistant softshell in a womens fit, which suits milder cold and general hi vis duties. The Bisley freezer jacket is the warmth specialist, with far heavier insulation and a 10,000mm waterproof rating, but neither it nor the King Gee is described as flame retardant.

So the decision is mostly about hazard and climate. Need FR and cold weather hi vis together, choose the Bool. Want a lighter water resistant softshell for milder conditions, the King Gee fits. Working in genuine freezer or extreme wet cold without an FR requirement, the Bisley carries the most insulation.

On the strength of what the listing tells us, this is a well thought out FR softshell. The FR detailing is consistent rather than token: inherent FR shell and fleece, FR seam thread and Nomex zippers all point to a garment designed to behave predictably in an FR environment, and the 360gsm three layer build with insulation should handle real cold. The H pattern tape and biomotion sleeve taping are sensible additions for low light work.

What the listing confirms is the construction, the insulation, the FR materials and the visibility features. What it does not state is any specific standard, arc rating, hi vis class or a measured waterproof figure, and the anti static claim in the name is not backed by a figure on the listing either. Those are the things to verify on the product page or datasheet before you rely on this jacket for a job with a mandated rating.

For a buyer shortlisting cold weather FR outerwear, it is a strong candidate to have on the list. Just treat the standards and ratings as a confirm-before-you-buy item rather than something already settled.