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[00:00:00.02] If you do need three jackets for different times of the year, look no further than this jacket. It's one jacket that can do it all.
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[00:00:09.02] Hi, I'm Rob, I'm the Corporate Merch Manager for Outerwear at L.L.Bean. I've worked at L.L.Bean for 13 years. Today, we're in the outerwear workroom, which is really where all the magic happens. This is where merchants deliver concept ideas to product creation teams, and the designers and developers go out and make those concepts a reality.
[00:00:27.09] One of the great things about working in L.L.Bean is the culture, and the outdoor work team is no exception. We all love to get outside and love using our product to do that. We're not going to let any product go to market that we won't be proud to wear on our own.
[00:00:39.21] I'm really excited today to talk about our Wildcat 3 in 1 jacket. The inspiration for this jacket was really to solve the problem of versatility. Maybe one day you need more warmth, and other days, you just need light rain protection.
[00:00:50.85] So as we look to the outside of this jacket on the shell, it's a great two layer, 100% recycled polyester shell, that gives you waterproof protection and breathability. It also doesn't get crinkly when the temperatures get cold. So I wanted this to be soft and pliable for you.
[00:01:07.03] At L.L.Bean we have a testing lab. We, on this jacket have tested for waterproofness, wind proofness, and abrasion resistance to make sure it can hold up to all of the elements. We take a ton of pride in delivering the best product we can. This jacket is feature rich. It's got a helmet compatible hood with a nice fixed brim, and three points of adjustability, both on the back of the hood and also inside of the neck. Great center front zipper, very easy to use, and has a nice windproof flap behind it.
[00:01:36.31] Also, when you do warm up in this jacket in the higher aerobic activities, great pit zips right under the arms, so you can zip it open either way, and just dump a little bit of heat. There's hem adjustability too, so you can cinch that down to keep any powder out, and great adjustability on the cuff, too. It opens nice and wide to get a glove under there, and you can cinch it right down. Great big chest pocket, easily fit a phone or anything else you need, ham pockets. I also love the side pocket on the sleeve, pass pocket, or a credit card pocket.
[00:02:04.24] So what's great about this jacket is it's a 3 in 1 So it does have the zipped in liner. So worn together, you have a waterproof, insulated jacket. So this is both a rain shell and an insulated jacket that can be worn all together, or it can be worn individually, but it's very easy to take apart.
[00:02:20.90] So what we have is a lined jacket that has an inner zipper that can zip all the way out, and then an adjustable clip on the top of the hood and at the cuff. While you're wearing it together, it is seamless, acts as one. And if you'd like to wear them separately, you just unclip and zip out.
[00:02:37.07] It's 100% recycled polyester shell with a pertex quality fabric, which is an industry leading fabric with a mini ripstop design, so that it will stand up to all of the challenges you throw its way. It's insulated with 100 grams of Primaloft insulation. It's a nice alternative to down, and then it still performs even when the product gets wet.
[00:02:56.99] I've always been a big skier, and I've enjoyed skiing up in the Western Maine mountains my entire life. I'll be out there with my kids now teaching them how to ski, and that's one of the joys of my life right now. So every Monday morning, I read all of the reviews that come into the website. We just see all of your feedback as being so important to the process and the evolution of our assortment moving forward.
[00:03:16.52] So, Rob, I have some customer reviews that I want you to take a look at.
[00:03:20.39] This jacket has everything that I was looking for. It's waterproof and insulated to keep you warm, but is not too bulky. It has a snow skirt, pit vents, and plenty of pockets, including a pocket in the sleeve for my ski pass. It also has an adjustable hood, which will fit over a ski helmet. I'm now very happy with the fit and the quality of the jacket, and I love the color.
[00:03:38.59] That could have been the product brief I handed off to design. When that comes full circle, and we know that what we asked the design development teams to work on, is what made it all the way back around to the customer and filled that need. And that's when we've known we've hit the mark.
[00:03:50.45] Thank you for watching our video today and learning more about this jacket. To see more videos like this, please click the Like and Subscribe buttons. I look forward to seeing you out there. I'll be the guy in the Wildcat jacket.
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A Tradition of Problem Solving
Listen carefully. Design thoughtfully. Test thoroughly. These were the founding principles behind our first product over 100 years ago – and as we learn from Rob P., the Corporate Merchant Manager of Outerwear, it stays true today. The Wildcat 3-in-1 Jacket is a perfect example: packed with problem-solving features, designed for comfort, coverage, changing weather and lots of winter fun.
The Need: More Versatility for Unpredictable Weather
Winter weather is less and less predictable. Some days customers need warmth; other days they need rain protection. And, many days, both. With this customer need in mind, Rob and team set out to create one product that could give customers all the layering abilities built in for whatever weather comes their way.
“If you need three jackets for different times of year, look no further than this jacket. It’s one jacket that can do it all.”
Rob P., Corporate Merchant Manager, Outerwear
The Solve: One Jacket That Can Do It All
Although versatility was the goal, it wasn’t the only criteria for Rob and team to address, solve and build better. Fit, feel, performance and price were also critical considerations for the team to work through. What’s the best shell fabric that will feel soft and pliable (not noisy and stiff) when the temperature drops? What kind of connection system will make this piece work as one piece (and not get bunched up) when layered together? How can we create the zip-out liner to be a quality standalone piece, not a “step down” in performance that can be typical in the marketplace? Can this new piece be just as waterproof, windproof, warm and breathable as the other styles in the Wildcat Collection? Is it possible to create one jacket (one purchase for the customer) that can cover many winter needs without overbuilding and without driving up the price?
“We take a ton of pride in delivering the best product we can.”
Rob P., Corporate Merchant Manager, Outerwear
It’s All in the Details
After nearly a year of planning, designing, close collaborating and rigorous performance testing, meet the Wildcat 3-in-1 Jacket. From dog walking to sledding to skiing, from mild days to drizzles to snow squalls, this highly adaptable jacket can help you stay active, warm and protected – and easily flex as activities and weather change.
STANDALONE RAIN SHELL
Trusted 2-layer TEK waterproof-breathable shell ideal for rainy days, skiing or hiking adventures
STANDALONE INSULATED JACKET
Industry-leading weather-resistant Pertex shell, with 100-gram PrimaLoft® makes a perfect cool-weather layer
THREE JACKETS IN ONE
Easily zip and clip layers together for ultimate cold-weather comfort & protection
FEATURE RICH FOR ACTIVE DAYS
Includes a helmet-compatible hood, scan-and-go ski pass pocket, pit zips & more
Gear Up in Wildcat
The Wildcat 3-in-1 is the newest addition to our popular Wildcat Outerwear Collection for the whole family. Shop here for more outerwear styles for everything you do outside.
For more product videos, tips, tricks and outdoor inspiration, visit Explore L.L.Bean.
About Rob P., Corporate Merchant Manager, Outerwear
Rob has worked for L.L.Bean for 13 years: first starting as an outerwear intern. His passions include problem solving and being active outdoors – and it gives him great joy to help create products that make outdoor time easier, more enjoyable and more comfortable any time of year. During his free time, you can find Rob and his family on the ski mountain – he is the one wearing the Wildcat gear. (And, parents, Rob wants you to know the Wildcat 3-in-1 has plenty of pockets to stash snacks for the kids!)
