Crane Men’s Training Jacket

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I’ve come to appreciate the value of a good zip-up hoodie. You know, the simple one with a zipper in front, a hood with drawstrings, and a pair of pockets.

It’s an underrated, versatile item, and for a few reasons. It’s easy to put on and take off — you don’t have to drag it over your head. The hood is there if things get cold and you need a little extra. They’re usually comfortable. And they typically pack small if needed.

I own a few hoodies, most of them simple fleece models from Fruit of the Loom. I can’t say I’m much in the market for any zip-up models outside of that. I certainly am not looking to Aldi, which in our experience has a mixed record on apparel. Recently, though, Aldi sold something like a zip-up hoodie and we picked one up.

The Crane Men’s Training Jacket is an Aldi Find, meaning it’s only in stores for a short time. Once it’s gone it’s gone, and you won’t be able to find it in stores again until it comes back, whenever that might be. You can’t order this online if it’s sold out at your local store.

At the time of this post, the jacket cost $12.99. That’s on the lower end of zip-up jackets like this one.

Of note: the training jacket was sold alongside matching training pants, also for $12.99. We didn’t pick up the pants.

According to the package, the jacket is made of 75% recycled polyester and 25% cotton. The jacket was sold in sizes small through extra large. The jacket is manufactured in Bangladesh and is certified “Standard 100” by OEKO-TEK, which tests for harmful substances in textiles.

This hoodie is … okay. On the positive side, it fits as expected. It also has a special collar that helps keep the wind down while also offering a hood that can be pulled up for a bigger barrier from the elements.

On the other hand, it’s not fleece-lined on the inside like some hoodies are, which makes it less comfortable than a fleece-lined hoodie, especially if you’re wearing a short-sleeved shirt under it. To be fair, some people prefer a non-fleece jacket for exercise purposes, so keep that in mind when weighing whether this is a good choice.

I also had a little trouble getting the zipper latched. That might be something that gets better with time, but at the outset it was a chore to get zipped up.

The Verdict:

The Crane Men’s Training Jacket is a decent budget jacket if you’re looking for something to wear for exercise. It fits mostly as expected. I think it’s less comfortable than a fleece-lined jacket, though, and I found the zipper to be finicky, so keep that in mind.