Winter Tactical Gear Guide: Cold, Wet, and Fire-Risk Layers

In short: Cold-weather tactical work has three separate problems — staying warm when you stop moving, staying dry when the weather turns, and, for some roles, staying protected near ignition sources. Strike20 answers them with three pieces: the StormShield softshell for cold and wet, the FireGuard jacket where flame-retardant protection is needed too, and the FireShield neck warmer for the gap every jacket leaves. This guide explains which one your work actually needs, and what each one is honestly built to do.

What Does Winter Actually Do to Tactical Performance?

Cold is rarely the thing that ends a shift. Wet cold is. A jacket that soaks through in the first hour of rain becomes heavy, stops insulating, and pulls heat out of you faster than no jacket at all. The second killer is the stop-start rhythm of real work: you sweat while moving, then stand still on a post or in a vehicle and the sweat turns cold against your skin. Good winter gear manages both — shedding water from outside, and letting moisture escape from inside.

The third problem only applies to some roles: working around vehicles, fuel, machinery or breaching equipment in winter means the ignition risk does not go away because it is cold. For those jobs, warmth and flame protection have to come in the same garment.

Which Strike20 Winter Piece Fits Your Work?

Read the flame column honestly. The StormShield is not a flame-resistant garment and we do not sell it as one. If ignition is part of your risk picture, the FireGuard is the correct jacket even though it runs slightly heavier. If it is not, you are paying for protection you will never use and losing breathability for it.

What Is the StormShield Softshell Built To Do?

The StormShield Tactical Softshell Jacket is the general-duty winter layer: a water- and oil-resistant outer face over a composite insulating fleece, cut with stretch so it moves under a plate carrier and over a base layer. Its job is warmth that survives wind and rain, in a shell that still lets moisture out when you are working hard. YKK and SBS zippers keep pockets shut with cold hands and gloves on. It is the right choice for the majority of winter posts and patrols — the ones with weather to fight and nothing to catch fire.

What Does the FireGuard Jacket Add, and What Does It Not?

The FireGuard Tactical Flame-Resistant Jacket takes the same cold-and-wet brief and adds flame-retardant treated fabric for roles with ignition risk. Two things worth being precise about, because most brands are not:

First, its protection comes from a treatment applied to the fabric, not from an inherently flame-resistant fibre like Nomex®. Treated fabric resists ignition and does not readily sustain a flame — but the treatment's performance depends on following the care label, since laundering with bleach or softener can degrade it. The care label is part of the protective system.

Second, we do not quote a time-to-extinguish or a temperature rating for it, because we do not have a laboratory report that supports one, and a number without a test method behind it is marketing. The documented flame test in our range belongs to the EmberX line — fabric with flame resistance verified via ASTM D6413/D6413M-15 vertical flame test by SGS — and the full explanation of what such tests measure is in our fire-resistant tactical clothing guide. The FireGuard is the cold-weather layer for people who need treated FR protection; it is not a lab-certified garment, and it should not be bought as one.

Why Does the Neck Warmer Matter More Than It Looks?

Every jacket collar ends somewhere, and the skin above it — neck, jaw, lower face — is what faces the wind, and what faces a flash of heat from a vehicle or an engine bay. The FireShield Flame-Resistant Neck Warmer closes that gap with the same flame-retardant treated fabric as the FireGuard. It is small, light, and the piece people forget until the morning they wish they had it. The same honesty applies: it is treated fabric, it needs the care label followed, and no time-to-extinguish figure is claimed.

How Should You Layer for Winter Duty?

Start with a synthetic base layer that moves sweat — never cotton, which holds it against your skin and turns cold the moment you stop. Add insulation you can shed: the StormShield's fleece is built in, so under it you want a thin mid-layer at most. Put the shell on last, and size it for everything underneath plus the carrier over it. Keep the neck covered. And carry gloves you can operate zippers in, because a pocket you cannot open in the cold is a pocket you will stop using.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the StormShield jacket flame resistant?
No. It is a cold-and-wet-weather softshell with no flame protection. For ignition risk, choose the FireGuard.

How fast does the FireGuard extinguish?
We do not publish a figure, because we do not have a laboratory test that supports one. Its fabric is flame-retardant treated; ask us for the material documentation if your procurement requires it.

Are these jackets waterproof?
Both carry water- and oil-resistant finishes that shed rain and splashes. Neither is a sealed waterproof shell for prolonged immersion-level exposure.

Can I wash the FireGuard normally?
Follow the care label exactly: no bleach, no fabric softener, and no industrial laundering unless permitted. With treated flame-retardant fabric, incorrect washing reduces protection.

Which one for a security post in winter with no fire risk?
The StormShield. It is lighter, more breathable, and you are not paying for protection you do not need.

Strike20 designs tactical clothing around documented material performance rather than invented ratings. Outfitting a team for winter? Talk to us.

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