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CAT Workwear Soft Shell Jacket

Scott Arnold — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 00:29:10 +0000

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CAT Workwear Soft Shell Jacket Review

Caterpilla Workwear Sof Shell Jacket

Manufacturer: Caterpilla
Model number: Model W11440
Price: 89.99

The winter months in New England can be unpredictable. One day is it snowing and freezing and another day it is sunny and 5o°. If you are like me wearing a jacket is not my thing. I typically do not wear a jacket because I feel constricted. I am a hoody type of guy and if it gets really cold I will double up the hoody. There are those in-between days and that is where the CAT Workwear Soft Shell Jacket will come in handy.

Recently we did a review on CAT Workwear Pants and they also sent us their Soft Shell jacket as well to review. The Soft Shell Jacket is the ideal happy medium between a fleece sweatshirt and a heavier hardshell jacket. In a breathable mid-layer jacket, it combines the comfort of fleece with water repellent materials.

Wearing the CAT Soft Shell Jacket

As we inch closer to spring, lightweight jackets days are going to become more and more frequent. This week we have seen temperatures reach the upper 40°s. Not warm enough for just a long sleeve shirt, but no cold enough for a heavy winter jacket. The first impression while wearing the jacket was I could maneuver in it. It wasn’t tight or too baggy. It was true to its size.

The jacket has three outer zipper pockets. One on each side as well as one on the left breast. This pocket is great for cellphone storage as long as you do not have a monster-sized phone. I have the iPhone 11 and it fits perfectly. There are also two large pockets on the inside on each side. There are no closures for these pockets

The jacket has a velcro cuff which is nice to adjust when you want the sleeve to be tight on your wrist and don’t want any exposed skin. There is a nylon strip stitched to the jacket and a rubber strap that secures by velcro. We noticed while working in the jacket the velcro strap did not hold well onto the strip and became undone. There are underarm ventilation zippers while allowing nice airflow on the warmer days where a jacket is still warranted. Who doesn’t love ventilation when you are sweating!

Other Noticeable Features

The CAT Soft Shell jacket is also equipped with nice reflective lines on the jacket. Again subtle and not overbearing. This provides good illumination at night. The jacket also has two subtle logos that are not too flashy. One located on the left breast next to the vertical zip pocket and one on the area of the back deltoid below the collar.

CAT Soft Shell Jacket Mfg Features

Storm Blocker: Water Resistant + Wind Resistant + Breathable
FlexShell – Bonded fabric combines a Polyester/Spandex outer with a microfleece inner layer
Reflective piping accents
Articulated elbows with Nylon overlays
Style #: W11440

Materials

FlexShell
94% Polyester
6% Spandex Soft Shell.

Overall Impressions

CAT Workwear continues to push out quality workwear for professionals. We were really impressed with their work pants and now their jackets. Having a rugged jacket that is lightweight and water repellent is everything we are looking for in a work jacket. This jacket is not flashy and is even classy enough to wear after hours. It is however, highly recommended by the TBB Crew.

Caterpilla Workwear Sof Shell Jacket

Buy Now

89.99

CAT Workwear Soft Shell Jacket is a post from Tool Box Buzz

CAT Workwear – Operator Flex Pants

Scott Arnold — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 00:27:25 +0000

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CAT Workwear – Operator Flex Pants Review

Caterpiller Operators Flex Pants

4.5/5

Manufacturer: CAT Workwear
Model number: Operator Flex Pants
Price: 59.99

When you see or hear the brand name CAT or Caterpiller you naturally think of heavy-duty machines. Front end loaders, skid steers, and backhoes but not typically workwear. They are not only producing state-of-the-art machinery, but they also have their workwear game on-point as well. The TBB Crew is all about well-made reputable workwear so when the opportunity came up to work with CAT we couldn’t say no. In this review, we are taking a closer look at their Operator Flex Pants.

We all want to feel comfortable while working and when you wear the CAT workwear looking good is an added perk. CAT Operator pants are built to flex with your movements. The flex in these pants allows you to sit, bend or climb with ease. I can not be the only one who is constantly up and down all day!

CAT Operator Flex Pants Features

Stretch fabric
Breathable
Crotch gusset for ease of movement
Classic fit with 18 inches leg opening to fit over the boot
Belt loops fit a 2.25-inch belt
Action zip pocket for a secure closure
Front slash pockets with logo metal rivet
Bellowed side cargo pocket with secure flap closure and layered multipurpose pockets
Side waist stretch panel gussets for added comfort and range of motion
Stretch panels in the back of knees for added comfort and range of motion
60% Cotton, 38% Polyester, 2% Spandex Stretch Twill
97% Polyester, 3% Spandex panels in crotch gusset and behind knees

Comfortable all day long

We have tested several brands of workwear through the years. Many of them were well made and served our needs but some of them not so well. We have been evaluating the CAT Operator Flex pants for a little more than a week and they definitely have not disappointed us! The flexible stretch materials behind the leg and in the crotch area are perfect for a natural range of motion. Isn’t it the worst feeling when kneeling down and your pants restrict and things in your pockets start poking into your thighs? They are super lightweight and breathable. While it is winter here we do not anticipate these pants to be an issue during the warmer weather months.

The CAT Operator pants have two rear pockets, the left rear pocket has a velcro closure. There are three front pockets, two on the right side one on the left. The lower right front pocket has a zipper with the CAT log on the zipper pull. There is a velcro cargo pocket on the right side with a smaller pocket below that secures with two snap buttons. Below are 2 slotted pockets for miscellaneous items. These slots are great for a marker, a pencil, or a small retractable knife.

Is workwear worth the investment?

We get asked quite a bit if workwear is worth the money. Our answer is always the same, that is up to you. There are several brands of workwear that are very expensive but you get what you pay for. Workwear selection in my opinion is like tool selection. You can buy nice or buy it twice. There are brands out there you can buy for a very affordable cost like CAT. CAT Workwear is midline priced and is rugged enough to handle the constants of the job site.

Caterpiller Operators Flex Pants

Buy Now

59.99

CAT Workwear – Operator Flex Pants is a post from Tool Box Buzz

S31 CAT Construction Phone Review

Stan Durlacher — Sat, 13 Oct 2018 18:30:01 +0000

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CAT S31 Rugged Smartphone

Not too long ago, when I went to work at commercial constructions sites, one of the first things I put on with my high visibility vest was a job site two-way radio. These communication systems were job specific with a set of crystals that enabled all of the radios to communicate together on a dedicated frequency.

I could drop these radios, get them wet in the rain and bang them into walls or job boxes. They ‘took an licking and kept on ticking.’

The S31 CAT Rugged Smartphone is the modern day equivalent to these rugged radios.

Today, commercial contractors and workers use smartphones in place of radios. The industry is more efficient with these modern phone products as communications and information transfers are reliable and fast. Communication overall is enhanced and you have the added benefit of searches via Internet. However, one big problem is very evident and stems from a simple fact. The rigors and hazards in a construction site are simply greater than the durability and ruggedness of most smartphones.

On a recent project of mine, I asked a group of workers about their experiences with smartphones while doing earth moving, concrete and excavation work. Their tales and tribulations with smartphones in this technology-hostile environment were not only humorous and entertaining but the group, on average, had broken, seriously compromised or replaced one to three devices, each, within the last year.

Site work seems to be especially brutal on smartphones. While my sampling of workers was not statistically large, the number of these site work personnel that had replaced or were carrying around bandaged, damaged or broken phones struck me as a very large percentage.

Bringing Durability to Modern Technology

That is when I took out my S31 CAT Rugged Smartphone. Because they were a group of site contractors, they first wanted to know where I had purchased a CAT cover and CAT screensaver for my phone and how could they buy them. They loved the CAT branding.

Without answering them, I purposefully tossed my S31 into a two-foot deep muddy puddle of water next to us. They thought I had lost my mind, until I pulled the wet phone out and showed them that it still worked. My S31 was passed around the group, who repeatedly dunked, dried off and passed around to the next guy to dunk it.

Another trip in the puddle for the S31 Rugged Smartphone

Besides the ability to withstand drops and water, the group made comments about the screen brightness on the sunny day, the easy-grip case design and scratch-free glass.

Keeps on Ticking

Of course, I had even more fun amazing them when I showed them how the screen works with gloves on.

If I had some S31 phones with me, I could have sold 18 of them on the spot.

The S31

The engineers at CAT worked hard with their manufacturer to produce a phone that is suitable for the construction environment. The S31 meets or exceeds the IP68 certification and MIL-SPEC 810G requirements. In practical terms, this means that the S31 is dustproof and waterproof at 1.2m (4 ft) water depth for up to 35 minutes of immersion and is fall-proof from heights of up to 1.8m (6 ft).

With a diagonal screen size of 4.7 inches, the S31 is a relatively small form factor. I like this size for the construction environment because it easily fits into and retrieved from my pants or vest pockets. I agree with the site work guys and like the ribs and easy to grip features of the case. It is great to have a phone with an integral case that is custom-fitted at manufacture and rugged enough for construction.

Technical Stuff

From a technical perspective, the S31 works on a wide variety of cellular networks. The phone is unlocked when sold. In my case, I simply inserted the SIM card from an old iPhone into the slot and I was up and running on my AT&T network.

The S31 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909 processor with the Adreno 304 graphics engine. The S31 has 2GB of memory and 16GB of flash memory. These technical features place the processing speed of the S31 in the mid-range of most smartphone performance. This may not be the best phone on which to play graphic intensive games or applications. However, I found the performance of the S31 very suitable for the construction and communication apps that I put on and used with the S31.

The S31 has both a memory and SIM-card slot on the right hand side of the phone and tight-fitting flaps protect the environment seals for these slots. Users can put in up to 128MB of additional memory in the expansion slot and seal in the memory card with a flap.

Speaking of flaps, the S31 has a feature that reminds me to close the flap on the charging port when I neglect to do so after removing the micro-USB cable.

With an 8 MP main and 2MP front camera, the S31 has less resolution than the top-of-the-line smartphones that may have 12 MP and 8 MP, respectively, in today’s offerings. As a web-cam, the 2MP front camera performance is lacking in picture quality. In my experience, the 8 MP camera is sufficient for the photographic needs on the construction site.

Especially outdoors, the S31’s 1280 x 720 screen visibility is excellent. Screen content is bright, clear and visible any screen angle. The S-31 screen is a super star in outside bright conditions and is superior to any other smart phone screen I have used.

As a phone, I was impressed with the call quality and I especially liked the S31 speaker for hands-free talking. The speaker volume is very loud and sufficient for all but the loudest construction noise.

One S31 feature that I liked a lot is the assignable free key. I used this key to open the camera app directly with a short click and to open the phone app with an extended click. The operating system allows others to choose from a list of over 38 apps (limited by my specific number of apps) on the phone to enable with the key.

Finally, I like the duration of the battery life. I tested the battery life with a wireless LAN with the display switched on and an active browser application opened. The battery lasted over 17 hours and 34 minutes for this test. Additionally, CAT indicates that standby time for the S31 is around 38 days.

The S31 Rugged Smartphone– How I like It

The S31 represented a different type of smartphone for me. Full disclosure – I have been an iPhone user from the first introduction of that product. As a result, the Android operating system was a real departure from the iOS that I know well. My learning curve for the S31 was steeper than I would have liked. I attribute that steepness to the difference in my experience with the two operating systems. As time had gone on, I am now operating system-bilingual. There are features that I found and like about the Android OS. I really like the feature of keeping the phone unlocked while it is in my hand or pocket. (Uses a lot more battery but is ready to go when I need it.) And there are other features of the Apple operating system that I like.

The S31 smartphone can be purchased from the CAT website for a price of $329.99. Search www.catphones.com. In this day of $1,000 smartphones, the S31 represents an excellent value for a ruggedized smartphone. A visitor will see other CAT smartphones with additional capabilities in addition to the S31.

My bottom line on the S31 is that it is a perfect match for what I need in my construction environment.

Outstanding features

Robust Easy Grip Case
Water and Dust Proof
Gorilla Glass Screen
High Visibility and Brightness in Daylight Conditions
Gloved-hand Operation
Impact Resistance
Memory Expansion Slot
Assignable Free Key

Areas Needing Improvement:

Enhanced processor performance
Higher Resolution Cameras

Summary

Smartphone survival on a construction site is a real issue as these devices are operating in an unforgiving environment. Luckily, CAT can offer a solution.

I think the S-31 is a perfect match for my needs on the construction site and for what I do. It is a great utility device for my communication and information field needs.

The S31 is a ruggedized phone that is suited for these conditions. While no phone is indestructible, the CAT S-31 proves to be the device that CAT promises. Carrying on Caterpillar’s leading heritage of supplying tough, reliable equipment for rugged conditions, the S31 is a rugged smartphone that can cope in the construction world.

Highlighted CAT S31 Features and Specs

Powerful 4000 mAh non-removable Lithium Ion battery provides up to 38 days standby time and 15 hours of 3G Talk time
IP68 certified waterproof up to 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) for 35 mins; military standard 810G shock and drop proof up to 1.8 meters (6 feet); scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass 3 screen
Super bright 4.7” HD 720 x 1280 display can be read in direct sunlight and used when wet or with gloved hands
8MP Autofocus rear Camera and 2MP fixed focus front Camera, with 720P video capture at 30fps
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4G), sim type: Nano sim, dual and single SIM variants. 16GB Internal storage, expandable with Micro SD up to 128GB (not included)

S31 CAT Construction Phone Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz