Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Review: Why It’s My Most Worn Canvas Jacket

With over a thousand reviews and a starring role in HBO’s The Last of Us, Flint and Tinder’s Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket is extremely popular, if not the most popular waxed canvas jacket on the market.

It’s about time a jacket like this became this mainstream because way too many guys are unaware of all the great things about waxed canvas jackets: They’re incredibly durable, look better with age, offer water resistance thanks to the wax coating, and have all the timeless appeal and masculine edge of a leather or denim jacket..

You could argue that these are even better than a leather jacket: I once sliced a leather jacket on a nail, and that wouldn’t have happened with canvas.

I’ve worn my Flannel-Lined Trucker Jacket for so long that the wax has all worn off of it, so you know I’m the right guy for a solid review. Here are the pros, cons, and sizing tips I wish I’d had when I bought it.

Pros & Cons

In a hurry? Here’s a quick breakdown explaining why I like this jacket.

What I liked:

• The best value option for a USA-made, waxed canvas jacket
• Wax coating adds water resistance
• Super durable and looks better as it ages; this is one jacket you don’t have to baby
• Timeless, understated good looks with all the classic charm of a denim or leather jacket.
• Available in lots of colors and two different fits
• Lined with flannel, making it cozier and less sticky-feeling than unlined waxed jackets
• Pretty famous: worn by Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us, Chris Evans in Ghosted, and a lot of other snappy dressers
• Flint and Tinder ships fast and has good return policies; the benefits of them being a very big company

Downsides, not dealbreakers

• Water resistance is temporary: the wax wears away over time and while you can rewax it, it’s an exhausting process
• Some guys would prefer it be lined with natural materials like cotton or wool rather than the synthetic polyester here
• Very casual: like denim jackets, don’t think you can dress this up just because it’s really nice

Aesthetic: Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket

Fans of denim jackets will know that this design is reminiscent of the vintage Type 1 denim jacket because it’s got one single chest pocket. (That’s about the only similarity, besides the fact that canvas jackets predate denim as workwear.)

Other key features:

• Relatively short (if it wasn’t short, it wouldn’t be a trucker jacket)
• Handwarmer pockets and a nice phone-sized interior pocket
• Adjustable waist cinches give you some control over the fit.
• A classic fit: less roomy than really vintage jackets, but far from slim or modern.

Field Tan, the color I have, is the most popular option, but the jacket comes in several colors.

It’s also sometimes available in a Tall version if you prefer a little extra length over the traditional cropped trucker-jacket fit.

It’s not dressy, but it is high quality — you can put it on the same level of casual and durable as a denim jacket. Like denim (and nice leather, and most of the stuff I talk about on this website), this jacket gets more comfortable and better looking as it ages, softens, shapes to your body, and develops permutations in its color.

If you really want to maximize the “highs and lows” a jacket like this can bring, remember to rewax it when it gets dry (more on that later). Long term use will see the wax darken and move around the surface, making for a dynamic look that’s reminiscent of old leather.

[Related: The 7 Best Waxed Jackets for Men]

The Canvas

• 7oz waxed canvas
• Made by Fairfield Textiles, NJ
• Water-resistant
• Ages well

This is 7oz “sail cloth” from Fairfield Textiles in New Jersey. (“Sail cloth” is a nod to the earliest use of waxed canvas: it helped sails on ships catch more wind.)

Fairfield is very proud of their Martexin products, noting it’s “dyed with reactive dyes for the very best dye penetration.”

[Related: Best Waxed Backpacks]

Seven ounces isn’t crazy thick: fabric weights work differently between canvas and denim, but Flint and Tinder’s canvas still feels lighter than your average denim. But it’s really easy for thick canvas to feel too thick, and thanks to the flannel lining, the jacket definitely doesn’t feel insubstantial. It’s not stiff like armor, but you can tell it’ll last a long time.

Is the Flannel-Lined Trucker Jacket Warm?

Yeah, I’d say it’s warmer than a denim jacket.

It’s true that some guys (myself included) prefer natural materials lining their jackets instead of something like polyester.

But given the main downside (comfort-wise) of synthetic fabrics is that they don’t breathe well in the heat, I don’t get too bent-out-of-shape if a fall jacket like this has synthetics. I’m trying to stay warm here.

Besides, waxed canvas doesn’t breathe at all: if you run for a bus, especially in unlined waxed jackets, you start sweating as though you’re wrapped in a plastic bag.

I actually find waxed jackets more comfortable when they’re lined.

Alternatives to Flint and Tinder’s Waxed Jacket

I made that whole video above and this corresponding article running through the best alternatives to this jacket.

Long story short: no one does American-made and this level of quality at a better price. But you still might prefer these options for other reasons:

• Filson has the thickest canvas, though it’s more expensive and not made in the USA.
• Thursday has thicker canvas, cotton lining, and a lower price, though it’s not made in the USA.
• Tom Beckbe’s Chatom is one ounce thicker and has cotton body lining, but it’s more expensive and not made here.
•  Iron & Resin is extremely noteworthy if you’re hunting for a waxed jacket, as they have an unusually wide range of American styles. They aren’t all made in America but a lot of them are, plus the prices are good (if not quite as well balanced as Flint and Tinder), plus they have so many variations on waxed canvas jackets you might find something you prefer. 

How to Care for Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket

I don’t know if I’ve ever cleaned my jacket, but do you really clean all of your jackets? Even your leather ones?

Cleaning

You are sternly told not to wash or dry-clean your waxed trucker jacket. The wax can mess up your washing machine. You’ll just need to spot clean it if you get a stain.

Try a stiff-haired brush first. If that doesn’t work, level up to a sponge and cold water.

Rewaxing Your Jacket

After a season or three, the time may come to rewax your jacket.

To test if it needs to be rewaxed, you spray the jacket with water to test its water resistance, wait 5 minutes, and see if it beads off. If it does, you’re good. If not, you add some wax with a hairdryer — they recommend Filson’s Oil Finish Wax.

[Read our step-by-step guide for how to wax a jacket]

Fit & Sizing: Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket

• Order your usual size
• Waist can be tapered with cinch buttons

It’s a classic fit that’s not as vintage-workwear-huge as Filson’s jackets, but nowhere near as slim as Taylor Stitch’s jackets.

Trucker jackets have traditionally been shorter and less roomy than true workwear, so this fits pretty much just like your average denim jacket. Not loose, not tight.

The best way to know the right size for you isn’t to measure your chest: it’s to measure the chest of your favorite jacket.

There are shoulder and sleeve measurements to look at too, but the chest and the sleeves are definitely the most important numbers that you want to be pretty similar between Huckberry’s measurements and those of your favorite jacket. (Just don’t compare with a jacket that’s dramatically thicker or thinner than this one.)

[Related: My list of The Best Leather Briefcases for Men]

Price: Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket

When it’s not on sale it’s $298.

I already did a section on alternatives to this jacket above. Feel free to do your own research by reading my list of the best waxed jackets (or researching on other websites) but the takeaway is: if you want American-made and lined (which I recommend, because waxed canvas feels clammy against the skin) this jacket is king.

Wrapping Up

I like this jacket a lot. It’s completely unpretentious, works with any casual outfit, it comes in a ton of colors, it’ll last a million years, and the fabric patinas well and looks great. The price is great, it’s a good weight, and it’s all made in America. If you’re after this weight, look, and country of origin, you won’t do better. 

And it doesn’t hurt that Pedro Pascal wore this jacket on HBO to slay zombies.