REVIEW: BEYOND K4 Light Shell

Woodland works great not only in the forest but also in the city. At the moment, three patterns are competing for dominance there: Multicam Black, Tiger Stripes, and Woodland are fighting for supremacy in the urban space - worn civilly and stylishly. BEYOND has the perfect jacket for this, the K4 Light Shell.

At the same time, BEYOND is not just any manufacturer from the USA, but also produces with its military line for the US Special Forces. Since the ultralight needs of special forces and outdoor enthusiasts align highly, BEYOND also has a civilian high-end line. The designation K4 follows the nomenclature of the US Special Forces Uniform PCU, where Level 4 is the Windshirt. Here we wear the K4 open.

When it's windy, you can also wear the K4 Light Shell fully zipped up. In terms of cut, the jacket is reminiscent of the higher-quality model above, a Level 5 Softshell from the PCU series, but it is very light. The jacket in size Large weighs just 360 grams.

Pulling the hood over your head: the material is flexible, made of 86% nylon and 14% spandex. The wind jacket is naturally not a rain jacket, but it is water-repellent in terms of fabric. Those who want to withstand the rain need a hardshell.

The construction is very KISS - keep it simple. So even though the hood has a Beyond logo, it doesn't have any adjustments to fit it to the head.

Nevertheless, the hood is practical as long as the wind is not blowing brutally head-on. Most of the time it will be worn laying on the shoulder.

The collar rises high on the chin. If - like us in the photos - you wear a neck gaiter underneath, you achieve a professional result. Here you can see the zipper with the nice zipper pull.

Woodland in profile view. The jacket feels just as light worn as it is.

From the outside, you can access two large belly pouches on the right and left. Practical, but we wouldn't keep much in the belly area. We're vain.

The sleeves have an elastic band incorporated so that it doesn't draw in.

Inside, the K4 looks much less colorful. By the way - super practical - you can stuff it into the left pocket, then it goes into the backpack as a small package. Or you can use it outdoors during a break as a headrest replacement.

The packing size of the K4 Light Shell is such that you can actually get it in two hands.

On the inside a BEYOND tag with size information. American size: Large is also large.

At the bottom, everything is neatly sewn, like the whole jacket is excellently made and made of the best materials. There is no way to tighten at the bottom.

Doesn't need to be. In terms of cut, the K4 goes to the top of the hip bones. That means you can still comfortably stand with your hands in your pants pocket.

CONCLUSION: Very casual, stylish jacket for people who stand by their minimalism. Extremely suitable for everyday use. But you can also add K4 as a great wind jacket to your military kit. The material can handle it, that's what it's made for. At BEYOND there is always the right SOF feeling included.

The BEYOND K4 Light Shell is available directly at S4 SUPPLIES for 189 euros. Besides the cool Woodland here, it is also available in Ranger Green, Gray, Navy, and Black.

S4 SUPPLIES online

BEYOND online

Super light is also super comfortable: put the jacket in the car and with one hand movement, it's always there.