Posts Tagged Outdoor Research
Sombriolet Sun Hat from Outdoor Research
There are some travel clothing items that are going to brand you as a tourist, like convertible pants and yes, big wide-brimmed sun hats. But you can look cool and have a peeling face a week later or you can look not so cool and be protected.
This Sombriolet Sun Hat from Outdoor Research puts you in the latter camp, but it’s a fine travel hat if you really want to protect your face and neck from the sun. You get UPF 50+ protection from the sun’s rays, so you can pretty much wear this all day long and be fine unless you’re albino. It’s super-light, however, weighing in at only 3.1 ounces (86 grams), plus it stays wrinkle-free when you cram it into your pack between layers of clothing.
You stay cool with this on, however, because the Sombriolet has mesh vents placed around the top that will let some fresh air in—or allow the heat to escape. There’s the requisite dorky string to keep it from blowing off your head when riding a boat or hiking on a windy day, but the string comes with clips that enable you to remove it quickly if you don’t want it hanging around. And if it does fly off your head, the brim floats!
Made of ripstop nylon, I’ve found this travel hat to be somewhat water repellent, it won’t shrink when you wash it, and it dries quickly. It’s going to last for the long haul too: like other Outdoor Research products I’ve tested, it comes with an “infinite guarantee.”
The hat comes in three colors and three sizes and usually sells for around $35. Get the Outdoor Research Sombriolet Sun Hat at RockCreek.com
See other travel hat reviews.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on August 4th, 2010
Outdoor Research Women’s Helium Jacket
When I’m flying to warm-weather climates in the winter months from my Colorado home, I layer like crazy so I don’t have to travel with a winter jacket. My outermost covering is always a hooded, nylon jacket that doubles as rain gear in the tropics. I’ve been using a hand-me-down from my husband that never quite fit him correctly (nor me), but now I’ve got one of my very own: the Women’s Helium Jacket in fiery “salsa” by Outdoor Research.
This jacket is super light, about 6 ounces, and it stuffs down into its own sack (it’s tucked into an inside pocket that’s usable when you’re wearing the jacket); when the jacket is compressed into itself, it’s only about 5 by 3.5 by 2. 5 inches. For this reason alone it’s great for carrying on a plane, and I’ll stick it in a day pack for hiking this summer, when afternoon thundershowers in the Rockies are not unusual. A little loop on the stuff sack means you could also easily attach it to the outside of a backpack.
It also protects against the elements. The Pertex Shield ripstop fabric is waterproof and the zippers are water-resistant. I wore it on a winter hike during a mild snow, and I liked how the jacket repelled the flakes; I stayed perfectly dry. I wouldn’t hesitate to wear it in stormy conditions: the hood and hem can cinch tight and elastic sleeves help keep water and wind out, too.
I do wish this jacket had two zippered pockets near the bottom hem; it’s got one chest pocket (with zipper) to stash tissues, lip balm and the contact-lens re-wetting drops I always like to have readily at hand (whether I’m traveling or being active outdoors), but this jacket would really shine if I had two more pockets to stick a pair of light gloves, a point-and-shoot camera and other miscellaneous stuff that I might like to carry on my person as opposed to a purse or backpack.
Another caveat: the Women’s Helium Jacket is not cheap. It retails for $140. But this is a quality piece of gear for hard-core climbers, mountaineers and other adventure enthusiasts. Me? I’m not about to climb Kilimanjaro this year, but for day hikes near my mountain home and frequent plane trips to different climates, it more than does the job of keeping me comfortable and dry.
Buy the OR Women’s Helium Jacket on Amazon.com.
Outdoor Research Helium Jacket – Women’s at Backcountry.com
Get the Men’s version at Backcountry.
Related post: Men’s OR Fanatic Jacket
Posted by Kara in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on March 26th, 2010
Fanatic Lightweight Jacket from Outdoor Research
There are times you need a heavy-duty rain jacket, like in climates where you know you’re going to get dumped on regularly. For other destinations you may need something “just in case,” with the rest of the time being better suited to a lightweight jacket that’s easy to pack.
That’s where the Fanatic jacket from Outdoor Research comes in. You can jam it down into the corner of your bag and it will still look decent five minutes after you unpack it. It’s got windbreaking properties and good water resistance, but isn’t heavy enough to weigh you down. If you want to really pack it in tight, the whole thing can stuff into one of the pockets.
This was the only jacket I took this with me on a two-week trip to Ecuador in October and it was fine for chilly nights in Quito and days of light drizzle hiking and boating around the Galapagos. The hood kept my head dry and the rest kept my body dry, yet at only 11 ounces (313 grams), it didn’t add much to my pack weight.
The Fanatic is breathable yet waterproof, thanks to its Pertex Shield DS technology, which makes it cost a good bit more than mere “water repellent” coated jackets without any high-tech breathable membrane ($145 list). But with this you won’t get soaked from the outside or be doused in sweat on the inside.
It’s got two waterproof zippered pockets on the sides and one more at chest level for sunglasses or a music player. There is a drawstring for the waist that comes into the side pockets, which means you can tighten up the bottom of it while still keeping your hands dry. There is a cinch strap system on the hood as well, elastic cuffs on the sleeves, an internal storm flap inside the main zipper, and there is seam taping on all the seams. With the hood pulled up, the top half of your body will stay good and dry.
I feel like this jacket will be with me for the long haul, but I did find the zippers to be a bit grabby and I felt like I needed to treat them gingerly. As with most similar jackets, to keep the weight down and strengthen the waterproofing properties, the zippers are not metal. Time will tell if they’re more durable than they feel. If not, I’m not worried: Outdoor Research stands behind its products with an “Infinite Guarantee. If the jacket fails, you’ll get a new one.
The men’s version of the Fanatic comes in four colors and a variety of sizes. The women’s version comes in black plus three different colors in five sizes.
See the jackets page at OutdoorResearch.com
Get the Men’s Outdoor Research Fanatic Jacket at Backcountry.com
Related review: the slightly heavier Revel jacket from OR
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on November 4th, 2009
Odd Job Hat From Outdoor Research
Even on the travel trail, fashions change. These changes are gradual, especially among backpackers, but then one day you look up and notice a certain item everywhere you look.
The most recent shift has been in headwear. It used to be baseball caps, bucket hats, sun hats, and ski beanies in cold places. Then it shifted to Fidel-type caps and…hats like the one pictured here. I’m not sure if it can be traced back to Justin Timberlake’s breakout or just fedoras coming around again in the fashion cycle, but now these small-brimmed classic-style hats are all the rage. Tourist shops from Prague to Playa del Carmen now have them in dozens of styles and colors.
Outdoor Research, known best for its rugged adventure wear, is treating this development with the appropriate sense of humor. They’ve put out a wool hat that is true to the style, but performs two other functions. Most notably, like the Reef Fanning sandals I love and my wife hates, there’s a bottle opener! If you’re out and need to pop the top off a bottle of beer, you’re all set. In this case it’s detachable from the elastic loop. (Handy when I’m walking my daughter to school and don’t want to look like a complete lush.)
The other bonus is a tucked away section that goes over your ears, keeping them warm when the temperature drops or snow starts blowing. There are even little pockets in said ear flaps that can hold your music earbuds.
If the weather gets warm, you’re set there too: there’s a built-in moisture-sucking headband to keep the wool off your sweaty brow. Hey, it looks better than a baseball cap and does a lot more too.
The Odd Job Hat from Outdoor Research comes in two old-school color combinations and lists for $45. It comes in several sizes for a good fit.
Search for the Odd Job Hat online
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Travel Light on October 7th, 2009
