While the first day of winter isn't for roughly another month, its never to early to stay warm, especially when we are already out in deep snow testing gear. Outdoor Research has a few items we are taking a look at, and their Transcendent Hoody is one of those pieces we've been working with.
This jacket is part of our long term review of Outdoor Research outer wear. My initial thoughts are that it is wonderfully light, which goes to show I've been away from Down Jackets lately and sucked into the world of synthetics. The Transcendent Hoody takes up very little room in a pack, and I've taken to carrying it in my ruck while up the mountains even when T&Eing other clothing items. It works very well as both an insulating layer, and as a primary jacket depending on your weather conditions. The MSRP puts the Outdoor Research Transcendent Hoody to be at $185, though sales around the holidays may very well make it less if you shop around. We'll update this as we get more time with it up in the Mountains and cold weather, but from our initial outings, this is doing quite well.
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moreThe basic down jacket is something we've all seen, and most likely worn. The pros of wearing Down are numerous, and while synthetics have caught up, they still lag far behind in weight and compressibility. The Outdoor Research Transcendent Hoody is 650 fill rated. That rating means one ounce of fill takes up 650 inches. The higher the quality of fill, the better the insulating property, meaning your extra puffy cheapo down jacket isn't necessarily going to keep you warmer than a higher quality, lighter weight, more packable version, and in fact may keep you colder.
The built in hood is dual adjustable, having an adjustment piece on the back, as well as on both sides of the face (check out the pictures below). The hood is large enough to fit over a helmet if you are wearing one up in the mountains. The zipper has a storm flap to prevent drafts, and a neck protector so you don't pull your skin or facial hair while adjusting things with gloves on. The waist has dual draw strings for sealing you up, and there are three pockets (two hand warmer and one Napoleon). One of the zippered pockets also functions as a stuff sack. As you would expect, the cuffs are elastic.
http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/or-gear/jackets/loft/transcendent-hoody-m-s.html
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