Outdoor Research Women's Ferrosi Hooded Jacket
Sizes: XS-XL
Colours: Black, Elderberry/Wisteria, Pewter/Typhoon, Fig, Oasis/Night, Pinot/Sangria
Weight: 11.5oz/326g Size Medium
Price: $129 USD
Features:
The Ferrosi Hoody still posseses its stretchy nylon-spandex fabric found on the chest and back areas of the jacket. The thicker Cordura fabric beefs up the wear areas like the shoulders and sleeves, creating a longlasting, durable combination. The materials are breathable, cut wind, and are lightly water resistant.
Outdoor Research has upgraded its best seller with a couple new features:
Why mess with a good thing? After owning 3 of the original Ferrosi jackets, I was a bit skeptical that any changes to this long loved design may change it for the worse. I am happy to report that I am in love with the new and improved version. New added features like the thumb holes and the hidden chest pocket zipper only make this jacket better.
As a long time fan of the thumb holes in longsleeve tops, I found I was using this feature quite frequently in the new Ferrosi jacket. In one particular buggy camping trip, the thumb holes offered extra added protection from being bitten by mosquitoes! They have also offered me the ability to withdraw my hands into the sleeves during windy belays. My hands are prone to getting cold and the thumb holes give me some added warmth when I need to perform tasks without gloves or mittens on.
I enjoyed the added chest pocket detail styling and assume this feature may improve the longevity of the zipper from abrasion from backpack chest straps and nasty off-widths or bushwhacks. It also gives the jacket a bit more style which I like.
I am a huge fan of these softshell jackets. I wear them professionally as a Phys Ed/Outdoor Ed teacher and when I'm adventuring on the weekends. I ALWAYS pack this jacket in my pack and is almost always my 'go-to' layer. It's stretchy, durable, rugged, and passes the test of time. I love them.
It was hard to think that OR could actually make this jacket better but they have!
Cons:
One con is that the jacket is now 0.5 oz heavier than the original (according to the OR site comparing women's mediums-11.5 oz verses 11 oz). Laying the older version on top of the newer version, the sleeves have been lengthened slightly to accommodate the thumb holes and combined with the new chest zipper pocket gives us the answers to why the weight has increased slightly.
My second con is the colour choices. Most Ferrosi jackets are two-tone combinations unless you want boring black or grey colours. The new Fig colour has been sold out most of the summer and for good reason: it's not two-tone and is in a different purple tone than previous generations. I would love to see more one-tone colour choices in the future. Eggplant? Teal?
Best Uses: Hiking, Climbing, Skinning, Camping, Paddling, Mountaineering, General Use