Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Aspire Jacket

This fit well and the colors are great. I wasn't a fan of the feel of the material, but the biggest drawback was the hood. It didn't even come close to covering my head, so I ended up returning the jacket. I exchanged it for the Optimizer Jacket, which I absolutely love.

I really liked the material and quality of this jacket, and I wanted to make it work, but ultimately there was just too much fabric and the fit was all off. I would have kept the jacket had I needed an outer layer for winter conditions, as there was plenty of room in a Medium for layering underneath (I'm 5'6", 130 lbs), but it didn't do well for a summer rain jacket so I returned it for the Interstellar which had a much more appropriate fit and fabric for summer months. This jacket could work great for people, but it taught me just how much of a difference there is between OR slim and regular fit!

I bought this jacket to replace an Aspire jacket I bought in 2011 that was starting to delaminate after many years of use and washings. I wore this jacket for about 12 days on a hiking trip to Patagonia. I had a terrible time with the double zipper which was very difficult to get lined up correctly and kept getting stuck. I also missed the inside pocket that my 2011 jacket had plus the side pockets in this jacket were definitely shallower than those in my old jacket & my gloves kept working their way out. When I returned home, I called Outdoor Research asking for advice about making the zipper function better. They suggested that I might be happier with an Interstellar model jacket & that I could return my 2018 Aspire jacket for full credit (even though I had worn it for almost 2 weeks) plus I could also send them my 2011 jacket for some type of credit. That way, I could have the more expensive Interstellar jacket at minimal additional cost over what I paid for the new Aspire. I really appreciated Outdoor Research's advice & willingness to assist me in purchasing the right product for me needs. I am very happy with my new Interstellar jacket - just got back from hiking in Bryce & Zion & my jacket performed great.

too big. I've worn other OR jackets in XS but this one fit quite larger. super bummed because it seems like a great jacket.

Deliberated a long time on what new rain layer to get. Overall it makes me happy - excellent waterproofness - even on very rainy hikes and outdoor events. Snazzy purple color - nice pocket placement. Do need to layer if it is at all cold out. Zipper has always been a pain however - and hard to start - not what I would expect on a jacket of this price point.

I wanted to love this jacket, but unfortunately it fits quite a bit larger than other OR jackets. I ordered a M since that's the size that I normally wear in OR jackets, however this one was quite large on me. A small probably would've fit better. Otherwise, it's a great color, soft material and light weight. I would recommend trying this jacket on before ordering to ensure correct sizing.

Outdoor Research has the most flattering jacket fits for women out there. I absolutely loved the colour, look and features of this coat (double zipper in the front, poncho/pit zips, etc.). The major drawback for this jacket is the fact that the paclite material is NOT durable at all. I had two of these jackets and both jackets, the paclite coating chipped in the shoulder area. I was and am so disappointed that this is the case. The jacket would be even better if they used 3L Gore-Tex or even Gore-Tex pro (like the material used in the clairvoyant jacket).

Unfortunately this jacket just didn't keep out the rain. I purchased one jacket and it got soaked within a few minutes of moderate rain so I called OR and they immediately replaced it with a new jacket. Unfortunately, the second one also got soaked on the first use and just wasn't really waterproof. I like OR stuff and I love their infinity guarantee but this jacket just didn't hold up to the standards I expect from OR.