Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoodie

It's crazy how a compact jacket can provide warmth like this one. Interesting insulating layer that breathes very well, I wear this over a base layer for skate skiing down to -10C, and it fits great underneath my Axiom shell. I'm 6'2'', 185 lbs and the fit is nice a trim with no builky areas to deal with when playing hard. I'd also like to commend OR on nice long arms! Finally!! Keep up the good work OR.

The ascendant hoody had been a great running piece on cold day. Provides just enough warmth and has great breathability.

Have been using as outerwear all winter from 0 to -15 Celcius for fat biking, wearing only a baselayer underneath. Fits well and is truely a midlayer as it gets tight if you try to fit a sweater underneath. .

great for ski touring but wish the side pockets had zippers

I had to return the medium for a large...my other OR tops are mediums. Once I got the right size, I really like it. Zippers on the hand warmer pockets would be nice.

A slim fit it is. I have an athletic build with long arms. 6'2" - 185 lbs. it would be nice if it was a bit looser but overall it is light weight and cozy. And my long arms fit perfect. A Good breathable layer to have on the coat rack.

Went skate skiing in -8C at night. Felt great. Thermal layer underneath. Probably could go a bit colder with greater exertion and heat output. The cut feels like a close fit but the shell feels slightly baggy. Might be because of the open pockets.

J'aime beaucoup ce manteau. Je l'utilise pour faire des sorties en fatbike quand la temprature est entre 0 et -10 celsius. Il est lger et respire trs bien. Seul point ngatif est que j'airais aim qu'il soit un peu plus "windproof" car quand on descend les ctes avec de la vitesse en fatbike, on sent le vent passer travers.

Good to go. Have been using it during winter in SD (which is like summer somewhere else). Also held up in light rain (felt no wind or water). You'll need to shake off the jacket in prolonged rainy conditions 'cuz water did get absorbed, but DID NOT go through to base layer. Only complaint is the zippers could be made of better material instead of plastic (talk about saving weight..!). Time will tell if that's the weak point. So far..it has none

This jacket is pretty great. Very warm and breathable. I am using it to replace my fleeces that I would take hiking as well as for a mid layer skiing. I'll probably even use it instead of a down jacket during the summer months when I don't necessarily need the extra warmth. This jacket performed very well while skiing as a mid layer. When I got too toasty I would simply unzip my shell and I cooled down to the perfect temperature. I can't wait to see how this performs while doing something a little more active and to see how long it lasts. Overall I am pretty happy with it. Great value with regards to warmth and weight.

Fit well, very light. The hood does not fit as snug as other products

This is a great layer. Warm, light, stretchy and fairly wind resistant while still being remarkable breathable. I am 5' 10' and 175 lbs and the medium fits perfectly. It gets 4 stars for a few near misses. The handwarmer pockets don't have zippers and so wind comes through during windy conditions, making the hoody less windproof than it could be. I also can't stow small items in the handwarmer pockets securely. It is also a bit light for the claim that you will stay warm during the belay. I still need a top layer when I stop moving.

Perfect layer for skinning and or hiking. Fit is great and the coat is very light. The only real downside is the lack of zippers on the pockets and no inside stash pocket.

I use this jacket for almost everything, including: cycling, skiing, climbing and strolling around town. I'm six-feet tall and slim. The size-large is perfect as it allows me to put a thick fleece underneath if needed. I love how the hood easily fits over my climbing helmet and keeps most of the wind out. OR is going for a performance lightweight go-almost-anywhere soft shell and they have succeeded. In the next model I'd love to see two things: zippers for the lower pockets and a smooth breathable inner liner that can cover the inner fuzz while still able to transport moisture to the next layer. Although the inner fuzz can be a nice touch, it's frustrating to have it grab inner fleece layers making donning and doffing of the a jacket a bit of a pain. Also, an inner layer would prevent the fluffy fleece-like material from sticking, and in turn, coming off and attaching to anything that is like a tape such as ski skins. All in all very good. If OR can change those two items for next year I'd be a fan for life!

So it doesn't breath in moderate temps 20+, but honestly almost nothing does when you're cranking up hill. However, when it gets really cold this thing keeps you at the perfect temp during high output. I haven't had to use anything else when this is paired with a good base layer and a decent shell; its also been worn by itself for mellow snowboarding and ice climbing. Its plenty warm, windproof and ever so slightly water resistant. Seems durable, I've basically bushwhacked in it while following my crazy dog.

Hiking and around town.

I have used this jacket extensively in 0 - minus 10 degree weather and have found it very breathable when moderately active and highly wind proof. I would have liked zippered pockets, but the zippered chest pocket is the perfect size for a phone/wallet. The interior fuzzy fabric warms quickly and supplies much warmth.

Winter biking was fine with a down sweater tucked under the Ascendant Hoodie. The hood fit well under my bike helmet and adequately covered my ears. Have not yet used it in rain or snow. I is lightweight and warmer than my goretex Parker.

Just wanted to add to my previous review after using the jacket a bunch, and found one issue I wanted to warn people about. The jacket itself is great - good fit, great layering piece, looks good. Great hood. 2 issues that I have: (1) I mentioned before, no zips on the pockets. (2) Beware - if you stuff you skins inside your jacket, as I commonly do, any exposed glue whatsoever on your skins will pick up the fuzzy interior stuff on the jacket and you can't get that stuff off. This is really frustrating as I try to be as careful as possible with my skins to keep them clean. Even with my skins folded over and stuck to themselves, the small amount of glue that is inevitably exposed on the sides picks up these fabric balls like a vacuum and won't let them go.

I keep searching for the perfect ski touring set up and definitely wanted to check out how this piece could fit in. OR markets the Ascendant as an outer layer on the up, but I found it much too warm. It is very breathable, but I was certainly sweating until I took it off and replaced it with a Ferrosi Summit Hooded Jacket. That said, once I got to the top I wore the Ascendant under the Ferrosi for the down. This is where it shined. The combo was plenty warm in the mid 20s and was breathable enough to avoid sweating and stretchy enough to allow free movement skiing through the trees. It is certainly more breathable than a puffy, just was warm as a down sweater, and only slightly heavier. I'll definitely be including this jacket in my ski kit this year.

Awesome jacket. Fit is spot on. It's a great layering piece or on its own in warmer weather. Inner material is soft and very comfortable. Only downside for me is no zippers on the hand pockets. Zippers May have added a tiny bit of weight but now I don't feel safe ever leaving anything in the pocket.

Trim fit but super comfy because of the stretch and the cozy fabric inside. Small tear on the sleeve - sewed it up - but wishing the exterior fabric was tougher like the Ferrossi jacket.

Still trying to figure out whether I like this more as a layer or a jacket. Living in a climate where we regularly get all four seasons in a week's time, the versatility of the Ascendant is appreciated. The fleece inner lining is comfortable and warm but still manages to breath nicely when you start to move around. I've worn it as a layer paddling in freezing conditions and stayed warm, or as a jacket when cleaning brush and hiking late fall. The only downside is the outer material is not as durable as I'd like - I snagged a tree and poked a good hole - but that is the tradeoff with lightweight material. Got mine in "agate red" and the colour is rockin'.

it is quite light, and packable. My worry is that the lining material will tend to mat down over time.

I am sensitive to the cold. This jacket is as warm as other jackets I have worn that are bulkier or heavier. I haven't worn it in freezing temps yet but winter approaches and I'm very confident this jacket will hold up in the freeze. I haven't worn it in a long rainstorm but the few showers I have been through with it did not get through the water resistance of the jacket. Just the lack of bulk makes this a great jacket addition for minimalists but, the warmth appeals to anyone who doesn't want to feel the bite of the cold.