Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Foray Jacket

This is my go to backpacking jacket. It's light, loose fitting and packs away with only grams. Easy to access underneath layers with the waist to pit zips, also makes it easy to keep that waist pack belt tucked away underneath for added comfort. I absolutely love this jacket for just about anything that might involve some wet weather. Amazing value for the price!

I have owned this jacket for about 4 or 5 years now. I purchased it as I needed a good light, waterproof shell for not only hiking/backpacking but also for walking the dogs around town on wet Seattle days. It has been a trusty addition to my coat collection (I have way too many jackets, but each serves a purpose I suppose) and generally is my go-to shell for most applications. That being said, my Foray really impressed me on a recent trip to the Enchantments on a wet September weekend. My normal packout includes my Foray for light coat/rain deterrent as well as an OR Transcendent down sweater for warmth. Paired up, these two pieces of gear keep me warm and dry even when temps drop below freezing. In fact, this pairing is super versatile and will fit your needs for most conditions. The weather was driving snow in the upper basin which turned to torrential downpour as we descended. 11 1/2 hours (not setting any speed records) later, we reached the parking lot at Snow Creek. 11 1/2 hours of being pelted with wetness and my Foray didn't complain once. No leaks, no dampness, nada. I couldn't believe it. Most waterproof jackets fail after a few hours of constant rain but not my Foray. I was dry as a bone (well, my torso was - I'd long given up avoiding puddles and let my smartwool socks keep my soaked feet warm in my hikers).

Full length side zips make this great for changing conditions or activity levels. Handy hook and loop wrist sleeve adjustments make going over gloves or mitts a breeze while allowing for a nice tight windproof fit. Hood is adjustable in almost too many ways and front zips up to the level of your nose, really providing protection when the wind kicks up the powder. This is a great shell, shedding wind and moisture alike. It is heavier and not as compact as other minimalist OR shells, but makes up in versatility. I wear it as an everyday around town jacket as well.

I am a woman and I think the Aspire women's coat was too tight at the shoulders. The Foray Men's Jacket is wider at the shoulders, but tighter at the waist than the women's coat. I really like this coat ! Only think I have to say : the zipper is a little bit tough to use.

I have the 2018 Foray Jacket and the 2019 Foray Jacket. I've noticed two design changes between the two years . The 2018 had a strap with velcro attached to it that allowed you to roll up your hood. This strap fastened to a loop on the upper back part of the jacket. The 2019 version that I received did not have this feature. Boo. The 2019 Foray Jacket seems to have a bigger left pocket that allows for the jacket to have a smaller thickness as compared to the 2018 but with a larger height. The width seems to be the same. For me the result is that it packs better. Yes!!

Great Jacket. Ive always found with rain jackets that you either get wet from the inside, or the outside. This jacket does breathe as much as waterproof membranes do, but also has a pit-zip, that i feel is essential at letting a bulk of the heat and moisture out.

So far, so good. Great for springtime activities. Wanting to see how it performs as a early/late winter shell as well.

Bon manteau pour coupe vent pour la pluie heureux de mon achat (aime bien les tailles ajustes) bien choisis le medium (longeur a amliorer largeurs bon)

Love my Foray jacket. So much that I have two. Love the lightweight, waterproofing and armpit zippers for those wet but non cold days. The only con is that I had the taping in the right pocket come apart and now there is no bottom to the pocket. Will send in for repair.

Great jacket, zipper is tough though.

This a great, versatile, all round jacket. I have had for a few years now and have no real complaints. I find it runs a tad large for a shell, so wish I had downsized (I am 6'2, 160lbs, slim build). Typically straddle the line between M/L, but find large works well for outerlayers. This jacket is a bit big though compared to others. The side zips are awesome for managing moisture when hiking in the rain. You can unzip and have your waist belt of your pack underneath, and allow the front of the jacket to sit over top of the belt. I've found this is a great way to not overheat while staying dry. It also works well when cycling in the rain, turning the jacket into a little more of a rain poncho. A really cool feature once you explore some of its applications. All in all, a nice affordable gore tex jacket that suit most applications

I'd recommend this jacket for anyone testing out what they really need in a waterproof jacket, and even for some who already know. This is a no frills goretex jacket with great ventilation capabilities. There are more durable jackets out there, and more lightweight ones, but for a jack of all trades, you can't go wrong with this.

wish this jacket came in an xxl. Usually wear an xl, but this jacket is too tight in the shoulders compared to most xls

Great rain jacket Light Packable

Great fit, good quality, would recommend

I purchased the Optimizer and Foray online to try to replace my old Furio. Not really sure why one would purchase the optimizer. I understand it stretches and breathes well but foray has pit zips, fits great, similar weight, and much better value. My partner has the womens edition (Aspire) and really likes it. We'll see how it holds up in the rain (too cold for rain here now). Seems like a good jacket. Older model seemed to have issues with wetting out but maybe this has been improved.

I'm 6'1" 180 lbs with a slim build. I can wear a light polar fleece, and a light synthetic mid layer under a Men's medium while retaining good mobility. The sleeves are long enough for me to cover my wrists. My Foray jacket will block wind almost as well as my heavy 3 layer ski shell. This is the first 2.5 layer rain shell that actually seems to shed rain. The Foray is replacing a lightweight breathable rain shell and a heavier rain shell that both have been washed and treated multiple times (non-GoreTex designs). Those jackets would wet out in 20 minutes. I haven't tested it's use in height temperature humidity yet.

Amazing jacket, the versatility for venting while I've got a backpack on is great especially when it's pouring rain and you don't want to stop. I just wish the front zipper didn't have two pulls, I've never needed to vent the bottom and it sometimes makes zipping it up difficult. Overall though, it doesn't leak, it breathes as expected, and seems pretty durable so I'm stoked.

I bought this jacket for work and I'm impressed with its fit and comfortability. It is completely wind proof and combined with a down insulation, I have used it in -40 C wind chill without an issue. The only thing they couls improve on is breatability. I wore it twice so far in -20 weather while snowshoeing and at the end of the 5-6 kms, the interior was wet. I was wearing only a merino wool base layer. All in all, for the price, it is a great all weather shell.

I have a lot of different OR gear. The fit on this jacket (size XL) is roomy without being too baggy and fits well overall. The body is plenty long, but the sleeves are oddly short. They could easily be an inch or more longer with no issue. When my arms are in an outstretched position (riding my bike) there is a pretty big gap to my glove line. The jacket still works fine for me as a casual rain shell... but the short sleeves are annoying.

Had this jacket for a while and finally tested it out during a November fishing/float trip in Montana. the Foray jacket layers well in cold conditions and works good as a stand alone rain jacket. It didn't bunch up or pinch when rowing with some layers on. I Haven't owned it long enough to speak of its durability, but it did keep the wind and cold off of me during the time i used it.

Great outer shell. Lightweight and water proof. Quality zippers, with lots of venting potential. My two favorite aspects of this jacket are the neck and the hood. When fully zipped the neck provides excellent coverage with a soft inside around neck/chin. While the hood is perfectly sized in my opinion. Whether it's over the ear head phones for your commute, or a helmet while you're out climbing you'll be able to keep your noggin dry and warm.

I'm on my second Foray jacket. First one developed a front zipper issue after 1.5 years. OR replaced it quickly. The best companies have wonderful customer service and OR is right up there. On to the jacket. I hike near where I live in the southern Appalachians most of the time, but I've done trips with the Foray all over the US in the rainy seasons (NH, ME, WA, CO, NM, NC, SC, TN, GA, VA). We get a lot of rain in the mountains here, about 85 inches a year. The Foray is the only rain jacket I've used that gives enough ventilation with the Torsoflo zips to be usable for all day rain hiking most of the year, including storms with 50 mph winds. The double zipper front offers options with pack on for ventilation. The Torsoflo vents are without peer - I'll never hike in 3 season areas without them. The hood is the equal to the best fitting, allowing it to turn with your head and keep the cold wind out. The hood seems too small for a climbing helmet, but this is a hiker's jacket, not a belay jacket. As for seasonal use, any 2 layer Goretex Paclite jacket is intended for 3 season use, not sub-freezing winter use. If you want a winter waterproof/windproof jacket, get a 2.5 or 3 layer jacket - the lining will help hold a layer of warmth near your insulation layer. Two layer Goretex is good up to about 50-60 mph (just came back from 3 days above treeline in 35-50 mph winds and the jacket was stellar). That said, I've used the Foray in the mid 20s F in snow with 30 mph winds, a merino shirt and softshell vest and stayed comfortable while hiking. I've also used it in 65 T temps in constant rain and not overheated (though still soaked in sweat, but I do that no matter what the temps). The wetting through does indeed seem to be an issue due to the "soft" fabric used. I noticed it first on the shoulders (pretty typical for most 2 layer rain jackets) and then the chest area. I threw the jacket in the drier a few minutes to reset the DWR coating. That helped the next couple of times but then the fabric started to wet-out again. Then washed the jacket with Techwash to make sure my body oils were out of the fabric. Next, I used the wash-in Nikwax for Goretex. The DWR remained good for a few months, but then started to wet-out again. I've not contacted OR about this issue but feel confident they are aware of it. I'm willing to deal with it due to all the outstanding features of this jacket (after you've used Torsoflo venting, how could you go back to just underarm zips?). The Foray, while not perfect, is excellent for the weather I hike in. It's my go-to when rain threatens. There is no other rain jacket with all the features for the same weight.

I was looking for a new rain jacket. Read a lot of good things about OR. Read through the reviews on REI and the OR site about this jacket. I needed a jacket that would handle warmer weather and some cooler temps if necessary. I purchased this jacket in April but didn't need to put it to the test until May. USE: I travel and work out side for long hours. I had 2 days of moderate to steady rain in 2 different cities. The first city the weather was humid and during out setup became warm while the the jacket was on, I almost took it off, then remember the dual side pit zips. I undid them from the bottom to form the poncho and cooled off fast with no sweating or moisture build up. Shortly later it began to rain, tightened up the zips and was excited to see how the jacket would hold up. It did well with some slight wetting, but I stayed dry all day. The jacket was slightly damp when I put it back in my bag for the plane flight. When I got to the hotel, I took it out and hung it up. Drying time was fast. The next day it rained all day pretty moderately and was chilly. The front of the jacket did wet out a bit, but again, I was dry and relatively warm. Wind protection is solid. The weather the first day was in the mid 60's. The second day in the upper 40's-mid 50's. Chilly, but manageable. I wouldn't go much cooler if I'm standing around but for at home the jacket and limited time outside I would be OK. DWR: I read some reviews with the "complaint" on the DWR and the jacket wetting out. I'm thinking the softer fabric may not hold the DWR well or the application the jacket comes with is not applied well? I don't think re-applying it would hurt along with "juicing" it up a bit. FIT: I went with a medium, a size smaller than typical.. Fit is slim with no restriction. Good freedom of movement. The large was to big for me even accounting for layering. I would have no trouble layering with a medium. The hood fit great, not to big, a nice snug fit. It didn't seem that the hood was overly big for a helmet. OVERALL: A great jacket, with many options depending on the conditions. The double zippers on the front and pit zips are an excellent feature, part of what sold me. I did not use the pack-pocket yet so I cannot comment on that. But it will come in handy when traveling and saving space in my pack. I'll actually consider OR for future clothing. Looking at the Seattle Sombrero or Sombriolet next. RATING: I would love to go 5 stars, but the wetting out was disappointing and more than I would have expected. I'll give it a very firm 4 stars. Have a great day. Peace

Probably the best all around jacket you can get if you factor everything in. The waterproofness is great. The first thing I did was take it in the shower and it held up. I'm 5'11" 200lbs and the large is a great fit leaving some room for a light insulation layer if need be. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because it isn't the best at anything, but is a close second in just about everything. When you factor in what you would have to spend to get the absolute best and have it only be good at that one thing. This jacket at this price is a no brainier.