Disclosure: I’m participating in Outdoor Research’s (OR) #ORInsightLab to help test gear and offer feedback. This shell jacket was provided to me at no cost but, as always, opinions are my own. You can find my other Insight Lab reviews here: Airbrake Climbing Gloves, Voodoo Pants.

Oh, where to begin with this jacket…I could wax poetic for hours about this beauty!

Hands down, this jacket has gotten the most use of the OR gear I received to review. It’s incredibly versatile and looks great when I’m out to dinner or running errands yet also functions amazingly well out in the backcountry or on the trails. Most surprising was how buttery soft it feels; a super soft shell jacket that solidly performs in adverse weather? I’m in! It’s also, coincidentally, in my favorite color which is super cool.

What I love:

• Fit, fit fit
• Waterproof and breathable like nobody’s business
• Performs on the trails but also in the city
• Halo hood
• Hand pocket placement

OR says on the website that they designed this for women, by women, and it’s obvious. It fits exactly like I want a jacket to fit – slimmer through the torso, sleeves with cuff closures that fit over my watch and it’s long enough to hit my hips and not irritate my back under a hip belt.

I took this jacket on our wet and rainy Mt. Antero camp/climb last weekend and really appreciated the halo hood feature. It kept the rain out of my eyes while I munched on my dinner.

Another design feature I really appreciate is that the pockets are situated higher on the jacket so they don’t interfere with a backpack hip belt as other jackets do. I can still unzip, put trash or my phone in and re-zip without messing with my pack at all. And when you’re trying to outrun a booming thunderstorm, the last thing you wanna do is worry about adjusting your pack.

Another perk? I’m super tall (5’11”) and have a long torso yet this jacket is long enough to hit my hips without me yanking on it constantly.

What I’d change:

Pit zips would be a ‘nice to have’ but not a necessity for me.

Overall thoughts? This is a solid, high-quality, superior performance (and not to mention beautiful!) shell jacket that is a staple item for adventures of all seasons and all types.

Buy it: Clairvoyant Jacket / outdoorresearch.com