This winter has been a strange one in Denver – it’s felt more like spring with mild temps and little snow. So our decision to not get a ski pass this year has felt like the right one with the sporadic snowfalls. Knowing we wouldn’t be spending much/any time skiing this season, I opted to test out the Outdoor Research Plaza Vest + Outdoor Research Pentane Tights to take along on snowshoe/hikes, bike rides, runs and urban adventures.

OUTDOOR RESEARCH WOMEN’S PLAZA VEST

I’ve really appreciated this vest through this mild winter. I don’t need much more than a long sleeve shirt, liner gloves and this vest to keep warm. The front and back are insulated with 700 fill down and side panels are a stretchy, breathable fabric so it keeps me snug and happy but not overheating when moving. Both hip pockets include zippers which I love so I don’t loose snack wrappers on a hike or keys while running in the city. There’s an interior zip pocket on the chest and 2 non-zipper, deep interior pockets for even more storage. From a snowy trail to a chilly Seattle bike ride, this vest gets 2 thumbs up.

OUTDOOR RESEARCH WOMEN’S PENTANE TIGHTS

What drew me to these tights was the reflective pattern printed on the fabric (which is hard to photograph in light or dark!) since it most of my weekday runs are dark after work. These tights are stretchy and breathable, super comfortable and warm to exercise or hike in. The waistband is a softer fabric, rather than stretchy, so can sometimes get a little loose but the drawstring helps keep things in place. They’re a bit short on me (not sure if it’s because I’m a giant or it’s the intended fit) so these hit me at/slightly above my ankle so I tend to pull these out on non-wet/snowy runs. Overall, solid pair of hi-vis running tights.

What I love about both of these items is that they’ll transcend seasons – both will be great for spring running, summer backpacking/hiking and fall camping. They’re lightweight and warm, easy to pack in a backpack or suitcase so you’re ready for adventure as (and when!) you get where you’re going. And great for keeping warm while biking to wineries with friends. 🙂

DISCLAIMER: As a participant in Outdoor Research’s #ORInsightLab, I am offered the opportunity to test seasonal gear in exchange for my honest review. This post is not sponsored but I did receive the gear for free.

This summer, I tested out 2 jackets from Outdoor Research as part of their #ORInsightLab team and I’ll be profiling them this week and next. First up, the Helium II Women’s Jacket!

This jacket has been heavily praised, winning awards like ‘Best Waterproof Running Jacket Winter’ from Runner’s World or ‘Top Pick Award Winner 2015’ from Outdoor Gear Lab so I was pretty pumped to pack this jacket for my summer adventures.

Unfortunately, my summer adventures were mostly hot and dry so I didn’t get much of a chance to put the waterproofness to the test too often but will be doing so this fall during rainy season in Pittsburgh.

But I will speak to the breathability and packability because both are excellent attributes of this jacket because both are outstanding. I’ve brought my Helium II jacket with me on every single hike and trip in the past several months and have worn it frequently when it’s windy and as a layer when the sun starts to sink lower in the sky and the air cools down in the mountains.

On cool morning hikes in Idaho, this jacket was the perfect layer over my shirt to keep me warm from the light breeze but, because of the breathability, I never felt uncomfortable, even when hiking up steep grades.

And as it relates to packability, can’t be beat with this one. It’s extremely lightweight, clocking in at 5.5 oz (less than half the weight of my Clairvoyant jacket) and packs down such that I can hold the entire jacket in my fist. It’s extremely easy to stuff into a 65L backpack for an overnight trip or a small trail running pack without giving up much/almost any retail space.

The tradeoff with lightweight is that there aren’t any exterior hip pockets. (There is an exterior chest pocket, though.) This did take adjusting on my part because I so frequently jam my hands, phone or snacks in the exterior pockets of my jacket that it felt strange to not have them. But after a few wears, my brain figured it out and I found alternatives.

Two additional features I really like about the Helium II jacket are the internal pocket and the drawcord hem to cinch the waist.

As I adjusted to the loss of external pockets, I quickly found the internal pocket to be useful in carrying snacks or my ID/credit card. Again, not my first instinct so reach inside my jacket for key items but it was nice to have a place to put small items that I wanted on my person. This pocket also doubles as a stuff sack with a carabiner loop – great for clipping to a climbing harness! Most of my adventures kept my feet on the ground but the Helium II would be a great addition to any climbing trip.

The drawcord hem is a feature I’ve really come to appreciate in my active jackets. When the temperatures dip or the rain is pouring, I like being able to cinch down my outerlayers to preserve warmth and keep moisture out.

Overall, really loved the lightweight and breathable Outdoor Research Helium II Women’s jacket. There’s no question that it will be a tagalong on outdoor adventures of all varieties for many, many years to come.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Outdoor Research Helium II Women’s Jacket, $159

Sizing: I am 5’11” and am wearing a medium; jacket runs true to size.

DISCLAIMER: As a participant in Outdoor Research’s #ORInsightLab, I am offered the opportunity to test seasonal gear in exchange for my honest review. This post is not sponsored but I did receive the gear for free. 

This hoody, you guys. This hoody!

I have worn this Outdoor Research Women’s Deviator Hoody for nearly every run since I received it earlier this fall. I’ve worn it under my coat skiing. I’ve worn it running to/from OrangeTheory classes. I’ve worn it around my apartment when it’s chilly, thanks to old and poorly insulated windows. If I didn’t have to take it off to clean it or myself, I wouldn’t. In love.

Knowing I’d be training throughout the winter for my half marathon, when Outdoor Research reached out about testing fall/winter gear, I opted for the Deviator Hoody as the internet, Backpacker and Runner’s World have given it rave reviews.

It’s this weird and amazing hybrid jacket that’s part insulation in the torso, part base layer in the arms. But it’s completely genius and incredibly comfortable.

So, the details: this jacket features Polartec Alpha insulation in the front keeps the core warm – especially when running into Pittsburgh headwind. The Polartec Power Grid material in the arms and back wick moisture to keep me dry and warm. It’s super lightweight but seriously warm; I wear just a synthetic t-shirt or tank underneath and head out the door to run. Sometimes, if it’s extra windy (hi, Pittsburgh), I’ll throw a really thin windbreaker on top but in general, the tshirt/jacket combo has worked really well.

A few highlights outside of technical performance for me are the wrist cuffs and deep pockets.

Of course, thumb holes are always awesome on a cuff but what I really love about these cuffs are how they are reinforced. You can see the dark purple lining in the photo above; the reinforcing gives the cuff a sturdy structure so the sleeve stays put. I hadn’t noticed that other jacket sleeves jostle around until this one decidedly did *not*. Using the thumb holes or not, the cuff stays put and I’m down with that.

Okay, onto the pockets. The pockets on this jacket are very deep and wide; it was a pleasant surprise that not only does my phone (Samsung Galaxy 4) fit in the pocket but it can lay down horizontally and NOT BOUNCE AROUND DURING A RUN. Seriously. This jacket stays flush against my body with a cell phone in my pocket. WUT!? I don’t know how the magicians at OR made this work but I really appreciate that they did.

So through the rest of half marathon training, you can find me running around Pittsburgh in this jacket. Once the weather warms back up, this jacket will be perfect for snuggling up to sleep in a sleeping bag on cool spring evening or trekking into a crag for early morning summer climbing.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Outdoor Research Deviator Hoody, $185 MSRP