The cut of the Hoody is just right for me, nice and slim, no bagginess and long enough to stay tucked under a harness without issue. Lets start at the top: the hood is a nice simple low profile affair with a minimalist volume adjuster at the rear which comfortably fits under a helmet.To my surprise it also fits over a helmet very effectively and without any ‘compression’ or interference with head movements thanks to the design and elastic nature of the materials. There has clearly been a lot of thought put into the design though there is one design decision that I find somewhat odd. A great hood that fits under or over (most) helmets.Ĭonstructed from Polartec® Alpha Direct® and a Pertex® Microlight stretch woven shell this Ascendant hoody is both extremely breathable, super light, and surprisingly warm. I saw an earlier version of the Ascendant Hoody at KORS back in July 2017 and was excited to try out the updated version for the winter. OR’s Ascendant Hoody builds on their previous ‘Uberlayer Jacket’ but has been designed to be lighter and more breathable. A super light hoody utilising the amazing Polartec Alpha Direct, the Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoody has become my mid-layer of choice despite a couple of minor flaws. The OR Ascendant hoody weighs a claimed 13.0 oz, which is a whole 1.4 oz lighter than the top-recommended Arcteryx Proton LT.Almost the best mid-layer come soft-shell I’ve ever used. The Ascendant uses the same weight of PolarTec Alpha insulation as the reviewed Uberlayer, so I assume they would both be the same warmth. And according to Max’s review, the Uberlayer is the same warmth as the Proton LT and Nano Air. So Max, I have two questions if you would be kind enough to reply. First, how do you think the OR Ascendant hooded jacket would compare in this review?Īnd, you state that PolarTec Alpha insulation is not durable? Can you please explain why? I thought that since Alpha is basically long-pile fleece, it would not break or lose loft like short-fiber, loose synthetic insulation fills having very small fiber diameters. Do you have experience with Alpha not being durable? I’ve not noticed my fleece layers losing loft. I am asking sincerely, because I plan to buy either the Proton LT or the Ascendant hoody soon, and I want to make sure I correctly understand the pros and cons of each.I run hot. This is good for staying alive in winter, not so good for being comfortable on sunny rock climbs. It also means I typically don’t wear much when moving uphill, usually a thin layer is adequate while skinning. So it was with some skepticism that I decided to try out the Outdoor Research Uberlayer Hooded Jacket, a breathable insulation piece designed to be put on and stay on for a full day of aerobic activity in winter conditions. I had tried out the OR Superlayer last year and two things I didn’t like about that jacket were improved in the Uberlayer: 1) it has a hood (duh!), and 2) it’s lighter weight, which means it offers a better balance between breathability and warmth. The Polartec Alpha Active insulation does a good job dumping heat, and I was indeed impressed with how well the technology worked. On cold days, I could leave it on while skinning at a moderate pace, and then there was no need to put on a jacket for the descent. It’s amazing what a small thing that is, but how much of an impact it had. Out on ski missions, when I got to the top, it was one less thing I needed to do before heading down. The time difference itself might not have been all that tangible, but it felt like I was cheating going straight from touring to ski mode without putting something on or taking it off. I’ve mostly skied in this jacket, but I’ve also taken it up a few ice climbs as well. It has great range of motion, and the sleeves stayed put thanks to the elastic cuffs. It wasn’t warm enough that I didn’t need to throw on a belay parka while cragging, but doing a longer climb where you were moving fast would probably be a different story. It has two interior stash pockets, crucial for warming up gloves, skins, rock shoes, anything-that-needs-heating-up. The hood doesn’t fit over a ski helmet, though it does fit over a climbing helmet. And I’m really glad they put a two-way zipper on this, making it easier to use a belay device, check your harness, etc. My only complaint at this point is that after a dozen or so uses, it started to get pretty stinky. I imagine that’s because it’s transporting a lot more moisture through the fabric than other jackets, but it took me by surprise.
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