Guest Review: Outdoor Research Transcendent Hoody
I’ll start this review by saying that I have jackets that are quite a lot warmer than this one and I also have jackets that are lighter but I reach for this jacket much more often, so I feel that this says a lot about it’s usefulness!
It’s a pretty simple jacket, mine weighs approx 400g and is filled with around 120g of 650 fill power down. The down isn’t the most premium, compared to say the Patagonia down sweater 800fp (which I also own but use more casually due to the fact that I bought the non-hooded version) however I feel that the transcendent offers about equal amounts of warmth due to a more efficient, slimmer fit.
I find that the warmer, bulkier down jackets are often overkill for UK conditions, unless of course you plan to be stood still for long periods of time.
The transcendent packs away nicely into one of the handwarmer pockets and takes up minimal space in your pack when carried but still offers reasonable warmth when needed, it is light and compressible but feels pretty durable compared to some lightweight insulated pieces. I think the advantage of this sort of down jacket is that you can actually move in it without massively overheating after 5 minutes of mild exertion.
As mentioned earlier the fit is one of the things I really like about this jacket, I’m 6’2 with a slim build and long arms and medium is a perfect fit, the jacket has a relatively slim fit and quite a long hem but you can still easily fit a mid weight fleece underneath and a hardshell over the top if the weather is really bad!
One of the excellent features of this jacket is the plush handwarmer pockets which aren’t often found in this type of jacket but which add warmth especially when you’ve forgotten your gloves! I’ve worn this jacket when resting between bouldering sessions, for post race relaxing after trail events, stashed in the pack for cold summits and as it looks pretty good for urban use. It is backed by ORs excellent ‘infinite guarantee’ which means that it is always guaranteed.
