Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoodie

Fits great and can't wait to use it next winter.

Every item that I buy from OR fits right , feels right it's really good, just material is very delicate, hand wash is highly recommended.

Nice midweight coat, though I'm still finding the right use for it. As a backcountry skier in the Cascades, it's a little too warm for the uphill and a little too unsheltered for the down. But I run warm and this might work better for my uphill efforts in a colder climate. A friend had one on a recent hut trip in the Kootenai's when it was very cold, and he used it for the uphill then. It also could be great for summer backpacking or other seasons. As it is it has become my go-to coat for around town mid-winter activities (not major adventure I know, but a nice coat anyway). The hood is nice and the elastic wrists are good. No zips on the hand-warmer pockets make loss of wallet or keys a possibility, but the zippered breast pocket is large and can accommodate a wallet.

Put interior lining inside to protect the Apex from wearing out

Good product but wind will cut straight through it. Wear a wind layer and you've got a great breathable mid layer that is relatively warm

I got this jacket on a killer sale, and I love it. I have had the vest version for two years and I use it all the time for hiking and climbing. it is very breathable and plenty warm for most conditions as a layering piece or as a standalone when it isn't too windy. My only complaint, and the only thing keeping me from giving this jacket 5 stars is that the waist has a drawcord cinch with a small toggle IN THE BACK - a most inconvenient location if you are wearing a backpack with a hip belt which I do constantly, because the toggle can get smashed into your back. I may just cut the toggle off, because I don't really need it.

I had to give it to my friend . Fits tight

Great midlayer. Fits tight though. I could use zipped pockets

Great layer piece. Pros: it's warm and the fit is perfect, hood works well over hat/helmet. Cons: pockets would be better with zippers. Not the most breathable piece I own.

Have used this: - As a midlayer under a shell and over a smartwool base layer while skiing in temps from 5-40deg f - As an outerlayer over a light baselayer xc skiing in 30deg f - As my only layer xc skiing in 35 deg f - As an outerlayer ice climbing in 35deg f - As a fleece type piece day to day in the office. The inner material is very cozy and I have used it as a blanket/pillow over a backpack. It also if fairly sweat wicking IME. I've gotten this thing soaked with sweat though, and after only a couple hours it is dry and does not smell. The water resistant coating began to wear off after a couple months (no more water beading) but I still have yet to get wet in light rain. The outer material feels flimsy but I have not gotten any tears walking through brush, hooking ice tools over the shoulder, etc. All in all I'm very impressed and find myself using this piece almost every day over the winter. The only room for improvement I'd like to see are tighter elastic on the wrists, so that they don't slide down over the hand as much, and since I mostly use this in the winter I'd like to see zippers on the hand pockets as I often use it to store gloves and don't want them to fall out, also I don't like getting snow in the pockets on occasion. Btw I have the ochre color and I feel its solid as an everyday around town/work color and looks good with most things.

Mid layer for ice climbing and ski tours. So far the jacket while light is quite warm. My only complaint is the outer fabric is quite thin. Be careful how you put it In a pack. Tore a hole on the first outing snagging it on a piece of gear. I bought this as a layering piece for a trip to Denali next Spring. I am 5'6 150lbs with broad shoulders and the medium fits me pretty well with room for layers underneath.

I am a Fed LEO that travels the world and often needs a good cover garment that's breathable and waterproof that can cover a shirt or a suit in the rain. I bought this a year ago, posted a review but it never actually posted. BLUF I would buy it again As it's light and relatively waterproof. BUT it wears quickly and the inside material has loops that catch. Positives 1. Works well in wet weather but is not 100% waterproof. I did use it NYE in NYC during the monsoon like storms last year and was relatively dry. 2. Keeps you warm up to about 34/40F. 3. Lightweight and packable. Negatives 1. The terry cloth interior is too fragile, it works as an insulator, but in my case I wear my duty equipment and it ends up taking a beating. 2. It's best zipped up, because of the way that it's weighted it's hard to leave it open (almost wish it was slightly weighted at the waistline). Those negatives are minor. I would generally recommend it and have to friends and coworkers.

This is a great layer. It keeps you disproportionately warm for what the material is. It can be a bit too much warmth if you are exerting yourself, even at well below the freezing mark. I'm a trim 6'1'' and the L is a nice fit.

Fits a little tight for a large. I'm 6'3" and 220 so maybe I should have just gone up a size. But over all I have loved this jacket for those days that you want to have a jacket but not a puffy.

I've worn this jacket probably 6 out of every 7 days for the past year, its exceptionally warm for the weight and very versatile. I wear it biking, hiking, ski touring, climbing, and put it through the wringer on some construction projects. My only qualms with it is the shedding of the inner fleece material over time and the face fabric. The outer material seems to eat up stains and tears quite easily. I had a Cathode jacket for years prior to this and it held up to much greater abuse; I had no issues even while canyoneering or climbing with it on as it was much more durable. I definitely would not do the same with the Ascendant, but I suppose that's the trade-off for a much more breathable jacket. All that said, I really do live in this jacket and like it quite a bit.

Great mid-layer for winter activity. Very warm and light. Wind stopping and can be worn without a shell on warmer days. My only complaint is it feels a little short. I'm 6' and have a fairly thin build. I fits great everywhere and stretches well but if I lift my hands above my head my bare waist is a little exposed. Whenever the option "tall" is available in sizing I always go for it. I wish OR had "tall" options for their tops

Super breathable Midlayer, excellent wind-proofing means it is also a great light outer-layer, especially when it comes to being active outdoors

I use my Accendant hoody as a mid layer for sking/snowboarding or as a stand alone outer layer on mild days (above 50 degreees). This jacket works very well for its intended purpose. However, the synthetic pile like lining sheds pretty bad when new. I'm hoping this goes away with some wear and maybe a wash. Had to use a lint roller to pull shedded material off of my helmet. Not a big deal, as long as all the insulating pile material does not shed off completely. Also, as others have mentioned, it would be great if the pockets had zippers. There is a clip to hold your keys, but I usually have stuff in my pockets and don't really love the idea that something could pop out pretty easily if I'm wearing this is an outer layer. Probably best to wear for casual use as an outer layer. Still a solid piece from OR.

This jacket was a nice alternative to wearing a fleece. It's very lightweight and surprisingly warm overall. The quality is really nice. It's a great jacket to wear out in the city or if you are out for a nice hike or on a camping trip. My only complaint is it's very tight fitting. I would order a size larger than you normally would.

I've owned this jacket for about 1.5 years now, have used it a lot, and overall would highly recommend it. The GOOD: I'm most impressed by the breathability of this jacket. As advertised, this jacket breaths extremely well while moving (hiking, skin tracks, biking, etc.) and keeps you warm as soon as you stop. I've found the jacket's ability to shed moisture and heat works best when I'm wearing just a polyester tee shirt underneath. This combo has been great for cold dry days down to the mid 20's (F). I will also say that this jacket has held up surprisingly well to bushwhacking, which I tend to do a lot of. I was very nervous that it would get torn to shreds quickly but it has done okay. It's obviously not as durable as a tightly knitted fleece or a 70 D shell, but it's withstood its fair share of scrub oak-filled days. I don't have much to say about the water resistance of this jacket as I'm from a dry western state and use it as an outer layer mainly in dry conditions. When it starts to snow or rain, I throw a shell on and this jacket becomes a great layer The NOT SO GOOD: The hood adjustment is one drawstring on the back; it would be better if there were two drawstrings, one on each side of the face. The thumb loops are very uncomfortable and will begin to cut off circulation to my thumbs after about 10 min of use. I also find the thumb loops a bit impractical for use under gloves as the wrist cuffs are kind of bulky to fit comfortably under most gloves. It would be awesome if OR made this jacket with nice soft wrist gaskets that had thumb holes in them. I would love to see zippered side pockets on this jacket. Also, this jacket's outer fabric seems to hold grease and dirt a bit too well. I bought a light color (lemongrass - light lime green/yellow) and it's permanently stained all along the zipper and pocket edges with dirt/grease from my fingers. If you plan on wearing this as an around-town, buy a dark color as it will hide dirt better.

Easy jacket to grab in a hurry.

Love this jacket, it's the layer I never take off while ski touring in utah

Love this jacket. I wear it for everything because of how comfortable and good looking it is. I do wish it had a little bit more insulation but overall very lightweight and versatile midlayer.

Great breathable jacket and super lightweight. I use this for ski touring and rarely have to de layer even under high intensity work outs

Excellent fit and fabrics. The only (major) hang up is that the pockets are not zippered. Deal breaker for technical use. As it's really a cold weather outer layer those in zippered pockets can get snow in them then melt.