Outdoor Research Ascendant Jacket Review

The ascendant was completely soaked but managed to keep my upper body warm for the entire race while not overly warm.

Outdoor research ascendant jacket review.

It has that light touch of warmth that backcountry skiers and alpine climbers look for when they re moving fast on the uphill. Light and highly breathable the outdoor reseach ascendant hoody is hailed by some as the perfect mid layer the ascendant is the first jacket we ve tested to use polartec alpha direct a version of polartec that doesn t require an inner lining to hold it in place saving weight and adding an extra element of comfort. 10 10 would buy again. The outdoor research ascendant hoody is a unique insulated jacket that uses polartec alpha direct insulation on the interior giving it a fuzzy and cuddly feel while using a soft shell like material on the exterior.

If you look at outdoor research s website this jacket sells for almost 100 more. We brought the men s ascendant hoody skiing in the coast mountains of british columbia and outdoor research makes the same jacket in a women s version. After taking it for a proper adventure i can certainly say that this jacket will be one of my mainstays. For this race i had pearl izumi tights an off brand thermal windproof baselayer new balance quarter zip mid layer and the outdoor research ascendant.

The most unique in our review the outdoor research ascendant hoody is a hybrid between an insulated jacket and a softshell combining both to create a niche layer that works well on top of light base layers or underneath a heavier jacket. Unlike most midlayers the outdoor research men s ascendent hooded jacket is an insulated layer that s actually designed for the ascent. The women s ascendant hoody also retails for 249 but comes in slightly lighter at 10 9 ounces and is available in different colorways at the time of publishing these include black and. I was going to wear my or boost but it was too thin and lacked insulation.

Building on the glowing reception of our uberlayer jacket we ratcheted up the breathability while cutting the weight a little more to build the ascendant collection pertex microlight movement mirroring stretch fabric and polartec alpha insulation create the perfect combination for skinning uphill belaying or layering under a ski jacket on cold days at the resort. It works great as a mid layer in cold weather or an outer layer in cooler temps.