OR Whirlwind – similar to Rab Boreas – cheap!

I own both the Rab and the OR and like the Rab much better,the OR definitely thicker and is too hot it might be o.k. for winter use.I wouldn't own the OR except I got one for $10 and thought I would try it out.I will try it out this winter and see if it has a place in my clothing system or not.

Huh, that's surprising! At a listed weight of 10.x ounces, it seems like it would have to be pretty non-breathable to feel "warm". That would in turn be surprising as well. It seems like this piece should behave pretty similarly to the Ferrosi series. I had one of those and found it very straightforward and breathable, similar to the Boreas.

Can anyone else confirm?

It also weighs more than my Boreas in the same size.

My Boreas weighs 9oz, I believe, and the Whirlwind is listed at 10.x ounces. Can you confirm that's right? Seems like a 1oz difference shouldn't be sufficient to make it feel so much warmer. Unless of course the material is much less breathable, as noted above. But that would seem to be quite an error from Outdoor Research, given that in their own marketing copy they seem to say that the Whirlwind was intended to be useful even on a warm day.

Seems like OR usually avoids stupid mistakes like that. Maybe I'm wrong.

Buy it and make your own decision.

Sorry Link, didn't mean to be argumentative. Was just trying to get more detail.

As someone who owns both items and has used both extensively… I like the whirlwind better. Way more durable, fits me better… I love the hood.

The Boreas is a lighter fabric, but I haven't noticed a huge difference in breathability.

Cool, thanks for the tip. Can you comment more on the difference in fit? My Boreas has always been way too long in the sleeves for me.

It is similar in sleeve length… the whirlwind has these cuffs that roll over to cover the hand a bit. It is a weird, but effective wind cover. The fit on the whirlwind is boxier overall, but I like the freedom of movement it allows. I used it quite a bit as a ski touring top layer in the past, and it really does a nice job for sun cover and a little wind cover. I also use it climbing and hiking… it is surprisingly versatile.