Outdoor Research Ferrosi hoodie/jacket – difference between generations

[Haakon R]

I’ve skimmed through a fair amount of reviews and forum posts without seeing anyone touch on this specific topic.

It’s a jacket/fabric that seems to get a lot of praise and while I’ve been aware of this for quite some time, it was really with the “By the numbers, The Myth of Air Permeability in Windshirts” that it got my attention.
Attention usually translates to purchase and further testing, but to my surprise I couldn’t find it at any dealer here in Norway so the “project” was put on hold.

After several months, and almost slipping out of my consciousness, I stumbled across one single Ferrosi hoodie available at a sports store that specializing in buying up residual stock and selling off at more reasonable prices. By some weird coincident it was in my preferred color and what I assume to be my size (haven’t received it yet).

Judging by the product photo on the site it is a retired version of the hoodie. The main discernable difference being a recessed zipper for the chest pocket, like seen here (old product page at REI).

For now I’m just glad I could get my hands on one, but it would be interesting to hear if anyone knows the difference between generations, especially if there are differences to the fabric or cut that might effect performance/experienced comfort. And also when the change(s) happened.

My jacket should be here tomorrow, fingers crossed that my sizing guesstimate holds true.

[Bill Budney]

I don’t know about generations, but I hope it works for you. It’s my favorite jacket.

[Brad W]

What’s the use case for this jacket? I love the pants. I don’t have the prem. membership so can’t tell the cfm on this.

[Bill Budney]

CFM is about 15, but MVTR is the big thing. Ferrosi is the current record-holder. The exact number is being revised, but it’s much better than any WPB, and noticeably better than most windshirts.

Use Case: I use it as a shell in cooler weather. It’s the first layer that I add in the Fall, and the last that I give up in the Spring. I find it more flexible than a grid fleece at about the same weight.

I do wear a variety of wicking or insulating layers under it, depending on temperature.

[Brad W]

Interesting. I have had decent luck pairing a Houdini(modern low cfm) and Peleton 97 fleece but I do love the Ferrosi material. Might have to pick one up.

[David D]

Back in July I took my Ferrosi pants out for a purposeful sufferfest, a hard and fast day hike for several hours in high 80s and almost 100% humidity to test its breathability before committing to a multiday day mid summer trip with them.

I sweat buckets but the pants themselves weren’t damp except around the waist from the sheets of water flowing down from my completely drenched shirt.  It was the only way a I could soak the Ferrosi material with sweat.  The material’s breathability in practice is pretty impressive.

[Brad W]

@David same. I have hiked in 100F+ where my socks, underwear, back all drenched-the Ferrosi were dry as a bone. It’s a magic material for sure. Wish they made running shorts out of this stuff.

[Haakon R]

Nice to see we have a discussion going. Although not much info relating to different generations of the jacket/material, reading positive feedback from other owners gives me confidence that I made the right decision. Although I’ve been curious about this jacket since reading the MVTR article in May, the total absence of domestically available jackets quenched my motivation to do further research on it, so it still felt a little rushed when I had to pull the trigger and secure the only one available.

My Ferrosi hoodie arrived on schedule yesterday. The fit/size seem to be spot on. Very happy about that, as this was the only one available (in the country as far as I know).

Autumns around here are typically cold and wet, so getting it in the spring would have been better, but I’ll use it when the weather allows and at the very least it’s ready to go for next season.

My biggest fear now is that I’ll like it so much that around this time next year I’ll be spending my time scraping the web for a pair of Ferrosi pants :)

[Brad W]

Can you share what size you got and your height and weight? I know OR recently changed their sizing on the Ferrosi pants-they were a bit looser and now are more athletic cut.

Oh, if you don’t have the pants, you have been missing out.

[Haakon R]

Can you share what size you got and your height and weight?

Sure. I’m about 186cm, 70kg and got it in a size Small. You’ll have to do the conversion yourself if you’re using freedom units. I’m rather slender for my height, so fit can be an issue some times.
This version of the Ferrosi (I have no idea what model year it is) says standard fit on the tag, but it’s more of an athletic fit for me. I can comfortably fit a thin base layer and a medium weight wool shirt under it, but not much more than. For the intended purpose, I couldn’t have hoped for a better fit. Often I have to choose between a fit jacket that’s too short in the arms and torso, or a baggy fit that’s long enough. This one is fit AND long enough :)

I might have to size up if I’m getting another one with the newer fit at some point. So thanks for pointing that out.

And the pants… oh my, the chase never ends :)

[Brett Peugh]

Are people going Hoodie or Anorak?

[Bill Budney]

I don’t know what people do but I personally think that an anorak is a shirt. Like a quarter-zip.

My preference is that a shell should be a jacket, with full zip to open for ventilation. With generous size for ventilation when warm and for layering when cool.

Your Mileage May Vary.

[Haakon R]

hmm.. the anorak garment has a lot of tradition around here, so while it may not be very well defined, I associate the term with densely woven, heavy weight cotton jackets with a roomy and long cut, 1/3 front zip or buttons, storm flaps, crotch strap, generous hood with a fur covered brim and so on.
I guess the term anorak works well in a marketing perspective, it helps get the point across that it’s an outer garment/shell layer without a full zip, but there’s a lot of “anoraks” out there that I don’t consider anoraks

Sorry for the tangent :)
I agree with Bill in the previous post, full zip jackets are generally more versatile. I have a romanticized fascination with anoraks going back to my childhood, when these were still the predominant winter outdoor jackets around these parts, so I own a few, but they’re the real deal and not the type of jackets that would be discussed in a ULB forum :)

There is something to be said for not always using a full zipper with regards to layering though. Some jackets are suitable as shell layers and mid layers, e.g. softshell- and active insulation jackets, and having a lot of full length zips stacked on top of each other can in some circumstances provide more discomfort than benefit. There’s also a slight gain in protection / insulation from the environment and some savings in weight. The only “anorak” I currently own that isn’t a real anorak, is the ArcTeryx Atom SL anorak. I really like it. Without the full zip it wears like a hoody and layers well, but then again – the full zip version is probably not that much different in use. I’ve accumulated a handful of active insulation jackets, so having one without a full zip gives me more options, but if it was my only active ins, I would definitely go with a full zip.

[Thom]

I have the Ferrosi “anorak . 12.4 oz size M  .  So it ain’t going in my backpack. Magic fabric is heavy.
thom

[Derrek L]

I thought I would jump on and describe the differences I could see via product pages and reviews of all the models.

There are now 3 generations of ferrosi jacket readily available on the market. A hoodless one (the oldest), a hooded one (the middle one), and a duraprint one (newest).

The oldest with no hood has thumb loops and the center back length is slightly longer as are the sleeves. It also does not appear to have the cordura reinforcement for shoulders and elbows. I can’t tell if it has internal drop pockets. Hem adjustment, 3 zipped pockets, packs into pocket, key carabiner in other pocket appear to be present.

The middle has no thumb loops and slightly shortened sleeves. It adds cordura reinforcement. Otherwise same feature set as hoodless. Helmet compatible hood (with adjustment) and hood stowe feature.

The new duraprint model seems to have removed packable pocket, hem adjustment, key carabiner and added duraprint 3d printing instead of cordura. I can’t determine if it has internal pockets. Same hood.

If the duraprint isn’t just lazy product page creation, I see no reason to buy it over the now cheaper sale version with cordura. It should be noted, that the duraprint model is rated as slightly less breathable on outdoor research own product pages. Not sure what prompts this.

Given this is an outer layer, I am not sure thumb loops matter? Given my primary high output activity is cycling, I am unsure about hood vs no-hood. A hood that is genuinely good for both cycling and non-cycling use would be fantastic. That fact that it can be strapped down for high wind cycling activities to prevent the incessant flapping sounds is awesome! But a hood that does either general outdoor or cycling poorly probably makes the hoodless more appealing. I would rather have my head exposed to the weather than effect line of site at all on a bike.

Finally, the hoodless is available with pokemon theming. Son’s excitement/happiness is priceless. ;)

Does anyone have any thoughts on the hood for cycling? Does it work well? Or would I end up getting something different and strapping it down for biking?

Outside of the varying breathability rating on OR site, I am assuming the material on all 3 will be the same as the one tested here.

Thanks!

[Bill Budney]

I have the middle generation that you describe: with hood but not Duraprint. The hood adjustment changes both volume and face fit. I find it easy to open up for wearing over a boonie hat or cinched down in cold winds. You would have to try it over your helmet, but I expect that it would work well.

The hood stow feature is a little quirky. I don’t stow it often, but it could be nice to have if you don’t use the hood often. There are no instructions and not many photos of it in use. It was a bit like solving a puzzle to do it the first time. :)  It involves rolling the hood then running the hood volume adjustment strap under the hangar loop on the inside of the jacket, then back over the rolled hood to hook onto the loop in the back between the shoulder blades.

I hope they have not reduced the breathability of the Ferrosi — that is part of its magic!

[Derrek L]

Thanks! Yeah, these hood stowe features are generally more problematic than they are helpful. Probably also need to take the jacket off to do it (at least roll it up).

but still, it is giving the option to get closer to hoodless when desired. I imagine it would start rolled up, get unrolled for some reason and then never get re-rolled. Ever.

analysis paralysis. *sigh*

[Bill Budney]

Other stow-able hoods roll into the collar, which works a little better. But, sure, at least it is nice to have the option to stow it somehow.

[Derrek L]

That’s what I have had previously. Or ones that zip off and go in a pocket.

I don’t remember who’s it was but one used the cinch cords to help pull it into the pocket. It was still often tough to get the zipper zipped, so still not practical to do while wearing, but a neat concept.

anyway, carrying a cycling cap in the cycling bag would be another easy solution.

[Haakon R]

Being that this thread is active again, I can chime in and say I’ve just started to wear my Ferrosi hoodie. Last fall was cold af, so I didn’t get a proper chance to wear it before winter. Had a short taste of spring a couple of weeks back, so I got to wear it for a bit before the weather turned cold again. Being between seasons with too little snow for skiing and too much to hike conveniently, doesn’t motivate me to do very ambitious hikes, so I didn’t push it to its limits, but I like how it performs so far.

[nunatak]

How does the breathability compare to the old red Norrøna/Bergans cotton blend anorak that I’m sure you owned at some point? Mine got pink from the sun and washing and finally ripped where the packs straps go. Wish I could find a new one on eBay

[bradmacmt]

Looks like OR has become yet another maker that can’t seem to resist the urge to put a hood on everything. Ok, a hood, fine – but drop the hoodless jacket in favor of an anorak? Nuts. The anorak in the Ferrosi material/weight is neither fish nor fowl.

[Haakon R]

sorry nunatak, I was a bit busy at the time and forgot about your question.

These are quite different garments for very different use and I wouldn’t even have thought about comparing them if you didn’t ask :)

I absolutely love the old Norrøna Arktis collection of cotton shell garments. Densely weaved 100% cotton is great in freezing winter conditions, but it’s not the most versatile garment.
I haven’t tried Bergans cotton garments, but I believe they use a cotton/polyester blend and is a bit more similar to Fjällrävens G-1000. Lighter and dries faster than Norrøna’s Arktis cotton, but also provides less insulation. I’ve had lot’s of G-1000 through the years, so I’ll use that as my reference.

I’d say none of the above quite match the breathability of the Ferrosi. They would certainly feel warmer in the same weather conditions, if that’s due to the fabric providing more insulation, less breathability or a combination of both – I could’t say for sure, but I suspect it’s the latter. Circling back to the start – I wouldn’t use them for the same weather conditions / intensity level so it doesn’t really matter. Both options are great in their own right, but for me (and I assume most outdoor enthusiasts) the Ferrosi is more versatile and will get more use than a storm proof cotton (blend) jacket.

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