Outdoor Research Vigor Full Zip Hoodie Review

The Outdoor Research Vigor excels in the performance fleece arena. The lightweight grid fleece of the jacket and the thermos-regulating ActiveTemp work together to make a breathable garment that wicks away moisture when you're battling up steep hills or climbing hard routes. Three pockets, two hand warmer pockets, and a chest pocket, provide ample storage and the in-sleeve thumbholes help keep the sleeves in place while layering. The raglan sleeves and the 7% spandex in the fabric keep the jacket highly mobile. Outdoor Research made this feature-heavy, highly technical fleece at an affordable price as well, making it one of our testers' favorites for climbing around Colorado, running in the Sierra, and skiing in the backcountry. It does have a highly technical look, which makes the transition to beers afterward a little more difficult.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

Thin and featured, the Outdoor Research Vigor provides plenty of warmth while moving. The hood fits well against our tester's faces and ears allowing it to fight against the wind and the thumbholes kept the sleeves down and in place while our testers ran up the Flatirons in Colorado. The jacket fit well against the body and our testers noted few spots where heat could come be lost or wind could come into the jacket.

As suggested by the name, the Vigor works best in vigorous movement. When stationary, our testers chilled and wanted a heavier fleece or jacket. The slim, athletic fit helped our testers layer the piece though making it a warm alternative.

Comfort

The 93% polyester and 7% spandex grid patterned Vigor feels soft against the skin. The addition of the spandex allowed for a bit of stretch and made for few tight spots in the garment, allowing our testers to swing their arms akimbo while warming up for their sport proj. Some of our testers noted that it fit taller and lankier bodies a bit better.

Outdoor Research added lots of customization to make this piece a bit more comfortable. The zipper has a little garage at the chin which helps keep it from biting into the face. The FlatSeam construction helped eliminate chafing though one tester noted that the pocket seams sit in a funny spot on the body. The jacket also has a long fit and a bit of a skirt feel, which makes it nice for fitting under a harness and not riding up.

Weather resistance

While the fleece offers solid coverage with the thumbholes and form-fitting hood, the Vigor doesn't have any DWR (durable water repellent) treatment. In light rain or mists, our testers were able to move about in it and stay warm but when heavy winds came or more precipitation arrived they need to fight the chill and wetness with a heavier jacket. It does have a nice light weight and is fairly packable though.

One nice feature of the Vigor is that it has a 30 UPF rating. The additional sun protection in the light weight hoodie is certainly welcome on spring days skiing when the overhead sun blasts and the ambient temperature is still low. This gives it a sun or wind shirt aspect to it making it nice for alpine rock missions as well. Ultimately, make sure to bring a hard shell jacket or heavier layer if the forecast calls for more than a casual sprinkle.

Weight

At 13 ounces, the Vigor Full Zip Hoodie weighs in on the lightweight end of the jackets we reviewed. The piece packs up well and can easily be stuffed into the top of a pack. The low profile hood, the streamlined zipper, the two hand warmer pockets and the chest pocket all take up little space. While the jacket could be lighter as a pullover or if it had a couple less pockets, the features add little weight to the garment.

Breathability

This jacket does best with its breathability. The thermoregulating ActiveTemp technology helps adjust to body temperatures and then facilitates wicking away sweat as does the grid-patterned thinness of the fleece. It was a favorite in terms of activewear for our testers who slogged up steep approaches in the Flatirons while wearing it.

The full-length zipper added additional breathability. When our testers were charging up hills approaching climbs or trail running on brisk mornings, they were able to start off with the hood up and the jacket fully zipped and then transitioned to pushing the sleeves up and the zipper down.

Layering Ability

The Vigor Full Zip moves smoothly under other jackets. The three pockets don't add much bulk to the garment and the sleek zippers slide under another layer easily. This jacket has some of the best thumb loops of the jackets we reviewed with the sleeves easily staying on. The thumb loops are built into the wrists and fit over the thumb and palm of the hand well.

The length of the jacket also allows it to be tucked in under a harness and then a jacket can be worn over that. The Vigor doesn't ride up or create friction with the waist belt of a harness. Thanks to the full length zipper, this piece can easily be worn over another jacket though it's best to keep any layer underneath a bit thin as the Vigor doesn't add much warmth.

Should You Buy the Outdoor Research Vigor?

The Vigor Full Zip serves adventure outdoors people quite well. It's highly breathable, light, an easy jacket to layer with, and warm. For those looking for a technical garment at a bargain price, this piece provides. The one caveat is that this jacket has less of a crag to bar feel. The technical nature of the fleece makes it look just like that- highly technical- and less of a normal outerwear jacket.

What Other Fleece Jackets Should You Consider?

The Outdoor Research Vigor Full Zip Hoodie is a high-performing fleece being offered at a great value. This full zippered hoodie is highly breathable, incredibly comfortable, and easy to layer over. The Vigor is most comparable to the Patagonia R1 Air Full Zip Hoody, but is offered at a considerably lower price point. The Patagonia R1 Air follows a similar vein in terms of a high-performance fleece, as does the Mountain Hardwear Stratus Full Zip, which is similarly priced.