Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hooded Review

Hands-On Review of the Ferrosi Hooded

The Ferrosi Hooded Jacket is the third lightest softshell jacket that we reviewed and offers proven performance for its budget-friendly $129 price tag. This jacket is well-known for its breathability and stretchy fit, attributes that make it perfect for vigorous activity like ski touring, trail running, cycling, or rock climbing. Its wet weather protection is marginal due to the thin and porous fabric, but it serves up enough wind protection to make it useful high on a windswept alpine ridge.

This is a great choice for chilly, but sunny missions in Yosemite Valley.

Weather Protection

The Ferrosi Hoody is much less protective than shells with a specialized weave, like the Patagonia Galvanized. However, during a high-output activity like trail running or mountain biking, it is nice to have the option to don a more breathable, heavier-duty wind jacket like this one. The Ferrosi defends against the elements with a tight nylon/spandex weave and DWR treatment rather than a membrane.

During heavy gusts, we certainly felt the breeze while wearing the Ferrosi, but it blocked enough wind to keep us from getting chilled. While cross-country skiing, it offered enough protection from light snow and spindrift to keep us dry, while remaining breathable. By incorporating a hood, this jacket allows you to seal out the elements even when wearing a climbing helmet (an average-sized ski helmet won't fit).

We tested this jacket in the shower; we were surprised that it lasted for as long as it did before wetting through — a full 30 seconds in a downpour. It is not waterproof, only lightly resistant. But for cold, windy conditions, this contender is ideal for wearing over a lightweight fleece, such as our award-winning favorite, the Patagonia R1 Hoody. What this model lacks in water resistance, it makes up for in breathability.

In light drizzle the Ferrosi's DWR treatment sheds water as seen on the front, though prolonged showers will wet through as seen on the shoulders.

Breathability

We gave the highest score in the breathability metric to the Ferrosi Hoody, as it outperformed all other jackets in high-output aerobic activity. The shell material allows perspiration to pass through easily. Here is one reason to consider a jacket that is not fully windproof, as the slight difference in wind permeability between this jacket and the Sigma SL made a lot of difference in how sweaty we felt. When reaching the end of a long climb on bikes or skis, we arrived drier than when wearing other jackets that had a thicker shell or an inner liner and were able to retain more warmth with less excess moisture to wick away body heat.

When the weather deteriorates, you can throw on a waterproof or puffy jacket depending on conditions. Finally, it's worth noting that after wetting out the shoulders in our waterfall test, the stretchy body and hood fabric breathed like a champ. Our tester was perfectly dry in less than 30 minutes of moderate activity. The jacket was worn over an R1 Hoody. If you don't need lots of breathability and prefer top quality weather protection in a softshell jacket, we recommend the Arcteryx Gamma MX, which is much more weather resistant and has better features.

We most appreciated the breathable fabric of the Ferrosi during activities like mountain biking.

Mobility

The most mobile jacket in our review, our Best Buy winner has continued to outperform many new models, even though it is relatively unchanged over the year. This is a great choice for mountain bikers, runners, and climbers who recreate mostly in dry conditions and want wind and abrasion protection without sacrificing the ability to move freely. When reaching up with a harness on, the cuffs fall slightly; however, when wearing gloves, the wrist cuffs stayed in place and didn't fall thanks to the stretch of the material. There are good quality thumb loops that allow the wearer to keep the cuffs in place and gain a bit of protection; these perform better than the loops featured on the Mammut Ultimate.

The Ferrosi Hoody works very well when worn over a sun shirt or an light fleece like the Top Pick winning OR Deviator Hoody. We found that when layered as such, the athletic fit was perfect and was snug but not too tight. If you often find yourself between sizes or wish to layer a thicker midweight fleece below the Ferrosi, then consider sizing up one size.

Taking the Ferrosi for a test on the North Ridge of Mount Baker, we found it to be incredibly mobile for alpine climbing.

Weight

This is the third lightest softshell jacket in our review, with a verified weight of .8 pounds. While it is heavier and less water resistant than the lighter models from Arc'teryx (such as the Tenquille Hoody), the roomier cut and ability to layer underneath is worth an extra ounce. Pairing the Ferrosi with an ultralight rain jacket that weighs less than seven ounces yields a super versatile clothing system that weighs just ounces less than many of the other softshells that we reviewed! Because this softshell jacket weighs so little, it is easy to work into a wide range of clothing systems. You can pack this for an extended alpine trip or get a new PR on your local Strava circuit.

Features

This is a simple jacket that eschews rich features for clean lines, minimal extras and light weight. The hooded version tested here is our favorite of the Ferrosi line, and we prefer the extra ounce of weight in order to have more protection. There are only two adjustment cords, rather than three, so this best fits over a hat or a low-profile climbing helmet.

We have long complained that the zippered handwarmer pockets are too low on the body of the Ferrosi to be comfortable or useful when used with a climbing harness, a backpack hip belt, or a waistbelt hydration pack. Since this jacket is more of an athletic garment with less casual crossover than a model like the Rab Torque, we would hope that future iteration of this jacket move the pockets up a few inches to be more compatible with these accessories

This jacket stows away neatly, allowing it to slip into a small hip pack for short day hikes.

There is just one offset elastic cinch on the right side of the hem while most jackets have two. However, we found that the single cinch worked quite well. Finally, we love the simple elastic wrist closures that keep the cuffs secure. They fit easily over lightweight gloves but are not bulky when we used with larger, gauntlet style gloves. Another great feature this affords is that the cuffs stay put on your forearms if you pull the sleeves up. For lightweight softshells, the elastic wrist closures are an excellent design choice.

The thumb loops featured on the 2019 Ferrosi are top-notch quality and useful. While many thumb loops seem to be an afterthought, these are double stitched, have a wide opening, and are user-friendly.

The reinforced thumb loops were one of our favorite features.

This jacket is a lightweight softshell jacket that is designed to be used in rough terrain like rock and alpine climbing. That said, it is not very reinforced, and the price reflects that. If used heavily, the hem cords will fray and the shoulders and elbows will experience wear as the material becomes thin and abraded. That's okay! We have put our Ferrosis through the wringer over the years and found them to have a 2-3 year lifespan with rough use.

Style

Though the jacket isn't warm enough to be very useful around town, its mountain style points were quite high.

We probably took more pictures of this jacket than many of the others directly because it looked picturesque at every turn. The fit also contributed style points. It is very tailored and refined. If you plan on layering heavily under this jacket, be warned: it's snug.

This trim softshell is made for an active lifestyle.

Value

For the incredibly low price of $129, Outdoor Research created a high-scoring jacket. If you want this jacket without a hood it can be had for $99. With this combination of low price and great performance, we couldn't help but give this jacket our Best Buy Award.

Conclusion

At its core, a softshell jacket is a hybrid piece that is meant to fill the gap between hardshell jackets and fleeces. The Ferrosi fills this gap wonderfully and is a joy to wear over a base layer or light fleece. Several reviewers purchased jacket after the conclusion of our review. While other softshells might be a touch more breathable and others more weather resistant, this jacket strikes a fantastic real-world balance packed into a super lightweight piece. If you want excellent breathability coupled with some protection from snow and moisture, this jacket is an excellent addition to your kit.

The OR Ferrosi Hoody is one of our favorite all-around jackets, and it comes at a bargain price.