What do we like from Outdoor Research??

Hey y’all.

OR has a 25% off sale on everything this weekend and I have $250 warranty credit to spend. What can you recommend from this company??

My primary sports are trad and ice climbing, and I already own a Helium jacket. But I’m open to buying anything, really. I did some browsing but am curious which pieces people recommend.

thanks!

Buy 10 Echo Sun Hoodies

I have a ton of their gear...feel like the quality is excellent but you're not paying for the name as much as stuff like Arcteryx/TNF/etc. I have a ferrosi hoody which has been bullet-proof for years. I also like their ski gear. I think I've owned like 4 sets of their mittens. Cirque pants are good for skiing in moderate temps (not warm enough for resort skiing <10 degrees F), or anything in mountains if you're going to be active.

I'll second the echo sun hoody.  I have two and wear them both constantly.  superlightweight and breathable in summer and make for a great high-output baselayer for winter.  I like the ferossi jacket, but it's not the lightest softshell on the market by any means.  I know many folks who swear by the astroman shirt for summer rock stuff, and I can personally recommend their down skirt for ice approaches!

I like the cirque pants. They are durable but the sizing is just a little awkward. Like the other guy said they’re not super warm but they kept me warm enough in sub 20’s weather. 

The ascentshell jacket is also solid. Used that in nuking winds and I barely felt anything. Same with the ferrosi jacket, it’s a soft shell but i like it as a layer 

Get their lederhosen, of course!

I wear a lot from OR. The echo hoodie (have multiples), ferrosi pants, ferrosi hoodie, ascendant (rip), helium 2, splitter gloves. I look like an OR shill when I climb and hike 

It’s all great stuff. I think they’re the best value to performance soft goods manufacturer in the industry. I’m usually kitted out in OR summer and winter. Tomorrow work day - ferrosi pants, echo t shirt and an astroman shirt. In the pack will be an AscentShell jacket and echo hoody.

So buy what you need - I think you’ll be pretty happy! 

I like the flurry gloves. Great all arounders, use them on the approach and around town in winter, great for camping cool nights in the spring/summer/fall.

The sunbriolet hat is pretty nice too. Great if you're doing a lot of hiking above treeline in the heat. Another great all around, non-technical piece.

I'd save your money on the cirque pants. They squish the shit out of my package but are also loose in the waist. Tight thighs make layering difficult and the pockets useless. If they knew how to sew pants they would be the best soft shell pants on the market considering their price. 

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

Get their lederhosen, of course!

I would honestly buy these, lol. Would be a conversation piece.

thanks for the recommendations everyone else! One of the reasons I asked is because I don’t have a gaping hole in my kit right now - nothing I “need”. The suggestions are useful inspiration! Thx.

Cirque pants +size up and they're fine). Ferrosi anything. Their gloves are top notch, especially the ice climbing ones. Alti mitts if you're climbing something high and cold. Gaiters are some of the best anyone makes. 

I'm partial to the astroman hoody

Webfoot wrote:

How are they superior to Petzl Cordex?  Those are the only ones I have tried.

Messed up. The gloves I like are from Mountain Hardwear. That's why I deleted my comment. 

The Helium in an outstanding multipitch shell.

The Ferrosi pants are awesome! (I used to wear the Zion Stretch, then I had a pair of Ferrosi's and switched camp)

Super breathable and stretchy, perfect for climbing in the summer, but also pretty durable 

I've done multiple bush wack approaches in them and so far they've held up fine, some piling on the surface but whatever, no holes

Also the thigh pocket is perfect for phones, it fits right under the leg loop of my harness and I can easily access my phone for taking pictures :)

Oh and they fit true to size!

Gloves, a bunch of gloves 

Justin S wrote:

The Ferrosi pants are awesome! (I used to wear the Zion Stretch, then I had a pair of Ferrosi's and switched camp)

Super breathable and stretchy, perfect for climbing in the summer, but also pretty durable 

I've done multiple bush wack approaches in them and so far they've held up fine, some piling on the surface but whatever, no holes

Also the thigh pocket is perfect for phones, it fits right under the leg loop of my harness and I can easily access my phone for taking pictures :)

Oh and they fit true to size!

The Ferrosi Crux was an outstanding (and affordable!) climbing pant. However the 2022 model is a mess. Gone is the drawstring. The hem cinches are now a plastic catch that can just fall off! The elastic waistband runs two inches (low estimate) over the listed size. Anyways. Hmu if you have any older models you're looking to part with. I'm a small.

Elijah Benson wrote:

The Ferrosi Crux was an outstanding (and affordable!) climbing pant. However the 2022 model is a mess. Gone is the drawstring. The hem cinches are now a plastic catch that can just fall off! The elastic waistband runs two inches (low estimate) over the listed size. Anyways. Hmu if you have any older models you're looking to part with. I'm a small.

Oh that's a bummer, I might have to stock up on Ferrosi's in case they change the design...

Sorry man, I'm an XS (28")

The Helium II is the best rain jacket/wind shell that weighs nothing! I think it was #1 on outdoorgearlab's ranking of best lightweight shells for awhile. I throw it in my pack or on my harness all summer long. 

Thanks for a reminder. I have the Echo long sleeved tee that I wear climbing ALL the time. I’ve had it for years, and it still looks brand new. No fading, no rips. So light and comfortable.  Perfect fit for me. 

I love the equinox pants on hot days for sun/bug protection. 

OR leather gloves are the cats meow. Stormtracker for touring & Direct Route belay gloves. Thank me later.