Price: $350
Pros: Lightweight, packable, warm.
Cons: Down wets quickly, hood not adjustable.
Worth the buy: Yes, depending on intended use.
I have been looking forward to trying out OR's Incandescent Hoody for a while, unfortunately it did not fulfill my needs the way I was hoping. I recently stepped off on the first of many events put on my a new organization called the Endurance Society. A group of unique individuals hell bent on putting their bodies and minds to the test out in the mountains and wilderness. The first leg of the journey was to ascend Mt. Mansfield in northern VT, which tuned out to be one hell of a climb and temperatures at the summit were around -30. Just before the summit I thought to myself, "what better time to put this jacket to the test", so I got out my Incandescent Hoody and settled in for the last bit of the climb above the tree line.
Where the jacket performed and where it did not...
Did the jacket keep me warm? Yes. Was it packable and light, taking up minimal room in my pack and saving me weight? Yes. Would I take it again on the same trip? No, and here is why. Once I took the jacket off after getting back down into the treeline I removed the jacket, I immediately noticed that a good amount of surface area was wet. Once down gets wet it is useless and the weight of a wet piece of gear only increases. Therefore if I was on a multiple day trip or event, it would be useless from then on. The jacket uses Pertex® Quantum, a water "resistant" material and DWR coating, and from my experience with that material it does not hold up well in minimal snow and extreme cold. Lastly, the jacket packs up into its own pocket. The only problem here is that you almost need two people in order to accomplish that with any kind of speed and efficiency. I would have rather seen it come with a stuff sack.
When to use the jacket?
So the jacket is not perfect for every situation, however there are still a lot of great uses for it. I love being able to throw this jacket on when the weekend rolls around, its super light and easy to throw in a bag "just in case". Camping, this jacket is IDEAL for winter camping, not only because it is light weight but because when you are camping and not in need of having a pack on your whole body stays nice and warm. I questioned the durability of the jacket at first but after snagging it on a nail and having no damage to it whatsoever I was sold and impressed.
The OR Incandescent Hoody is a definite "high end" piece of gear that you should really think about before purchasing before doing so. As long as you are using it for the right purposes it is a great addition to any gear closet, but be careful and know what your are getting it for. Are there lighter jackets out there? Yes. Are they just as expensive? Yes. Are there jackets just as warm? Yes. Are they just as expensive? Nope, you can find jackets just as warm for a more reasonable price. You buy this jacket for the weight, size when compressed, and of course for the amazing guarantee Outdoor Research has with all its products.
