Vertical-Life
Outdoor Research's DEVIATOR HOODY
Outdoor Research's Deviator Hoody
By Esteban Diez Fernández & Ignacio Sandoval Burón
Throughout this past year we’ve been using several Outdoor Research items of clothing as we have previously informed you about in several reviews (* see links at the end of this article). Without a doubt our favourite one has to be the Deviator Hoody, for both male and female.
Esteban Diez trying the Deviator Hoody jacket climbing on a cool autumn day in Valdehuesa (León).
Pic© Ignacio Sandoval Burón.
It's a lightweight
jacket primarily intended for aerobic activities or if you're looking for a
mid-layer with insulation. It's made out of two different types of fabric:
1.- The Polartec Alpha©, a kind of thin Primaloft that covers the hips and torso. This fabric provides warmth and/or isolation to the garment. The internal part made out of this fabric carries a thin mesh intended to wick moisture. The external part is of extreme thinness therefore, we need to be extra careful with it so as not to get it caught on something that could eventually rip it.
2.- The other fabric used
in the hood, sleeves and back is the Polartec Power Grid©, a thin
stretchy fleece made up of small squares, with less heating power but more
effective when it comes to providing breathability and comfortability; hence, why it has been placed where mobility is needed (arms, hood and back). In
comparison, this is a tougher fabric which has not sufffered any tears despite
of the numerous snag ons we’ve had.
On a different note, it has been awarded as one of the best running garment this year, field we have not yet tried. However, in sport climbing and multi-pitch its performance has been very satisfactory.
Click here to see this garment's assorted colours in its male version. Click here to see this garment's assorted colours in its female version.
text-autospace:none">We feel it's intended for activities that are more or less constant and that take place on not too low temperatures seeing as it's quite thin and it will barely keep us warm when the wind chill factor is minus 5/10º C —an important aspect to keep in mind when we're using it while hanging around at the bottom of the cliff or hanging from an anchor waiting for your partner to climb that pitch with freezing temperatures—. For temps above these, for high physical activities, etc. Its a very interesting choice. We've climbed loads of routes in it with a t-shirt underneath and the freedom of movement and its adjustability has been fantastic.
| Karisse Fa belaying in the shade in Piedrasecha (León). Pic© Esteban Diez Fernández. |
The following are other interesting features this hoody has:
- Helmet compatible hood.
- Full center front zipper for topos, mobile, keys, etc.
- Thumb loops on the sleeves.
- Lightweight (304 gr.).
- You can compress the whole item into one of the pockets which has a key clip which you can hang off your harness if need be.
- The inside hem drawcord facilitates a perfect adjustment to stop body warmth loss.
* The other Outdoor research items of clothing we have been using this season and which we have published reviews on, are:
More reviews on this Seattle brand in this section.