Overview: Outdoor Research Transcendent Down Hoodie
Outdoor Research completely redesigns its Transcendent Down Hoodie with 800-fill down, making it a warmer and lighter choice for cold-weather outdoor adventures.
Outdoor Research Transcendent Down Hoodie Specs
MSRP: $279
Fabric: 100 percent recycled 20D nylon shell and lining
Insulation: 800-fill responsibly sourced down
Weight: 13.3 ounces for a medium men’s coat; 11.6 ounces for a women’s medium
About the Transcendent Hoodie
The totally redesigned Transcendent Hoodie has 800-fill down and weighs 13.3 ounces, making it warmer and lighter than the old Hoodie and its 650-fill down and 16.2-ounce weight. The baffles are narrower to keep the down from shifting and the coat uses 100% recycled face and lining fabrics. It’s light and warm, but not stripped down. There are two outside zippered waist pockets, a zippered chest pocket and a deep stash pocket inside, and a hem drawcord. The collar is high on my neck for wind protection and the hood wraps comfortably around my head.
Transcendent Hoodie Features
Materials: Bluesign approved 100% recycled 20D nylon shell and lining.
Fit: The redesigned coat is slimmer than the old version, so take that into account when deciding on size. I’m 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weigh 160 pounds, and the medium size fits me. Because of the slim fit the coat is snug at the waist, so I recommend going with a large if you’re taller or heavier than me.
Wind Resistance: Good at handling light winds.
Water Resistance: Although water beads on the outer coat shell I wouldn’t wear it in the rain.
Warmth: The 800-fill down provides plenty of warmth for cold-weather adventures, with only a short-sleeved T underneath for temperatures above 30 and light to midweight base layers for lower temperatures.
Cuffs: The elastic cuffs are snug at my wrists, and expand enough to slip liner gloves underneath.
Zipper: The large main zipper is easy to pull without snagging, there’s a wind flap inside the coat that’s the length of the zipper, and a zipper garage at the hood.
High Collar: Zips over my chin, with a snug fit to keep out wind and cold air and a soft fabric strip that doesn’t scratch my chin and neck.
Waist Closure: A drawstring inside the coat draws the hem closer to my waist, sealing out wind and cold air.
The Hood: Wraps snugly around my head, with room for a hat underneath. But unlike the previous version there is no hood drawcord.
Two Side Pockets: The two side waist pockets are lined with tricot, a soft fabric that’s durable and moisture wicking. Both pockets have zippers and can hold gloves, a hat, or any other small gear I want quick access to.
Inside Pockets: OR moved the zippered chest pocket inside the coat and now there’s only one deep stash pocket. The coat has to be unzipped slightly to get at the chest pocket, so I don’t keep anything in it that I need to get to often. The pocket is more useful for keeping gear like a phone or satellite communicater safely enclosed inside the coat. The stash pocket, without a zipper, holds larger items such as liner gloves or snacks.
Stuff Pocket: The coat stuffs into the left pocket and has a cord to attach it to the outside of a pack.
Cleaning: Machine wash alone in cold water and tumble dry on low or line dry in the shade.
Transcendent Hoodie Pros
Lightweight: At 13.3 ounces, the coat is respectably lightweight.
Warmth: Good as an outer layer in subfreezing temperatures.
High Collar: Seals in the heat at my neck and keeps out the cold wind.
Pockets: The two outside and two inside pockets provide plenty of storage space.
Transcendent Hoodie Cons
No Hood Drawcord: The hood fits snugly around my head, but a drawcord would go a long way toward keeping out a strong wind.
Overall Value
The Transcendent Hoodie is a warm, lightweight coat that doesn’t doesn’t skimp on features. The coat’s four pockets—two inner and two outer– provide plenty of space for stashing small gear that I don’t want to keep taking my backpack off to get at. The collar zips up to fully cover my chin, although the hood would be better with a drawcord. The redesigned Transcendent Hoodie is more expensive–$279 compared with $225 for the older model—but packs more warmth and a lighter weight. And the price is a great deal compared with comparable coats, making the Transcendent a good choice for cold-weather adventures.
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This product was donated for purpose of review.
