Outdoor Research Tested by Louis - Rumor Fleece Hoody : Rumor has it, that…

Rumor Hoody : The word is out…

I got hooked the outdoors at the age of 17, though I began my career as an “outdoorsman” long before that in summer camps (sea kayaking, canoeing, climbing, etc..) and with my family (hiking). However, my first real expedition took place in the White Mountains (New Hampshire, U.S.) with three friends. That's when I discovered my passion for nature and adventure. Since then, I have never stopped planning short, medium or long hikes across Quebec, in the eastern United States and elsewhere in the world (Iceland, Germany, Switzerland). Today, despite my duties as manager at Altitude-Sports on St-Denis, I still find the time to escape from the city to enjoy the benefits of outdoor adventure.

The word is out in the Adirondacks

When I was asked to write down my impressions of the Outdoor Research Rumor Hoody, I immediately wondered how this stretch fleece could be useful to me in April, when it started getting hot and everyone was taking out their summer wardrobe. I found my answer when I decided to flee the city for a short two day trip in the Adirondacks (New York).

And yes, the word is out that there is nothing better to lug to the top of a mountain than a compact, lightweight, insulating and wind resistant fleece. Of course, when it’s 25 ˚C at the foot of the mountain and you’re sweating buckets on the way up, you can’t even imagine putting on a second layer. But once at the top and the cool wind decides to show up, let’s just say a middle layer becomes absolutely essential. Moreover, this fleece isn’t just useful at the peak. At night, the cold summit air blows along the mountain ridges and rushes into the valleys (it's called the katabatic wind). As a result, the temperature drops considerably. It becomes important to have a high-performance insulating layer since in the Adirondacks, campfires are prohibited. In short, our body heat is our only source of comfort.

Evaluation

Following my experience, here’s what I retained about the Rumor Hoody. Firstly, I love the stretch cut: it fits well to your body and doesn’t let the air sneak under the garment. Also, I enjoyed the holes for the thumbs because they make it easier to add more layers (insulating or waterproof). Finally, the cap is very well designed to fit the shape of the head without having to adjust it. However, it is designed for big heads (like mine...).

Hope to see you in the store soon!