Outdoor Research  Aspire II GORE-TEX Jacket - Women's

I agree with the reviews that this jacket, or at least the one that I have, is NOT waterproof. I have worn it 3 times in both snow and light but steady rain, and it soaks through. I am not sure if this particular “batch” of jackets is defective, but my husband’s $60 REI water-resistant jacket kept him dry while I was not in my $200 OR jacket, from my head to the arms to the back of the jacket. Yes, it works fine as a windbreaker, but even light drizzle eventually gets through.

Went for a 2 mile walk in a light mist/drizzle to test it out, and it's barely water resistant. I had the hood cinched down so rain wouldn't come in around my face, but after the first mile I felt very... damp. Thought it was because I was walking fast and had maybe worked up a sweat, but nope. The fully taped seams were all soaked through and the entire hood, chest, shoulders, and upper back were wet enough that when I took the jacket off, water was dripping down the inside of the jacket. It's deceiving because the exterior doesn't look like it's been soaked through. In theory I could apply a waterproof coating, but then there's no point in spending this much money when it doesn't do what it claims to do right out the package. I really wanted to love it; it's comfortable, the hood cinches down very well, and several independent testing sources claimed it was one of the best on the market. In reality, it might keep you dry running an errand but definitely can't handle wet weather for more than 15 minutes. Not worth the price tag at all.

I am severely disappointed in this jacket, especially for the price point. After wearing it just three times it has gotten several micro-tears to the fabric and some weird scratch markings. I am totally confused by this damage as I have not been tough on it at ALL! Would not recommend purchasing this. My rain jackets from Patagonia and Marmot have lasted YEARS without any damage. Do not buy.

This jacket visually looks nice, but that's about where it stops for me. I have arms, and shoulders, and biceps, but I'm not a body builder and I don't rock climb; I'm just your pretty average athletic build but also likes pizza and beer. But I can't drive my truck without the fabric pulling against my biceps and armpits. I can't even come close to crossing my arms without the fabric across my back and upper arms getting super tight. When I sit down, the zipper puckers over my chest and makes a giant point. I read that some people commented on the crinkly noise the jacket makes and I though they were being a bit dramatic - they are not. This is the loudest jacket I have ever worn, just walking down the hallway at work it crinkled and swooshed with literally every muscle movement. I bought a large so I could layer underneath it, so it's not a matter of it being too big. This is just a dreadful jacket. Yes, the rain beaded nicely when I walked to my truck. Aside from an emergency jacket you hopefully don't actually need to use, I can't really think of when anyone should wear it. What a bummer.

I love this jacket - during a downpour in WA I didn’t get soaked at all and I was definitely walking for at least 10-15min in what seemed like being in the shower. You could see that water beaded off and when I got to a covered area I shook all the water off. Of course it’s a thin shell but the internal texture is nice and not “sticky”. It doesn’t sound like a garbage bag when I walk which was the case with a very expensive ($500) TNF jacket I previously owned. The full torso zips will allow for extreme venting needs if necessary. I’m 195 5’5” (athletic build) and got the extra large that allowed me to wear a thin fleece jacket or sweater shirt underneath.

In very light rain this held up so I took it on an overnight backpacking trip where it was forecasted to rain the entire time. Sounds wet, but, I had this $225 goretex rain jacket which would keep me dry so I’d be fine right? Wrong. I was completely soaked. Absolutely drenched. Water seeps through this and penetrates the fabric in every area. We had to turn around because of ME and THIS JACKET! I relied on this jacket for safety from the elements but instead I could have gotten hypothermia or worse. Would not recommend.

Bought this coat sort of last-minute before the Memorial Day holiday weekend because the forecast for our mountain destination was a tropical storm, and I knew my current rain coat wouldn't cut it. (I also bought a matching one for my daughter.) I am happy to report that this kept me totally dry in what I only sort of jokingly called "monsoon" conditions. The high zip neck coupled with the back-adjustable hood kept my curl- and frizz-prone long hair dry (vain, I know, but worth pointing out). The only drawback I will mention is that I wouldn't say this jacket is particularly designed for curvy folks - I definitely had to size up to accommodate a thicker layer underneath.

Ok, I have very low expectations for both the fit & tech specs of any plus size outdoor gear. I have been anywhere between a Medium to a 2x within the last decade & it's endlessly frustrating that I can never find good outdoor clothing for when I'm XL & above. This jacket is the FIRST TIME I've ever bought something in the plus range that is just as good as the straight sizes. They clearly actually tested the fit on a wide range of bodies, because this 6ft 265 lb. girl never has jackets fit her. The 2XL is super flattering, and actually works as well as is advertised. I'm almost speechless at how well OR hit the nail on the head with this one. The one thing I will say is the it fits me awesomely, but if you're 5'5" or shorter, the sleeves *may* be a bit too long. I like that in a raincoat though so that it covers any sleeves underneath. Overall, HIGHLY recommend, met all my expectations. And THANK YOU to Outdoor Research for finally filling this need.

I needed a waterproof jacket for casual wear that would hold up in my upcoming move to the PNW. It was between this and the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L. Overall, I liked the Aspire II more; it was much quieter, fit better at the hips, had a more comfortable hood, and the zips up the side are an AMAZING feature. Ultimately, I found the Aspire II to be a more "technical" jacket and the Torrentshell better for casual wear. I ended up purchasing the Torrentshell for now as it was more in my price range and served my current needs, but will definitely be coming back to the Aspire II when I need a PNW hiking jacket. Just a note - the Larch is less vibrant than the pictures depict, more or a mustard yellow. For reference, I am currently 5'4", 175 lbs, pear-shaped, and typically wear size 30 pants and Med tops. I purchased a size Large and it fits with room for a sweater.

I originally wanted the Patagonia Torrentshell but the arms were so long so I decided to get this jacket. It fits me nicer than the Patagonia and it’s so much quieter. However, I brought it recently to my winter Iceland trip and I was soaked! The only purpose it served was to keep the wind out. It’s my first OR purchase and it might be my last. My last rain jacket from Columbia lasted 15 years before it lost its waterproof capability. I thought I was upgrading with this jacket.