Outdoor Research  Helium Down Hoodie - Women's

First the pros: This jacket fits well and is very nicely constructed; it doesn't feel like any shortcuts were taken in the design and material and I would have kept the jacket if it were warmer. The cons: it is billed as a cold weather jacket. You can see from the photo I took as I held it up to the light that there are gaps where there is NO down. Even if it's filled with 800 down fill, it's not going to keep you warm in cold weather when you skimp on the down. This is a jacket for temps of no less than 40 degrees. I've added a comparison photo of the Rab Electron Pro Jacket - no gaps in the 800 down fill. It is a much warmer jacket.

Love this jacket! Love this color! I'm 5'5" and 140 lbs and I ordered a medium. I have a swimming background, so my shoulders are broad and I have long arms. I found the medium to be perfect for me! A large would have worked too if I had wanted something on the bigger side--just depends on the type of fit you want. Spending most of my time outside, this coat has been perfect for me. Its great for my technical adventures, as well as just going to and from class, or casual nights around town. Very happy with this purchase!

Love,love my yellow jacket soooo much. It's the perfect yellow and just love everything about it. ... the cut/style, the attached hoody with cord adjustment behind. I already wear it on my hiking and received compliments. I own a few OR jackets and this is one of my favorites. Now, I'm looking for lightweight rain jackets.

I did a lot of research on finding a winter jacket that was warm, light, and looked nice - this one appeared to be IT; however, the waist has to be something fit for a man, not a woman - it is way too tight and I am in excellent shape. Within the first week, I snagged the jacket that was supposed to have this diamond technology to be stronger than typical light jackets. It is also shorter than I thought it would be - coming to the top of my hip, which makes enduring cold weather difficult. I hope to be able to return it but it has a small hole in the arm due to the snag. I would not recommend this jacket for females. It is not worth the cost.

This jacket is of great quality and has a nice touch of waterproof shoulders and hood to keep you warm in the snow. I got it for Christmas and used it in the Kootenays for cross-country skiing, dog walking, and snowshoeing in the snow. It was great for activities where you are moving and staying warm at moderate temperatures (0 to -10 degrees celsius) but I found it was quite cold for milder activities and colder temperatures (< -10 degrees celsius). I thought it would be warmer due to its high down rating but it is more suited for a mid-layer as a spring/fall jacket. Great to layer underneath a larger coat or rain jacket for rainy days.

Would have give a 3.5 if they allowed half stars. This jacket is very light weight and comfortable and fits me perfectly. I’ve read other comments indicating fit issues. I have a short torso and it fits great, so if you have a longer torso it might not work for you. One issue that I’ve seen others list in their reviews: the sunrise color has slight discoloration issues. I’ve heard this is a common issue with light colored nylon fabric. I considered returning, but ultimately liked the jacket too much and the discoloration spots are only really visible if you know what you’re looking for. Getting this jacket in a darker fabric is probably a safer bet. This was the only color available at an extreme discount, so I couldn’t exchange for a darker color without paying twice as much.

The material was shoved all the way up my armpits. I am a true medium, meaning never had an issue with OR products (5 foot 7 and ~135lbs). I felt like the material under my armpits was crazyyy tight and constricting. The rest of the jacket fit me perfectly though?? So disappointed. The jacket color is gorgeous and jacket is high quality. I own an OR rain jacket that I love and was so excited about this jacket but had to return. My partner got the men's Medium, and that fit me better than this with zero armpit issue, but it's a bit longer and falls weird length on my thighs so probably won't buy the men's for myself either.

Wore it on a backpacking trip to Canyonlands NP last October, kept me toasty warm in camp on chilly mornings/evenings. Roomy enough to layer underneath yet not bulky. Not the lightest down jacket but warmth-to-weight ratio still very good and the tradeoff is a more durable jacket. I ordered size small, I'm 5'3, 130 lbs.- perfect fit. The blue color is quite attractive. Only minor drawback is that when I have the hood pulled up the sound of the fabric brushing against my smartwool beanie is so loud that I have trouble hearing conversations around me when I'm moving. Maybe a softer fleece lining for the hood would be better.

This jacket is very lightweight, comfortable, and fits me perfectly. I’ve read other comments indicating fit issues. I have a short torso and it fits great, so if you have a longer torso it might not work for you. Originally, I thought the sunrise color had slight discoloration issues, which I’d seen others mention. I’d heard this can be common with light-colored nylon fabric. I even considered returning the jacket, but I ultimately liked it too much—and the spots were only noticeable if you knew what to look for. After looking more closely, I realized what I thought were stains were actually dark down feathers showing through the light-colored nylon. These can look like stains at first glance. By gently massaging the insulation, I was able to move the darker feathers away from the surface fabric, and the “spots” disappeared. Getting this jacket in a darker fabric is still probably a safer bet, but the sunrise color was the only one available at a great discount—so I couldn’t exchange it without paying twice as much. That being said, I do love the bright color and don’t mind massaging the dark feathers down.

I live in Vermont and use the jacket for skiing and snowshoeing, as well as around town. What I like about it: > lightweight but warm under a shell > shoulders have stronger weather-resistant material > the hood fits over a helmet and is adjustable > fit is roomy enough so that it isn't restrictive (I'm 5'5 and 140lb> puffy > without being too puffy and has a flattering fit What could be improved: > wish the front zipper was two-way/zipped from bottom also > wish there was an additional zippered chest pocket > wish there were cords to snug the bottom of the jacket on both sides, not just one (for those powder days...)