Outdoor Research (OR) is an outdoor gear company based in my neck of the woods, in Seattle, Washington. They’ve been in the business of making high quality clothes for the active individual for over 27 years. I wasn’t familiar with their products before I tested out their Mithrilite Jacket and Expressa Skort this past spring and summer. And now I frequent their downtown retail store more often than my bank account should allow.
The Mithrilite Jacket ($199) is designed more for high alpine climbing, but I used it more for springtime hiking and late winter snowshoeing. The waterproof, highly breathable jacket was well suited for these activities. I particularly enjoyed the zippers that ran from my armpits to the waist, allowing me to cool down my body temperature a bit without removing the jacket. Although the material was waterproof, it didn’t dry out quickly much as a regular rain jacket would. Then again, this jacket can (and should) be used for much more than rain protection. The chest pocket was useful to hold maps when I was out leading snowshoe tours, as were the lined hand pockets in keeping my hands warm. I’ll be using this jacket in the winter on future snow activity trips.
The Expressa Skort has been in my dry bag for every river trip I did this summer. I’m big on skorts. I think they’re comfortable yet feminine, and well, perfect for almost any outdoor activity. The Expressa skort is comfortable, quick drying and very lightweight. I put my car key in the small zippered pocket when I’m out on a trail run. I went to the Outdoor Research store and bought two more in different colors. It’s one of THOSE pieces of clothing, the ones you want in multiple colors because you were them so often.
You can purchase Outdoor Research Mithrilite jacket here on Amazon for $85 and the Expressa Skort here on Amazon for $38