Outdoor Research Diode Hooded Jacket #ORInsightLab

I’m the world’s laziest person ever; when it comes to the elements, I tend to baby my down jackets and prefer my stinky, synthetic insulation over the fluffy good stuff. When Outdoor Research sent over their Diode Hoody, I was a little skeptical. A down jacket to battle the elements? It didn’t seem real.

Available through REI | Campsaver | Mountain Gear

The body of the jacket features 70% DWR-treated down and 30% Primaloft blend to trap heat in inclement weather. Areas that receive the most weather and abrasion contain 100% PrimaLoft Gold. Pertex® Endurance 2L and Pertex® Quantum shed water and snow. An internal front storm flap means you’re going to stay toasty. Double separating zippers makes it easy to get in and out of snow pants or belay your partner without sacrificing heat.

The hood is helmet compatible for when it’s freezing out and the wind is howling. A plethora of pockets (two zippered hands, one internal zipper, one external Napoleon pocket, two mesh pockets) means you’ll always have the essentials handy. The left hand pocket also doubles as a stuff sack.

This jacket is an absolute godsend when you’re sitting around, waiting for your friends to climb, or taking a quick whiskey lunch break on the slopes. It’s got a trim fit, but it’s still roomy enough to toss on over whatever insulation you’ve got on. (For the record, I was able to layer my Diode over my Uberlayer for ultimate warmth.)

The outer fabric sheds water, snow, and dirt so you don’t have to fully baby it. I spent lots of time cuddling with dirt and rocks, and the jacket still looks almost as good as new, albeit a little dusty. I’ve also walked into a lot of trees and bushes without any real damage to the hoody. The double separating zippers are a godsend for harness and snow pant shenanigans.

All in all, the Outdoor Research Diode Hoody is a solid down jacket that doesn’t need to be babied too much. If you’re in the market for something toasty that can handle whatever weather, this is it.

Buy the Outdoor Research Diode through Outdoor Research, REI, Campsaver, or Mountain Gear for $325.

Photos by Josh Ourada.

This was sent to me for review.

Last updated on October 30, 2017.