Outdoor Research Ferrosi Jacket - Men's for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

9.5
out of 10
11 Positive, 0 Mixed & 0 Negative
from 11 Reviews
Retail Price:
$87.16
Used Value:
$52.30
Sale Value:
$78.44

Don’t let ripping winds pull you off your project. Instead, pull-on the Ferrosi Jacket from Outdoor Research and receive immediate protection from the elements to hone in on the crux move. Wind- and water-resistance define the technical aspects of this jacket which also provides sun protection and breathability for peak bagging and long alpine ascents. Only a few things needed improvement on the 2019 version of this jacket and OR delivered: sew lines are minimized for a more aesthetic look that easily transitions from summit to street, and key wear areas are now reinforced for more time in the mountains.

Specifications

Center Back Length:
30.5in
Claimed Weight:
[large] 12.4oz
Fit:
standard
Hood:
no
Length:
hip
Manufacturer Warranty:
lifetime
Material:
86% nylon, 14% spandex
Pockets:
2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest
Recommended Use:
casual, hiking, ice climbing, mountaineering, ski mountaineering, sport climbing, trad climbing
Thumbholes:
yes

Full Reviews

8
I wear a size medium in most jackets, but the sleeves on the men's medium are really oddly large. There's no cuff adjustment either! I'm 5'9 and 160 for reference. I recommend sizing down. Like Daniel M. says further down, I'd advertise the ferossi as a mix between a softshell and a windbreaker. Cuts wind great without providing too much warmth. Great active piece and layers well too. The fabric dries fantastically fast, feels great, and is soft enough to make the thumb loops comfortable for all day use. I've been wearing this most every day this spring and while I'm not blown away, it's a great softshell/windbreaker at a good price point. I use it for climbing, hiking, and casual use.
Ben Wilson, backcountry.com
May 31, 2019
10
Over all great jacket for rain or wind. True to size.
angela snow, backcountry.com
May 14, 2019
10
Hands down, my favorite softshell. Always my go to piece for all my adventures.
Joshua J Mountain, backcountry.com
July 13, 2018
8
This is a good jacket. calling it a softshell is a bit of a misnomer. It's like a nice windbreaker. Or if a windbreaker and a softshell had a baby. It's a good running jacket in spring/fall. It could probably layer well with other stuff.
Daniel M., backcountry.com
April 27, 2018
10
This jacket is very lite. Back in the day of banana seat bicycles and Evil Knievel, this might have been called a wind breaker. But this is not like any wind breaker I've ever seen. The fabric is very soft, pliable and stretchy. On those days when its a bit cool for just a shirt but not cool enough for a lined jacket, this fits the bill. It would also be easy to pack for travel or a day pack without bulk or weight. The construction looks exceptional and the style is superb. Easily worn on the town, riding a bike or outdoors. I was curious after watching and reading several reviews how a lite jacket could earn such high praise. I understand now. For what it is, it blows me away. It now enters my Hall of Fame with the Stretch Zion pants/shorts. Being in TX where lite jackets come in handy, I can see this jacket becoming one of my favorite things to wear. PS...Thanks to GearHead Caleb for recommending this jacket to me!
Mike N., backcountry.com
March 15, 2018
10
I got this as a gift for my brother in Florida. It's nice and lightweight piece that will block some wind. He uses it on the golf course a lot.
Nate Simpson, backcountry.com
November 11, 2017
10
I bought this to replace an old Patagonia Super Guide jacket, a piece I use for casual town wear as well as for layering in cold weather. The Ferrosi jacket is significantly lighter and softer, has essentially the same feature set, and costs less than the old Patagonia jacket. I've now used the Ferrosi for a month that included a 3 week trip to the UK. There I wore the jacket for both in town use and for days of hiking in the Scottish Highlands. Some impressions. Fit. I'm 6', 200 lb, 44" chest, long arms. The size L Ferrosi fits well as long as I don't layer heavily underneath. The cut has a bit less taper than, say, Arc'teryx, where I have to go XL to get a fit. The Ferrosi body length is good (just above my crotch, and the arms are plenty long. Nice. Features. Two hand warmer pockets and a chest pocket. No interior pockets. Bottom hem drawcord. That's about it. Oh, cuff ends have thumb loops; I thought this would be a useless feature, but the fabric is so soft that they actually work. Fabric. The Ferrosi fabric is a single-weave stretchwoven, relatively smooth outside, kind of nubby inside. Softer and lighter than double-weave stretchwovens I've worn. Very comfortable, fast drying, comfortable across a range of temperatures, and about as wind-resistant as heavier soft shells I've worn. Performance. I wore this with a T-shirt beneath for 60s - 70s (F) days jetting around London - comfortable, didn't overheat. I wore it standing on a rainy train stop in Highland Scotland, and for walking the hills there - good wind resistance, shed rain, dried easily when given a chance. And everything in between. A hard-working jacket that serves as semi-stylish and high-performance outerwear, or as a layering piece when conditions overwhelm. Update. I've now worn this jacket for a year. The water shedding is a bit less; so it goes with DWR. I could re-treat it if I cared a lot. The jacket still looks good. It's held its shape, the fabric has suffered little from shoving in packs, scraping through trees and off rocks, etc. The fabric still dries really quickly, which is nice. I think, after using through a cycle of seasons, that the Ferrosi softshell is not AS wind-resistant as some others that I've used. OTOH this jacket is lighter, softer, packs smaller than any other softshell I have. Let's face it, with stretch-woven material, wind resistance is on a scale, and at some point no softshell cuts it; you'll have to replace with a rain shell or other type of softshell. In winter that was my old Patagonia Ready Mix jacket - more wind resistance but less breathable. Bottom line: I still love it. Would buy another in a minute.
Dennis R., backcountry.com
October 10, 2017
10
I had a hard time understanding why everyone gushed about this lightweight jacket....until I bought one. Outdoor Research hit a homerun with this one. It's light but does a good job of blocking enough wind. But, at the same time it's breathable. It's just kind of this weird, in-between piece that's hard to describe in terms of versatility until you wear it. VERY comfortable as well! With a t-shirt underneath you're good on cool, sunny days above 50 degrees, and with a base layer(s) you could take this down to 30 or so. Not a hard shell, so it can't do it all, but one of those pieces that you'll never want to be without. Sizing: One of the reasons I love OR (this piece and all my others) is their sizing is spot-on. I'm 5'9", 175# (32" waist and 42" suit coat) and with other brands I usually swim in a large, or a medium looks like I'm trying way to hard. Not so with OR- their Large fits nicely, like it was tailored for me. It's trim without being restrictive. I've found this to be true with the Ferrosi as well as the Transfer jacket and hoody.
Matthew P., backcountry.com
November 21, 2016
8
This is a great lightweight softshell. It's fairly wind and water resistant, breathable, and the stretchy fabric moves with you, so it's pretty comfortable. I use it mostly for hiking and cycling and it works very well for both. Possibly the best feature is how light it is. For a softshell it weighs next to nothing and packs down pretty well for easy stowage when not needed. If I had to give a gripe about this jacket I would wish it were a tad more weatherproof. Overall, a great jacket for active pursuits.
Matt Lewis, backcountry.com
September 27, 2016
10
I run hot and have trouble finding a windbreaker that doesn't roast me. Have used this one as an outside layer in a variety of temps from mid teens to 50's, hiking and snowshoeing. Very breathable, and works well with layers. No big problems with moisutre management during strenuous activity. Stretchy fabric enables excellent freedom of movement. Has a good degree of wind block protection too up about 15 mph. Packs nicely into its own Pocket. Only ding is the sizing. I usually get XL in OR gear. Had to upsize to XXL on this one.
BWCA Hiker, backcountry.com
April 6, 2015
10
I am big fan of this Jacket. It's really lightweight and the fabric is flexible, but still strong. If you are looking for a heavier, tough soft shell, this probably isn't the one. The jacket fits me well. It's a slightly slender cut, but not fitted. I am 6'1 185 lbs and the large fits great. I can fit a mid weight Merino style quarter zip underneath it comfortably. It's well made and the stitching is strong. The edges around the zippers are welded and stiffer, so I have never had an issue with a zipper snagging. It comes with strong zipper pulls and the waist drawstring toggle is attached so you can tighten it down with one hand. Being fairly thin and flexible, the fabric sheds light rain ok, but by no means is this jacket meant to keep you dry in the rain. It's a great lightweight Jacket to pack along when hiking or to wear when drinking an IPA in the local watering hole. I am also a fan of the discreet logo that is not huge or in your face. OR does a good job with how they brand stuff. I am also probably bias since OR is a local Seattle company :)
SeattleBerner, backcountry.com
August 15, 2014