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Reviews > Clothing > Jackets and Vests > ODLO Aegis Hardshell Waterproof Jacket > Test Report by Alyssa KimberODLO AEGIS 2.5L Waterproof Hardshell Jacket TEST SERIES BY ALYSSA KIMBER Initial Report - February 13, 2022 Field Report - April 15, 2022 Long Term Report - May 22, 2022 TESTER INFORMATION
I took up backpacking and bikepacking 5 years ago but I have enjoyed front-country camping and day hiking for many years. My trip length is generally one to three nights and ranges from prairie hikes to mountainous terrain. I am a 4-season hiker and typically a 3-season backpacker. My pack weight varies depending on the trip, but I tend to sacrifice weight savings for comfort. PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS Manufacturer: ODLO International AG (ODLO) MSRP: US$180.00
Actual Specifications:
The ODLO AEGIS 2.5L Waterproof Hardshell Jacket (jacket) arrived in good condition with no loose threads, holes, or any other defects. The tag indicates the jacket was made in Vietnam and is intended to have a regular fit which the website indicates is "a bit looser with a straight cut". The jacket is described as waterproof, windproof, and breathable. The tag indicates that the jacket will keep the body dry during all outdoor activities. ODLO recommends the three-layer system
for the outdoors including a base layer for moisture regulation, a mid
layer for thermal insulation, and an outer layer for weather protection
against rain, wind or snow. The
website describes the jacket as an "ultra-functional", "minimalist",
2.5 layer hardshell outdoor jacket. The waterproofness rating is 20,000
mm and the permeability rating is 20,000 g/m2/24h. In general these
ratings mean that the jacket is very waterproof and can stand up to
heavy rain and wet snow but is also highly breathable. These are
very impressive ratings! The jacket also has an adjustable hood with
beak, adjustable hem and Velcro cuffs. The 2.5 layers means the jacket
has a durable water repellent (DWR) coated face layer, a waterproof
second layer, and the half layer is the printed material on the inside
of the jacket.
The company's logo is a propellor which is displayed on the left side of the chest. The propellor represents the company's three core values: responsibility, action and transparency. More information on ODLO's sustainability initiatives can be found on their website. A few initiatives I found impressive were:
READING THE INSTRUCTIONS The care instructions for the jacket can be found on the website. The instructions indicate to machine wash in cold water, do not bleach, tumble dry low, iron low heat, and do not dry clean. TRYING IT OUT I am testing size small, which is my usual size. The jacket fits well and is true to the size chart. The regular fit is not tight on me, allowing for layering underneath. The sleeves are long enough, extending past my wrists. The front of the jacket hits me just past my hips and the back extends a few inches lower, as one can see in the photo to the right. The collar has a piece of fabric to fold over the zipper that protects it from rubbing against my skin. The jacket has two exterior pockets and no interior pockets. The zippers are also waterproof and a flap of the waterproof fabric extends over the zippered pocket opening, protecting it further. The hood has a beak to keep water from dripping onto my face. The hood and bottom hem are adjustable with an elastic pull and the cuffs are adjustable with Velcro. I tried folding the jacket into its hood, which is how I usually fold my jackets when packing them for hiking. It folded up very small relative to the waterproof jacket I currently own and it feels very light as well. INITIAL IMPRESSIONS The jacket looks to be very well constructed with lots of great features such as the waterproof zippers and beaked hood. It appears to be highly adjustable, light weight and packable as well. I am impressed with the waterproof and permeability ratings and am looking forward to trying it out in more strenuous outdoor activities. During the field testing period I have worn the jacket for various day activities including resort skiing, cross country skiing, and running. Conditions are listed below by location. Regina, Saskatchewan
Kimberley, British Columbia
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
The
jacket did an excellent job at protecting me from wind and external
moisture. It kept me warm in strong winds and shed water and snow
without allowing it to penetrate the jacket. I give this jacket an A+
for wind resistance and water proofing. However, I do think it lacks
breathability during high intensity activities, which is not
necessarily surprising for a waterproof jacket. When I exercised
wearing the jacket my sweat condensed on the inside of the jacket. When
I stopped exercising, I could feel that the inside of the jacket was
wet and when I removed it, it was wet to the touch. This is not ideal
for longer sweat sessions but it didn't bother me during shorter
sessions, lower intensity activities, or when I could remove the jacket
right away after sweating. Adding a feature like an armpit zipper might
alleviate this issue by allowing for more air flow. The jacket is extremely light and packable which made it an excellent choice for outdoor activities when I didn't want to carry a larger pack. I can easily stuff the jacket into my small 1.5L Camelback (see photo to the right). This really increases the versatility and functionality of the jacket as I can easily carry it along with me "just in case". The fit of the jacket is great as well. The Velcro cuffs and adjustable hem worked well to tighten the jacket to my body and prevent moisture from creeping in on rainy outings. I have to admit that I did not understand how the hood adjustment worked until recently. I originally did not notice the cinch at the back of the hood, only that the hood had elastics situated near the neckline that could be pulled. However pulling these elastics did not result in the hood staying cinched and soon it would move back to its original shape. This is just tester-error having not been exposed to this type of adjustment previously (I've only ever seen the type that is adjustable from the neck area). All I can suggest is for ODLO to perhaps include more photos or a video of a model wearing the jacket and making the various adjustments. Now that I understand how this works I'll be sure to test it out in the long-term report. Even without the adjustability I still used the hood to protect my face and head from wind and moisture; it would just fall down occasionally and I would pull it back up. The jacket has two hand pockets which I have utilized to hold items such as doggy bags, light snacks, and my cellphone. One problem I had with the jacket was a color transfer to the inside of the jacket from the ODLO base layer top. I wore the base layer top directly under the jacket while running in the rain. When I returned home and removed the jacket, it was damp inside from sweat and also clearly had a red stain across the inside of the jacket (see photo below). This was probably more so a problem with the base layer top rather than the jacket but I thought I would mention it here. The color transfer did not come off the jacket with washing. I washed the jacket after every three or four uses according to the care instructions: in cold water and either hung to dry or tumble dried on low. The jacket has so far proved to be very durable. There is one loose thread on the hem of the jacket but it doesn't appear to be an issue (see photo below). I did not notice any other quality concerns with the jacket.
During the long term testing period I have worn the jacket on one overnight camping trip and for numerous day activities including hiking and running. Conditions are listed below by location. Regina, Saskatchewan
Zion National Park, Utah
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I find the ODLO jacket very comfortable compared to the other wind resistant and water resistant jacket I own. The fabric is light and it moves easily; there is no "crinkling". Due to how light the fabric is, I was sure to pay close attention to the durability during testing. So far, the jacket has proved to be very durable. I did not notice any snags, holes, or wear from backpack straps. This is my favorite waterproof and wind jacket to wear for everyday use and in low to moderate intensity conditions when I'm not working up too much of a sweat. Under moderate to high intensity conditions, I would prefer a jacket with more breathability, especially if I have the need to wear the jacket for long periods without the ability to dry it out. I washed the jacket two additional times following the care instructions: in cold water and either hung to dry or tumble dried on low. I did not notice any additional quality concerns with the jacket, besides the one loose thread I previously noted. The jacket appears to be durable and high quality. SUMMARY PROS
CONS
This concludes my Long Term Report. Thank you to BackpackGearTest.org and ODLO for the opportunity to test the AEGIS 2.5L Waterproof Hardshell Jacket. Read more reviews of ODLO International AG gear Read more gear reviews by Alyssa Kimber Reviews > Clothing > Jackets and Vests > ODLO Aegis Hardshell Waterproof Jacket > Test Report by Alyssa Kimber | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Over
the field testing period I've worn the jacket 12 times for a variety of
activities and in a range of conditions. I wore the jacket either in
cold temperatures, usually around -15 C (5 F) or colder,
very windy conditions (around 40-50 kph (25-31 mph)) or when it was raining or snowing. I wore the jacket over the ODLO FLI Mid Layer Zip and/or over the ODLO Natural + Kinship Warm Base Layer with Facemask. 
Over
the long term testing period I've worn the jacket 8 times in a range of
conditions. I also carried the jacket with me on a number of occasions
where I didn't end up wearing it just because it is so light and easy
to pack. As it was warmer during the long term testing period, I
primarily wore the jacket when it was windy or when it was raining or
snowing. I
wore the jacket paired with the ODLO FLI Mid Layer Zip, the ODLO
Natural + Kinship Warm Base Layer with Facemask, and the ODLO Ski Socks
when temperatures were around 0 C/32 F and lower. Otherwise, I mixed
and matched layers as appropriate for the temperatures and
conditions. 
The
jacket continued to do a great job at protecting me from wind and
external
moisture. I did not observe any degradation in the jacket's wind
resistance or water resistance during the testing period. I
observed the same lack of
breathability during high intensity activities as I noted previously;
the jacket would be damp on the interior when I removed it after
exercising. This never bothered me as I was always able to change into
dry clothing almost immediately after use. After
I figured out how to adjust the hood, I used the hood a number of times
when it was quite windy or in wet conditions. I was able to use the
cinch at the back of the hood to adjust the hood to my head size and it
would stay in place, except if a strong wind was coming head on. The
hood has a small beak which worked to keep precipitation out of my eyes
when it was raining or snowing. As
noted in my field report, I had an issue with color transfer to the
jacket from the ODLO base layer. During the long term testing period I
did not notice any additional color transfer to the jacket.