Initial Report:  Outdoor Research Motion Fleece Watch Cap
April 21, 2004

Tester Bio

Name:  Mark Orton
Age:  27
Gender:  Male
Height:  5’7”  (1.70 m)
Weight:  175 lb  (79 kg)
E-mail:  Backpkrmn at aol dot com
City:  Vacaville
State:  California
Country:  USA
Date:  April 21, 2004


Backpacking Background

I have been hiking and backpacking my whole life.  Backpacking became a serious hobby for me in the mid 90s.  I have hiked several sections of the Appalachian Trail (AT), taking on 100+ mile (161+ km) sections at a time.  I have also hiked 100 miles (161 km) along the Vermont Long Trail.  Living in California gives me access to some great backpacking opportunities out here, such as the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).   I try to get out at least once a month on an overnight backpacking trip and at least once a week on a dayhike.  Once a year I plan an extended trip, a trip that is at least 100 miles (161 km) long and will take the better part of two weeks. 

In the past couple years I have begun converting to the ultralight way of backpacking.  I am known amongst friends as a gear head, I always have the latest and greatest lightweight gear.  I now have a basic pack weight (without food or water) of less than 10 lbs (4.5 kg). 


Product Information

Manufacturer:  Outdoor Research
Manufacturer’s Website:  www.orgear.com
Model:  Motion Fleece Watch Cap (Formerly the PS50 Watch Cap)
Year of Manufacture:  2004
MSRP:  $17
Size:  Small
Color:  Solid Black
Listed Weight:  Not given
Verified Weight:  Just under 1 oz (28.4 g)


Website Impressions

The Outdoor Research (OR) website is very easy to navigate.  When you first enter the website you see the OR Home Page, along the left side of the screen you have a navigation bar.  To find the Motion Fleece Watch Cap you need to select “Headwear”.  Selecting this will bring you to a page listing a variety of headwear that OR offers, select “Fleece Hats”.  This brings you to a page with fourteen different fleece hats.  You’ll notice that there is no hat named the Motion Fleece Watch Cap.  This is because the website still has it listed under its previous name, the PS50 Watch Cap.  By clicking on the photo of the PS50 Watch Cap, you are directed to a page that explains the hat in greater detail. 

One great feature on the website is the “Headwear Sizing Chart”.  I found this feature especially useful.  I have a rather small head and find that many companies do not offer hats that fit very well.  By using their charts I found that the size Small would be a perfect fit.  The page also offers you views of the various color choices available with the hat.  By reviewing the site before receiving the product I was more aware of the type of testing I was going to put the hat through.


Initial Impressions

The hat arrived Friday, April 16 sometime during the day.  I received the hat when I arrived home from work that evening.  It was shipped UPS and was in a small, plastic shipping bag.  Inside the bag I found the Shipping Invoice and the Outdoor Research Motion Fleece Watch Cap.  Attached to the hat was a hang tab with two tags attached to it.  The first tag had the bar code of the product and the style name and number (Style # 83930).  Under the name and style was the size and color list.  At the very bottom of the tag was the bundle number.  On the back of this first tag I found the OR Lifetime Guarantee.  The second tag is an informational tag about PowerStretch (PS) 50 Headwear.  On the front of the tag it explains why PS 50 is ideal for headwear.  On the back of the tag I found the Technical Features and Benefits of the headwear. 

The listed Technical Features and Benefits of the headwear explained that PS 50 fabric has a soft, brushed inner surface that feels great against the skin.  It also describes that the smooth outer surface sheds wind and snow.  It continues by talking about how it wicks moisture and dries fast, stretches to ensure a great fit and has a wide range of comfort.  In the second section of the benefits it describes the seams.  The seams are flat so they lie flush against your head, this makes the headwear ideal for under a helmet or used alone.

I have seen the OR Motion Fleece Watch Cap in use in the field before.  I have backpacked with a person who uses and loves this hat.  Having seen the hat before did not prepare me for how small the hat truly is.  I was amazed at how thin the fabric is.  This immediately brought concerns as to how warm it could really keep my head.  The brushed inner lining is slightly softer to the skin than the outer part of the hat.  The fabric is very stretchy, conforming to your head very well.  The bottom part of the hat is upturned making a brim all the way around.  The very front is stitched up permanently, however the sides and back can be rolled down to cover the ears and part of the neck.  The hat is very comfortable. 

Since receiving the OR hat, I have worn it every day.  It has been used on early morning bike rides, evening runs and while flying.  Because of its thin material, it fits amazingly well under a bike helmet or under a flying headset.  The PS 50 fabric is very wind resistant, as I cannot feel the wind coming through the vents in my bike helmet.  It has kept me very warm on the cool nights that I have been out walking and running.  The temperature on these excursions has never been below 45 F (7 C).  The wind has varied from near calm to 30 mph (48 kph). 


Test Plan

This upcoming weekend I am headed out towards the coast for three nights of camping and hiking.  I will carry this as my only headgear.  I will be using the OR Motion Fleece Watch Cap for all my early morning hikes and to wear around camp in the evenings.  I will also be wearing this cap while I sleep.  Even on warmer nights I like to sleep with a hat on and open the bag up a little bit. 

I also have several other trips planned, in early May I’ll be heading to the Skyline to the Sea Trail.  I will be carrying the OR hat on that trip as well as every other trip I have planned during the test period.  Later in May a group of us are heading up to the Snow Mountains, where the temperatures are likely to be much cooler, maybe even down to the freezing point. 

I will continue to wear this hat while both biking and running.  Any flights I take it will accompany me and keep me warm as we climb in altitude.  It will also be carried with me on trips I have planned to Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama this summer.

I plan to put the wicking ability of the hat to the test while out running.  Also on the backpacking trips I have planned for the test period, I’ll test the dry times in different weather conditions.  I’m also curious as to how long the fabric will stay soft and if it will lose its elasticity at all.  I hope to find the lower limits of the hat before the summer heat really starts to kick in. 


Summary

This lightweight hat is a great addition to my ultralight backpacking load.  It is much lighter than my previous fleece hat and from all the tests I’ve performed so far, it seems to be just as warm.  The wind resistance of the fabric helps to make the hat feel much warmer than anything of a comparable thickness.  I am very pleased with the performance of this hat so far. 

Thanks to BackpackGearTest and Outdoor Research for giving me the opportunity to test this product!