Long-Term Report Outdoor Research Prism Cap

Ryan Christensen
July 12, 2006

Reviewer Information:

Backpacking Background:

Name:  Ryan L. Christensen Age:  41 Gender:  Male Height:  6’ 2” (1.88 m) Weight:  225 lb (102 kg) Email:  bigdawgryan (at) yahoo (dot) com City, State, Country:  Idaho Falls, ID, U.S.A.

I began hiking, camping, backpacking at twelve, and continued until twenty-five.  After a long hiatus, due in part to a bad back, I resumed hiking and camping four years ago.  Now, I share my love for these sports with my teen-age boys.  The past several years, we have hiked or camped nearly every month, year-round, and vary our experience.  We began backpacking together last summer.  I am a lightweight backpacker, but carry a full array of necessary gear.

Product Information:

Information in the table below is primarily from the Outdoor Research website.

Manufacturer	OUTDOOR RESEARCH
Manufacturer website	http://www.orgear.com
Year of Manufacture	2005 (assumed, as the tags do not indicate)
Material Outer Shell Lining	75D Gore-Tex® Tricot
Sizes Available	S/M – US 6 7/8 – 7 1/8; 21 5/8” – 22 ½”; 55 – 57 cm L/XL – US 7 3/8 – 7 5/8; 23 1/4” – 24” ; 59 – 61 cm
Colors Available	Deep Green, Mojo Blue, Black
Warranty	The Infinite Guarantee means OR guarantees its products forever
MSRP	$35 US
Manufacturer’s Specifications Average Weight	2.6 oz (74 g)
Tester’s Specifications Weight Size Received Color Received	2.4 oz (68 g) L\XL Deep Green

Product Description:

The OR Prism Cap is a lightweight, baseball-style cap with a Gore-Tex^® shell; integral, tuck-away, earflaps; a plastic-stiffened bill; and a hook and loop cinch strap on the back.  For additional details, please see my Initial Report.

Testing Conditions:

 I live in Idaho Falls, Idaho which is located at 43°29'30" North, 112°1'57" West at an elevation of 4,700 ft (1,433 m).  My testing occurred in southeastern Idaho at elevations between 4,700 ft (1,433 m) and 6,700 ft (2,042 m). 

 

During the Field Testing stage, I wore the Prism Cap while shovelling snow, outdoor target shooting, cross-country, to work, and to a couple of my son’s baseball games.

 

Since submitting my Field Report in May, I carried the Prism on all my outings but had limited foul weather.  With that said, I did have a couple chances to don the Prism and test it during the long-term test phase.

 

The first opportunity to wear the OR Prism cap during the long-term testing phase was on Memorial Day, May 29, 2006.  A friend, my two teen-age boys, and I went to Horseshoe Lake to do some fishing.  Horseshoe Lake is located twenty-one miles (34 km) northeast of Ashton Idaho in the Targhee-Caribou National Forest.  As another point of reference, it is approximately fourteen miles (22 km) from Horseshoe Lake to the Bechler Ranger Station located in the southwestern corner of Yellowstone National Park.  Horseshoe Lake sits approximately 6,400 feet (1,951 m) above sea level.  We arrived at Horseshoe Lake around 11:00 a.m.  It was overcast with the air temperature around 38 F (3 C).  As we began fishing, snow began falling.  The flakes were huge and were extremely wet.  I pulled the Prism from my daypack, and it kept my head warm and dry.  Even though it was an afterthought, I was glad that I had packed the cap.

 

Another long-term testing opportunity came on June 8, 2006 at West Pine Creek Girls Camp along Pine Creek Pass in southeastern Idaho.  The camp site is approximately 6,000 feet (1,829 m) above sea level.  This particular evening, I was doing some dutch oven cooking for nearly fifty girls and leaders.  Shortly after I began cooking, the rain began to fall, as did the temperature.  Therefore, I donned the Prism.  The rain was heavy with the temperature in the upper 40’s F (7 - 9 C).  The Prism shed the rain nicely thereby keeping my head dry and warm and kept the rain out of my eyes.  Nevertheless, because I bent over so much while cooking, it did not take me too long to pull up the hood of my shell to keep the water from running down my neck.  Again, I was glad I had the Prism cap with me on this outing.

Testing:

My test plan focused on how well the OR Prism Cap met two essentials – keeping my head dry and warm.  Listed below each of the five items identified in my test plan are my test results. 

 

1.     How effective is it in keeping moisture out?

          [RESULTS] During the test period, the OR Prism cap repelled moisture extremely well, keeping my head dry.  In this regard, the Prism’s performance is consistent with what people expect of products made from Gore-Tex^® materials.   I was very pleased with the OR Prism’s performance in this area.     

 

 

2.     How effective is the Prism in keeping my head warm while allowing the perspiration to escape, and how long it takes the cap to dry?

[RESULTS] During the coldest temperatures at which I tested the Prism (34 - 38 F or 1 – 3 C) the cap provided adequate warmth.  Unfortunately, I did not have colder temperatures to test the warmth limits of the Prism.  After skiing, or other activities, with the cap still on my head, the longest it took the lining to dry was approximately one hour. 

 

3.     How well do the flaps fit, and what difference do they make in keeping me warm?  How well does the cap fit with the flaps stored, and how well do the flaps remain stored?

[RESULTS] As mentioned in both my IR and FR, for the flaps to cover the bottom of my ear lobes, I had to pull the cap completely down on my head.  Nevertheless, the flaps covered my ears, and provided protection from the cold, rain and/or snow, and the wind.  With the flaps stowed, the cap was still comfortable to wear.  The flaps remained securely stowed while on my head.  However, when I took the cap off, the flaps tended to fall out a bit.

 

4.     How well does the plastic-stiffened bill hold its shape, especially after being rolled-up and stuffed in my pack?

[RESULTS] The bill retained its shape after I rolled it up and stuffed it into my pack or the back pocket of my blue jeans numerous times.

 

5.     How effectively does the hook and loop closure keep the cap secure?

[RESULTS] The Prism’s hook and loop closure strap held the cap securely on my head during moderate activity levels.  Although I did not have the opportunity to wear the cap during high winds, I believe the hook and loop closure strap would keep the cap secure.

 

Overall, I am very pleased with the OR Prism cap.  I have not noticed any loose seams or fraying material.  Because it is lightweight, repels water exceptionally well, provides warmth in moderate temperatures, breathes well, and retains its shape, stuffing the OR Prism cap in one’s pack should be a no-brainer for every Prism owner when foul weather is a possibility. 

   

Thanks to Outdoor Research and BGT for the opportunity to test the Prism Cap.