Field Report

Outdoor Research
Zealot Jacket
Field Report
July 28, 2006

Personal Information:
Leesa Joiner
leesaj@gmail.com
Southwestern Maine
45 years old
Female
5'7" (1.7 m)
160 lb (73 kg)

Background:
   My camping, hiking and backpacking experience has included trips varying in length from one-day hikes to two-week trips. My experience hiking began with my father when I was about six years old. We hiked along the river pathways in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
   While enjoying the outdoors with my friends and family, I spend time hiking, geocaching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and camping.  Although I am not a lightweight backpacker, I am trying to ‘lighten up’. I spend almost as much time outdoors during the winter as I do during the summer.

Product Information
Manufacturer: Outdoor Research
http://www.outdoorresearch.com/
+ Size: Medium
+ Color: Mojo (blue)

For more in-depth information, see my Initial Report

Field Findings:

        I have worn this jacket on so many occasions, I've lost count! We had an extremely wet spring and summer. The most time between rains is 4 days, in three months.

Test Locations, Conditions and Time Frame:
        Living in Northern New England, I have the good fortune of being able to experience at least 4 seasons (sometimes within days of each other!) and some of the best outdoor areas around. Spring brought heavy rains and some flooding. Early summer continued with much rain. We've had some hot and humid weather recently, with a few days that were perfect hiking weather - clear and breezy. Our temperatures have ranged from daytime highs of 95 F to lows of 75 F ( 35 - 23 C).
        During the last two months, I have worn the jacket while hiking in western Maine, New Hampshire and central Vermont. I have also had the opportunity to wear the jacket to numerous LaCrosse games, walking the dogs, running errands and other activities that required being out in the rain.
   While hiking in northern New England, many of the trails are unimproved, meaning that I spend lots of time climbing over rocks and brush.   We also tend to camp in remote, unimproved areas, as opposed to ‘camp grounds’.

Test Plan:
     During the end of June we had a long weekend camping trip in Northern Maine with some family and friends. We were at elevations over 2000 ft (610 m) in a fairly wooded area.   This was a two-night trip. While there, it of course rained both days, stopping as we left camp on the third day. As it was a light, warm rain, we stuck it out and fished, hiked and canoed. The jacket kept me dry, except for my head. Of course, if I had left the hood up, my head would have been dry. I found that the hood really interfered with my peripheral vision. If I turned my head, I ended up looking at the inside edge of the hood. Adjusting the pull on the back of the hood didn't seem to help. I'm not sure why the adjustment is at the back anyway. Very difficult to maneuver.
      My next planned trip was for 5 days in June. We went to northwestern Maine to camp and hike. The area where we set up camp is heavily wooded, providing some ‘bushwhacking’ type hiking.   It rained the second day we were out. It wasn't a heavy rain (that came at night). I hiked in the jacket for a few hours, and stayed dry. While on the trail, there wasn't much rainfall because of the tree cover. The last day we were there, we had a horrendous downpour. Because we were at the campsite, we decided to throw everything in the car to keep it dry. That was a smart move. One by one, the rest of the family changed their clothes - I was dry! The jacket was great at keeping me dry. We spent the day sight seeing, visiting some farm stores, a glass blower and the like.
        My experiences wearing the jacket have been mostly positive - it has kept me dry and warm during cold rains. I have stayed dry during warm rains, but I have found that when it is humid, I warm up much quicker that at the same temperature with less humidity. When wearing the jacket off the trail, the hood doesn't become an issue. The jacket is comfortable, the sleeves fit and move well, the zipper, although tight works smoothly. It hasn't snagged, ripped or shown any signs of wear, other than easy to remove dirt. I have had the opportunity to put this jacket through more 'testing' than I ever expected. I am looking forward to more testing as we approach the fall rainy season. I will continue to watch for durability issues, and any other concerns that may appear.

Positives:
Comfortable
Really keeps the rain out
Looks good (if I do say so myself)

Negatives:
Hood blocks my side vision

Read more reviews of Outdoor Research gear
Read more gear reviews by Leesa Joiner

Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Outdoor Research Zealot Jacket > Leesa Joiner > Field Report

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