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Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Outdoor Research Zealot Jacket > Leesa Joiner > Initial ReportOutdoor Research
Zealot Jacket Initial Report May 22, 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) + Weight as advertised: 7.7 oz (218 g) (for the large size) + Weight as measured: 6 oz (170 g) (for the medium size) +MSRP: $199 US Description from Website: + Ultralight, waterproof/breathable 15D Gore-Tex® PacLite® fabric + Fully seam taped, for all-conditions protection + Single, rear-pull hood adjustment + Double-separating, water-resistant front zipper + Napoleon pocket with water-resistant zipper + Elastic cuffs + Drawcord hem adjustment Product Description: The Zealot is advertised as a waterproof/breathable jacket with the weight of a windshell. It is made from ultralight 15D Gore-Tex PacLite fabric, with narrow taped seams. It features one slash pocket with a water resistant zipper. The zipper is double-separating and water-resistant. The elastic cuffs and drawcord hem are designed to repel weather. Initial Impressions: The Zealot is an extremely lightweight jacket. It arrived in good condition and appears as advertised. I was impressed with the fit of the jacket - the sleeves are long enough, without being too long (I have a hard time with sleeves being too short, or too long), there is enough room in the jacket to wear a heavy layer underneath, without it being 'baggy' with just a t-shirt. The zipper, while it works well, does not 'glide easily' up and down. This may be due to either the newness and/or water resistant construction of the zipper. Testing may help clarify this. The hood adjustment is on the back - a feature that is unusual to me. With all of my other jackets, the hood adjustment is on the front. This will be interesting to try out. I have had the opportunity to wear the jacket on a few occasions already - it arrived during some flooding rains in our area - 14 in (35 c) in 8 days. I wore the jacket to and from work, and to three LaCrosse games. During this time, the rain ranged from light mist to a heavy downpour. I stayed dry, at least where the jacket covered. On the cooler occasions, I wore a fleece pullover under the jacket and was warm enough. Had I been hiking, I would have probably found out if I became overly warm. I will be looking at this during the field and long term test stages. 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 and Black Fly season are here! During the next 4-6 months our temperature range will typically run from the current average of 55 degrees F (13 C) up to 80 degrees F (26 C). May typically brings rain, black flies, mosquitoes and ticks. I spend more time camping during the spring and summer, compared to the coldest part of winter. On the weekends, I head off, into northern Maine, Vermont or New Hampshire, either with friends or my kids or both. 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 May we have a long weekend camping trip in Northern Maine planned with some family and friends. We will be at elevations over 2000 ft (610 m) in a fairly wooded area. This will be a two-night trip. My next planned trip is for 5 days in June. We are going to northwestern Maine to camp and hike. The area where we set up camp is heavily wooded, providing some ‘bushwhacking’ type hiking. I will be using my GPS to do some Geocaching and will be in the woods for quite a bit of time. There is a good chance of hitting rain and some windy weather. This trip will include my husband and three kids. Once school is out, I usually take off for a few days at a time with my kids. We usually pick a spot on the map and head out. These more spontaneous trips last 2 - 4 days and include trips in northern Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Later in the summer, we will be camping in Ohio and Kentucky for two weeks. This will give me the opportunity to test in hot, humid and most likely wet weather and different terrains. Test Considerations: Comfort - How comfortable is the jacket in different conditions - Cool rain, warm rain, hot and humid rain, with and without wind. If its warm and rainy, will my perspiration cause more wetness than the rain? How 'breathable' is the fabric? Does wind affect the the inside temperature of the jacket? How does the waterproofness and breathability affect the wearability? The wrist is finished with elastic. I am curious as to how much rain will get in, since it is not 'tight' against my skin, nor adjustable. I will also be looking at how easily the hood is adjusted - having the adjustment behind my head will be something new. Durability - This jacket is LIGHT - will it snag easily? I sometimes hike through areas with exposed rock, briars, etc. Will the less than easy gliding of the zipper cause problems down the road? Other than needing two hands to operate (one on the pull, one holding the bottom of the jacket) it isn't a problem. It does feel 'different' than most zippers. Testing will clarify this, I'm sure. Usefuleness - Will the comfort and durability make it the jacket I want to pull out when the weather becomes rainy? Is it breathable enough in warmer weather? It doesn't weigh much, and wouldn't take up much space in an outer pocket of one of my packs. I'm looking forward to testing the Outdoor Research Zealot Jacket. Thanks to both Outdoor Research and backpackgeartest.org for the opportunity to test this jacket. Photo from the Outdoor Research site: http://www.outdoorresearch.com/ 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 > Initial Report | |||