Outdoor Research Foray Jacket

Gore-Tex works! Great design in the best OR tradition, and an excellent fabric.

Outdoor Research Foray Jacket, Berg Lake Trail, Mt. Robson, Canadian Rockies. 

Technical Specs:

• Lightweight, waterproof/breathable 3-layer 40D Gore-Tex Paclite fabric
• Fully seam-taped
• Water-resistant pockets and TorsoFlo zippers
• Hem to bicep pit zips
• 15 oz (L) weight

I love this jacket. It's been fine for dayhikes and I've been very comfortable in it, but I wanted to give it a real test before posting a review. In my opinion, a jacket is such an important piece of gear (second only to boots!) that I wanted to be sure I wasn't giving out the wrong information.

So, the Labour Day long weekend on the Berg Lake Trail at Mt. Robson:

• One day of steady drizzle while carrying a 40-lb pack for 21 km with an 800 metre elevation gain.
• An evening sitting around in the rain at a campsite and another with a chilly breeze blowing off the glaciers. No fires allowed!
• A second day with mostly sunshine, occasional showers, and temperatures from cool (+5°C) to pleasant (+15°C), while doing quick dayhikes with a light pack.
• Cold morning rain, then a long downhill slog carrying bunch of wet gear. 

I couldn't have picked a better trip!

While my companions were soaked through in a matter of hours or even a few minutes, the Foray performed well in every case throughout the weekend. I stayed warm and dry the whole time in the rain, while they were coping with cold fingers and damp clothes. In addition, I never found I was getting wet from sweat. Just by opening the pit zips I could add enough ventilation to the natural breathability of the fabric to stay dry even when working hard on the uphills.

The cut is loose enough that I was able to wear a fleece under it while hiking, and I was confident enough of the waterproofing to wear a down sweater underneath the jacket on a chilly evening. With all the adjustments I was able to make with the pitzips and main zippers, it was easy to control temperature and make sure the insulating layers stayed dry, whether in the rain or just from sweat.

The only time I was uncomfortable at all was when switching from a fleece/jacket combo to just the Foray after a couple of hours of hiking. When I put the jacket on there were a few minutes when it felt a bit clammy on the inside, but that soon dried up and I was fine. Of course this is also a Paclite™ fabric, so it doesn't have the extra layer closer to the skin that would eliminate that. A fair trade for the lighter weight, in my opinion.

In fact, this is overall one of the most comfortable jackets I've owned. Relaxed fit, nice Velcro wrist straps instead of elastic, and Velcro at the neck, toggles on the hood and other drawstrings, extra ties on the zippers to make them easier to grab with gloves on, and a longer back to keep your butt dry. There is a Velcro loop at the back of the neck where the hood can be stowed as a collar, but I find I don't use it.

I like the pitzips — because they open all the way down to the bottom hem, it's easy to control humidity and temperatures. The hood has a nice stiff brim that seems to hold its shape, and there is an easy-to-adjust pull at the back to set the shape for a helmet or just a cap. Loose enough for easy movement but no flapping fabric, no rubbing anywhere, no tight spots, and a good fit.

One comment; like many OR jackets, the sizing is a bit on the large side. I usually take a Men's Medium but in the Foray I went to a Men's Small. If you're buying online check the sleeve length to make sure you get the proper fit.

In the time I've owned the Foray, I haven't seen any signs of wear, despite it spending some of its time bunched up in its vest-pocket stuff sack. If I shake it out, it seems to bounce back to its original shape without any trouble, and the wrinkles disappear quite quickly. The pockets are well positioned so you can get into them while wearing a pack, and I like the larger inside chest pocket - perfect for carrying maps and keeping them dry.

But maybe the most important think about this jacket is that I trust it. It did everything it was supposed to do, and it performed just like I expected it to. No smoke, no mirrors, just a real jacket for people who might have to trust their lives to it. And for everybody who thinks Gore-Tex is over-rated or too expensive, think again. I can't speak for every formula Gore-Tex uses, but I can personally vouch for the Paclite.

Outdoor Research has a great reputation, and their 'Infinite Guarantee' is second to none. If the zipper breaks (unlikely!) or the fabric tears in normal use, send the jacket back! You'll have a new one in the few days it takes to ship a replacement out. In fact, I got this as an upgrade to my old OR Revel — when I complained that the old one wasn't as waterproof as I wanted, they sent me the Foray as a substitute at no extra cost! Quite a nice bump in quality just to keep the customer happy.

Lightweight waterproof jacket with excellent price-to-quality ratio. The Gore-Tex fabric makes it durable and resistant to elements. Well suited both for casual wearing and outdoor activities. The design is simple, and some features may not be liked by everyone.

I purchased this jacket around 2012-2013 mostly for casual use. It was really cheap for Gore-Tex jacket, so I didn’t expect too much. But now it’s almost 2018, and during these years I've been using this jacket not only for city activities, but also for most of my backpacking and hiking trips above freezing temperature. Even after these years the jacket is doing its job really well.

First of all, the fabric. It is quite thick and strong, consisting of three layers welded together, including the Gore-Tex membrane and protective inner layer. I believe that the Gore-Tex is the most durable waterproof material on market, as according to my experience even eVent fabric was less durable. This jacket is still absolutely rainproof. All zippers are water-resistant (there are no flaps above the zippers).

Unfortunately the jacket lacks any kind of lining, so touching the inner layer with bare skin is uncomfortable in summer. Luckily the jacket is equipped with two huge ventilation openings (with two-way zippers) on the sides, going from underarms until the very bottom. So this is a jacket of my choice for most activities on foot above freezing temperatures (in cold weather I usually put a thick fleece jacket underneath).

The adjustable hood of this jacket is really large and it ensures good protection. Unfortunately in dry weather you cannot either remove the hood or hide it inside the collar. This is a definite effect of budget price. Also the collar is not overly comfortable, as it’s extremely tall—if I zip the jacket completely, the collar will be touching my nose. So in most cases I place the zipper at the jaw when I close it, and the collar becomes quite crumpled and shapeless (see photo below).

This jacket is well suited for casual use, as it’s equipped with two large side pockets (with long zippers to simplify the use with backpack) and a passport-sized external chest pocket. Usually I put there my passport and a stack of credit and discount cards (or mobile phone). These pockets are quite convenient, but I’d be pleased if I had an additional inner front pocket.

The jacket fits as expected (I am slim and tall, so I wear M size), it is neither too short, nor loo long. In general I believe that this is one of the best waterproof general-purpose jackets on market. It is not specialized for any particular activity, but it’s very solid and durable product at affordable cost.

Reliably waterproof in high wind conditions (Mt. Washington). Kept me dry through numerous downpours during a 5-day trip in the White Mountains. I love the full side/pit zips to aid ventilation. The fit is good, just roomy enough for some layers underneath. The hood is good, fits well over a helmet.

One edit a year later - the side zips can get kind of sticky and that makes them hard to open/close with one hand. That 's my only complaint.

I bought this primarily for a week-long trip to the White Mountains, to replace a 5-year-old REI ultra light rain shell. I wanted to try a Gore tex Paclite shell, and I was really attracted to the Foray because of the full side zips that allow you open up the arm pits or zip the side completely open like a poncho.

Overall the fit is good. I'm six feet and 165 pounds and medium is perfect, just roomy enough for a layer or two (but probably not a puffy), but not baggy. Arm and back length are good too.  

I cannot attest to durability as I have only used it on one multi-night trip and couple dayhikes, but so far it is reliably waterproof (including in some downpours and in some high wind) and ventilates pretty well with the side zippers mentioned above. And at least so far durability looks promising as it shows no signs of wear after several tough days of use. We'll see of the long haul.

The hood is well designed and would fit nicely over a climbing or ski helmet (I tested it). It has a good one-handed pull on the back to tighten it and cords around the opening.

The pockets are higher, as they should be, so you can use them with a pack on. Pockets are very roomy. The chest pocket is fine too. The cuffs and velcro closures on the cuffs work well (I have one MH shell on which the velcro cuffs do not hold, so this is something I look for). 

The jacket compresses well for easy packing.

I've had the jacket for years, and mostly it looks new. The interior fabric shows signs of wear, but the outside is great. I've never had a problem with the jacket. It's worked for travel and hiking in Europe, Asia, North America, and New Zealand. I went for black/grey, so I can use it in the city too.

I wear a medium, which fits me well. It's not a tight/athletic fit, more casual.

I purchased this to have one do-everything shell. It goes skiing, hiking, and just goes to work when it's raining.

OR have done a great job, and I'd highly recommend this jacket to anyone.