Outdoor Research Men's Elixir Jacket

Mike from MO - 2009-06-22

Awesome rain protection
Lightweight with plenty of venting. This is a great rain jacket. The hood rolls up and stores away to make it look like a "normal" jacket. I have been on several hiking trips in Missouri with this jacket and it has kept me dry in the strongest downpour. The hood is easily accessed in tight situations. It is expensive, but there are always sales.

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Anonymous - 2009-05-21

Excellent Jacket!
I researched a lot of jackets to find the right one. I definitely wanted Gore-Tex quality at a reasonable price, which is hard to find. The Elixir is light, but durable, boasting 75D construction. The zippers are simple, but strategically placed. I'm tall with long arms and it fits great. (If you fit this description, I would really check this jacket out. I even called Outdoor Research to get sleeve lengths and they were a great help.) I'm also pretty wide, and it feels great. Not too tight, not too loose. So far, performance has been great. I highly recommend this jacket.

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Anonymous - 2009-03-12

Great Goretex Paclite Jacket
I love that it has a tough 75 denier fabric instead of the measly deniers used by others. Great for going thru branches. The jacket is intelligently designed with a fold away hood (50% of the reason I bought it) that doesn't bother the neck too much and makes for a cleaner look in town without looking like a mountain jacket. The sleeves with velcro and elsatic is also great.The chest and inner pockets are good. The pitzips are good but kind of wide where I do feel them against my body, though not annoyingly so. I've spent 5 hours in torrential rain stationary and the jacket help up well (stayed dry). The Paclite did show condensation on the inside, but in 100% humidity, there's no material on Earth (not even the acclaimed eVent fabric) that can prevent condensation under such conditions. Overall, the most sensibly designed light rain jacket on the market. YES, it can be improved, but it gets the job done on many levels.

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> Read All 14 Reviews

Mike from MO - 2009-06-22

Awesome rain protection
Lightweight with plenty of venting. This is a great rain jacket. The hood rolls up and stores away to make it look like a "normal" jacket. I have been on several hiking trips in Missouri with this jacket and it has kept me dry in the strongest downpour. The hood is easily accessed in tight situations. It is expensive, but there are always sales.

Was this Outdoor Research Elixir Jacket Review Helpful? - Yes - No

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Anonymous - 2009-05-21

Excellent Jacket!
I researched a lot of jackets to find the right one. I definitely wanted Gore-Tex quality at a reasonable price, which is hard to find. The Elixir is light, but durable, boasting 75D construction. The zippers are simple, but strategically placed. I'm tall with long arms and it fits great. (If you fit this description, I would really check this jacket out. I even called Outdoor Research to get sleeve lengths and they were a great help.) I'm also pretty wide, and it feels great. Not too tight, not too loose. So far, performance has been great. I highly recommend this jacket.

Is this Handy? - Yes - No

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Anonymous - 2009-03-12

Great Goretex Paclite Jacket
I love that it has a tough 75 denier fabric instead of the measly deniers used by others. Great for going thru branches. The jacket is intelligently designed with a fold away hood (50% of the reason I bought it) that doesn't bother the neck too much and makes for a cleaner look in town without looking like a mountain jacket. The sleeves with velcro and elsatic is also great.The chest and inner pockets are good. The pitzips are good but kind of wide where I do feel them against my body, though not annoyingly so. I've spent 5 hours in torrential rain stationary and the jacket help up well (stayed dry). The Paclite did show condensation on the inside, but in 100% humidity, there's no material on Earth (not even the acclaimed eVent fabric) that can prevent condensation under such conditions. Overall, the most sensibly designed light rain jacket on the market. YES, it can be improved, but it gets the job done on many levels.

Is this Useful? - Yes - No (2 of 3 liked this review)

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so cool, So. Cal. - 2009-01-27

Great Stuff.
Bought this shell to layer over an OR Credo soft-shell. These replace an EMS SYNC system. I find that the Goretex/PacLite material is softer and much quieter than the stiffer materials found in other rain jackets. It'll pack small and light to be used when you need it. This jacket has more of a relaxed fit while the Credo jacket has more of an athletic fit so layering is great. Generous sizing of sleeves with OR jackets allow you to be active (snowboarding, camping, rock climbing, biking)…this is a huge plus! Great quality jacket with fully taped seams and waterproof zips that actually work. All in all- a great wide-spectrum shell when used alone or layered. It can easily be worn around town without making you look you’re going on an expedition. This makes this jacket great for everyday life as well as your outdoor life. Only feature that I can gripe about is that the two hand pockets are a mesh material rather than something like a micro fleece. This isn't enough to knock it to a four. Overall, I'm very happy...technical jacket with many great features. I will definitely try other O.R. products.

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Steve Broadwater - 2008-08-06

OR quality...again!
I have a couple of OR's jackets, and this one again delivers on performance and fit. A very technical jacket, but can also be worn in town without looking like you were on your way to some backcountry hiking and just got lost. The only thing I wish this jacket had was zip in capability for my OR softshell and two way pit zips. The hood also folds nicely into the collar.

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Chuck C - 2008-03-27

Great Lightweight Jacket!
This is a good looking lightweight jacket. The construction is solid, and the fit runs true to the sizing. It's just the right weight to be packable, yet solid enough to cut the wind. I'm very pleased with it.

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Dennis Rogers - 2008-03-08

Excellent design
I'm 5'11' and 200 lbs. and the large is a perfect fit. For a hard shell this jacket is surprisingly supple. It is light and allows great freedom of movement. The pit zips are huge for efficient venting during increased activity. Before buying this shell I never liked hoods that folded into collars. This jacket has changed my mind. The design around the neck is superb and the hood moves well with your head to effectively avoid obstructing your vision. The Gore-Tex Paclite makes for a thin and extremely comfortable shell. The rain flap covering the zipper is not encumbered with annoying velcro, but rather, is effectively designed to cover the zipper without it. I'm really impressed with this shell and am thankful for the thought that Outdoor Research put into it. It's an easy 5 stars

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The Gearage - 2008-02-29

This is the bomb!!
The elixir is probably the best rain shell I've ever had. Construction is top notch (does everything need to be made in china?)I had the EMS deluge paclite and found it too noisy in high wind(it went back). Just the right amount of features too. There is an interior zip pocket that is not mentioned. I do think the hand warmmer storm flaps are a waste. They are double thickness and overkill considering they are covering waterproof zippers. The stowable storm hood is great(not filling up with snow when hanging around). Great all around.

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Ted - 2007-11-06

Great for outdoor activities
Very good looking totally waterproof shell!!! Living in Alaska, this is perfect for my atv riding. It rains here a lot and with a little layering underneath, it can't be beat.

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Anonymous - 2007-01-10

Excellent!
This was exactly what I was looking for in a waterprooof shell. Nice looking, functional, with all the basics (pit zips, adjustable hood/cuffs/waist), but without all the bulk of my expedition-grade jacket and no massive logo. Perfect for every day, in-town use. A classic. OR delivers perfection once again.

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Anonymous - 2006-11-04

Quality OR shell
Really lightweight, fully taped seams, waterproof. Outdoor Research quality

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Anonymous - 2006-02-13

Great shell jacket
Another excellent product from OR. The light weight and durability makes this a must on all trips. The fit is great worn with a fleece or alone. The pit zips are a little tough to open and close but the Elixir is definitely waterproof.

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Anonymous - 2009-01-24

Nice.
Let's see . . . first of all, this jacket has a nice fit. I am 6' 230 and I like room to move. I purchased a X-Large and with my fleece insert I still have room to move. Secondly, it's Gortex. What more can I say.

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Mark Bennett - 2008-02-28

Not waterproof!
OK, so this is my first Goretex shell, imagine my surprise when I found out it isn't waterproof! I wanted to use the shell and matching pants for sailing in wet weather, I couldn't believe it when I was soaked after about 20 minutes. I am back to wearing my $80 waterproof gear. Yeah the cheap gear gathers moisture on the inside but at least I don't get soaked. Gore-tex is a well advertised rip off. Ok the jacket looks nice and seems to be well made but its not good for much beyond going to the store on a misty night. Bahhhhhh, what a waste of money!

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