Nice in theory, but flawed in practice

By Ben Reff Ranked #251 - Men's Ski Jackets January 18, 2011

I already own more jackets than any sane human being needs... but when I saw this pop up on SaC, I decided I needed to give it a look. Gore-Tex for under $200 always catches my eye. I was also attracted by the ski-friendly features like the pass pocket. And the chest-to-hip zip seems like a no-brainer improvement over the traditional pit zip, as it both provides greater cross-ventilation as well as being easier to operate.

I'm sad to say, however, that this jacket did not quite live up to my expectations. The flaw that bugs me the most is that the main zipper is woefully designed. There is the tiniest amount of excess shell material on the inside of the jacket, just next to where the zipper is. It gets stuck in the zipper. A lot. A LOT a lot. Completely annoying, and unfortunately, this one small flaw renders the jacket almost useless. What is the point of wearing a jacket whose main zipper gets stuck literally every time you try to get it on and off? Serious design flaw. Also, as another reviewer mentioned, it would be nice if the powder skirt zipped off. Some people get their panties in a bundle over zipped-in vs. fixed hoods, but in my opinion, the powder skirt is a much bigger deal, as the inability to remove it seriously limits a jacket's off-slope function and comfort (as well as making the wearer look like a bit of a d-bag).

I also can't say I'm particularly fond of the Diablo color - I was hoping it would be a bit brighter in person, but in reality it's fairly pumpkin-ish. But that's just an issue of taste, so it's neither here nor there.

OR has got an interesting concept going with their sidecountry line. Hopefully they will address these design flaws in their next iteration.

View Details: Outdoor Research Axcess Jacket - Men's

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