Are you looking for a rain jacket that can withstand serious storms? How about a jacket that can handle any adventure, not just hiking? Or do you want your current shell to offer more portability? Find out if the Outdoor Research Aspire Super Stretch Jacket (or its men’s equivalent, the Foray Super Stretch) is right for you.
I tested the Aspire Super Stretch backpack in the Adirondacks, as well as canoeing, biking, and hiking in rainy Ontario and the United Kingdom from September to February.
This jacket is too good for fair weather trails like the Arizona Trail or the South Pacific Crest Trail. However, it is ideal for wet roads where you absolutely need reliable rain protection. I would take this jacket on a Great Divide hike, an off-season Appalachian Trail hike, or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
This jacket is also a versatile choice. If you’re spending almost $300 on a jacket that will last you for years, you’ll want to wear it in almost any situation. The helmet-compatible hood makes it a great choice for riding or climbing, and it’s attractive enough to wear around town.
The size I tested was a bit small. For me it’s the perfect size and there’s plenty of room underneath. The sleeves seemed a little long to me as they hung over my fingers. However, when wearing a backpack, the straps lift up the sleeves a little and the fit is good.
The Aspire Super Stretch Jacket has a soft fleece lining on the inside collar and a hidden windproof zipper on the inside of the jacket. Both of these factors mean that the zipper will not cause irritation even in wet and cold conditions.
The Outdoor Research Aspire Super Stretch is packed with features. Here are some things that concern you.
This is the real reason to buy this jacket. GORE-TEX fabric is extremely waterproof. There was no leakage at the seams, and despite wearing the jacket for several hours during five months of heavy rain, I was unable to test whether it was wet. The hood at the edges protects your face from splashes, and adjustable cuffs prevent rain from running down the sleeves. This jacket is as waterproof as you can get without a full paddling wetsuit.
Stretch doesn’t matter when I wear this jacket on a hike, but I like it for other adventures.
Outdoor Research thinks you should buy this jacket over other options because of the one-piece GORE-TEX spandex panel on the back. This panel gives your hands more flexibility. But honestly, I just don’t care about backpacking. For a normal hike I don’t need any extra training and I don’t climb when it’s raining. That’s an ounce more than the regular Aspire II women’s jacket. If you’re only going to use this jacket for full-on hiking, I don’t think it’s worth upgrading to the Aspire Super Stretch over the Aspire II.
However, if you also enjoy an activity that requires more arm movement (crawling, climbing, rowing… the list is long), you’ll appreciate the added flexibility. I do a lot of canoeing in the rain and this jacket is definitely made for that. It’s nice to have a jacket in your wardrobe that really can do it all.
This jacket is about as breathable as any other truly waterproof jacket on the market, which is to say, not very well. If I sweat with all the zippers closed, the inside of the jacket gets wet very quickly. However, thanks to the following feature, the breathability of the fabric is not an issue at all.
The zipper on this jacket is crazy. With a two-way zip, you can zip from waist to biceps while keeping the bottom covered, or unzip all the way to turn the jacket into a poncho. Breathability is less important if you can open the entire side to allow heat and sweat to escape.
I was a little worried about having so many zippers under the waistband of my backpack, but it didn’t chafe. The zipper does tend to come off at the bottom, especially if I wear a lot of layers underneath, but never to the point where I worry about accidentally exposing myself to the rain.
The Aspire Super Stretch has adjustable cuffs: pretty standard stuff you’d expect from a high-quality jacket.
The Aspire Super Stretch has two front pockets and a chest pocket. All bags have zippers, and the front pocket has a clip for car keys or other small items. Both front pockets are inaccessible when wearing a belt. It’s nice to see that the high pockets aren’t covered by a belt like on the Arc’teryx jacket, but that’s certainly not a problem. Simply place the items you need in the belt pocket. The chest pocket fits my phone perfectly and allows easy access to items stored in the waterproof pockets while wearing the backpack.
The Aspire Super Stretch is one of the least packable travel jackets I’ve ever used. Technically, if you try hard enough, you can tuck it into one of the pockets, but the lack of a two-way zipper means it’s not designed for that. It would be easier to roll it up and stuff it in the hood, but you’ll still end up with a Nalgene-sized lump. When hiking, I usually put it in the front mesh of my backpack and it takes up valuable space.
The hood has a beautiful large brim: it will ideally protect your face from the rain. I found it a little difficult to adjust the elastic on the hood while wearing the jacket, so you’ll want to set it to your desired tightness before getting into a storm.
I’ve only been testing this raincoat for five months and in terms of durability it’s not that long. However, I was very strict with my equipment and ruined the rain jacket in less time. I’ve had significant durability issues with other Outdoor Research rain jackets, including breaking two gel rain jackets while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016 and in less than a week while hiking the Great Divide Trail in 2021. The helium just broke. rain pants.
Luckily, the GORE-TEX 50D Paclite fabric used in the Aspire is much stronger than the Pertex fabric used in the Helium. This does add some serious weight, but after months of heavy use there are no rips, tears or frays in the fabric and the seam tape on the inside of the jacket still looks new. I believe this jacket will last a long time.
This jacket weighs 12.7 ounces and is quite heavy. However, you won’t be carrying it around because it’s an ultra-lightweight option: you’ll need durable waterproofing. If weight is more important to you than waterproofing, consider other options like the Outdoor Research Helium.
I tested Aspire Super Stretch with rhubarb. I love this color, the bright color looks better in photos and the bright red jacket helps me stay visible while biking or walking around town. Overall this jacket is quite attractive. The hood looks a little silly if you’re not wearing a helmet, but other than that I don’t feel like a fashion disaster walking around town.
The Aspire Super Stretch Jacket is made from new GORE-TEX 50D Paclite fabric, which is 100% recyclable, Bluesign certified and has an eco-friendly DWR coating that contains no environmentally impacting PFCs. Bluesign approval means that independent auditors have verified every step of textile processing to ensure a reduced environmental impact. If you’re a hiker, you probably care about the environment, so it’s nice to know your jacket is relatively eco-friendly.
Waterproof: I absolutely trust this jacket to keep me dry in inclement weather. GORE-TEX is extremely durable and the fabric is durable enough to withstand impacts in the toughest conditions.
Attractive: The bright colors look great in photos, and I don’t feel like I’m wearing a potato sack if I wear this jacket around town.
Weight and compactness: The Aspire Super Stretch is quite heavy to carry around unless you’re sure you’ll get caught in the rain, and when folded it’s not small at all.
Price: $299. Oh. That’s enough to buy 15 pairs of Frogg Toggs, my favorite raincoat. I would definitely buy this jacket for inclement weather as the durability outweighs the cost. But unless I know I’ll be stuck in the rain all day, I’ll go for the cheaper option.
If you’re looking for a durable rain jacket that can withstand days of rain, the Outdoor Research Aspire Super Stretch is a great choice. It adapts well to multi-sport adventures thanks to its elastic back panel and helmet-compatible hood. However, for good weather trails this is clearly overkill. If you are upping PCT or AZT, you may want to consider easier, cheaper options.
This site contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a commission from any products or services you purchase through links in articles or advertisements. Buyers pay the same price they would pay, and your purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of providing you with quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
I am a Triple Crown winner (PCT 2016, CDT 2017, AT 2018) with over twenty years of backpacking experience. When I travel, I choose the Fun Size. In 2019, I hiked the Long Trail in Vermont with my nine-pound dog, Chester, and plan to hike the Great Divide in 2021. You can read more of my articles at www.funsizehikes.com.
Post time: Oct-11-2023