And there we go again. A brethable hardshell for the UL community, brought to you by the chaps from Haglöfs in Sweden. The
OZO Pullover is from Haglöfs' intense series, made for trailrunners, fast & light mountaineering folks and of course us, the UL backpacker. It would thus be rude of me to not check it out, even more so as they're neighbours.

Reflective details all around.
Hello, my name is Hendrik and I am an Ultralight backpacker. My Haglöfs OZO weighs 196 g in Size S, it has a fine graphite colour with blue details. It ain't black but I like it nevertheless.
What has it to offer? It is made of Gore-Tex Paclite, has an outstanding hood and visor, a huge front pocket, a deep front zipper, and thumbloops. Yes, thumbloops, those highly practical details on a range of garments. I like them.
Joe doesn't.

Perfect, this is how hoods and visors should look like!
Lets start with the hood. I have a bunch of jackets with hoods in all kind of shapes and sizes, but the OZO has by far the best. Very well designed, it hugs your head nicely, the visor is massive and keeps wind, snow, rain at bay. Yeah, this is how hoods and visors need to be. I am not sure if a mountaineering helmet can fit under it, tough. Anyhow. Other manufacturers, please buy a OZO and be inspired by their hood design - you can learn a lot.
The pocket is as big as on the
Rab Demand Pull-On, as I often wear pants without pockets I need to store essentials like my puukko, map, compass and a chocolate bar in my jacket's pocket. The OZO pocket is big enough for that, with some room to spare. As with the other pullover, put your phone in a waterproof bag if you carry it in there and it will be fine.
Gore-Tex Paclite then. It keeps rain, snow and wind out, and is very breathable. As breathable as eVent? I really can't say. I didn't have any problems with it getting sweaty and moist inside, and I do perspire a lot. I was considering doing a bit of a scientific study with both garments in the sauna, but decided against it. If I am hardpress to decide on one, I might say eVent is a tad more breathable.
The cut on the OZO is even better than the Demand, in my opnion, the back is nice long, it's a good tight fit but allows for puffy insulation to be worn underneath it. The long back allows for supreme protection of my back, but I yet have to find a jacket or pullover which stays in place - they always seem to travel a bit up. The drawcord in the hem is good, as are the elastic cuffs with thumbloops. Yeah, I like them thumbloops, a bit of keeping the jacket in place when moving and a bit of additional protection are always welcome.
So it is lighter than the Demand, a good 56 g in Size S, has a superior hood, thumbloops, but is not as breathable than the Demand (enjoy that with a tad of salt, YMMV). It is also nearly a Euro/ Dollar/ Pound per gram saved more expensive than the Demand, but given that Haglöfs has currently a better
sustainablity approach to business than Rab, that might be worth it for some - for me it is.
I can't think of shortcomings of the OZO; though I have heard from some friends who have made not-so-good experiences with Gore-Tex Paclite, those are welcome to speak up in the comments (play nice!). Keep away from fire, treat it carefully as all your UL gear - though as I was running through the undergrowth on my orienteering exam, it withstood it all. Improvements, well, the drawcord closing thingy on the hem could be a bit stronger, it seems to be too UL to do the job properly. Otherwise it gets from me two thumbs up (through the thumbloops, of course!).
Buy it at:
Haglöfs OZO
at Outnet.se
And there we go again. A brethable hardshell for the UL community, brought to you by the chaps from Haglöfs in Sweden. The
OZO Pullover is from Haglöfs' intense series, made for trailrunners, fast & light mountaineering folks and of course us, the UL backpacker. It would thus be rude of me to not check it out, even more so as they're neighbours.

Reflective details all around.
Hello, my name is Hendrik and I am an Ultralight backpacker. My Haglöfs OZO weighs 196 g in Size S, it has a fine graphite colour with blue details. It ain't black but I like it nevertheless.
What has it to offer? It is made of Gore-Tex Paclite, has an outstanding hood and visor, a huge front pocket, a deep front zipper, and thumbloops. Yes, thumbloops, those highly practical details on a range of garments. I like them.
Joe doesn't.

Perfect, this is how hoods and visors should look like!
Lets start with the hood. I have a bunch of jackets with hoods in all kind of shapes and sizes, but the OZO has by far the best. Very well designed, it hugs your head nicely, the visor is massive and keeps wind, snow, rain at bay. Yeah, this is how hoods and visors need to be. I am not sure if a mountaineering helmet can fit under it, tough. Anyhow. Other manufacturers, please buy a OZO and be inspired by their hood design - you can learn a lot.
The pocket is as big as on the
Rab Demand Pull-On, as I often wear pants without pockets I need to store essentials like my puukko, map, compass and a chocolate bar in my jacket's pocket. The OZO pocket is big enough for that, with some room to spare. As with the other pullover, put your phone in a waterproof bag if you carry it in there and it will be fine.
Gore-Tex Paclite then. It keeps rain, snow and wind out, and is very breathable. As breathable as eVent? I really can't say. I didn't have any problems with it getting sweaty and moist inside, and I do perspire a lot. I was considering doing a bit of a scientific study with both garments in the sauna, but decided against it. If I am hardpress to decide on one, I might say eVent is a tad more breathable.
The cut on the OZO is even better than the Demand, in my opnion, the back is nice long, it's a good tight fit but allows for puffy insulation to be worn underneath it. The long back allows for supreme protection of my back, but I yet have to find a jacket or pullover which stays in place - they always seem to travel a bit up. The drawcord in the hem is good, as are the elastic cuffs with thumbloops. Yeah, I like them thumbloops, a bit of keeping the jacket in place when moving and a bit of additional protection are always welcome.
So it is lighter than the Demand, a good 56 g in Size S, has a superior hood, thumbloops, but is not as breathable than the Demand (enjoy that with a tad of salt, YMMV). It is also nearly a Euro/ Dollar/ Pound per gram saved more expensive than the Demand, but given that Haglöfs has currently a better
sustainablity approach to business than Rab, that might be worth it for some - for me it is.
I can't think of shortcomings of the OZO; though I have heard from some friends who have made not-so-good experiences with Gore-Tex Paclite, those are welcome to speak up in the comments (play nice!). Keep away from fire, treat it carefully as all your UL gear - though as I was running through the undergrowth on my orienteering exam, it withstood it all. Improvements, well, the drawcord closing thingy on the hem could be a bit stronger, it seems to be too UL to do the job properly. Otherwise it gets from me two thumbs up (through the thumbloops, of course!).
Buy it at:
Haglöfs OZO
at Outnet.se
Haglöfs OZO Pullover Review
Please do the sauna breathability test! That would be so 'Hiking in Finland'!
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, I just said I can live without thumb-loops, I have no problem with them being on garments. I seem to have become some kind of thumb-loop pariah!
As an aside, I like the Silkbody top - just saw Phil Turner's review of it and it sounds great apart from the 'repeated washing smell' he refers to. Silk and merino wool have some similarities in terms of performance in hot and cold weather so they seem like a good combination, as well as a comfortable one. I also like the off-set zip - seems very sensible.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Ozo - the OMM Cypher seems a better choice? Slightly heavier (240g smock, 280g jacket) but likely more breathable (Paclite vs 3-layer eVent) and waterproof. That said, a good waterproof for 196g? Haglöfs know their onions...
The sauna-experiment sounds interesting, but be careful, you could ruin the jackets…
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, it's highly unlikely, that these materials can handle burning hot steam.
Joe, sorry for picking on you ;) It is tongue-in-cheek, mate!
ReplyDeleteMaz, the Silkbody Top is excellent. I think Phil said there is no problem with repeated washing smell, if I remember correctly. Expect a first look form me during December/ January. Re: Haglöfs OZO, the smock ist waterproof and breathable, in case that didn't become clear above! More breathable than eVent, I really can't say, but because I expected questions coming in that direction I took a side (eVent) but enjoy with a bit of salt - YMMV. The cut on the OMM Cypher seems OK, also the hood & visor, but it is heavier... Until someone has tested in though conditions, the judgement is out and I stay with the OZO!
Eero, yeah, I think it wouldn't be smart to test them in the Sauna. But if I get bored and have too much freetime on my hands, why not ;)
I have the same in size M, love it and would buy it again!
ReplyDeleteHendrik - thanks. I really like the hood cut - much better than my LIM Ozone I would say - it's probably the best selling point of the Ozo. Great review as usual. The Cypher is heavier, I agree, but not too much which is why I put them together and I've always preferred eVent to Paclite - may be that Paclite is getting better, who knows.
ReplyDeleteI have the Ozo (in L) and absolutely love it. My wife saw it and wanted it too. So for any female readers, here is a link to the Ozo Q at the same discount in a different shop.
ReplyDeletehttp://shop.packyourbags.com/acatalog/haglofs-ozo-q-pullover-jacket-womens.html
(BTW: I think the 10% discount is pretty standard in every shop. The old "look we have a discount on RRP" trick.)
Good old Haglöfs! I like the thumb loops and long back, but it seems a little short in the front. Interesting piece though. Wish I could find their stuff here more easily.
ReplyDelete"given that Haglöfs has a superior sustainablity approach to business than Rab (which, we remember, has none.."
ReplyDeleteHave you seen this?
http://www.muchbetteradventures.com/news/view/142/ethical-adventure-gear---rab-respond
Personally I find eVent far more breathable than Paclite. I also don't find the current Paclite as breathable as earlier versions.
Thanks Maz! According to Chris Townsend who commented underneath, eVent is more breathable, so with his knowledge of the matter I think it is save to go for eVent if the best breathability is what you need. I didn't have problems with Paclite, though. Now in winter will be great to see how it fares, it is the hardest time for breathable hardshells imo.
ReplyDeleteTor, thanks for the comment and the addition for the women!
Mark, it is fine and long in the front, maybe it doesn't look like it in the photos, though. You always can buy some Haglöfs gear when you're over here in Finland - when's your next trip here?
Thanks Chris for that informative link. It is pretty much what I have heard in a variation a year ago. It is good to know that they are doing things right, though it is not smart to not communicate it - setting up a blog takes mere minutes, and there is the news section on the current Rab website which could be used. I like Rab and understand their motives, don't get me wrong; I just think it should be communicated as well!
Matthias, you take it on the PTC next year, the OZO? Any complains with it?
Surprisingly little difference in weight compared to my old (2007) Haglöfs Oz. 196 grams in XL. Looks like the hood has been augmented a bit. My Oz has served me well, best rainjacket I've had. I replaced it this summer with a Marmot Essence which weighs 10 grams more, is softer than the Oz and half the price of the OZO. I'm very satisfied so far, extremely good weight and value for money.
ReplyDeleteI got the older version sent to me by mistake. Being honest I sent it back. Good top. That new version has a great hood and I like thumb loops. eVent is great but needs to be cleaned a lot more. I have also have been out in awful conditions in eVent tops and my friends in Paclite tops. In the hills when it is pissing down and you all get to camp to dry out we have never seen a big difference. eVent has a bit more performance I find and I use tops made in it but would happily use Paclite and that top.
ReplyDeleteJörgen, yeps, the OZO is a little heavier than the Oz - that was a real dream of the UL backpacker! Do you already have a First Look/ Review of the Marmot up?
ReplyDeleteMartin, great to hear your experiences in a direct comparison, and good to see that they match mine. eVent = a little better performance but heavier and needs more washing, something I forgot to mention. Paclite = not as breathable as eVent, lighter, less washing.
I wonder when Haglöfs will start to use eVent.
Everybody knows compare breathable garments is a difficult game
ReplyDeleteEvent is 3 layer cloth and paclite is 2 layers
Everybody knows that in 3 layer garments the inner layer traps moisture and condensation is much less noticeable, maybe this is the main reason event clothing seems much more "breathable" beacause is really easy to see the condensation in the black paclite inner "plastic" layer
I suspect that the cold dry air of Finland is the best enviroment for breathable clothes
Here in the rainy north of Spain condensation in my paclite jackets (haglofs lim jacket & oz pullover) is more than noticeable.
"Event is 3 layer cloth and paclite is 2 layers"
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be so sure... Usually if something is 2-layers (outer fabric + membrane) it needs an additional lining to protec the membrane. Paclite doesn't need additional lining and still is quite durable. Nowdays the membranes are often protected with little "printed" texture in the inside so the division between 2 and 3 layers fabrics is becoming quite hard and many are marketed as 2,5 layer fabrics...
The breathable hard shells work best in dry air as that causes bigger difference in water vapor pressure so they might work well in Finland. Though when it is raining hard, no hard shell really breathes after being soaked from outside... But if one uses his hard shell in double duty as a wind shell, then more breathable is better. I'd say.
For those with access to BPL Alan Dixon wrote a very interesting article on waterproof/breathables in 2004. One interesting claim was that the Goretex membrane is covered by a thin layer of polyurethane. So it does not (any longer) work by letting water vapor out through tiny holes in the membran. Instead it works through solid state diffusion. Something that is not (at all) very evident from Gore's marketing. Now 2004 was a while ago, I do not know what has happened since. Someone?
ReplyDeleteI just struck me that I have a list from Chris Townsend on breathability from my 2007 book Vandra Fjäderlätt. I'll post an English version of this on Fjaderlatt shortly.
ReplyDeleteHey man, the "throwing arm".. i bet you mean "vipukeihäs" which is Atl Atl.
ReplyDeleteI just struck me that I have a list from Chris Townsend on breathability from my 2007 book Vandra Fjäderlätt. I'll post an English version of this on Fjaderlatt shortly.
ReplyDeleteI have the TNF triumph and love.... it can't comment on OZO
ReplyDeleteThat's an awesome looking hood. Don't know about the thumbloops though.
ReplyDeleteHi !
ReplyDeletei've found your excellent blog/website through research for a new jacket to trail run in the alps this winter.
I've heard a lot of good thing of the Haglofs Lim Jacket but reading you, it seems that
1) The Ozo jacket might do as well but lighter and with a better hood
2) the event is more breathable which is an important thing for a runner
so, what's your opinion ?
thanks a lot in advance
Thanks for the kind feedback.
ReplyDeleteThe OZO is from Paclite, which is pretty breathable. Not as breathable as eVent, but good enough for me. I used the jacket for a week of cross-country skiing, and it worked very well. I haven't run in it (or don't remember) so can't comment on performance when running in the Alps in winter, though I believe if you're still able to find one (they're getting rare!) you should give it a try. I still use mine every week, and probably soon more.
Thumbloops rock!
ReplyDeletethanks for your feedback, unfortunately i live far from the Alps and from the Mountaineering shops... so i have to take a decision and order it on the web... a good friend of mine finds the eVent really much more breathable and thinks the dab would be better for me... i prefer the look n'feel (especially the hoodie of the ozo but...)
ReplyDeleteJorgen, this is true of Gore-Tex. That's why eVent was such a big deal when it came out, and why Mountain Hardwear, Polartec, and Columbia are making such a big deal about their new air-permeable membranes. Pretty much all waterproofs other than those four use solid state diffusion to get rid of moisture. You're right, Gore is careful not to mention this.
ReplyDelete