OR’s SuperStrand Insulation offers Best-in-class Warmth-to-weight Ratio

Pairing a new kind of synthetic insulation with innovative construction, the SuperStrand LT jacket collection from Outdoor Research (OR), the Seattle based manufacturer outdoor apparel, results in the best warmth-to-weight layering package the OR brand has ever offered. It also sets a standard for warmth, weight and comfort in the active-insulation category.

“SuperStrand is an extraordinary layer — it definitely doesn’t wear like any other piece of synthetic insulation that we’ve ever tested,” said Charlie Berg, outerwear product manager for Outdoor Research. “It’s extremely light and supple, very packable, and offers superb warmth for how light it is. That results not only in an extremely pleasant wearing experience, but a layer that works across a huge range of situations.”

The SuperStrand LT Hoodie and Jacket are a result of three components working together:

  • Proprietary Outdoor Research VerticalX SuperStrand insulation mimics the shape of thousands of down clusters connected along a strand, simulating down’s looseness, softness and suppleness. That is different from traditional synthetic insulation, which comes in sheet form. Sheet insulation is warm, but comparatively stiffer and bulkier. VerticalX SuperStrand is extremely high loft (like down), offers warmth if it gets wet (unlike down), and is more resistant to compression over time (compared to down). It can get damp but still breathes and retains loft, which means that performance doesn’t degrade when the user sweats.
  • On the exterior, Outdoor Research uses an ultra-lightweight 12D nylon shell fabric that’s windproof and bluesign approved.
  • A minimal, discontinuous quilting pattern that reduces stitching brings together the exterior and interior components into a feathery construction that optimizes warmth.

“Those three things together are what allow this layer to be so light, so warm and so supple,” said Alex Lauver, director of Commercial Innovation for Outdoor Research. “We worked with a number of our athletes through the development of this piece, and the thing that they are most excited about is really the layer ability. They can put one of these jackets in their pack, and they don’t notice it until they need it, because it’s so light. When they throw it on, it’s very light and feathery on the body but also very warm. And then if they throw a shell over top of that, the SuperStrand layer just sort of disappears except for its warmth. We’re always looking for the ability to make a lighter, warmer, more comfortable and more versatile jacket, and we think we’ve nailed it with this piece.”

The SuperStrand collection includes men’s and women’s hoodies, men’s and women’s jackets and men’s and women’s vests. The Hoodie weighs 309 grams in a men’s medium and 272 grams in women’s small.

OR will do a limited release this fall of SuperStrand LT jackets and hoodies via its website. The complete collection will be available through specialty retailers starting in Spring 2022.