The North Face Oso Hoodie Review

The North Face Oso Hoodie is made of raschel fleece with a polyester taffeta overlay on the shoulders and hood. The cuffs at the wrists and bottom hem are made of a different stretch fabric, and the fleece weight is fairly heavy at 315 g/m².

Performance Comparison

Warmth

This jacket is warm and the hood makes it even warmer. Hoods on jackets are often a matter of personal preference. Some people swear by them, and others prefer to wear a beanie instead. But a beanie is not going to provide the continuous protection over your neck and head that a hood does. Our testers felt much warmer wearing a hooded fleece than a jacket/hat combo, particularly when the wind was blowing. This model only comes in a hooded version.

Comfort and Coziness

The comfort and texture of the raschel fleece on The North Face Oso just can't be beat! We actually prefer wearing this jacket with only a tank top underneath so we can feel the silky fleece against our skin.

Breathability

The North Face Oso Hoodie is not as breathable a fleece as the Patagonia R2 - Women's or The North Face Radium Hi-Loft - Women's, but that's mostly due to the weight of the fleece itself. At over 300g it's meant more for keeping you warm than for being active and breathable. This is the layer that you want to put on after you hike…not the one you want to wear during.

Layering Ability and Ease of Movement

The cut of The North Face Oso Hoodie is actually a little more contoured than the Osito 2 jacket, which is nice, and there is still room under the jacket for a shirt or light base layer. It does layer underneath an insulated ski jacket a little easier than the Osito 2. However, the hood did tend to get in the way a bit. This wouldn't be the best layer to wear if you were skiing and wearing a helmet.

Wind Protection and Water Resistance

Our testers found that while the raschel fleece is warm and nice against our skin, it doesn't offer much in the way of wind protection like the Polartec Thermal Pro fabrics do (found on the Patagonia Piton Hybrid Hoody). However, the taffeta overlay does provide a bit of extra rain protection for the hood and shoulders, and will keep you drier for longer in a light rain.

Style and Fit

The two-tone material on The North Face Oso Hoodie gives it a distinct technical look, like the Denali jacket, but without many technical applications. The arms of this jacket are also noticeably short, particularly on our testers with long arms.

Best Applications

This is a great jacket for wearing as an outer layer on cold days, either for after a hike or for a warm layer between climbs, but you wouldn't want to wear it while being active. The Patagonia R1 - Women's is a better choice for that.

Value

The extra bits of construction on The North Face Oso Hoodie (the hood, taffeta panels and stretch cuffs) increase of the price of the jacket quite a bit compared to the Osito 2. If you really want a hood, the Marmot Flair Hoody has a similar cut but a lower price tag.

Conclusion

Overall, The North Face Oso Hoodie is a warm and cozy fleece that's sure to keep you smiling every time you wear it. In the end though, it doesn't have many technical applications, and considering that it's edging up on the higher end of the price spectrum, we'd recommend opting for something a little more versatile.

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