Men’s Odin Stretch Hood Insulator 2.1 Review

The Odin Stretch 2.1 is a lightweight, breathable synthetic jacket that is designed to flex and move with the wearer, for unrestrained hiking, skiing and mountaineering. My review:

The Stretch 2.1 is constructed entirely out of synthetic, breathable materials. The outer shell is a combination of recycled high durable Polyamide and lighter, more flexible polyester. The insulation is 100 percent Primaloft Gold Active+, which is designed to be as light, packable and breathable as possible. The inner fabric is a combination of new and recycled polyester. The jacket has two zippered hand pockets, a zippered chest pocket, a form fitting but non-adjustable hood, elastic cuffs and waist, and breathable patches of material under the arms and down the side. It weighs about 550 grams (19 ounces) and retails for $260.

I’ve been testing the Stretch 2.1 for a few months now, in above and sub-freezing weather and have been relatively impressed with the warmth to weight ratio. The Primaloft Gold used inside is thin, light-weight, very soft and packable, and yet provides excellent protection a against the elements. Used as a primary layer with only a synthetic t-shirt underneath, I found it warm into the 50’s when inactive and to just around freezing temperature while moving. This is largely due to the combination of somewhat wind stopping material being placed along the chest, back and the outside of the arms, where cold gusts would normally draw heat away. The wind can push through the fabric if it is intense or cold enough, but it generally holds its own as a softshell. When layered up with larger garments on over top of it, the temperatures can be pushed even further. I found a waterproof hard-shell outer to work really well when hiking with near freezing drizzle or snow.

Breathability is pretty good, with the jacket not building up too much sweat or heat while hiking at moderate levels. Heavy, high energy hiking and climbing I found can certainly build up a sweat inside. Thankfully, the materials cools off and dries rather quickly without becoming overly cooling as an effect.

Comfort is a mixed bag with this one in my experience. It’s light-weight and somewhat form-fitting, which is great, but the polyester layer can be a touch itchy on the inside at first. I found I did adjust to it after a while, but would have preferred for this to be a bit smoother to the touch. The jacket has a slim cut that works great for layering as it slips easily under other jackets, but does sacrifice hip space, making it bunch up and snug when sitting. I have a somewhat thick squared body frame, so this likely won’t affect those with narrow hips. On the other hand, the inherently stretch nature of the jacket makes it easy to move in while upright (assuming you have narrow hips) and doesn’t constrain arm movement at all. The elastic cuffs also stay in place and work well with any gloves and even mittens I’ve tested with them, as they stretch to an impressive degree. The hood feels great and generally stays in place in high wind, despite not having a dedicated cinch or adjustment mechanism.

Durability has been solid, which the polyamide fabric holding up great during use with backpacks, being stuffed inside bags for weeks at a time, and general being used around town such as sliding in and out of vehicles and working outside. The stitching quality is phenomenal, with smooth, consistent, beautiful seam work all around. I didn’t find a single fray or error in my sample. It also includes a light DWR coating which helps shed rain, dirt and allows it to clean up a little easier also.

Overall

The Odin Stretch 2.1 is a solid jacket, best used as a lightweight outer layer, or a middle layer underneath a rain or heavy shell. It is exceptionally lightweight and packable (think cantaloupe sized), and holds up great to repeated packing and unpacking. It runs a little snug around the waist, so those who like more room in the hips may consider sizing up. It can be a touch scratchy at first, but otherwise I haven’t had any issues with it. It’s warm, looks great, and has held up great in a wide array of conditions.