Outdoor Research Women's Enigma Jacket

If you are looking for a jacket for backcountry adventures, look no further. This is a great goretex shell that has long side zips for the ascent and taped reinforced zippers for the deep powder decent. It is very warm with a base layer, but the side zips make the warmer climbing a breeze. It was much less expensive than similar jackets by Arcteryx or Mountain Hardware, but the quality is very good and OR stands by their products. Best purchase of my ski gear this year.

I purchased the Trillium/Zin expecting a deep wine bordered by a burgundy color, as pictured. What I received is bright scarlet bordered by burgundy. Nothing like the photo shown here (and I am a photographer so I have a calibrated monitor.) Not what I wanted for hiking. Also, the fit is really strange...very tight at the hips, but the sleeves are voluminous--huge! and they don't really cinch closed tightly at the wrist. On top of that the zipper is really difficult/stiff, took several tries to get it going. Going back!

I own this jacket in the color "Alpine", a light lilac color. It is very pretty. I am a fairly standard size 12-14 and I bought the large, mostly because I am large busted and didn't want a tight fit in the chest. Wow, that is not a concern; this jacket is HUGE in the chest, shoulders and arms. There is no way I could take a smaller size though because the waist/hip fit is very tight and small. I really can't wear it without opening the side zips. This jacket is chock full of useful features...pit zips, the aforementioned side zips, integral hood with visor, well placed hand pockets that zip. I've worn this walking to yoga in a total downpour and was warm, dry and not overheated. The hood has adjustments that allow you to tailor it to your head. I have to velco the sleeves down to the smallest possible placement but that does work to rein in the huge sleeves. I had 2 thoughts on fit.....first that this was designed for an extreme female athlete physique. I can see how a rock climber or kayaker would get the shoulder room they needed. Second, maybe this was designed for men and prettied up in color for women. It fits me like a man's jacket would. I like the features and breath-ability a lot and there is no other size that would fit me any better. 4 stars for construction and features but I have to take off a star for very peculiar fit.

The color was discountinued on OR's website however the basic functionality and quality of the product is on par with the current season. The color is really not bad and the huge discount made the purchase worthwhile.