The Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's is our best for broader builds pick, and we rate it 71 out of 100.
A 278g ActiveGrid quarter-zip with a grid interior, a smooth outer face and an extended centre-back hem that stays tucked under a harness.
Scored on Comfort, Warmth, Breathability, Layering and Weight, with fit notes taken from owners as well as our own testers.
Best for Broader Builds
Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's
- Weight: 278g
- Fabric: ActiveGrid, 94% polyester / 6% spandex, bluesign approved
- Weight class: Lightweight
- Style: Quarter zip
- Pockets: 1 chest
- Sizing: Runs small, size up
Pros
- Roomy wrists and forearms, unlike most technical fleeces
- 278g and packs tiny
- Dries very quickly
- Extended back hem stays put under a harness
Cons
- Runs a size small
- Thin enough to be see-through in light colours
- Quarter zip limits how fast you can dump heat
Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's: Our Call
The grid fleece that does not compress your forearms, and the one we now point broader builds at first.
We ended up scoring it 71 out of 100, our best for broader builds of the group.
Roomy wrists and forearms, unlike most technical fleeces is the reason it beat the rest.
The flip side: runs a size small.
If you are shopping as broader builds and anyone who wants grid venting without the compression, start here.
Every slim alpine fleece I try grips my forearms. This one does not, and the long back hem stays put when I reach up. It is thin, so buy a dark colour, and order a size up.
Emma, Top-Notch test team
Where the Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's Scored, and Where It Slipped
Best score: weight. Worst: warmth.
Where it gained ground and where it lost it:
Comfort
7 out of 10, and roomier through the wrists and forearms than the trim alpine hoodies here. That is the specific reason to buy it.
Owners of thin-cut technical fleeces report compression through the forearms and shoulders, and this one does not do it. It runs small overall though, so size up. The chest pocket goes lumpy as soon as you load it.
| Comfort | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9/10 |
| Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's | 7/10 |
| Guide average | 7.1/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5/10 |
Warmth
6 out of 10, warm for how little it weighs.
The quarter zip is the limit.
Zip length controls how much heat you can dump, and this one gives you less to work with than the full-zip designs.
| Warmth | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9/10 |
| Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's | 6/10 |
| Guide average | 7.1/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5/10 |
Breathability
7.5 out of 10, held back by the quarter zip rather than the fabric.
It dries very quickly, even when properly wet from rain rather than sweat.
The smooth outer face is why it does not snag under a shell.
| Breathability | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 8.5/10 |
| Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's | 7.5/10 |
| Guide average | 6.4/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 3/10 |
Layering
7 out of 10.
The extended centre-back length looks odd under a short jacket and is exactly what you want under a harness.
The fabric is thin enough to show every lump underneath, and light colours are see-through.
| Layering | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 8.5/10 |
| Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's | 7/10 |
| Guide average | 6.4/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5/10 |
Weight
278g, second lightest in this test.
This is the one to cram into a carry-on or a daypack.
| Weight | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9.5/10 |
| Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's | 9.2/10 |
| Guide average | 7.9/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 4.5/10 |
The Case For and Against It
It is best suited to broader builds and anyone who wants grid venting without the compression.
The big win: Roomy wrists and forearms, unlike most technical fleeces.
The main compromise: Runs a size small.
Specifications
| Weight | 278g |
| Fabric | ActiveGrid, 94% polyester / 6% spandex, bluesign approved |
| Weight class | Lightweight |
| Style | Quarter zip |
| Pockets | 1 chest |
| Sizing | Runs small, size up |
Other Picks From the Same Test
Three more from the lineup, each better at something this one is not.
Black Diamond Coefficient Hoody Women's, our best for climbing and fast hiking. The lightest jacket here and the best layering piece in the group, sold as a performance tool rather than a comfort item.
Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's, our best overall. It feels like a worn-in sweatshirt and performs like technical kit, which is a combination nothing else here manages.
Fjallraven Abisko Hooded Fleece Women's, our best for warm-weather trekking. The coldest jacket in the test, which stops being a criticism once you understand it is built for summer walking.
Our Take
Put against nine rivals, the Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's earned our best for broader builds award on 71 out of 100.
Roomy wrists and forearms, unlike most technical fleeces, and nothing else here matches it.
The one caveat is runs a size small.
Right buyer: broader builds and anyone who wants grid venting without the compression.
The rest of the lineup, ranked, is in our 9 Best Women's Fleece Jackets, Tested and Ranked guide.
