Outdoor Research manufactures outdoor clothing and gear designed for hiking, climbing, and expedition use. This page aggregates customer ratings and reviews from shoppers who have purchased directly from the brand, offering insight into product quality, warranty service, and customer support experiences.
Outdoor Research Reviews
What Shoppers Say About Outdoor Research
Outdoor Research customers are sharply divided in their satisfaction. Supporters praise the quality and durability of the brand's products, noting that the company stands behind its merchandise and handles warranty claims well when they honor them. However, a significant portion of reviewers report serious frustrations with customer service responsiveness, unclear warranty policies (particularly regarding geographic limitations on guarantees), and what they describe as broken promises around delivery times and product defects. Several shoppers feel the company has failed to honor its stated guarantees, creating a pattern of disappointment that conflicts with the brand's reputation.
The core complaint centers on inconsistent warranty application and customer service follow-through. Reviewers mention being denied claims under the company's Infinite guarantee due to regional restrictions not clearly communicated at purchase, receiving slow or dismissive responses from support, and long delays in shipping without adequate compensation or communication. While loyalty exists among those whose products have performed well, the company's handling of disputes and defects appears to be a significant weakness that undermines trust.
Customer Reviews (22)
Sorted by: Most recentWas browsing their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and found merino wool base layers at sixty percent off, so I grabbed a couple pairs for myself and my girl plus some other things. Went through checkout and got a confirmation right away. Friday night I was paying bills and saw the charge came through. A few days later I'm still waiting for shipping details when I discovered the order got cancelled the day after I placed it. Nobody called or emailed to tell me. If I'd known I could have rushed to reorder those items while the sale was still going, but the window had closed by the time I found out.
Their gear is solid, no complaints there. The marketing approach feels off though, and I don't think the people they feature match the actual customer base. Fortunately there are plenty of other outdoor brands out there that work just fine.
The phone support here is awful. I ordered something and after four business days it still hadn't shipped even though the website promised one to two days. Called to check on it and held for about five to eight minutes. The person who picked up seemed bored from the start. They said sometimes deliveries take longer than advertised on the site, which made me wonder why they don't fix that. I needed the stuff for a trip and asked if I could cancel. Nope. Asked about paying extra for overnight delivery. Nope. So basically you've got nothing to offer me? Nope. It would have been helpful if they'd mentioned that buying OR products on Amazon is actually quicker and cheaper, but I guess I found that out on my own.
Made a recent order and asked to make changes, but they flat out refused. Not shopping there anymore after that experience.
As others here have mentioned, this company used to be way better. I had a Pro membership and loved the member pricing, but their shipping became a nightmare. When you pick the cheapest shipping option, it feels like they're loading your box on a fishing vessel, sending it around the world, then having it hauled by hand to your door. It takes forever. I've started buying their stuff on discount reseller sites instead because at least those places get things delivered in a reasonable timeframe.
My hardshell ski jacket from them is excellent and I'm really happy with it. When a pocket zipper broke, they sent me a replacement jacket super fast. Great quality stuff paired with excellent service.
Own a fantastic hardshell ski jacket from them and couldn't be happier with it. One of the pocket zippers stopped working and they rushed a brand new jacket right out to me no questions asked. Outstanding gear and outstanding support.
The Skyward II jacket is top notch quality and fits perfectly. Definitely would purchase again.
Got the San Juan mens jacket that was advertised as weather and waterproof. Rain was pouring through in seconds. The shoulders and sleeves just let moisture right through. Garbage quality.
Grabbed what I thought was their top tier product, the interstellar jacket. Within a year the pockets had ripped open. It's not actually waterproof like they claim. Even after I treated the fabric with waterproofing products they recommended, water still got through. Now I just use it as a wind shell, but it definitely doesn't work as rain protection. The material doesn't feel durable at all. My guess is they spent way more on ads than on actual product development. When I bought it all the outdoor blogs were gushing about this jacket. Feels like a bad investment and I doubt I'll buy from them again.
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