OMM Core+ Hoodie – Test and Review

I have had the OMM Core+ hoodie for a few weeks now which has given me opportunity to try it out in a mixture of weathers and over a mixture of distances.

The OMM Core+ hoodie is made from woven primaloft material, the same stuff that’s in some higher end synthetic quilted jackets, it’s lightweight (really lightweight) 185 grams with a super high volume open structure and it’s 64 % post-consumer recycled material.

The construction of this top is such that it can be worn with a wind shell jacket, trapping in body heat and keeping you toasty but you can open the jacket up or remove it completely and due to the open weave, the OMM Core+ hoodie allows even a slight breeze to remove the heat as air passes through. 

When I opened this top up I did wonder a bit on the design, most other running tops I have tried have a sleek finished look. This one according to my wife is more like the dogs blanket due to the fluffy weave. I’m not a great one for fashion or current trends! 12 years in Her Majesty’s armed forces where most of your wardrobe is green and very utilitarian soon teaches you to look past these things as long as it works. So I was keen to see if it would hold up to the claims it made.

Now, I live in Devon so as most will know that while this comes with some incredible running routes and amazing scenery it does mean that we also get a lot of wind and rain, being only March this has also meant that it has been cold too. Perfect conditions to put the hoodie through its paces.

I’ve worn it on several trail, road and on the commute in-and-out of work runs. This allowed me to trial it with different kit set ups, i.e. a wind shell on/off, a running pack and hydration vest combinations. Under a wind shell this top really does keep you warm, a great plus when waiting for a train connection or when the start of a run is a bit chilly. When you are working harder with just the Core+ on you can feel the air passing through and it does keep you at a comfortable temperature. I took it out for a 10 mile Fartlek trail session on Woodbury Common in temperature ranges of 3 to 5 degrees with a lot of ascent and other than under my pack, which did get sweaty (nothing new there, I just adjusted the fit of my pack every now and again to allow air to circulate and it soon evaporated) it worked exceptionally well. I was comfortable and at the end didn’t chill whilst changing shoes, etc back at the car. 

Also a good plus was it dried quickly, whether from rain, snow or in the washing machine so it was ready to go from getting home late in the evening and setting off again early the next morning. It still performed at a comfortable temperature even whilst wet, they say 1 tog when dry and still 0.6 tog when wet. I particularly found it was very good during snow flurries with the hood adding a nice layer under or over a run cap.

I think that it does hold up well to its claims and is a great addition to most running bags especially with the changeable weather we tend to experience on some of the longer distance runs. Anyone who has run an ultra over Dartmoor will have experienced the four seasons in one day, and often the fact that you get most of them more than once.

The only pause for thought I would say is that if you saw the Core+ hoodie on a hanger in a running kit shop at the retail price of £105 you may not give it a second look but if you can get past the fact that it looks different and just go on performance I would highly recommend it. I think you would be pleasantly surprised, it’s earnt its place in my kit bag that’s for sure and will definitely be packing it ready to tackle the Lakeland 100 again later this year.

Review by Steven Coles.

OMM Core+ Hoodie
£105
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