Deal alert: Patagonia is up to 50% off at REI
There are color and size limitations of course, but Nano Puff, Down Sweater, R1, DAS Light Hoody, Torrent 3L, Nano Air Light Hybrid and more are heavily discounted.
Shop the sale here:
https://www.rei.com/b/patagonia/f/scd-deals
Y'all know this is just my opinion... right?
I'll cover Best Patagonia Jackets in 3 parts:
- Shortest answer,
- Short answer,
- Long answer.
Best Patagonia Jackets: Shortest answer
Table data only applies to the most recent Winter 2024 models.
Name | Est. Temp (F/C) | Review | Pit venting? | Two way zipper? | Stuffs into itself? | Type | Fill Power (in3/oz) | Fill Weight (g) | Fill Volume (in3) | Synthetic Fill | Synth. Fill Weight | Face Fabric | Activity | Fit | Weight | Length (CB) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's) | -18/-28 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 850 | 296 | 8,875 | Coreloft | 90 g/m² | N30r 2L GoreTex Infinium | Climbing | Regular | 805 g / 1 lb 12.4 oz | 86 cm / 34 in | No |
Arc'teryx Alpha Lightweight (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 850 | 117 | 3,508 | Coreloft Compact | 40 g/m² | Hadron 2L Gore-Tex Infinium | Climbing | Regular | 540 g / 1 lb 3 oz | 79.5 cm / 31.25 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Atom (aka LT) ( Men's - Women's) | 43/6 | Review | Yes, mesh | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 60 g/m² | 20D Tyono | All Round | Trim | 375 g / 13.2 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No |
Arc'teryx Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | Review | Yes, mesh | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 120 g/m2 + 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | 30D Tyono | All Round | Regular | 475 g / 1 lb | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No |
Arc'teryx Atom Lightweight (aka SL) (Men's - Women's) | 52/11 | Review | Yes, mesh | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Compact | 40 g/m² | 20D Tyono | All Round | Trim | 270 g / 9.5 oz | 72 cm / 28.3 in | No |
Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated (Men's) | 0/-18 | Yes | Yes | No | Parka | 850 | 126 | 3,778 | Coreloft | 80 g/m² | 2L 40D Gore-Tex | All Round | Regular | 760 g / 1 lb 10.8 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated (Men's) | 21/-6 | Review | Yes, zips | Yes | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 80 g/m² | 2L 40D Gore-Tex | All Round | Regular | 680 g / 1 lb 8 oz | 78.5 cm / 31 in | No |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) | 16/-9 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft | 80 g/m² + 120 g/m² | 2L 40D Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz | 86 cm / 34 in | No |
Arc'teryx Cerium (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | Review | No | No | Yes | Down | 850 | 113 | 3,388 | Coreloft | 80 + 100 g/m² | Arato 15 | All Round | Trim | 335 g / 11.8 oz | 72 cm / 28.3 in | No |
Arc'teryx Cerium Hybrid (Women's) | 44/7 | No | No | Yes | Down | 850 | 44 | 1,319 | Coreloft | 40 + 100 g/m² | Arato 15 + Fortius Air 50 | All Round | Trim | 260 g / 9.2 oz | 70 cm / 27.5 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) | 14/-10 | No | Yes | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft | 98 g/m² | 40D 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 435g / 15.3 oz | 70 cm / 27.5 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Liatris (Women's) | 5/-15 | No | No | No | Parka | 850 | 93 | 2,788 | Climashield | 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | 70D 3L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 890 g / 1 lb 15.4 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Liatris Parka (Women's) | 2/-17 | No | No | No | Parka | 850 | 136 | 4,078 | Climashield | 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | 70D 3L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 1.093 kg / 2 lb 6.6 oz | 109 cm / 43 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Nuclei (aka FL) ( Men's - Women's) | 32/0 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 65 g/m² | Arato 10r | All Round | Regular | 325 g / 11.5 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No |
Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (Women's) | 5/-15 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 190 g/m2 + 90 g/m2 | Arato 15 | All Round | Regular | 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz | 81 cm / 31.8 in | No |
Arc'teryx Patera (Women's) | 21/-6 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 67 | 1,773 | Coreloft | 60 + 80 g/m² | 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Trim | 867 g / 1 lb 14.6 oz | 99 cm / 39 in | No |
Arc'teryx Patera Long (Women's) | 0/-18 | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 204 | 5,397 | Coreloft | 60 + 80 g/m² | 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 1.1 kg / 2 lb 6.8 oz | 117.5 cm / 46.25 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's) | 48/9 | Review | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Octa Loft | 94 g/m² | Fortius Air 20 | Climbing | Trim | 343 g / 12.1 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No |
Arc'teryx Therme Parka (Men's) | 5/-15 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 120 | 3,175 | Coreloft | 60 + 80 g/m² | P75d Polyester | Around Town | Regular | 991 g / 2 lb 3 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No |
Arc'teryx Therme SV (Men's) | -11/-24 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 211 | 5,582 | Coreloft | 60 g/m² | 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 1.072 kg / 2 lb 5.8 oz | 96 cm / 37.75 in | No |
Arc'teryx Thorium ( Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 750 | 140 | 3,704 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 30 | All Round | Regular | 517 g / 1 lb 2.2 oz | 71.5 cm / 28.1 in | No |
Arc'teryx Thorium Parka (Women's) | -2/-19 | Review | No | Yes | No | Down | 750 | 209 | 5,529 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 20 | Around Town | Regular | 610 g / 1 lb 5.5 oz | 115.8 cm / 45.6 in | No |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV (Men's) | 3/-16 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 750 | 169 | 4,471 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 30 & 2L Gore-Tex Infinium | Around Town | Regular | 645 g / 1 lb 6.8 oz | 73 cm / 28.75 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV Parka (Men's) | 0/-18 | No | Yes | No | Down | 750 | 195 | 5,159 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 30 & 2L Gore-Tex Infinium | Around Town | Regular | 685 g / 1 lb 8.2 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No | |
Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 700 | 155 | 3,827 | N/A | N/A | 30D ripstop nylon | All Round | Regular | 442 g / 15.6 oz | 76 cm / 29.75 in | No | |
Feathered Friends Eos(Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | No | No | Yes | Down | 900 | 105 | 3,333 | N/A | N/A | Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 306 g / 10.8 oz | ? | No | |
Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's) | -17/-27 | No | No | Yes | Down | 900 | 378 | 12,000 | Primaloft Gold | 200 g | Pretex Shield XT | All Round | Regular | 960 g / 2 lb 2 oz | ? | No | |
Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's) | -10/-23 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 265 | 7,478 | N/A | N/A | Nylon | All Round | Regular | 770 g / 1 lb 11.2 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No | |
Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's) | -13/-25 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 300 | 8,466 | N/A | N/A | 30D Drilite | All Round | Regular | 820 g / 1 lb 13 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Mountain Hardwear GW/2 (Men's - Women's) | 28/-2 | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 85 | 2,399 | N/A | N/A | 10D Ripstop Nylon | All Round | Trim | 250 g / 8.8 oz | 70 cm / 27.5 in | No | |
Outdoor Research Sup. Alp. (Men's - Women's) | 3/-16 | No | Yes | No | Down | 800 | 182 | 5,136 | N/A | N/A | 30D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 825 g / 1 lb 13.1 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No | |
Patagonia AlpLight (Men's - Women's) | 36/2 | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 100 | 2,822 | N/A | N/A | 0.8 oz 10D polyester | All Round | Slim | 270 g / 9.5 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No | |
Patagonia AlpLoft (Men's) | -10/-23 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 295 | 8,325 | N/A | N/A | Pertex Quantom | All Round | Regular | 680 g / 1 lb 8 oz | 81 cm / 31.8 in | No | |
Patagonia DAS (Men's - Women's) | 10/-12 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco | 133 + 40 g | Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 555 g / 1 lb 3.6 oz | 84 cm / 33 in | No |
Patagonia DAS Light(Men's) | 34/1 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PlumaFill | 65 g | 10D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 320 g / 11.3 oz | 77 cm / 30.5 in | No |
Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's) | 23/-5 | Review | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 150 | 4,233 | N/A | N/A | 1.4 oz 20x30D polyester | All Round | Regular | 428 g / 15.1 oz | 67 cm / 26.25 in | No |
Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | No | No | No | Down | 600 | 279 | 5,905 | N/A | N/A | 4.2 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.014 kg / 2 lb 3.8 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 128 | 3,612 | N/A | N/A | 20D Nylon | All Round | Regular | 632 g / 1lb 6.3 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No | |
Patagonia Isthmus (Men's) | 36/2 | No | No | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | ThermoGreen | 60 g | 4.2 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 895 g / 1 lb 15.6 oz | 70 cm / 27.5 in | No | |
Patagonia Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | Review | No | Yes | No | Down | 700 | 141 | 3,482 | N/A | N/A | 3.6 oz 50D polyester | Around Town | Regular | 880 g / 1 lb 15 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No |
Patagonia Jackson Glacier Parks ( Women's) | 7/-14 | No | No | No | Parka | 700 | 218 | 5,383 | N/A | N/A | 50D Polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.142 kg / 2 lb 8.3 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PlumaFill | 65 g | Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 298 g / 10.5 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No |
Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | FullRange | 60 g | 33D nylon ripstop | All Round | Trim | 401 g / 14.14 oz | ? | No |
Patagonia Nano Air Light Hybrid (Men's - Women's) | 50/10 | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | FullRange | 40 g | 20D nylon ripstop | All Round | Trim | 335 g / 11.8 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's) | 37/3 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco | 60 g | 22D Polyester | All Round | Regular | 363 g / 12.8 oz | 71.5 cm / 28 in | No |
Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | Review | No | No | No | Down | 700 | 109 | 2,691 | N/A | N/A | 2.2 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 585 g / 1 lb 4.7 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No |
Patagonia Stormshadow (Men's) | 0/-18 | No | No | No | Parka | 700 | 259 | 6,395 | N/A | N/A | 75D Polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.182 kg / 2 lb 9.7 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Tres 3-in-1Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | Review | No | No | No | Parka | 700 | 118 | 2,914 | N/A | N/A | 5.5 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.307 kg / 2 lb 14.1 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No |
Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's) | 10/-12 | Review | No | No | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | ThermoLite | 100 g | 65% nylon, 35% polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.360 kg / 3 lb | 90 cm / 35.5 in | No |
Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 180 | 5,079 | N/A | N/A | 20D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 525 g / 1 lb 2.5 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No | |
Rab Infinity Alpine (Men's) | 5/-15 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 175 | 4,938 | N/A | N/A | 30D & 13D Gore-Tex Infinium | All Round | Regular | 551 g / 1 lb 3.4 oz | 76.5 cm / 30.1 in | No | |
Rab Infinity Microlight (Men's - Women's) | 19/-7 | No | No | Yes | Down | 700 | 146 | 3,605 | N/A | N/A | 13D Gore-Tex Infinium | All Round | Regular | 452 g / 15.9 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No | |
Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | No | No | Yes | Down | 700 | 153 | 3,778 | N/A | N/A | 30D Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 466 g / 1 lb 0.5 oz | 72 cm / 28.5 in | No | |
Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) | -2/-19 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 212 | 5,982 | N/A | N/A | 20D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 585 g / 1 lb 8.6 oz | 77 cm / 30.3 in | No | |
Rab Positron Pro (Men's) | -13/-25 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 300 | 8,466 | N/A | N/A | 40D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 740 g / 1 lb 10 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No | |
REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | No | No | Yes | Down | 850 | 120 | 3,598 | N/A | N/A | Pertex mini ripstop nylon | All Round | Regular | 340 g / 13.75 oz | 74 cm / 29.25 in | No |
As you see from this chart, the warmest Patagonia jacket is the AlpLoft Down Parka.
Read more about the working principles of insulation in jackets: https://outdoorcrunch.com/jackets/
Some products might get discontinued over time.
Best Patagonia Jackets: Long answer
All Patagonia jackets
Insulated Jackets | Rain Jackets | Wind Jackets | Parkas | Fleeces | Ski Jackets | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cell | Top Down Insulated Pick (for stationary use) | Top pick for day hiking and casual purposes | Top weather resistance focused pick | Overall Top Pick | Top pick for high output activities | Top warmth focused pick |
Cell | ||||||
Cell | Top Synthetic Insulated Pick (for high output activities) | Top pick for high output activities | Top breathability focused pick | Top Alternative | Top pick for casual stationary use | Top breathability focused pick |
Cell | ||||||
Read my related reviews: | Cell |
Best Patagonia rain jackets
MSRP | 249 USD | 249 USD | 199 USD | 199 USD | 249 USD | 149 USD | 399 USD | 179 USD |
Overall score | ||||||||
Best uses | Day hiking & casual | High output activities - especially trail running & mountain biking | Top alternative to Calcite | A more common looking alternative to Storm Racer Jacket | Perfect for commuting | Casual. Impressive for its price! | Intention is all-round alpine use, but a fail IMO | Wet and dirty industrial work. Or maybe fishing... |
Cell | Calcite Jacket | Storm Racer Jacket | Quandary Jacket | Rain-shadow Jacket | Light Storm Jacket | Torrent-shell 3L Jacket | Triolet Jacket | Hose-Down Slicker Jacket |
Weather Resistance Comfort Breath-ability Packed Size Weight Versatility Style & Looks | ||||||||
Cell | Calcite Jacket | Storm Racer Jacket | Quandary Jacket | Rain-shadow Jacket | Light Storm Jacket | Torrent-shell 3L Jacket | Triolet Jacket | Hose-Down Slicker Jacket |
Pros | Great weather protection and DWR, comfy, looks good | Incredibly breath-able, ultralight, comfy, great packed size | Great fit, comfy, durable | Great weather protection and durability for its weight, packed small | More classic, parka-like look; useful hood | Thicker outer fabric indirectly offers warmth, amazing jacket for its price | Durable, versatile, highly water-proof | Extreme water resistance, looks weird unless you are Kanye West |
Cons | Average breath-ability, not packable | Niche design is hard to get used to, average water-proofing | Very heavy, not packable | Twice as heavy as Storm Racer | Jury is still out in terms of durability, very heavy | Clunky look, not breath-able at all | Heavy, baggy, price doesn't pay off | Unisex design causes poor fit, too "pro looking", hood too large |
Cell | Calcite Jacket | Storm Racer Jacket | Quandary Jacket | Rain-shadow Jacket | Light Storm Jacket | Torrent-shell 3L Jacket | Triolet Jacket | Hose-Down Slicker Jacket |
Packable? | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
Water-proofing | 2.5-layer Goretex Paclite Plus | 3-layer H2No | 2-layer H2No | 3-layer H2No | 2-layer Polyester | 3-layer H2No | 3-layer Goretex | Cell |
Weight | 411 g (14.5 oz) | 198 g (7 oz) | 714 g (25.2 oz) | 397 g (14 oz) | 695 g (24.5 oz) | 394 g (13.9 oz) | 550 g (19.4 oz) | 655 g (23.1 oz) |
Women's specific counter-parts | Hose-Down is unisex. |
I wouldn't really recommend Triolet Jacket or Hose-Down Slicker Jacket.
I'd simply get either one of other 6 options - especially one of the first 4 picks.
Attention: No insulated pieces in here. I rather focus on waterproofing and general weather resistance.
- For casual outgoings & recreational hiking purposes (waterproofing over breathability), I'd recommend you the Calcite Jacket. Quandary Jacket can mostly work as a cheaper alternative to it, although neither are packable.
- Get the Torrentshell 3L if you absolutely need it packed, or the Rainshadow if you can sacrifice weather resistance with more breathability in return.
- For high output activities (breathability over weather resistance), this Storm Racer Jacket is a state-of-the-art, handsome, unique killer - especially for trail running and mountain biking. If you'd rather getting a more time tested, proven piece, then this Rainshadow can be a great pick. They're both packed super small into their own stuff sacks.
A few more notes:
- Patagonia discontinued the Cloud Ridge Jacket by 2020, and hence it isn't included in this review.
- Rainshadow and Torrentshell saw complete revisions in 2020, so disregard any comments and reviews put forward before then.
- Quandary and Torrentshell also offer insulated adaptations: Insulated Quandary and Torrentshell Insulated (discontinued as of 2020).
- Yes, Torrentshell is packed into its own size - despite what you might see/read on other blogs. I've shared its images here: https://outdoorcrunch.com/patagonia-houdini-vs-torrentshell/
Speaking of which, the larger the packed size score in the chart, the smaller the size.
- Also, all these jackets are DWR coated - which is the number 1 thing you should look for in a rain jacket.
DWR is a coating.
It's basically sprayed on to the surface of these jackets as a finish.
It stands for Durable Water Repellent - which means that water will be repelled under wet conditions instead of soaking into the fabric.
DWR also decreases dry time.
It's a good thing these jackets are coated in DWR.
But pay attention to the fact that DWR is a coating - meaning that it will wear off over time.
Which is why you might want to invest in a DWR spray such as this one at arcteryx.com for after treatment.
As you see, there's a strong correlation between FP x FW and temperature ratings, but not more than, say, 80%. I explained why this happens here in this post of mine.
Best Patagonia fleeces
Best use | Mid-high output activities. | Outer-layer for static use when it's cold, windy and/or rainy out in town. | Classic collegiate look, timeless. | Athletic leisure, aka "athleisure". | Considering other options, I wouldn't really recommend this one. |
MSRP | 159 USD | 189 USD | 119 USD | 159 USD | 139 USD |
Cell | R1 Fleece Pullover Hoody | R2 Techface Hoody | Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover | Performance Better Sweater Hoody | Woolyester Fleece Pullover |
Pros | Most breathable pick, great fit, thumb holes, comfortable, ultralight | DWR helps in damp areas, smooth inner surface, warm, comfortable, handsome | Extremely comfortable, warm, perfect for casual purposes, light | Perfect balance between Synchilla and R1 in this review | |
Cons | Colder than other picks | Easier to overheat | No hood, not breathable, fit might be too large for some | Hood might come too big for some | |
Cell | R1 Fleece Pullover Hoody | R2 Techface Hoody | Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover | Performance Better Sweater Hoody | Woolyester Fleece Pullover |
Weight | 312 g (11 oz) | 485 g (17.1 oz) | 405 g (14.3 oz) | 473 g (16.7 oz) | 434 g (15.3 oz) |
DWR | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Women's counterparts & alternatives |
A fleece is mostly used for either of these two reasons:
- Casual everyday wear,
- A mid-layer (or in some cases, outer-layer) to fine tune the warmth - breathability balance during outdoor adventures.
Some fleeces lean toward the former and some to the latter. This is why it's impossible to give one-fleece-fits-all. Rather, it makes more sense to lay out best picks for each type of uses (which you'll see in the chart below).
Now...
- R1 has 5,
- R2 has 6,
- Synchilla has 6,
- Better Sweater has 14 main configurations.
As you see in this Patagonia R1 vs R2 and Patagonia Synchilla vs Better Sweater posts of mine, I reviewed all of their configurations.
Having said that, for this post, I picked out only one piece of each model (which are the best picks in my opinion), and put them together in this post.
Some Notes
When choosing best Patagonia fleece for you, make sure you keep in mind that only the R2 Techface Hoody in this review comes with DWR coating.
- If you're planning to use your pick as an outer layer AND possibly under wet weather conditions every now and then...
Then your only pick is R2 Techface Hoody, which is the perfect fleece for you.
- If you almost only care about casual use... and don't care about performance at all...
Then I probably wouldn't get R1 or R2 Techface, and instead get the Synchilla. Or Performance Better Sweater, at the very least, since it's positioned somewhere between Synchilla and R1 in Patagonia's fleece line-up.
Best Patagonia winter jackets & parkas
MSRP | 699 USD | 499 USD | 599 USD | 349 USD | 399 USD |
Cell | Frozen Range Parka | City Storm Parka | Tres 3-in-1 Parka | Jackson Glacier Jacket | Macro Puff Hoody |
Insulation | Down 700 FP | Down 700 FP | Down 700 FP | Down 700 FP | Synthetic PlumaFill: 135 g Body / 90 g Side Panels and Sleeves |
Cell | Frozen Range Parka | City Storm Parka | Tres 3-in-1 Parka | Jackson Glacier Jacket | Macro Puff Hoody |
Pros | Incredibly warm, smooth inner fabric, looks handsome | Warm, longer hemline offers more warmth below torso, more pockets than Frozen Range | Versatile, fairly warm | Very warm for its price, | Loses almost zero warmth under wet conditions, packable |
Cons | Can come too warm under 15-20 deg F (-7 - -10 deg C) | Can come too warm under 20 deg F (-10 deg C) | Difficult to use, very heavy, superior combo alternatives can be found when each piece bought separately | Hood and collar configuration could be more comfortable | Huge packed size, coldest pick in this review |
Cell | Frozen Range Parka | City Storm Parka | Tres 3-in-1 Parka | Jackson Glacier Jacket | Macro Puff Hoody |
Weight | 1,253 g (44.2 oz) | 1,106 g (39 oz) | 1,307 g (46.1 oz) | 879 g (31 oz) | 434 g (15.3 oz) |
Women's counterparts | Women's Frozen Range 3-in-1 Parka | Women's City Storm Parka | Women's Tres 3-in-1 Parka | Women's Jackson Glacier Jacket | Women's Macro Puff Jacket |
Before you say it, yes, Patagonia does not give their jackets temperature ratings.
Their reasoning revolves around the subjectivity of the feeling of warmth, and hence causing difficulty of assigning such temperatures.
Although I completely do agree with Patagonia, I think it still is possible to give rough ratings provided that some serious assumptions are also being made.
And that's what I do.
Best Patagonia ski jackets
Cell | These 3 are ready to buy, solid picks | For these 2, I'd wait for next revision(s) due to some design flaws | |||
MSRP | 799 USD | 649 USD | 399 USD | 399 USD | 349 USD |
Check prices | |||||
Best for | Severe weather because of its incredible warmth | Mild weather because of its incredible breathability | Budget pick | Cell | Cell |
Comments | When you don't need its superior warmth, dial it back by boosting ventilation via pit zips, collar vents and velcro cuffs | Flannel backer feels smooth and pleasant, but you'll need an underlayer for colder weather | Think of this jacket as an assembly of a budget Primo and a budget Untracked. Jack of all trades, master of none. | Wouldn't really recommend it. No thumb loops, seemingly misplaced drawstring loops. | Wouldn't really recommend it. Small and sometimes ill-placed zippers, sleeves too long. |
Cell | Primo Puff | Untracked | Snowshot 3-in-1 | SnowDrifter | Departer |
Breathability Warmth Weather Resistance Durability Weight Bagginess | Not recommended | Not recommended | |||
Primo Puff | Untracked | Snowshot 3-in-1 | SnowDrifter | Departer | |
Weight | 1.1 kg / 38.8 oz | 743 g / 26.2 oz | 1.35 g / 47.1 oz | 587 g / 20.7 oz | 646 g / 22.8 oz |
Women's counterpart | Cell | ||||
Cell | #Note: All face fabrics are DWR (durable water repellent) applied. DWR is a coating. It's basically sprayed on to the surface of these jackets as a finish. It stands for Durable Water Repellent - which means that water will be repelled under wet conditions instead of soaking into the fabric. DWR also decreases dry time. It's a good thing these jackets are coated in DWR. But pay attention to the fact that DWR is a coating - meaning that it will wear off over time. Which is why you might want to invest in a DWR spray such as this one at arcteryx.com for after treatment. As you see, there's a strong correlation between FP x FW and temperature ratings, but not more than, say, 80%. I explained why this happens here in this post of mine. |
A few important notes I find worth mentioning:
- I'd strongly recommend everyone skiing or snowboarding with Nano Air from time to time rather than prefer climbing/hiking/fat biking with Primo Puff, Untracked or SnowShot from time to time!
- Yes, the top recommended two jackets (Primo Puff and Untracked) are pricey, but if you decide to go for them, you should know that they usually pay off,
- All jackets come with an embedded RECCO reflector,
- Lastly, I'm not an expert on clothing or textile, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
In bagginess row, 5 refers to "true to size".
I say genuine because there are other Patagonia jackets out there which I don't consider as genuine Ski & Snowboard Jackets, although you can use them as well.
An example: Ascensionist and Triolet.
They're advertised and designed as all-round alpine jackets, which can be used for skiing and snowboarding as well - in addition to other alpine activities.
Other jackets such as Nano Air and Micro Puff are cover even a wider range of use, which in the end do manage to correspond to skiing and snowboarding needs, although noticeably less so than these 7 genuine jackets (Snowshot offers 3 configurations, which adds up to 7 at total).
I didn't mention these all-round jackets in this post, and rather limited the context with jackets that are designed for skiing & snowboarding only.
A few notes:
- Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover (Men's - Women's) and the Better Sweater (Men's - Women's) are perfect casual pieces with family photo looks. Visit this post of mine to see how they compare to each other.
- If you're looking for a rain jacket during mountain biking, I'd recommend the Dirt Roamer (Men's - Women's) over the Rainshadow (Men's - Women's - read my review) recommended in the chart above.
- If you're looking for a synthetic insulated piece for stationary use (not during high output activities), then I'd recommend you to check out the Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) and Nano Puff (Men's - Women's). Visit this post of mine to read how they compare to each other.
I'd like to remind you the importance of reading the round-up posts of all product types.
For multi-use
If you're going to be using your jacket with multiple purposes, then check out these versatility focused recommendations:
- Insulated (for high output activities)
- If I had to choose one Patagonia piece I love the most, that would probably be the Nano Air (Men's - Women's - read my review). As some of you already know, it's my top synthetic insulated pick for high output activities. It's extremely breathable and surprisingly weather resistant. Being out there for years now, it's a time-tested, proven pick that is loved by many users including myself.
- If you're looking for a fleece, then R1 Fleece Pullover Hoody (Men's - read my review) can be a great alternative here. Unfortunately Patagonia doesn't offer a women's specific counterpart, but this full zip adaptation can be a good option for women.
- Insulated (stationary use): For little to no activity level, Nano Puff (Men's - Women's) would probably be your best bet. A good, packable alternative to it can be its sister Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) which can mostly be a pretty good option for traveling purposes (great warmth to weight ratio). Read my reviews and comparisons to one another.
I wouldn't really recommend down products for multi-use. The main reason for this is the fact that they lose their insulating capability when they get wet (either from your sweat or from weather conditions).
For casual Use
I'll assume...
- Very little to no output activities,
- Power walks at most,
- That the style is almost as important as capabilities of the jacket,
- That layering is an option but not preferred since it's a pain in the butt because I'm assuming a warm indoors.
Check out our other content on jackets:
Guide: Insulated & Shell Jackets
Start here:
Also see:
Enrico says
How would you compare the Micro Puff warmth to a Decathlon Trek 100 synthetic jacket?
Weight is not my primary concern, but durability and warmth is.
Thanks!