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Jackets

Best Synthetic Insulated Jackets

Last updated: August 11, 2022 by Canberk Koksal 43 Comments

So this has been long time coming as you know guys... 🙃

Recently we've been reviewing synthetic insulated jackets of the best two brands in today's market a lot: Arcteryx and Patagonia.

Speaking of which, there AREN'T any other brands in this review.

Now there's one more thing I'd like to clarify before we get to it. 

I get this question asked a lot:

So how warm is [insert jacket name here]?

You don't know how much pain in the B*TT it is to try and rate these jackets because of the vague and subjective nature of all these metrics such as warmth, style, etc. 

  • Some of the Arc pieces you see in this post might be discontinued, and hence might be unavailable at arcteryx.com. 
    • If that's the case, then I'd recommend you to check out this page at REI. You might be able to find them there. 
 So, the only reasonable way to comprehend them is to compare them to one another. 

That's why the "Read Review" links at the bottom of each jacket image will take you to a comparison review - instead of the standalone review of that jacket.

That said, by making tons of calculations, I finally was able to put together a chart as you can see below: 

  • Data Set: Temperature Ratings of Synthetic Insulated Jackets

Approximate lowest temperatures you can wear each down jacket in the market without feeling uncomfortably cold are... 

NameEst. Temp (F/C)InsulatedInsulation MaterialInsulation AmountReviewDiscontinued?M-W
Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's)-17/-27DownN/AN/ANoM
Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's)-17/-27DownN/AN/ANoM
Arc'teryx Ceres SV (Men's - Women's)-15/-26DownN/AN/AReviewYesM
Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's - Women's)-13/-25DownN/AN/ANoM
Rab Positron Pro (Men's - Women's)-13/-25DownN/AN/ANoM W
Patagonia Grade VII (Men's)-11/-24DownN/AN/ANoM
Arc'teryx Firebee AR (Men's - Women's)-10/-23DownN/AN/AReviewYesM W
Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's)-10/-23DownN/AN/ANoM
Arc'teryx Thorsen (Men's)-7/-22ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoM
Patagonia Frozen Range (Men's - Women's)-6/-21ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Centrale (Women's)-5/-20ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoW
Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) -2/-19DownN/AN/ANoM W
Arc'teryx Therme (Men's)-2/-19ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoM
Arc'teryx Dually Belay (Men's)0/-18SyntheticThermaTek92 g/m²ReviewYesM
Arc'teryx Camosun (Men's)0/-18ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoM
Arc'teryx Piedmont (Men's)2/-17ParkaDN/AN/ANoM
Arc'teryx Fission SV (Men's - Women's)3/-16SyntheticCoreloft Continuous90 + 65 gReviewNoM
Outdoor Research Super Alpine (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownN/AN/ANoM W
Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's)3/-16ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Radsten (Men's)3/-16ParkaSCoreloft Compact120 g/m²NoM
Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownN/AN/ANoM W
Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's)5/-15DownN/AN/ANoM W
Arc'teryx Macai (Men's5/-15DownN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Nuclei SV Parka (Men's - Women's)5/-15SyntheticCoreloft Continuous190 g/m2 + 90 g/m2NoM W
Patagonia DAS Parka (Men's - Women's)5/-15ParkaSPrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco133 + 40 gNoM W
Arc'teryx Patera (Women's)5/-15ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoW
Arc'teryx Cerium SV (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownN/AN/AReviewYesM W
Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownN/AN/ANoM W
Arc'teryx Kappa (Men's - Women's)7/-14SyntheticCoreloft Continuous140 g/m²ReviewYesM
Arc'teryx Prema (Women's)7/-14ParkaDNoW
Arc'teryx Radsten Insulated Men's)7/-14ParkaSCoreloft Compact120 g/m²NoM
Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownN/AN/ANoM W
Patagonia Macro Puff (Men's - Women's)8/-13SyntheticPlumaFill135 + 90 gReviewNoM W
Feathered Friends Eos (Men's - Women's)8/-13DownN/AN/ANoM W
Arc'teryx Macai LT (Men's)8/-13DownN/AN/ANoM
Arc'teryx Seyla (Women's)8/-13ParkaDNoW
Arc'teryx Koda (Men's)8/-13ParkaSCoreloft200 g/m²NoM
Arc'teryx Thorium AR (Men's - Women's)8/-13DownN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Kole (Men's - Women's)10/-12ParkaDNoW
Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's)10/-12ParkaSThermoLite100 gReviewNoW
Arc'teryx Alpha IS (Men's - Women's)12/-11SyntheticCoreloft Continuous65 g/m²YesM
Patagonia Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's)12/-11ParkaDN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Sensa (Women's)14/-10ParkaSCoreloft Compact120 g/m²NoW
Patagonia Hi Loft Down (Men's - Women's )14/-10DownN/AN/AReviewNoM
REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's)14/-10DownN/AN/ANoM W
Arc'teryx Atom AR (Men's - Women's)18/-8SyntheticCoreloft Continuous120 g/m2 + 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2ReviewNoM W
Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's)18/-8DownN/AN/ANoM W
Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's)19/-7DownN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Magnus (Men's)19/-7ParkaSCoreloft80 gNoM
Arc'teryx Agrium (Men's - Women's)21/-6DownN/AN/ANoM W
Patagonia AlpLight Down (Men's - Women's)21/-6DownN/AN/ANoM W
Patagonia Topley (Men's)23/-5DownN/AN/ANoM
Rab Xenon 2.0 (Men's - Women's)23/-5SyntheticPrimaLoft Silver60 gNoM W
Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's)26/-3DownN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisp/2 (Men's - Women's)28/-2DownN/AN/ANoM W
Arc'teryx Cerium LT (Men's - Women's)28/-2DownN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Nuclei FL (Men's - Women's)32/0SyntheticCoreloft Continuous65 g/m²ReviewNoM W
Patagonia City Storm Down (Men's)32/0ParkaDN/AN/ANoM
Arc'teryx Atom LT (Men's - Women's)36/2SyntheticCoreloft Continuous60 g/m²ReviewNoM W
Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's)36/2SyntheticPlumaFill65 gReviewNoM W
Patagonia Isthmus (Men's36/2ParkaSThermoGreen60 gNoM
Arc'teryx Proton LT (Men's - Women's)37/3SyntheticCoreloft Compact80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2ReviewNoM W
Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's)37/3SyntheticPrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco60 gReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Norvan SL Ins. (Men's - Women's)39/4SyntheticCoreloft Compact40 g/m²YesM W
Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's)41/5SyntheticFullRange60 gReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Cerium SL (Men's - Women's)43/6DownN/AN/AReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Proton FL (Men's - Women's)48/9SyntheticOcta Loft98 g/m²ReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Atom SL (Men's - Women's)52/11SyntheticCoreloft Compact40 g/m²ReviewYesM W
The North Face Summit Down (Men's - Women's)TestingDownN/AN/ANoM W
Mountain Equipment Lightline Echo (Men's)TestingDownN/AN/ANoM
Mountain Equipment Kryos (Men's - Women's)TestingDownN/AN/ANoM W
Mountain Equipment Xeros (Men's - Women's)TestingDownN/AN/ANoM
Arc'teryx Andra LT IS (Women's)TestingParkaSCoreloft60 g/m²NoW
Arc'teryx Phoria IS (Women's)TestingParkaSCoreloft100 g/m²NoW
Feathered Friends Helios (Men's)TestingDownN/AN/ANoM
Feathered Friends Volant (Men's) TestingDownN/AN/ANoM
Rab Axion Pro (Men's - Women's) TestingDownN/AN/ANoM W
Feathered Friends Rock & Ice (Men's)TestingDownN/AN/ANoM
Rab Valiance (Men's - Women's)TestingDownN/AN/ANoM W
Rab Expedition 8000 (Men's) TestingDownN/AN/ANoM
Rab Zero G (Men's) TestingDownN/AN/ANoM
Rab Generator Alpine (Men's) TestingSyntheticPrimaLoft Gold133 g/m2 + 80 g/m2NoM
UBR Regulator Parka II (Men's)TestingParkaSPrimaLoft Innovation120 gNoM
Helly Hansen LifaLoft (Men's - Women's)TestingSyntheticLifaLoft100 gNoM
Mammut Eigerjoch (Men's - Women's)TestingSyntheticPolartec Alpha Direct95 gNoM W
Helly Hansen Lumines (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticPrimaLoft???NoM
Haglofs V Series Mimic (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticMimic Platinum Ultracluster Graphene???NoM W
Black Diamond First Light (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticPrimaLoft Silver Active60 gNoM W

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. 

These are only approximate values assuming:

  • you only have a shirt under and no shell over,
  • during daily use (strolls, power walks etc at most - no high output activities), 
  • with enough wind to cause an umbrella to twist in your hand, 
  • and when it's dry out.

If you think you run warmer or colder than the average person, then shift temperature ranges accordingly.

 

I hope it's a little bit more clear for you now.

Below is the comparison chart for synthetic insulated jackets. These aren't my subjective ideas about these jackets, and rather, they're objective results applicable to all the users.

Guess you're on phone? Turn your phone sideways for a much better table display!

Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody

Read Review

Patagonia Nano Air Hoody

Read Review

Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody

Read Review

Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody

Read Review

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

Read Review

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody

Read Review

MSRP

299 USD

299 USD

299 USD

259 USD

299 USD

279 USD

Current list price

REI
Backcountry
REI
Backcountry
REI
Backcountry
REI
Backcountry
REI
Backcountry
REI
Backcountry

Overall Score

86/100
80/100
76/100
76/100
64/100
64/100

Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody

Patagonia Nano Air Hoody

Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody

Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody

Bottom line

Best choice for those who'll be using the jacket both in the town & during high output activities

Best one if you'll be using it for high output activities only

Most durable, most water resistant and warmest but not suitable for high output activities at all

Top alternative to Proton LT

Best for travel as it packs into its own super tiny pocket and is ultralight

Can be a more handsome alternative to Micro Puff

Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody

Patagonia Nano Air Hoody

Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody

Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody

Warmth

Comfort

Weather & Abrasion Resistance

Breathability

Style

7/10
10/10
7/10
9/10
10/10
6/10
9/10
6/10
10/10
9/10
10/10
7/10
10/10
4/10
7/10
8/10
8/10
6/10
7/10
9/10
7/10
8/10
7/10
5/10
5/10
6/10
6/10
8/10
6/10
6/10

Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody

Patagonia Nano Air Hoody

Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody

Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody

Weight

375 g (13.2 oz)

346 g (12.2 oz)

470 g (16.6 oz)

415 g (14.6 oz)

264 g (9.3 oz)

363 g (12.8 oz)

Insulation Materials

65g Coreloft Continuous

60g FullRange insulation

Coreloft: 120 g/m2 body, 80 g/m2 underarms, 60 g/m2 hood

60 g/m2 Coreloft

65 g PlumaFill

60 g PrimaLoft Gold

Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody

Patagonia Nano Air Hoody

Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody

Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody

Face Fabric

Fortius Air 20

33D Nylon Ripstop

30D Tyono

20D Tyono

Perfex Quantum

22D polyester

Cell

#Note: All face fabrics are DWR (durable water repellent) applied.

  • What is DWR by the way?

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 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. 


If you're planning to wear your jacket only casually out in the town, and you'd rather prefer wearing a stylish parka rather than a more sport looking synthetic insulated jacket, then you might better checking out this post of mine. 

  • Latest on the blog:
  • 09 August 2022: 5 things all Arc'teryx newbies should know
  • 03 August 2022: Ultimate size guide to Arc'teryx jackets, pants and shoes
  • 05 July 2022: Explained, Compared & Plotted: CLO values
  • #A sidenote here: Arcteryx.com's PDF guide to their jackets is GOOOLLDDD. Highly recommend you to check it out before you buy. 

Filed Under: Synthetic Insulated Jackets Tagged With: arcteryx, arcteryx insulated jackets, arcteryx jackets, jackets

Arcteryx Proton vs Atom

Last updated: August 11, 2022 by Canberk Koksal 40 Comments

Proton LT (see image) in Wildchild color. 

Summary

Best uses of Atom LT and Proton LT are the same: High output activities. 

You can see this in Arc'teryx's Naming Scheme Page as well - for both "Atom" and "Proton" - as well as Arc'teryx's very own Jacket Finder tool. 

They still have one glaring difference though: Breathability. 

Proton LT is noticeably more breathable than the Atom LT - which is why it's pretty much always my superior pick.

  • Some of the Arc pieces you see in this post might be discontinued, and hence might be unavailable at arcteryx.com. 
    • If that's the case, then I'd recommend you to check out this page at REI. You might be able to find them there. 
 So, unless you come across an Atom LT for, say, more than 100 USD cheaper than the Proton LT, then I really don't see any reason to get it over the Proton LT.

  • Latest on the blog:
  • 09 August 2022: 5 things all Arc'teryx newbies should know
  • 03 August 2022: Ultimate size guide to Arc'teryx jackets, pants and shoes
  • 05 July 2022: Explained, Compared & Plotted: CLO values
  • #A sidenote here: Arcteryx.com's PDF guide to their jackets is GOOOLLDDD. Highly recommend you to check it out before you buy. 
 As you can also see in my Best Arcteryx Jackets post, Proton LT (see image) is not only my choice when compared to the Atom LT, but it's also my top pick out in the entire market when it comes to high output activities. 

  • Atom LT saw a revision in July 2020
  • It's given a dope-dyed liner, 
  • Given a new construction on the cuff,
  • And it's now 1" (2.5 cm) longer (I contacted customer service about this, check out the bottom of this post for more information).

These differences pretty much don't change anything in practice. If anything, it's slightly more durable now, but the difference is almost not noticeable. 

So, you can apply the information you see in this post to the previous version of Atom LT.

Lastly, the difference in warmth you'll see below is almost not noticeable. 

Overview

Now let's take a look at them and understand their stance in Arc'teryx catalogue. 

  • Related Data Set: Estimated temperature ratings of Arc'teryx jackets

Here's the list of the lowest temperatures you can wear each Arc'teryx jacket without feeling uncomfortably cold. 

Keep in mind that these are only approximate values assuming:

  • worn over a shirt only and no shell over,
  • during daily use (strolls, power walks etc at most - no high output activities), 
  • with light wind, 
  • and when it's dry out.

NameEst. Temp (F/C)InsulationInsulatedReviewDiscontinued?M-W
Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's)-17/-27DownDownNoM
Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's)-17/-27DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Ceres SV (Men's - Women's)-15/-26DownDownReviewYesM
Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's - Women's)-13/-25DownDownNoM
Rab Positron Pro (Men's - Women's)-13/-25DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Grade VII (Men's)-11/-24DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Firebee AR (Men's - Women's)-10/-23DownDownReviewYesM W
Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's)-10/-23DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Thorsen (Men's)-7/-22DownParkaDReviewNoM
Patagonia Frozen Range (Men's - Women's)-6/-21DownParkaDReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Centrale (Women's)-5/-20DownParkaDReviewNoW
Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) -2/-19DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Therme (Men's)-2/-19DownParkaDReviewNoM
Arc'teryx Dually Belay (Men's)0/-18SyntheticSyntheticReviewYesM
Arc'teryx Camosun (Men's)0/-18DownParkaDReviewNoM
Arc'teryx Piedmont (Men's)2/-17DownParkaDNoM
Arc'teryx Fission SV (Men's - Women's)3/-16SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM
Outdoor Research Super Alpine (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownParkaDReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Radsten (Men's)3/-16SyntheticParkaSNoM
Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownDownNoM W
Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's)5/-15DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Macai (Men's5/-15DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Nuclei SV Parka (Men's - Women's)5/-15SyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Patagonia DAS Parka (Men's - Women's)5/-15SyntheticParkaSNoM W
Arc'teryx Patera (Women's)5/-15DownParkaDReviewNoW
Arc'teryx Cerium SV (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownDownReviewYesM W
Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Kappa (Men's - Women's)7/-14SyntheticSyntheticReviewYesM
Arc'teryx Prema (Women's)7/-14DownParkaDNoW
Arc'teryx Radsten Insulated Men's)7/-14SyntheticParkaSNoM
Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Macro Puff (Men's - Women's)8/-13SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Feathered Friends Eos (Men's - Women's)8/-13DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Macai LT (Men's)8/-13DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Seyla (Women's)8/-13DownParkaDNoW
Arc'teryx Koda (Men's)8/-13SyntheticParkaSNoM
Arc'teryx Thorium AR (Men's - Women's)8/-13DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Kole (Men's - Women's)10/-12DownParkaDNoW
Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's)10/-12SyntheticParkaSReviewNoW
Arc'teryx Alpha IS (Men's - Women's)12/-11SyntheticSyntheticYesM
Patagonia Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's)12/-11DownParkaDReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Sensa (Women's)14/-10SyntheticParkaSNoW
Patagonia Hi Loft Down (Men's - Women's )14/-10DownDownReviewNoM
REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's)14/-10DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Atom AR (Men's - Women's)18/-8SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's)18/-8DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's)19/-7DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Magnus (Men's)19/-7SyntheticParkaSNoM
Arc'teryx Agrium (Men's - Women's)21/-6DownDownNoM W
Patagonia AlpLight Down (Men's - Women's)21/-6DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Topley (Men's)23/-5DownDownNoM
Rab Xenon 2.0 (Men's - Women's)23/-5SyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's)26/-3DownDownReviewNoM W
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisp/2 (Men's - Women's)28/-2DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Cerium LT (Men's - Women's)28/-2DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Nuclei FL (Men's - Women's)32/0SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia City Storm Down (Men's)32/0DownParkaDNoM
Arc'teryx Atom LT (Men's - Women's)36/2SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's)36/2SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Isthmus (Men's36/2SyntheticParkaSNoM
Arc'teryx Proton LT (Men's - Women's)37/3SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's)37/3SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Norvan SL Ins. (Men's - Women's)39/4SyntheticSyntheticYesM W
Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's)41/5SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Cerium SL (Men's - Women's)43/6DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Proton FL (Men's - Women's)48/9SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Atom SL (Men's - Women's)52/11SyntheticSyntheticReviewYesM W
The North Face Summit Down (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM W
Mountain Equipment Lightline Echo (Men's)TestingDownDownNoM
Mountain Equipment Kryos (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM W
Mountain Equipment Xeros (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Andra LT IS (Women's)TestingSyntheticParkaSNoW
Arc'teryx Phoria IS (Women's)TestingSyntheticParkaSNoW
Feathered Friends Helios (Men's)TestingDownDownNoM
Feathered Friends Volant (Men's) TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Axion Pro (Men's - Women's) TestingDownDownNoM W
Feathered Friends Rock & Ice (Men's)TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Valiance (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM W
Rab Expedition 8000 (Men's) TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Zero G (Men's) TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Generator Alpine (Men's) TestingSyntheticSyntheticNoM
UBR Regulator Parka II (Men's)TestingSyntheticParkaSNoM
Helly Hansen LifaLoft (Men's - Women's)TestingSyntheticSyntheticNoM
Mammut Eigerjoch (Men's - Women's)TestingSyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Helly Hansen Lumines (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticSyntheticNoM
Haglofs V Series Mimic (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Black Diamond First Light (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticSyntheticNoM W

Liked this table? 

If you did, check out this post of mine to see more Arc'teryx tables like this one, such as fill details for all down jackets. 

To be able to understand the differences between Atom LT and Proton LT products, first we need to clear out the confusion around the entire Proton line. 

Quick Navigation
Summary
Overview
Atom LT 2020 Revision: What's new?
Proton LT 2019 Revision: What's new?
Fortius 40 vs 20
Coreloft Continuous vs Compact
Fit
Results
Warmth Difference
Different insulators
Face fabric differences
How much of a cold weather would either one be able to resist to?
Breathability
For high output activities...
For a stationary use...
Storage
Fit and Cut
Layering
Conclusion
Transcript of Customer Service Chat for 2020 Atom LT Updates

Addressing to this confusion is necessary since the Proton line feels somehow "undecided" or "misplaced" to most of us. I mean, before the Proton line was introduced, Arcteryx already had a line of jackets meant specifically for high output activities: The Atom line. 

So why the hell would Arcteryx go the extra mile and release a completely new line instead of improving the already existing Atom line? 

Some people even look at as if Arcteryx SHOT THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT since introducing two lines of products in the very same lane is rightfully considered counter productive - not to even mention the opportunity cost and the loss of extra time & resources. 

You can also see this in their Arc'teryx Naming Scheme Page here, for both Atom and Proton. 

What they were really thinking? Did Arcteryx really mess up or did they instead have a greater strategy behind this? 

Short answer is yes, they did have a strategy. Actually, not only they had a strategy, to me (this part is subjective), they even achieved their desired results as well. 

  • So what was Arcteryx's real plan with the Proton line? 

After hours of research & back and forth talks with the Arcteryx Team, my take is that Proton was the Arcteryx's response to the advances in breathable active insulation and shell fabrics.

For example, Patagonia's Nano Air. 

This wasn't disclosed by any of the Arcteryx's representatives to my side, but now I'm pretty sure that's the case.

Yes, Atom did have a solid reputation established around the athletic users (which is the target audience), however, Patagonia's newcomer Nano Air, for example, started to receive even better reviews.

Combine it with effective marketing, and the Air quickly started to gain some attraction around the outdoors community, as well as other US based companies.

Not to even mention the patriotic side of the events - Patagonia is a US company (a population of 330 million), and Arcteryx belongs to the neighbor Canada (a population of 37 million). 

In the end, higher tech products started to receive and slowly increase their shares from this target audience pool, which caused the portion that belongs to the Arcteryx to decrease.

Atom LT wasn't the single product highly dominating this pool before Patagonia released the Air. Market was divided between pieces like Polartec Alpha, Rab Strata, Atom LT etc.

And it didn't look like stopping any time soon.

My guess here is that Arcteryx tested the waters and felt that it almost became a well accepted fact in the community that Atom LT wasn't one of the best active insulation pieces anymore. [A little off-topic: I don't disagree with that statement either as you can see here.]

And the Arcteryx's maneuver to these changing environment?

You guessed that right: Introduce a BRAND NEW line of jackets. NEW means that the quality, performance metrics and characteristics HADN'T BEEN labeled by the market/target audience yet - unlike the Atom series.

We know these series as the Proton line today.

When you think about it, it makes perfect sense as well (at least to me). Why spend your time trying to change people's minds which almost already settled? 

I think we all would admit that it's very difficult to fundamentally alter well-accepted facts like these, if not impossible. Arcteryx saw an opportunity to sidetrack, and took the chance.

This is also the reason why The Atom line has seen NO revisions in the time The Proton line has seen TWO. It's also revised in 2019 as well, as you can see the revised tag here.

I hope things fell into its place in your mind now.

In summary, Proton line was Arcteryx's response to advances in breathable active insulation and shell fabrics in general.


It should now be much easier for you to wrap your head around comparing Atom LT to Proton LT.

I tried to lay out all the outcomes here in this post in a non-technical language that anyone can (hopefully) understand.

In summary; design intention of these jackets are very similar, with Proton LT being superior to the Atom LT (especially in terms of breathability). Unless you've came across an Atom LT for, say, 50-100 USD cheaper than the Proton LT, then I'm pretty sure I'd recommend the Proton LT to all of you. 

That's why, for high output activity uses, I'd recommend the Proton LT. For stationary use; if you want extra warmth, get the Atom and if you want extra weather resistance, durability and better looks, get the Proton LT.

Attention here guys! Arcteryx revised the Proton LT in 2019, and the information in this post isn't applicable to the previous revisions.

I've also put this post together for the comparison between all the popular Arcteryx and Patagonia mid-layers, including the two in this post. 

So if you're interested to see how well these two jackets scored in the warmth, comfort, weather & abrasion resistance, breathability and style departments; check that out as well.

Let's begin with the updates in the new Proton LT, and then we'll get to the Atom vs Proton.

Atom LT 2020 Revision: What's new?

Not much really.

With the 2020 revision, Atom LT is given a dope-dyed liner, a new construction on the cuff and is now 1" (2.5 cm) longer. 

So, as a result;

  • Cuff construction allows for easier on/off and layering,
  • Durability is slightly increased now owing to Dope-dyed liner (Dope Permeairâ„¢ 20 - 100% nylon) - but the difference is really not noticeable at all.  

Additionally, Dope Dying is much more environmentally friendly, so Arc'teryx is also reducing their mark on the planet by incorporating it into the production process.

Proton LT 2019 Revision: What's new?

The intention behind the revision Proton LT received in 2019 was to make it an even higher air-permeable insulated piece - in order for it to be able to compete against the Patagonia's Nano Air.

Fortius 40 vs 20

In order to increase breathability, designers decided to change the insulation material from Fortius 40 to Fortius 20. In English: Fabric is now slightly thinner but also more air-permeable.

This is measured with a metric called CFM (cubic feet per minute). The new Proton LT has a CFM of 40 compared to the CFM of 20 that belongs to the older version. 

Coreloft Continuous vs Compact

Because the Coreloft Compact of the revised (new) version is composed of highly crimped fibers, it's more compressible and air-permeable compared to the Coreloft Continuous of the previous version. 

The Coreloft Continous, on the other hand, has more fluff at the beginning (so slightly higher CLO value - which means slightly warmer) but can pack down over time meaning that the jacket will eventually lose some of its fluff and warmth a little bit. 

We can say that the warmth didn't really change noticeably (if at all). 

Continuous is also more durable since it's less air-permeable.

Bu gönderiyi Instagram'da gör

Mark Smiley (@smileysproject)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi (18 Ara, 2018, 3:23ös PST)

*New Proton LT on the mission.

Since the design intent of Proton LT is a highly air-permeable jacket for high output activity, design team decided to switch to Coreloft Compact for air-permeability and packability reasons.

Fit

Fit of jacket didn't get a revision with the updated model.

Results

Compared to the previous model, the most recent (2019) version of Proton LT is;

  • lighter, 
  • more packable,
  • more breathable,
  • slightly less durable.

Now let's get to the differences between this 2019 version Proton LT and Atom LT.

Warmth Difference

Different insulators

The Atom LT contains 60 g/m2 Coreloft and the Proton LT contains Coreloft Compact (80g/m2 of insulation is used in the body and 60g/m2 is used in the hood). 

Coreloft of Atom LT is more thermally efficient and less air-permeable. That's why it'll breathe less and hence, technically speaking, it does provide more warmth - even when you count in the effect of Proton LT's longer hemline (which increases its warmth). 

For a stationary use, it seems like this could be an advantage that Atom has over Proton for some of you. However, in practice, the warmth difference isn't noticeable at all. It wouldn't even be inaccurate to say that the difference isn't little, and that it's flat out non-existent. 

Face fabric differences

The face fabric of Proton LT is more abrasion & weather resistant than that of Atom's. Proton's smoother surface also feels softer and more pleasant in your hands.

Compared to Atom LT, having more resistant face fabrics, Proton LT is more suitable to be worn as a standalone piece (without any extra layers) while climbing, ski mountaineering, etc.

Also, both jackets are DWR applied.

  • What is DWR by the way?

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 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. 

Now as you see...

The two takeaways here are: 

  • Proton LT is slightly more weather & abrasion resistant than Atom LT. 
  • It seems like Atom LT would feel slightly warmer than Proton LT due to decreased breathability - but the difference really isn't going to be noticeable at all. 
Bu gönderiyi Instagram'da gör

Michael Peters (@miguelpeeterson)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi (24 Eyl, 2018, 3:16ös PDT)

*Camping with Atom LT.

But...

I know, I know...

THIS is what you want to ask here:

How much of a cold weather would either one be able to resist to?

Due to the subjectivity and somewhat vague nature of these metrics, this is very difficult to answer, if not impossible. It also depends on so many factors: Wind, layers, fit, humidity.

And did I say subjectivity? 

Having said that...

To give you a rough idea about the warmth they'll provide (without any extra layers) none the less... with only a long sleeved shirt underneath: 

  • Atom LT would be able to just stand up against most of the "infamous" Detroit winter (around low 20 F's, that is, around 5 deg C) unless when it's fairly windy.
  • Proton LT is slightly colder the same.

Check out the warmth chart I shared above for more in-depth information.

In other words, if you're cold inside the Proton LT; you'll be cold inside the Atom LT as well.

Breathability

...is the most noticeable difference between these jackets.

Especially with the updated (more air-permeable) version of Proton LT, now it's even more noticeable.

It uses actually breathable insulation and fabric, unlike Atom LT's fleece side panels.

Which brings us pretty much to the conclusion:

For high output activities...

Because of the reasons laid out, Proton LT works the best with high output activities (such as power walking, biking, climbing, trekking etc) and excels in moisture management and heat control.

The Atom LT is also an excellent jacket to wear during high physical activities, but you can think of it as a tad inferior model of the Proton LT. You're going to have to vent more often with it.

So I'd recommend getting the Proton LT.

For a stationary use...

You can get either one.

I, for example, really like the way Proton LT looks and the extra weather resistance & durability that comes with it - more than the little sacrifice made in the weight and warmth departments.

So I'd personally still get the Proton LT.


Let's mention some other details about these jackets.

Storage

Neither of these jackets stuff into its own pocket. Just so you know.

Fit and Cut

Proton LT offers a little longer hemline than the Atom LT - which is better.

In the looks department, Proton LT is more of my taste than the Atom LT.

Overall, the fit of the Proton LT is also a little trimmer but not as much to make it easier to layer.

Layering

I'd recommend layering either of these jackets with Arcteryx's own Beta AR jacket [Read Review].

Conclusion

In short, I'd recommend the Proton LT over the Atom LT for almost all cases. Think of Atom LT as a tad inferior alternative of Proton LT. 

If you prefer videos, here's a good review of Atom LT:

That of Proton LT:

Overall, the fit of the Proton LT is also a little trimmer but not as much to make it easier to layer.

Transcript of Customer Service Chat for 2020 Atom LT Updates

  • Hi there! My name is Camille, how can I help you today?
  • Hi Camille. I was wondering about the updates that took place for the 2020 revision of Atom LT. Can you list all the changes, please?
  • Hi there, thanks for chatting. I sure can.
  • The redesign includes an update to the cuff construction for easier on/off and layering, an updated material package for enhanced durability, updated fit, and a dope dyed liner.
  • What do you mean by updated material package?
  • We updated the materials the Atom LT is made of, you can read a list of them here:
  • Coreloftâ„¢ Compact (60 g/m² ) insulation. Highly crimped, multi-denier siliconized polyester yarn that has undergone a special process which reduces the thickness of the material by 50%, without reducing its insulation value by the same amount. Lightweight, breathable, thermally efficient 100% polyester fibre.
    Tyonoâ„¢ 20 denier shell with DWR treatment - 100% nylon
    Stretch fleece - 94% polyester, 6% elastane
    Dope Permeairâ„¢ 20 - 100% nylon
  • Last year's model did not include the Dope Permeair.
  • How does it affect the use of this jacket in practice?
  • It doesn't effect it, really - Dope Dying is much more environmentally friendly so we are reducing our mark on the planet by incorporating it into the production process.
  • Overall the updated Atom saw more changes with the fit, durability and construction on the cuff.
  • If anything it's very slightly more durable now.
  • Which update made it more durable?
  • The additional dope dyed liner.
  • Ok, thanks. Lastly, how did the fit change?
  • It is about 1" longer than the previous year's model.
  • So other than this hem length difference, everything stays the same in the fit department?
  • That's right.

Filed Under: Synthetic Insulated Jackets Tagged With: arcteryx, arcteryx insulated jackets, arcteryx jackets, jackets

Arcteryx Atom AR vs LT

Last updated: August 11, 2022 by Canberk Koksal 37 Comments

Going from top to bottom (Atom SL, LT and AR respectively), the warmth increases and the breathability decreases. 

Compared to my other articles on Arc'teryx and Patagonia jackets, this comparison is relatively easier to get out of. Because they differ clearly in this one manner:

How you're planning to use the jacket.

So I'd recommend you to move forward considering this:

If you're looking for a warm jacket to put on out in the town when it's freezing (below 20 deg F's), get the AR (because the LT won't cut it). For a physically active use, get the LT as it's significantly more breathable and comfortable.

You can also see this on Arc'teryx's own Naming Scheme Page here, for both Atom AR and the LT.

  • Latest on the blog:
  • 09 August 2022: 5 things all Arc'teryx newbies should know
  • 03 August 2022: Ultimate size guide to Arc'teryx jackets, pants and shoes
  • 05 July 2022: Explained, Compared & Plotted: CLO values
  • #A sidenote here: Arcteryx.com's PDF guide to their jackets is GOOOLLDDD. Highly recommend you to check it out before you buy. 

  • Both Atom LT and Atom AR are revised in 2020

They're given a dope-dyed liner, a new construction on the cuff and are now 1" (2.5 cm) longer. 

But these updates pretty much don't cause any differences in practice. Which means that you can apply the information given in this post to previous revisions of these jackets. 

All the differences between these jackets can simply be listed as follows: 

  • LT is more breathable, lighter and more comfortable
  • AR is much warmer and more weather resistant

We'll get to the details and determine how MUCH one is better than the other in terms of each and every one of these differences - but you should know that for most of you the answer to it wouldn't be that important. 

Because, like I said, it's like comparing apples and oranges. The purpose of these jackets are different, and this should be your main focus. Keep that in mind as you read on. 

  • Some of the Arc pieces you see in this post might be discontinued, and hence might be unavailable at arcteryx.com. 
    • If that's the case, then I'd recommend you to check out this page at REI. You might be able to find them there. 
 If you're planning to get the Atom LT, you might also want to check out my Proton LT vs Atom LT post as well since Proton LT is kind of a superior revision of the Atom LT. 

  • Related Data Set: Estimated temperature ratings of Arc'teryx jackets

Here's the list of the lowest temperatures you can wear each Arc'teryx jacket without feeling uncomfortably cold. 

Keep in mind that these are only approximate values assuming:

  • worn over a shirt only and no shell over,
  • during daily use (strolls, power walks etc at most - no high output activities), 
  • with light wind, 
  • and when it's dry out.

NameEst. Temp (F/C)InsulationInsulatedReviewDiscontinued?M-W
Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's)-17/-27DownDownNoM
Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's)-17/-27DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Ceres SV (Men's - Women's)-15/-26DownDownReviewYesM
Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's - Women's)-13/-25DownDownNoM
Rab Positron Pro (Men's - Women's)-13/-25DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Grade VII (Men's)-11/-24DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Firebee AR (Men's - Women's)-10/-23DownDownReviewYesM W
Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's)-10/-23DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Thorsen (Men's)-7/-22DownParkaDReviewNoM
Patagonia Frozen Range (Men's - Women's)-6/-21DownParkaDReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Centrale (Women's)-5/-20DownParkaDReviewNoW
Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) -2/-19DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Therme (Men's)-2/-19DownParkaDReviewNoM
Arc'teryx Dually Belay (Men's)0/-18SyntheticSyntheticReviewYesM
Arc'teryx Camosun (Men's)0/-18DownParkaDReviewNoM
Arc'teryx Piedmont (Men's)2/-17DownParkaDNoM
Arc'teryx Fission SV (Men's - Women's)3/-16SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM
Outdoor Research Super Alpine (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownParkaDReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Radsten (Men's)3/-16SyntheticParkaSNoM
Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's)3/-16DownDownNoM W
Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's)5/-15DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Macai (Men's5/-15DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Nuclei SV Parka (Men's - Women's)5/-15SyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Patagonia DAS Parka (Men's - Women's)5/-15SyntheticParkaSNoM W
Arc'teryx Patera (Women's)5/-15DownParkaDReviewNoW
Arc'teryx Cerium SV (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownDownReviewYesM W
Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Kappa (Men's - Women's)7/-14SyntheticSyntheticReviewYesM
Arc'teryx Prema (Women's)7/-14DownParkaDNoW
Arc'teryx Radsten Insulated Men's)7/-14SyntheticParkaSNoM
Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's)7/-14DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Macro Puff (Men's - Women's)8/-13SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Feathered Friends Eos (Men's - Women's)8/-13DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Macai LT (Men's)8/-13DownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Seyla (Women's)8/-13DownParkaDNoW
Arc'teryx Koda (Men's)8/-13SyntheticParkaSNoM
Arc'teryx Thorium AR (Men's - Women's)8/-13DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Kole (Men's - Women's)10/-12DownParkaDNoW
Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's)10/-12SyntheticParkaSReviewNoW
Arc'teryx Alpha IS (Men's - Women's)12/-11SyntheticSyntheticYesM
Patagonia Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's)12/-11DownParkaDReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Sensa (Women's)14/-10SyntheticParkaSNoW
Patagonia Hi Loft Down (Men's - Women's )14/-10DownDownReviewNoM
REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's)14/-10DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Atom AR (Men's - Women's)18/-8SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's)18/-8DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's)19/-7DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Magnus (Men's)19/-7SyntheticParkaSNoM
Arc'teryx Agrium (Men's - Women's)21/-6DownDownNoM W
Patagonia AlpLight Down (Men's - Women's)21/-6DownDownNoM W
Patagonia Topley (Men's)23/-5DownDownNoM
Rab Xenon 2.0 (Men's - Women's)23/-5SyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's)26/-3DownDownReviewNoM W
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisp/2 (Men's - Women's)28/-2DownDownNoM W
Arc'teryx Cerium LT (Men's - Women's)28/-2DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Nuclei FL (Men's - Women's)32/0SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia City Storm Down (Men's)32/0DownParkaDNoM
Arc'teryx Atom LT (Men's - Women's)36/2SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's)36/2SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Isthmus (Men's36/2SyntheticParkaSNoM
Arc'teryx Proton LT (Men's - Women's)37/3SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's)37/3SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Norvan SL Ins. (Men's - Women's)39/4SyntheticSyntheticYesM W
Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's)41/5SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Cerium SL (Men's - Women's)43/6DownDownReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Proton FL (Men's - Women's)48/9SyntheticSyntheticReviewNoM W
Arc'teryx Atom SL (Men's - Women's)52/11SyntheticSyntheticReviewYesM W
The North Face Summit Down (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM W
Mountain Equipment Lightline Echo (Men's)TestingDownDownNoM
Mountain Equipment Kryos (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM W
Mountain Equipment Xeros (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM
Arc'teryx Andra LT IS (Women's)TestingSyntheticParkaSNoW
Arc'teryx Phoria IS (Women's)TestingSyntheticParkaSNoW
Feathered Friends Helios (Men's)TestingDownDownNoM
Feathered Friends Volant (Men's) TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Axion Pro (Men's - Women's) TestingDownDownNoM W
Feathered Friends Rock & Ice (Men's)TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Valiance (Men's - Women's)TestingDownDownNoM W
Rab Expedition 8000 (Men's) TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Zero G (Men's) TestingDownDownNoM
Rab Generator Alpine (Men's) TestingSyntheticSyntheticNoM
UBR Regulator Parka II (Men's)TestingSyntheticParkaSNoM
Helly Hansen LifaLoft (Men's - Women's)TestingSyntheticSyntheticNoM
Mammut Eigerjoch (Men's - Women's)TestingSyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Helly Hansen Lumines (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticSyntheticNoM
Haglofs V Series Mimic (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticSyntheticNoM W
Black Diamond First Light (Men's - Women's)UnknownSyntheticSyntheticNoM W

Liked this table? 

If you did, check out this post of mine to see more Arc'teryx tables like this one, such as fill details for all down jackets. 

I've also put this post together to compare and rate all the popular synthetic insulated jackets, including the two in this post (as well as the Proton LT I mentioned). 

So if you're interested to see how well these two jackets scored in the warmth, comfort, weather & abrasion resistance, breathability and style departments; you might want to check that out as well. 

Let's get to it!

Warmth

I'm not going to explain the Coreloft insulation in detail because both jackets are equipped with it. I'll try to keep this post within the context of differences between these products.

Check this thread out if you're curious about Coreloft's technical properties and how it compares to the other insulators. 

First of all, the AR does NOT have twice the insulator amount of LT.

AR is insulated with: 

  • 120 g/m2 of Coreloft around the torso: This is the only region AR doubles the insulator amount of LT.
  • 80 g/m2 of Coreloft under the arms: They're mostly compressed anyway. Investing less insulator here not only decreases the price but also increases mobility.
  • 60 g/m2 of Coreloft for the hood.

LT, on the other hand, is insulated with 60 g/m2 of Coreloft everywhere.

This makes up one of the biggest differences between the two models:

AR is significantly warmer compared to LT. If you're truly active inside the AR, you might even overheat.

Now, although it's quite difficult to pinpoint the warmth differences between these two jackets, let me do my best and at least try to give you an idea:

  • Results: Warmth differences

Generally speaking, with only a long sleeved shirt under and without a shell on top, for an average person, during daily use (strolls, power walks, etc) and with enough wind to cause an umbrella to twist in your hand:

...without feeling uncomfortably cold, the lowest temperature to wear an Atom LT would be 36 deg F (2 deg C), and Atom AR around 18 deg F (-8 deg C).

With at least a moderate quality layering:

...Atom LT would be at 25 deg F (-4 deg C), and AR at 7 deg F (-14 deg C).

With a good base layer under and a shell jacket on top:

...Atom LT would be at 10 deg F (-10 deg C), and AR at -4 deg F (-20 deg C).

Note that AR can even come too warm when you near 40 F's. 

Maybe this entire thing can be oversimplified into this:

If you're looking for a warm jacket to put on out in the town when it's freezing with shitty wind, do not get an LT! You'll probably feel too cold inside it!

Although it breathes poorly, AR is much warmer and wind resistant - which makes it excellent for stationary use.

Wind & Water Resistance

Although side fleece panels of LT make it much more breathable, it sacrifices wind resistance significantly.

Although both these jackets are marketed as mid layers (meaning you need an extra layer over them), with the AR, you won't need a shell unless there's heavy rain.

With the LT, though, you probably will.

Speaking of rain, both jackets come with DWR coating at the top - although they're mid layers.

  • What is DWR by the way?

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 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. 

So the winner is AR by far.

Side panels help LT breathe perfectly during skiing as well as any other activity that requires high mobility.

Breathability

Until this point, I've repeated it many times, but for the sake of consistency let me say it one more time:

LT is much more breathable than AR due to its side fleece panels.

This is also what causes AR to overheat much easier compared to LT.

If you're active, OR it's nearing 30 F's out, AR probably will start feeling too warm, even if it isn't layered with anything else.

That said, LT still isn't the BEST in terms of breathability.

I don't want to confuse you even further, but note that in our post Patagonia Nano Air vs Arcteryx Atom LT, we found that the Air is actually more breathable - although less weather resistant and more, ugh, "frumpy" looking.

Fit and Comfort

First of all, LT comes with a trim fit and AR with a regular fit. If you have an athletic build, LT would probably look very good on you. AR, on the other hand, is more "bulky".

If you'd like to see some numbers:

Atom LT Hoody (Medium)

  • Chest: 117.5 cm
  • Waist: 109.5 cm
  • Back Length: 74 cm
  • Sleeve Length: 91.5 cm

Atom AR Hoody (Medium)

  • Chest: 120.5 cm
  • Waist: 112.5 cm
  • Back Length: 74 cm
  • Sleeve Length: 91 cm

Note: The small sizes are roughly 5 cm smaller in the chest and waist.

This is how Trim and Regular Fits are illustrated by Arcteryx:

Men's fit. LT comes with a trim fit and AR with a regular fit. 

Women's fit. LT comes with a trim fit and AR with a regular fit. 

Another thing about fit is that AR is thicker and more puffy going outwards: 

That said, the "puffiness" difference isn't big enough to cause a difference when you're trying to layer a shell on top.

Weight

At 0.9 lbs (415 grams), LT is only 0.1 lbs lighter compared to AR's 1 lb (470 grams) of weight.

If you'll be wearing the jacket out in the town only, this won't be a noticeable difference.

However, for activities that require physical strength and endurance, this difference will make a difference for most of us.

Versatility

You can use LT pretty much doing any outdoor activity, such as:

  • Skiing,
  • Snowboarding,
  • Trekking,
  • Mountaineering,
  • Fishing,
  • Climbing,
  • Biking,
  • Snowshoeing,
  • Surfing (kidding).

You name it.

Bu gönderiyi Instagram'da gör

kelly Starr (@kstarr45)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi (4 Şub, 2017, 11:53öö PST)

*Biking & rocking LT's.

On the other hand, AR would be too warm and uncomfortable for all of these activities. It'd be more suitable for casual, frigid weather outgoings, though.

They're even marketed that way by Arcteryx themselves.

So I don't thing we can say one is more versatile than the other, since one can't replace the other's work. Just choose according to your own needs and desires.

Conclusion

So... in short: 

If you're going to be physically active, absolutely get the Atom LT since it's more breathable. For a stationary use, absolutely get the Atom AR since it's warmer and more weather resistant.

Trekitt's reviews on these jackets also worth checking out:

Atom AR:

Atom LT:

Filed Under: Synthetic Insulated Jackets Tagged With: arcteryx, arcteryx insulated jackets, arcteryx jackets, jackets

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

Last updated: August 11, 2022 by Canberk Koksal 27 Comments

Unless packability is a big concern for you, I'd almost always recommend the Nano Puff (see image) over the Micro Puff, as I also clarified in my Best Patagonia Jackets post. 

Jump to the bottom for full list of my Patagonia reviews. 

Nano Puff and Micro Puff are more alike than they're different. They offer similar breathability and warmth. 

They do have some differences worth mentioning, though. 

Nano Puff is more durable and weather resistant (also looks better - at least to me), whereas the Micro Puff packs much smaller without compromising its insulation capability. 

In summary, unless you're specifically looking for something with exceptionally high warmth to weight ratio, then the Nano Puff is probably a better option for you. 

  • #A sidenote here: Patagonia.com's Web Specials discounts are GOOOLLLDDD. Highly recommend you to check it out before you buy. 
Because, main differences between these two Patagonia Jackets are:

  • Nano Puff is more durable, versatile and looks better (at least to me)
  • Micro Puff is a bit warmer (nothing noticeable though) and 3.5 oz lighter

I've also put this post together for the comparison between all the popular Arcteryx and Patagonia mid-layers, including the two in this post.

So if you're interested to see how well these two jackets scored in the warmth, comfort, weather & abrasion resistance, breathability and style departments; check that out as well.

If you want to read more about their comparison to Down Sweater, check out my posts below:

  • Micro Puff vs Down Sweater
  • Nano Puff vs Down Sweater

I talked to the Patagonia Customer Service myself (screenshots below), made hours of research and laid out what I found about the differences between Patagonia Nano Puff and Micro Puff Jackets.

Click on image to enlarge. Click here for full [PDF] conversation if it's still too small for you to read.

So, as you see, their five KEY differences that we'll dive deep into are:

  • Warmth
  • Weight
  • Durability
  • Versatility
  • Design

Before we get down to the bolts and nuts of all these elements one by one, one thing I'd like to add is that if you're planning to be physically active inside either of these jackets, then forget about getting either of them since they both offer very low breathability and hence will be sweaty... So check this post out instead in that case. 

  • Some of the Patagucci products you see in this post might be discontinued, and hence might be unavailable at patagonia.com. 
    • If that's the case, then I'd recommend you to check out this page at REI. You might be able to find them there. manufactures great jackets, but they can be expensive for most of us. 
Now that we got that out of the way, let's get to the differences of these jackets.

Warmth

Don't worry, I'm not going to make this post a scientific article, but let me mention one thing. 

Generally speaking, in order to score the warmth ratings of insulated products, Fill Power (FP) term is being used in today's market.

It's the measured loft of down. In other words, it's the end size of the down when it's at rest, e.g. "fully expanded volume".

The higher the FP rating of an insulator, the warmer it is (assuming everything else is equal).

That said...

These jackets are insulated via synthetic materials instead of down.

So instead of FP, they use language such as "PlumaFill" or "PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco".

I did some research to figure their equivalent down qualities, and found this:

Warmth of PlumaFill is equivalent to around 650 fill. PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco, on the other hand, is equivalent to .62 dry CLO value and roughly corresponds to 500 fill. 

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So...

PlumaFill insulation of Micro Puff does not only offer better insulation compared to Nano Puff's PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco - but its quantity is ALSO more than Nano Puff (65 grams vs 60 grams).

That said, fill power isn't the end-all be-all, although it's the most important. Things like fabric thickness also affect warmth and actually help the Nano close the gap with the Micro Puff in terms of warmth to some degree. 

Check out this article of mine for more about this.

This means that Micro Puff will offer more warmth, that's certain. But... how warmer it will feel when you're wearing it?

  • What's the ULTIMATE result?

Well, according to this chart by Patagonia Micro Puff is just over Nano when it comes to warmth.

And the rep said:

But... We KNOW that Micro Puff is warmer than Nano for above reasons.

So... my conclusion is...

  • The take away

Generally speaking, with a long sleeved shirt beneath and without any shell above these jackets, we can say that the lowest temperatures an average person can wear these jackets comfortably without feeling cold would be around...

37 deg F (3 deg C) for Nano Puff and 36 deg F (2 deg C) for Micro Puff. 

If you think you run colder or warmer than the average person, then shift these temperatures accordingly.

Yes, the difference is minimal, and mostly not even noticeable.

Compressibility

This is mostly determined by the thicknesses of sheel and lining fabrics of jackets.

The thinner the fabrics, the more compressible the product will become.

In our case, Nano Puff vs Micro Puff, the difference is that Nano Puff uses 1.4-oz 20-denier for shell and 1.3-oz 22-denier for lining fabrics (both w/ DWR); whereas Micro Puff uses 0.7-oz 10-denier Quantum Perfex w/ DWR for both shell and lining.

The one that Micro Puff uses (Quantum Perfex) is the LIGHTEST that Patagonia uses! 

  • What is DWR by the way?

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 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. 

Yes, thinner fabrics are used for Micro Puff - but fabrics of Nano Puff are also quite thin. Also, Micro Puff is filled with a higher FP down and with MORE of it, which roughly balances out the sack sizes.

Here's the result.

So...

  • Take away of this Headline

The size differences between the sacks aren't noticeable.

Weight

On a sidenote - this difference in fabric thicknesses is also the cause of the weight difference between these jackets. 

As a result, Micro Puff sits at 235 g (8.3 oz) compared to Nano Puff's 337 g (11.9 oz). Which is nearly 100 grams (3.5 oz) of extra weight.

Noticeable? For casual purposes, no. For pro-purposes (trekking, climbing etc) can be.

Which means...

  • Take away of this Headline

Micro Puff is 3.5 oz (100 grams) lighter than Nano Puff.

On the other hand, there IS a sacrifice made by using this thin fabrics. 

Which brings me to my next point... 

Durability

Micro Puff is made of thinner fabrics, so it's more fragile compared to Nano Puff. 

Again, these jackets aren't THAT different in any of these departments, so obviously Nano Puff isn't quite robust either. 

  • Take away of this Headline

Micro Puff is fragile and needs to be treated more kindly compared to Nano Puff. Durability of Nano Puff is better than Micro Puff, but it still isn't very robust.

Versatility

If it still isn't obvious by now, Micro Puff is much more of a "Pro" product when you compare it to Nano Puff.

Its advantages such as being 0.5 lighter and being compressed slightly smaller into its own stuff sack would mostly considered essential when it comes to serious outdoor activities.

On the other hand, the advantages of Nano Puff, such as better durability and prettier design are more reasonable trade-offs for most casual outgoings around the neighborhood - especially when you consider the fact that you sacrifice very little (if not noticeable at all!) in weight, packed size and warmth.

  • Take away of this Headline

Comes down to your choice. My guess is that most of you guys are here for casual outwear, so I'd recommend Nano Puff over Micro Puff to all of you.

Design

Is it just me?

Or does Micro Puff's shoulder reinforcements and wrinkled backside REALLY make it look like kind of... "obsolete" or "stale"?

I mean... When Micro Puff adapts to the curves of your back anatomy, the wrinkles make it look like you're wearing a... ugh... "garbage bag" for the lack of a better word...

To me, this is another reason why Nano Puff is a better choice for casual outwear over Micro Puff.

Besides casual outwear, you'd put less importance on the design of the jacket and more on its performance and functionality, so it'd be a better idea to go for Micro Puff in such cases.

  • Take away of this Headline

Nano looks prettier than Micro, but let me know what you think in the comment section below!

Conclusion

If you're looking for a stylish & robust, casual outwear that provides above average warmth and high versatility, then Nano Puff is probably your jacket. If you're specifically looking for something with exceptionally high warmth to weight ratio, then go for Micro. 

  • Aug 2022 Patagonia Deals:
REI.com Patagonia DealsUp to 50% OFF!

 


Here's a good video of this comparison made by Ultra Light Gear:

Check out the review of Nano here:

And the review of Micro here:

Navigate to the product pages here:

Nano Puff Men's:

See on Patagonia.com
See on Amazon
See on Backcountry.com

Nano Puff Women's:

See on Patagonia.com
See on Amazon
See on Backcountry.com

Micro Puff Men's:

See on Patagonia.com
See on Amazon
See on Backcountry.com

Micro Puff Women's:

See on Patagonia.com
See on Amazon
See on Backcountry.com

Filed Under: Synthetic Insulated Jackets Tagged With: jackets, patagonia, Patagonia insulated jackets

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Nano Air

Last updated: August 11, 2022 by Canberk Koksal 16 Comments

As I also declared in my Best Patagonia Jackets and Best Synthetic Insulated Jackets posts, Nano Air is one of my favorite picks of all time. As you see, it handles it all: Skiing, backpacking, bouldering, fishing, climbing, mountain biking... Extreme versatility. BUT, it's centered around high output activities, which is a different intended use than that of the Nano Puff (casual outgoings). 

Compared to my other articles on Patagonia jackets such as Nano Puff vs Micro Puff, Micro Puff vs Down Sweater or Nano Puff vs Down Sweater, this is a much easier comparison. 

That's because your choice pretty much comes down to your response to this question:

How you're planning to use the jacket?

Because the design intention of these jackets are completely different than one another.

If you're going to be physically active, absolutely get the Nano Air (more breathable). For a stationary use, get the Nano Puff (warmer).

Nano Puff is more weather & abrasion resistant and a little bit warmer. 

Attention here guys: Air received an update this Fall 2019, check out this post of mine if you want to see what's new. The info under this post isn't applicable to the models prior to this update. On Patagonia's site, this is the new hoody.

The differences between these jackets can simply be listed as follows:

  • Air is MUCH MORE breathable and a little more versatile & easier to layer
  • Puff is more wind resistant and a little more water resistant, durable & warmer

Also, I've put this post together for the comparison between all the popular Arcteryx and Patagonia mid-layers, including the two in this post. So if you're interested to see how well these two jackets scored in the warmth, comfort, weather & abrasion resistance, breathability and style departments; check that out as well.

  • #A sidenote here: Patagonia.com's Web Specials discounts are GOOOLLLDDD. Highly recommend you to check it out before you buy. 
90% of these differences are caused by their insulators: FullRange vs PrimaLoft - as you can see their manuals here [PDF Guide - 2019/2020].

Another important take away of this post is that you can achieve and actually exceed the warmth provided by Puff if you layer your Air either with a moderate quality shell or a moderate quality baselayer. 

But you can't make the Puff as breathable as the Air.

  • Some of the Patagucci products you see in this post might be discontinued, and hence might be unavailable at patagonia.com. 
    • If that's the case, then I'd recommend you to check out this page at REI. You might be able to find them there. manufactures great jackets, but they can be expensive for most of us. 
Also, I talked to the Patagonia Customer Service myself (screenshots below), made hours of research and out what I found about the differences between Patagonia Nano Puff and Nano Air Jackets together here in this post.

Click on image to enlarge. I know the rep didn't make some points clear enough. That's why I kept asking him and shared the screenshots below.

Now, before we get to it, there's one thing I'd like to clear out in advance.

I know some (maybe most?) of you want to learn the differences between durability, warmth, versatility etc, and I WILL get to them in detail under this post, but