Patagonia Micro Puff vs Nano Puff vs Down Sweater

Patagonia's  Micro Puff, Nano Puff and Down Sweater are among the company's best-selling product lines. But make no mistake: each is unique, and the right choice for you will depend on how, when and where you plan to wear them. 

There's a lot to like with Patagonia. The company's commitment to detail, construction and quality materials is evident across these products. I don't think you'll be disappointed in your eventual choice - as long as you know what to expect. It is all about how you intend to use your jacket.

I've used the hooded versions of all three of these extensively. Here is my insight to help you decide what is right for you.

The Patagonia Down Sweater is absolutely warmer than both the Nano Puff and Micro Puff (see warmth values below), but won't perform as well for high output activities or wet environments. Down and water don't go well together and Patagonia does not use down treated with a water repellent coating like you see with the Stio Hometown Down (full review).  

The Nano Puff and Micro Puff, on the other hand, are more weather resistant and lighter weight than the Down Sweater. 

How I choose

Patagonia Down Sweater

As the warmest of the three jackets this is my go-to for winter weather until temperatures are into the 20°s F, when I'm going to reach for something with more fill. This jacket looks and feels great; it's not  so puffy that you look ridiculous. I like this jacket for casual settings and technical uses. It's definitely a favorite for around town. I also frequently bring it with me for when I get off the ski hill and want to ditch my shell. Other times I use this jacket include high-alpine camping and shoveling snow.

Patagonia Nano Puff

For me this is the most versatile jacket in the bunch, though it is the least insulated. I can comfortably wear this as my outer layer into the low 40°s F with a t-shirt underneath, though if you are standing outside all night you're going to want a long sleeve. I love the way this jacket fits and it is also a favorite for use as a daily jacket. In addition, it is a super mid-layer under a shell. Because the face fabric on the Patagonia Nano Puff is slightly more resistant to abrasion than the Micro Puff, I also love it for backpacking and bikepacking trips. It was my only insulated layer on a 5-night high-altitude mountain bike hut trip on the Aquarius trail in Utah (read about that here). I use this as a fall jacket, for trips to the Pacific Northwest (when not wearing a rain jacket, of course), and even in the winter for quick trips to the store. It is definitely my personal favorite.

Patagonia Micro Puff

I look at this jacket as the most technical. The 10d fabric is really impressive. Choose this jacket if your primary use is as a midlayer, or if space and weight are a premium (ultralight backpacking, world travel, etc...). Patagonia rates it warmer than the Nano and it is, but only slightly. It isn't enough that it changes the use of the jacket, but paired with the weight savings it makes for a more technical piece. Personally, I don't like the way it looks as much as either the Nano Puff or Down Sweater and I only use my Micro Puff for outdoor activities. It's great to wear under my ski shell, or chuck in my pack for backcountry tours. It fits a touch baggier on me than the Nano. Bottom line, this is the best option for pure technical use but I don't find it as versatile as the Nano Puff.

Should you get a hood?

If your primary use of the jacket is as a mid-layer under a shell then you do not want a hood. If I could do it again I would get the Micro Puff jacket and not the Hoody (outdoor life problems, right?). Many people think a non-hooded jacket also looks a little less outdoorsy and more (dare I say) professional. More power to you. I always prefer a hood because I think the jackets are more versatile. I also find that a hooded jacket is warmer on my neck in cooler temps, even without the hood up.

Consider a vest

The Nano Puff and Down Sweater both come in a vest. This is another super versatile option. They look great in cool weather over whatever you may be wearing and are super  efficient under your jacket or shell. Y

Patagonia Nano Puff Vest

Patagonia Down Sweater Vest

We have a separate article that compares the Micro Puff and Nano Puff in detail:
https://outdoorcrunch.com/nano-puff-vs-micro-puff/

Side-by-side comparison

Click here to see how Patagonia compares the Down Hoody, Micro Puff and Nano Puff to one another. 

Fabrics

All three of these jackets feature windproof fabrics that are treated with a PFC-free durable water-repellent coating (DWR). So the shells should withstand a drizzle or light snow with the same performance.

The Patagonia Nano Puff and Down Sweater feature recycled 20 denier face fabrics. On the Nano you'll find a 20d Polyester, while the Down Sweater uses a 20d Nylon which they call "NetPlus" as it is 100% post-consumer recycled Nylon made from fishing nets. Fabric construction plays a big role when testing for durability, but generally speaking Nylon is known to be more resistant to abrasion than Polyester. Nylon also has a little stretch, while Polyester does not. I use my Nano Puff the most out of these three jackets and so far have not snagged or sliced the fabric.

In a show of one-upsmanship, the Patagonia Micro Puff uses the ultra lightweight 10 denier Pertex® Quantum shell fabric. This is a pretty incredible fabric. On paper the Micro Puff Hoody  is 2.3oz lighter than the Nano Puff Hoody, but there is somewhat of a wow factor with the Micro Puff when you throw it on. A 10d fabric is absolutely more delicate than the 20d found on the other two jackets, which is another reason why I say this is more for active pursuits and less a daily workhorse.

Warmth

Check out the chart below for more information. 

The Patagonia Down Sweater is really a different category jacket in that it has measurably more insulation than the Micro Puff and Nano Puff. The down inside the Sweater provides warmth by heating the air it traps between clusters. When the down gets soaked, these spots are no longer as large (or even exist - depending on the liquid intensity). This causes the Down Sweater to lose its insulating power. Most people aren't choosing a down jacket for use in the rain, but sweat and body vapor in cold weather can be the more typical situation where a down jacket underperforms.

The Nano Puff and Micro Puff, on the other hand, provide warmth via synthetic insulators instead of down. They successfully mimic the heating capability of down, and in addition they don't lose their insulating power when wet. 

As I mentioned earlier, the Micro Puff is slightly warmer than the Nano Puff. You'll only stretch the Micro a few degrees below the Nano and I've never had a situation where this made a difference. I think where it matters is if you can only choose one and maximum warmth for minimum weight is your primary criteria. In that case, the Patagonia Micro Puff is the clear winner.

Breathability

These jackets are made more for warmth than they are for breathability. Especially the Down Sweater, which is not appropriate if you are planning to break a sweat. I find that the Micro Puff both breath sufficiently under my ski shell and that I can hike with them on, even if I often find myself unzipping them. The Pertex® Quantum is going to allow the Micro Puff to breathe slightly better than the Nano.

If you are looking for something with similar warmth to the Micro Puff and Nano Puff but more breathable, We recommend considering the Patagonia Nano-Air (Men's - Women's) instead. If you want even lighter and more breathable, check out our in-depth review of the new Patagonia Nano-Air Ultralight.

Packability

The Patagonia Nano Puff and Down Sweater pack into the internal zippered chest pocket. Te Micro Puff packs into the left hand warmer. The packed (stuffed) sizes of all three jackets is similar (the Down Sweater being the bulkiest) and we don't see this being the decision-maker for you. 

Bigger zipper pulls of Micro Puff make it easier to pack with the gloves on.

Pockets

Let's take a look at the dimensions. 

• Down Sweater: 
  • Two internal dump pockets: 11 in (or 28 cm) height x 7.1 in (or 18 cm) width
• Micro Puff:
  • Two internal dump pockets: 11 in (or 28 cm) height x 6.3 in (or 16 cm) width
• Nano Puff:
  • One internal zippered chest pocket: 9.9 in (or 25 cm) x 7.1 in (or 18 cm)

Hand warmers are identical in all. They measure 10.6 in (or 27 cm) x 6.7 in (or 17 cm) for each pocket. 

Historical revisions

Below are the highlights of Winter 2023 updates of these jackets. 

Down Sweater: 

• Fill weight is increased from 104 grams to 150 grams (main update), 
• Number of internal drop-in pockets has been increased from 1 to 2, 
• Outer fabric is now NetPlus (recycled waste) shell. 

Micro Puff: 

• Number of internal drop-in pockets has been increased from 1 to 2, 
• Outer fabric is now NetPlus (recycled waste) shell. 

There has also been small changes made in the colors, fit and hood sizes. 

Links: 

• Nano Puff: 
• Men's Hoody on patagonia.com 
• Men's Hoody on rei.com
• Women's Hoody on patagonia.com
• Women's Hoody on rei.com
• Men's Jacket on patagonia.com
• Men's Jacket on rei.com
• Women's Jacket on patagonia.com
• Women's Jacket on rei.com

• Micro Puff: 
• Men's Hoody on patagonia.com
• Men's Hoody on backcountry.com
• Men's Jacket on patagonia.com
• Men's Jacket on backcountry.com
• Women's Hoody on patagonia.com
• Women's Jacket on patagonia.com
• Women's Jacket on backcountry.com

• Down Sweater: 
• Men's Down Sweater on patagonia.com
• Men's Down Sweater on rei.com
• Men's Down Sweater Hoody on patagonia.com
• Men's Down Sweater Hoody on rei.com
• Women's Down Sweater on patagonia.com
• Women's Down Sweater on rei.com
• Women's Down Sweater Hoody on patagonia.com
• Women's Down Sweater Hoody on rei.com