We'll get to the Nano Air vs Atom LT.
But first, it'd probably be better for you to go ahead and read the foreword of my Atom LT vs Proton LT article. I lay out some important facts about the Arcteryx's motivation behind launching Proton LT there.
If you don't have time, then let me summarize the part that concerns you:
- Atom LT started to lose its share when the advanced fabrics and insulation pieces were released into the market (such as Patagonia's Nano Air).
- Arcteryx's response against these higher technologies was to release a superior replacement to the Atom LT. And that was Proton LT.
This information is important for this comparison because it might be wiser to compare the Nano Air to the Proton LT instead of the Atom LT.
But I'll still give you what you want and compare the Atom LT to Nano Air.
​In this post, I compared all the popular synthetic insulated jackets of the two of most well-known manufacturers: Patagonia and Arcteryx.
I'll share the part of that article that concerns you (I'll include the Proton LT as well due to aforementioned reasons).
But right before we get to it...
Nano Air received an update in Fall 2019. Check out this post of mine if you want to see what's new.
On Patagonia's site, this is the new hoody.
| °F / °C | Insulation |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Ceres SV (Men's) | -15/-26 | Down | |
-10/-23 | Down | ||
Dually Belay (Men's) | -7/-22 | Synthetic |
|
Thorsen (Men's) | -7/-22 | Down | |
Centrale (Women's) | -5/-20 | Down | |
-5/-20 | Down | ||
Therme (Men's) | -2/-18 | Down | |
Camosun (Men's) | 0/-17 | Down | |
3/-16 | Synthetic |
| |
Patera (Women's) | 5/-15 | Down | |
8/-13 | Down | ||
Kappa (Men's) | 10/-12 | Synthetic |
|
10/-12 | Synthetic | ||
Magnus (Men's) | 14/-10 | Down |
|
17/-8 | Down | ||
23/-5 | Synthetic | ||
24/-4 | Synthetic | ||
28/-2 | Synthetic |
| |
40/5 | Down | ||
48/9 | Synthetic |
| |
50/10 | Synthetic |
Read more about this chart here.
These are only approximate values assuming:
- you only have a long sleeved 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.
Also check out my Arc'teryx Favorites.
If you think you run warmer or colder than the average person, then shift temperature ranges accordingly.
Now back to the comparison chart:
 |  |  | |
MSRP | 299 USD | 299 USD | 259 USD |
Overall Score | |||
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT 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 | Top alternative to Proton LT |
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody | |
Warmth Comfort Weather & Abrasion Resistance Breathability Style | |||
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody | |
Weight | 375 g (13.2 oz) | 346 g (12.2 oz) | 415 g (14.6 oz) |
Insulation Materials | 65g Coreloft Continuous | 60g FullRange insulation | 60 g/m2 Coreloft |
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody | |
Face Fabric | 92% Nylon, 8% Elastane | Nylon ripstop (33D) | 20D Nylon Tyono/ Polartec Power Stretch |
Cell | #Note: All face fabrics are DWR (durable water repellent) applied. | ||
Packing
Air is packable whereas Atom LT isn't.
This makes Nano Air also a great choice for traveling.
The differences are:
Breathability
This makes up the single biggest difference between these jackets.
Perfectly breathing FullRange insulation prevents you from overheating during any high output activity.
Which is why the Nano Air our top choice for that type of use.
Of all the Patagonia and Arcteryx jackets we reviewed, Nano Air is the most breathable and certainly lives up to the hype.
​Atom LT, on the other hand, was released years before the Nano Air. So it isn't equipped with one of those advanced breathable active insulation pieces. That's why its insulation can't keep up with the breathability of the cutting-edge jackets such as Nano Air or Proton LT.
But Atom LT comes with a well-known feature: Side fleece panels. Thanks to these panels under the arms, air can circulate much more and keeps you less sweaty when you're physically active.
This helps the Atom LT with its breathability, but undoubtedly not as much as that of Nano Air.
Warmth & Weather Resistance
Side fleece panels of Atom LT become a disadvantage when it's cold, windy and/or rainy. They'll let some foul weather in.
However, in spite of these notable disadvantages, Atom LT still stays slightly warmer and provides slightly more weather resistance compared to the Nano Air because of the Air's fairly "fragile" construction.
"Not having" any side fleece panels simply isn't enough for Air in this manner.
Conclusion
Yes, Atom LT is warmer and more weather resistant...
BUT...
The advantages you get from these departments are quite minor, so I'd highly doubt that it'd worth sacrificing a significant amount of breathability in return.
So, in short:
- Getting the Nano Air (2019 version) would probably be a better decision if you're looking for an athletic piece to be used for high output activities ONLY.
- If you're going to use it in the neighborhood when it's cold out as well, then I'd recommend the Atom LT - but I'd also consider getting Proton LT as well (so read on).
- You can look at Proton LT as a more durable, comfortable and weather resistant but less breathable alternative to the Nano Air. If you'll be using the jacket both in the town when it's cold out AND during high output activities, Proton LT can really be one of your best choices.
I'll make a post about Nano Air vs Proton LT as well, and will update this article when I do.
It's 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 both these jackets will "repel" water under wet conditions. Instead of soaking into the fabric, the water will be smoothly slipping down their surface. DWR also decreases dry time.
It's a good thing that both jackets are coated in DWR, but pay attention to the fact that DWR is a coating - meaning that it will wear off over time.
That's why you might want to invest in a DWR spray such as Arc'teryx's own Revivex.
I hope this post was helpful for you to learn more about the jacket(s) in your mind.
Feel free to ask me any questions or provide feedback and I'll be happy to respond in the comment section below.
Guide: Insulated & Shell Jackets
Start here:
Complete list:
Thank you for reading!
