Patagonia Nano Puff vs Arc’teryx Atom (LT) | Hands-on comparison

I own many of the synthetic insulated jackets made by Arc'teryx and Patagonia, including the Patagonia Nano Puff and the Arc'teryx Atom (formerly Atom LT). Let's take a look at how they stack up against one another in a Nano Puff vs Atom showdown.  

Overview

The Nano Puff (and the Micro Puff, for that matter) is much less of an "active" wear jacket. When I plan on being active (running, hiking, ski touring, biking, etc.) I never reach for my Nano Puff. Compared to the Arc'teryx Atom, the Nano Puff just doesn't offer much breathability. 

If you're debating between the Nano Puff and the Atom strictly for casual wear around town, then it's OK to prioritize your decision based on looks. 

Regardless of which way you go, I recommend the hooded versions of both over their non-hooded counterparts. 

• Arc'teryx's handy jacket finder tool is a favorite of ours: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/jacket-finder/mens

Warmth

The Nano Puff is warmer, but the difference isn't noticeable enough to sway your decision. Check out our extensive temperature ratings of jackets:

Breathability

The Atom destroys the Nano Puff in this regard. For starters, take a look at those giant side fleece panels on the Atom. They work wonders for ventilation (but less so on the Atom Heavyweight model).  

The Nano Puff simply isn't breathable. Like I said, if breathability is one of your primary expectations, I recommend looking elsewhere. 

Patagonia's breathable synthetic insulated jacket for high-output activities is the Nano Air. I've got the 2024 model and reviewed it here: https://outdoorcrunch.com/patagonia-nano-air-vs-das-light/. The Nano Air is significantly more breathable than the Nano Puff. 

Fit & comfort

Both the Nano Puff and Atom are comfortable pieces. The Nano Puff has a bit more of an athletic fit, and it's also less stretchy. When on the move, the Atom feels more comfortable to me. 

• Fit

Canberk is 5'11" and 165 pounds, with an athletic build. Size Medium fits him perfectly across almost all brands and product lines. 

• Arc'teryx's 2024 men's fit revision

Here's what Arc'teryx says about its most recent fit revision: 

Source: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/help/sizing/mens/tops/new

Not all jackets come with the revised fit - only the ones with following statement: 

Packability

The Nano Puff is packable whereas the Atom isn't. I do, however, wish the Nano Puff had larger zipper pulls like that of Patagonia Micro Puff, which is easier to stuff and unstuff - especially when wearing gloves. 

Its packed size is pretty small and convenient. 

Pockets 

The Nano Puff and Atom have an identical number of pockets. Both offer an internal zippered chest pocket in addition to two handwarmer pockets. 

• Nano Puff: 
  • Handwarmers: 10.6 in (or 27 cm) x 6.7 in (or 17 cm)
  • Internal zippered chest pocket: 9.9 in (or 25 cm) x 7.1 in (or 18 cm)
• Atom: 
  • Handwarmers: 10.6 in (or 27 cm) height x 7.1 in (or 18 cm) width
  • Internal zippered chest pocket: 9.9 in (or 25 cm) height x 7.5 in (or 19 cm) width

Hood

The Atom (aka LT) has the edge here. It offers StormHood, which is very easy to use and comfortable. The Nano Puff's hood is pretty standard, by comparison.