Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff: How to decide

Image showing the fabric of the Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

The more matte 20d fabric of the blue Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff with 10d in green

The Patagonia Nano Puff and Micro Puff jackets, hooded jackets and vests have been staples in Patagonia's insulated apparel line for years and comparing the Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff is common because of their similarities. Both are lightweight, windproof, and easily packable layers that offer surprisingly good warmth for their minimalist feel. And because they use synthetic insulation, they don't lose their insulating properties when wet (unlike down insulation).

Yes, the Nano Puff and Micro Puff have a lot in common. But it's their differences that will determine which is the better purchase for your needs.

We own the recent hooded versions of both jackets as well as the vest versions, and we've worn all of them extensively year-round.

Here's how Patagonia compares the two, and we've included the Nano-Air as well, which is absolutely worth considering for high-output activities: https://www.patagonia.com/compare/micro-puff/nano-puff/nano-air

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

We like the closer fit of the Patagonia Nano Puff

The Patagonia Micro Puff has a looser and puffier fit.

The warmth of the Nano Puff and Micro Puff are very comparable. The Micro Puff is slightly warmer as measured by Patagonia.
The 20-denier face fabric of the Nano Puff is burlier with a matte finish, which makes it more durable and abrasion resistant. The 10-denier face fabric of the Micro Puff is smoother and shinier.
Because of its lighter nylon face fabric and Plumafill insulation, the Micro Puff is a bit more breathable than the Nano Puff.
Both are regular fit and true to size for Patagonia jackets. However, we have found the Micro Puff to fit slightly looser and run about a half-inch longer than the Nano Puff.
Both jackets have two zippered handwarmer pockets. The Micro Puff also has two internal drop-in pockets; the Nano Puff has a single internal zippered chest pocket.
Packed sizes are nearly the same.

If you're interested in a comparison of the Nano Puff vs. Nano Air, our review is here: https://outdoorcrunch.com/nano-air-vs-nano-puff/

Our bottom line

We like the versatility of the Patagonia Nano Puff. For most people we recommend saving $40 and going with the Nano over the Micro. For those looking for the lightest technical midlayer, then the Micro Puff is an excellent choice. Ultimately both offer incredible performance. The matte look, closer fit, and rubberized zipper pulls sway us to the Patagonia Nano Puff.

Why you should get the Nano Puff

You want a technical midlayer that also looks great around town.
You like the additional abrasion resistance and matte look offered by the 20d face fabric of the Nano Puff.
A zippered internal chest pocket is more important than internal drop-in pockets
You're not counting weight in grams and prefer the hardware details on the Nano Puff, like the rubberized zipper pulls.
You like both the Nano Puff and the Micro Puff, but you like the idea of saving $40 even more.

Why you should get the Micro Puff

You're looking for the lightest technical midlayer with the warmest insulation per ounce. Saving 1.5oz is worth the additional cost.
You value the extra space to stash gear and accessories provided by the two internal drop-in pockets

Here is a great article from Patagonia on the making of the Micro Puff

	Micro Puff	Nano Puff
MSRP	$279	$239
Insulation	65g PlumaFill recycled synthetic insulation	60g PrimaLoft Gold Eco recycled synthetic insulation
Warmth value (1-100)	29	26
Warm when wet	Yes	Yes
Weight	295g (10.4oz)	337g (11.9oz)
Outer	10-denier recycled nylon ripstop	20-denier recycled polyster ripstop
Waterproof	No	No
Windproof	Yes	Yes
DWR finish	Yes	Yes
Packable	Yes	Yes
Pockets	2 zippered handwarmer pockets (left pocket serves as stuffsack); 2 internal drop-in pockets	2 zippered handwarmer pockets; 1 internal zippered chest pocket (doubles as stuffsack)
Hem adjustment	Yes	Yes
Hooded version	Yes	Yes
Vest version	Yes	Yes
Women's version	Yes	Yes
Compare costs and availability

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

Warmth

Patagonia uses a insulation warmth scale that rates their jackets relative to each other for the same conditions. This measurement is not a temperature rating but rather a way to compare the warmth between models. Based on this rating, the Micro Puff is slightly warmer than the Nano Puff. While we find this to be true in testing, the difference is so slight that it doesn't change the use of these pieces.

We're including the Patagonia Down Sweater and Patagonia Nano Air in this table for comparing warmth ratings.

Product Name	Insulated Warmth Rating (1 -100)
Patagonia Down Sweater Hooded	43
Patagonia Micro Puff Hooded	31
Patagonia Nano Air Hooded	28
Patagonia Nano Puff Hooded	27

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff Fabric

Weather & Abrasion Resistance

The Patagonia Nano Puff has a 1.4-oz 20-denier 100% recycled polyester ripstop shell.

The Patagonia Micro Puff has a Pertex® Quantum 0.8-oz 10-denier NetPlus® 100% postconsumer recycled nylon ripstop shell made from recycled fishing nets.

Net Plus is very cool. Here is a really interesting page from Patagonia talking about how fishing nets become clothing: https://www.patagonia.com/netplus/

While there is no doubt that the Pertex® Quantum shell on the Patagonia Micro Puff is gorgeous, the Nano Puff has an edge in terms of abrasion resistance (e.g. durability) because of its 20-denier polyester ripstop face fabric. The jackets are the same in terms of water and wind resistance. Neither is waterproof; both have a PFC-free DWR (durable water repellent) finish to help shed light amounts of moisture. Both the Nano Puff and Micro Puff are considered windproof.

You can feel the difference in the face fabrics just by touching the surfaces of both jackets. The Nano Puff is noticeably burlier.

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

Pockets

Closeup image of the Patagonia Nano Puff jacket handwarmer pocket zipped closed.

The Nano Puff handwarmer pocket has a traditional zipper construction.

Closeup image of the Patagonia Micro Puff jacket handwarmer pocket zipped closed.

The Patagonia Micro Puff features hidden zippers on the handwarmer pockets.

External Pockets

Both jackets have external handwarmer pockets. As you can see in the pictures above, the Patagonia Nano Puff has a traditional zipper while the Micro Puff uses hidden zips. The hidden zippers give the Micro Puff a clean look, but we find the zippers on the Nano Puff easier to use, especially with gloves on. The pockets have identical dimensions in both jackets: 10.6 in (or 27 cm) x 6.7 in (or 17 cm).

Internal Pockets

image of the check pocket on a Patagonia Nano Puff jacket

The Nano Puff has an internal chest pocket.

Image of the internal dump pocket on a Patagonia Micro Puff

The Patagonia Micro Puff has two internal drop-in pockets.

The Micro Puff offers two internal dump pockets (referred to as "drop-in pockets by Patagonia) that measure 11 in (28 cm) x 6.3 in (16 cm). The Nano Puff offers an internal zippered chest pocket that measures 10 in (25 cm) x 7 in (18 cm).

The benefit of the dump pockets is you get more storage. We love the dump pockets on the Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (read review) and Proton Heavyweight (read review). That said, we find that we use a zippered chest pocket more frequently, primarily to carry wallets and phones.

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

Packability

The Nano Puff on the left is ever so slightly bulkier when packed, but we find it negligible. The zipper on the micro can be frustrating.

The Nano Puff stuffs into its interior chest pocket. The Micro Puff stuff into its left hand warmer pocket. The Micro is slightly harder to stuff due to the hidden zip construction of the handwarmer. We find the zipper often snags when using as a stuff sack.

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

Hardware

The Patagonia Nano Puff has rubberized zipper pulls on all external zips, while the Micro Puff uses just shock cord.

The Patagonia Nano Puff features slightly larger (and thus easier to use) hardware. The Nano Puff uses YKK #5 main zipper and has rubberized pulls on all exterior pockets. We're not sure why they chose not to use anything on the internal chest pocket, but that's a miss. The Patagonia Micro Puff uses a YKK 4.5 main zipper, with narrow gauge shock cord on all zipper pulls.

The other hardware difference is the waist adjustment barrel. The barrel and elastic cord are slightly larger on the Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff. There is hardly a functional difference, but you may find yourself searching for the adjuster on the Micro Puff with gloves on. Just like the hidden zippers though, the Micro Puff hardware looks cleaner.

Image showing the different waist adjustment barrels on the Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

The Patagonia Nano Puff (left) uses a slightly larger barrel and elastic cord for the waist adjustment. The Micro Puff has a cleaner execution with the thinner cord and adjuster.

Links:

Temperature ratings of Patagonia jackets

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)	Discontinued?
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

Assumptions: Worn over a thin shirt, no output, no precipitation, light to no wind. Values are always for size M and for men's, except for women's-only items.

Primary use of this spectrum is for comparison, rather than figuring out absolute temp ratings.

Make sure to check this out:

https://patagonia.com/shop/web-specials