Patagonia Houdini vs Arc'teryx Squamish: Here's how to decide

Arc'teryx revised the Squamish in 2019 dramatically. Disregard any reviews and comments put forward before then.

With the 2019 revision, wind and water resistances of the Arc'teryx Squamish are improved, and it now looks better overall.

Its breathability, on the other hand, now sucks with the 2019 revision. Just like that of Houdini. They're less than 10 CFM (a measure of breathability that confirms they indeed suck).

That's a bold claim, but in case it has to be said, there it is. Don't believe anyone who claims otherwise.

That's because Arc'teryx and Patagonia simply chose not to design these products for high-output activities anymore (although Squamish was a breathable option between 2014-2018). It's mind blowing how the Patagonia Houdini and Arc'teryx Squamish are marketed to runners in some places ...

Instead of high-output activities, these hoodies are actually meant to work as simple pop-up shells against sudden summer and spring storms.

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:

I'd recommend the Houdini over the Squamish for many cases as it's lighter, more durable, more weather resistant and more packable than the Squamish.

This is why they're feather light, packed tiny (so that they can easily fit inside even the smallest pockets of some of your pants), and don't even come with hand pockets.

If this is your intended use for these shells, then they will fit the bill without a hitch, so keep reading.
If, on the other hand, you're actually looking for a shell for any high-output activity other than ice/rock climbing and bouldering, then I'd recommend you check out my post about the Arc'teryx's Incendo for summer running and cycling or the one about Patagonia's Houdini Air for all the other aerobic uses during the summer.

They're both significantly more breathable than the Houdini and Squamish.

Weather resistance

Both Houdini and Squamish are marketed as wind jackets in their product pages:

Patagonia Houdini: https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-houdini-windbreaker-jacket
Arc'teryx Squamish: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/squamish-hoody

Compared to the Houdini, the Squamish performs noticeably worse in this department - not only for the wind but also for the water resistance capabilities.

Because the DWR coating of the Squamish wears off quicker than that of Houdini.

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 at arcteryx.com 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.

The more robust face fabric of the Houdini also makes it more durable than the Squamish.

Stuff Sack Sizes

Squamish is packed considerably larger than the Houdini.

If you're planning to use these shells for what they're designed for, then the superior portability of the Houdini is an extra advantage. You can even try stowing it in your front pants pockets if needed.

Best uses and conclusion

Like I said, instead of high-output activities, these jackets are meant to work as simple pop-up shells against sudden summer and spring storms.

So if you'll be using them for this purpose, then I'd recommend the Patagonia Houdini over the Arc'teryx Squamish any day ... with one exception.

The chest pocket (which is accessible when wearing a harness) of the Squamish comes in very useful during activities in which your hands are involved - think rock/ice climbing and bouldering. So I'd recommend the Squamish if an external pocket is important to you.

If you tend to overheat, though, breathability will fall short with either wind shell. Instead, opt for something that provides more breathability without sacrificing weather protection.