So this has been long time coming as you know guys... 🙃
Recently we've been reviewing synthetic insulated jackets of the best two brands in today's market a lot: Arcteryx and Patagonia.
Speaking of which, there AREN'T any other brands in this review.
Now there's one more thing I'd like to clarify before we get to it.
I get this question asked a lot:
So how warm is [insert jacket name here]?
And my response is always the same: "3 warm".
"AnD tHaT's nOt EveN mY FiNaL tRoLL FoRm..."
But back to being serious, why do I respond like a giant a-hole?
Yeah, it's because I really AM a giant a-hole - but it's also because it's IMPOSSIBLE to tell you "how warm" ANY JACKET is.
But really, I mean what's the response you expect... Like "it's 45 F deg warm" or something?
You don't know how much pain in the B*TT it is to try and rate these jackets because of the vague and subjective nature of all these metrics such as warmth, style, etc.
So, the only reasonable way to comprehend them is to compare them to one another.
That's why the "Read Review" links at the bottom of each jacket image will take you to a comparison review - instead of the standalone review of that jacket.
I hope it's clear now.
If you're unaware of our most recent posts, I've been doing intense researches as well as back and forth talks & chats with both Patagonia and Arcteryx Customer Services to come up with this following chart.
So... take good care of it (whatever that means).
This isn't my (or "our") subjective ideas about these jackets, and rather, they're objective results applicable to all the users.
Guess you're on phone? Turn your phone sideways for a much better table display!
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
MSRP | 299 USD | 299 USD | 259 USD | 299 USD | 249 USD | 299 USD |
Overall Score | ||||||
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody | Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody | Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody | Patagonia Micro Puff 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 | Most durable, most water resistant and warmest but not suitable for high output activities at all | Best for travel as it packs into its own super tiny pocket | Best ultralight (below 10 oz!) |
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody | Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody | Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody | Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody | |
Warmth Comfort Weather & Abrasion Resistance Breathability Style | ||||||
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody | Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody | Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody | Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody | |
Weight | 375 g (13.2 oz) | 346 g (12.2 oz) | 415 g (14.6 oz) | 470 g (16.6 oz) | 363 g (12.8 oz) | 264 g (9.3 oz) |
Insulation Materials | 65g Coreloft Continuous | 60g FullRange insulation | 60 g/m2 Coreloft | Coreloft: 120 g/m2 body, 80 g/m2 underarms, 60 g/m2 hood | 60 g PrimaLoft Gold | 65 g PlumaFill |
Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody | Patagonia Nano Air Hoody | Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody | Arcteryx Atom AR Hoody | Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody | Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody | |
Face Fabric | 92% Nylon, 8% Elastane | Nylon ripstop (33D) | 20D Nylon Tyono/ Polartec Power Stretch | 30D Tyono | 22D polyester | Nylon ripstop Pertex Quantum |
Cell | #Note: All face fabrics are DWR (durable water repellent) applied. | |||||
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 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.
Which is why you might want to invest in a DWR spray such as this one which is the one recommended by Arc'teryx or this one recommended by Patagonia.
These are all mid-layers, guys.
They can still work just fine by themselves (especially because they're synthetic insulated and NOW down insulated), but if you'll be experiencing any extreme weather, it might be a good idea (or, in some conditions, even necessary) to consider getting a shell on top as well.
In that case, you can check out one of my shell reviews if you want to learn about the most popular Arcteryx Hard/Soft Shells.
Best Down Jackets of 2019-2020
If you're planning to wear your jacket casually out in the town only, so you don't need/want a sport look and instead would rather a parka, then this post of mine can also be helpful for you.
I hope this review was helpful for you to understand which one of these synthetic insulated jackets is for your own needs.
Feel free to ask me any questions, provide feedback and I'll be happy to respond in the comment section below if it's within my knowledge.
Thanks a lot for reading. Happy trails & travels.
References & Further Reading
- https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/atom-lt-hoody
- https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/proton-lt-hoody
- https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/atom-ar-hoody
- https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-micro-puff-hoody/84030.html
- https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-nano-puff-hoody/84222.html
- https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-nano-air-hoody/84366.html
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-alpha-vs-beta/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/atom-ar-vs-atom-lt/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/nano-puff-vs-micro-puff/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/nano-air-vs-nano-puff/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/proton-lt-vs-atom-lt/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/nano-air-vs-atom-lt/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/nano-air-2019-update/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/thorsen-therme-camosun/
Leave a Reply