patagonia

As some of you know, Nano Air received an update in Fall 2019. 

On Patagonia's site, this is the new hoody.

I couldn't find any information about this online, so decided to contact the customer service myself.

Here's the summary of what I found:

• Hemcord got replaced with a non-adjustable elastic. You could use the drawcord to adjust a more a snug fit to the hips when required - which now you can't do.
• Durability and abrasion resistances seem to have improved.
• It used to have 2 chest (not hand) pockets, now it has only 1.
• Surface material is now smoother and feels somehow more pleasant in your hands.
• The design changed: Horizontal lines through the front bottom are removed. It also looks more homogeneous now. We think it looks much better now and hence increased the style rating of the Nano Air as you can see in this post.

Here's what the representative told me first:

• Fabric is now 87% recycled.
• 3-D texture which improves the next to skin feel and piling resistance.
• FullRange Insulation is now 40% recycled.
• Fabric is now Bluesign certified and Fair Trade certified.
• Overall it is 10% lighter and more pack-able.

And how would one experience these technical differences when using? In terms of, for example; durability, warmth, weather resistance, breathability, comfort etc?

Here's what the rep told me about this:

"I think you'll definitely notice that this model is more durable - one of the things we get asked about all the time is the piling of our items. Piling comes with trying new recycled fabrics, so the fact this is 87% recycled and we're seeing reduced piling is really cool. The Nano Air Hoody also has 60 grams of insulation to keep you warm. It's very breathable, which makes it nice so you don't have to keep putting it on and off on days where the temperature is always changing or you're occasionally physically active.

I used to work at a grocery store, which was very labor intensive. One of my coworkers would wear his Nano Air Hoody everyday. He loved how warm it kept him in the morning but also cool enough to wear it all day even when he was doing heavy labor jobs (breathability). I'd ask him about it all the time because I'd be changing layers throughout the day, and was jealous that he never needed to do that. He had the light blue and even with the job he was doing, I didn't see any damage, or stains on the jacket. I believe that he had the 2017 season jacket but seeing it first hand how much even an older Nano Air could handle, I can only imagine how durable the 2019 season can be."

Obviously there's also at least a little bit of a marketing here - but I agree with everything she says except the durability part. Yes, durability did improve, but Nano Air is still a fragile, highly technical piece that wouldn't be able to handle a lot of damage.

If you'd like to look at something a little less breathable but with significantly more abrasion resistance and durability, I'd recommend checking out the Proton LT.

Back to my convo with the rep...

She then told me that the hemcord got replaced with a non-adjustable elastic (after I asked her so... lol), and also the number of chest pockets got decreased from 2 to 1 of them (you can see this conversation in the screenshot below).

In the end...

These are the changes (same list in the introduction):

• Hemcord got replaced with a non-adjustable elastic. You could use the drawcord to adjust a more a snug fit to the hips when required - which now you can't do.
• Durability and abrasion resistances seem to have improved.
• It used to have 2 chest (not hand) pockets, now it has only 1.
• Surface material is now smoother and feels somehow more pleasant in your hands.
• The design changed: Horizontal lines through the front bottom are removed. It also looks more homogeneous now. We think it looks much better now and hence increased the style rating of the Nano Air as you can see in this post.

DWR stays the same.

That's it. Hope this is helpful for you, guys. 

Thanks a lot for reading. Happy trails & travels.

Screenshot proof

Click on image to enlarge:

You won't find anything in this screenshot that I didn't cover above though...

Jump to the bottom for full list of my Patagonia reviews. 

Nano Puff and Micro Puff are more alike than they're different. They offer similar breathability and warmth. 

They do have some differences worth mentioning, though. 

Nano Puff is more durable and weather resistant (also looks better - at least to me), whereas the Micro Puff packs much smaller without compromising its insulation capability. 

In summary, unless you're specifically looking for something with exceptionally high warmth to weight ratio, then the Nano Puff is probably a better option for you. 

• Nano Puff is more durable, versatile and looks better (at least to me)
• Micro Puff is a bit warmer (nothing noticeable though) and 3.5 oz lighter

I've also put this post together for the comparison between all the popular Arcteryx and Patagonia mid-layers, including the two in this post.

So if you're interested to see how well these two jackets scored in the warmth, comfort, weather & abrasion resistance, breathability and style departments; check that out as well.

If you want to read more about their comparison to Down Sweater, check out my posts below:

• Micro Puff vs Down Sweater
• Nano Puff vs Down Sweater

I talked to the Patagonia Customer Service myself (screenshots below), made hours of research and laid out what I found about the differences between Patagonia Nano Puff and Micro Puff Jackets.

So, as you see, their five KEY differences that we'll dive deep into are:

• Warmth
• Weight
• Durability
• Versatility
• Design

Before we get down to the bolts and nuts of all these elements one by one, one thing I'd like to add is that if you're planning to be physically active inside either of these jackets, then forget about getting either of them since they both offer very low breathability and hence will be sweaty... So check this post out instead in that case. 

Warmth

Don't worry, I'm not going to make this post a scientific article, but let me mention one thing. 

Generally speaking, in order to score the warmth ratings of insulated products, Fill Power (FP) term is being used in today's market.

It's the measured loft of down. In other words, it's the end size of the down when it's at rest, e.g. "fully expanded volume".

The higher the FP rating of an insulator, the warmer it is (assuming everything else is equal).

That said...

These jackets are insulated via synthetic materials instead of down.

So instead of FP, they use language such as "PlumaFill" or "PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco".

I did some research to figure their equivalent down qualities, and found this:

Warmth of PlumaFill is equivalent to around 650 fill. PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco, on the other hand, is equivalent to .62 dry CLO value and roughly corresponds to 500 fill. 

So...

PlumaFill insulation of Micro Puff does not only offer better insulation compared to Nano Puff's PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco - but its quantity is ALSO more than Nano Puff (65 grams vs 60 grams).

That said, fill power isn't the end-all be-all, although it's the most important. Things like fabric thickness also affect warmth and actually help the Nano close the gap with the Micro Puff in terms of warmth to some degree. 

Check out this article of mine for more about this.

This means that Micro Puff will offer more warmth, that's certain. But... how warmer it will feel when you're wearing it?

• What's the ULTIMATE result?

Well, according to this chart by Patagonia Micro Puff is just over Nano when it comes to warmth.

And the rep said:

So... my conclusion is...

Compressibility

This is mostly determined by the thicknesses of sheel and lining fabrics of jackets.

The thinner the fabrics, the more compressible the product will become.

In our case, Nano Puff vs Micro Puff, the difference is that Nano Puff uses 1.4-oz 20-denier for shell and 1.3-oz 22-denier for lining fabrics (both w/ DWR); whereas Micro Puff uses 0.7-oz 10-denier Quantum Perfex w/ DWR for both shell and lining.

The one that Micro Puff uses (Quantum Perfex) is the LIGHTEST that Patagonia uses! 

Yes, thinner fabrics are used for Micro Puff - but fabrics of Nano Puff are also quite thin. Also, Micro Puff is filled with a higher FP down and with MORE of it, which roughly balances out the sack sizes.

So...

Weight

On a sidenote - this difference in fabric thicknesses is also the cause of the weight difference between these jackets. 

As a result, Micro Puff sits at 235 g (8.3 oz) compared to Nano Puff's 337 g (11.9 oz). Which is nearly 100 grams (3.5 oz) of extra weight.

Noticeable? For casual purposes, no. For pro-purposes (trekking, climbing etc) can be.

Which means...

On the other hand, there IS a sacrifice made by using this thin fabrics. 

Which brings me to my next point... 

Durability

Micro Puff is made of thinner fabrics, so it's more fragile compared to Nano Puff. 

Again, these jackets aren't THAT different in any of these departments, so obviously Nano Puff isn't quite robust either. 

Versatility

If it still isn't obvious by now, Micro Puff is much more of a "Pro" product when you compare it to Nano Puff.

Its advantages such as being 0.5 lighter and being compressed slightly smaller into its own stuff sack would mostly considered essential when it comes to serious outdoor activities.

On the other hand, the advantages of Nano Puff, such as better durability and prettier design are more reasonable trade-offs for most casual outgoings around the neighborhood - especially when you consider the fact that you sacrifice very little (if not noticeable at all!) in weight, packed size and warmth.

Design

Is it just me?

Or does Micro Puff's shoulder reinforcements and wrinkled backside REALLY make it look like kind of... "obsolete" or "stale"?

To me, this is another reason why Nano Puff is a better choice for casual outwear over Micro Puff.

Besides casual outwear, you'd put less importance on the design of the jacket and more on its performance and functionality, so it'd be a better idea to go for Micro Puff in such cases.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a stylish & robust, casual outwear that provides above average warmth and high versatility, then Nano Puff is probably your jacket. If you're specifically looking for something with exceptionally high warmth to weight ratio, then go for Micro. 

Here's a good video of this comparison made by Ultra Light Gear:

Check out the review of Nano here:

And the review of Micro here:

Navigate to the product pages here:

Compared to my other articles on Patagonia jackets such as Nano Puff vs Micro Puff, Micro Puff vs Down Sweater or Nano Puff vs Down Sweater, this is a much easier comparison. 

That's because your choice pretty much comes down to your response to this question:

How you're planning to use the jacket?

Because the design intention of these jackets are completely different than one another.

If you're going to be physically active, absolutely get the Nano Air (more breathable). For a stationary use, get the Nano Puff (warmer).

Attention here guys: Air received an update this Fall 2019, check out this post of mine if you want to see what's new. The info under this post isn't applicable to the models prior to this update. On Patagonia's site, this is the new hoody.

The differences between these jackets can simply be listed as follows:

• Air is MUCH MORE breathable and a little more versatile & easier to layer
• Puff is more wind resistant and a little more water resistant, durable & warmer

Also, I've put this post together for the comparison between all the popular Arcteryx and Patagonia mid-layers, including the two in this post. So if you're interested to see how well these two jackets scored in the warmth, comfort, weather & abrasion resistance, breathability and style departments; check that out as well.

Another important take away of this post is that you can achieve and actually exceed the warmth provided by Puff if you layer your Air either with a moderate quality shell or a moderate quality baselayer. 

But you can't make the Puff as breathable as the Air.

Now, before we get to it, there's one thing I'd like to clear out in advance.

I know some (maybe most?) of you want to learn the differences between durability, warmth, versatility etc, and I WILL get to them in detail under this post, but keep in mind that the design intentions of these jackets are kind of like apples and oranges.

If you'll be active inside the jacket, get the Air. For a casual outwear, stationary use; absolutely get the Puff! 

So, as you see, the 5 main differences we'll dive deep now are:

1. Weather Resistance
2. Fit
3. Breathability
4. Versatility
5. Durability

Now let's begin with weather resistance.

FullRange vs PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco

FullRange insulator (which, by the way, Nano Air is equipped with 60 grams of) is intended to make the insulator both breathable AND fairly warm & water resistant. 

It's a lightweight synthetic insulation (40% recycled) with an innovative combination of stretch and breathability, allowing it to be functional across a "full range" of conditions - e.g during the activities that requires a lot of physical movement. It maintains 96% of warmth, even when wet.

PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco insulator (which, by the way, Nano Puff is equipped with 60 grams of) is intended to make the insulator highly weather resistant by sacrificing breathability a lot. 

It's equipped with more thermally efficient 100% polyester (55% postconsumer recycled) insulation that is hydrophobic, highly compressible and maintains 96% of warmth, even when wet.

Warmth

Although FullRange still isn't as warm or water resistant as PrimaLoft, it still makes a good job - especially when you take into account that Nano Air provides a slim fit and hence easier to layer (especially with a shell on top and a base layer beneath).

Layering won't impact the breathing capability of the jacket negatively either.

Still...

In order to give you a rough idea around the warmth difference between these jackets...

Combining the information in this chart with the differences between these insulators; for a stationary use...

...the lowest temperature that you can comfortably wear the Nano Puff and feel fairly warm would be around 28 deg F (around -2 deg C). This is lower than that of the Air's, which is nearly at 32 deg F (0 deg C).

That said, this is very difficult to pinpoint as it's EXTREMELY subjective as I told you, so take this advice with a grain of salt. Even the Patagonia Customer Service can't provide the answer to this...

But...

Again...

This is like comparing apples and oranges, guys! If you're even just LOOKING for the warmth differences between these jackets, it's highly likely that you're on a path that'll led you to a mistake.

Your motivation for deciding which jacket to go for should be decided by the design intention differences between these jackets (active vs stationary use) NOT their warmth differences!

Water Resistance

In our case, both jackets come with DWR coating on their surface.

What's DWR?

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 repellent spray such as this one, which is the product recommended by Patagonia staff themselves.

Wind Resistance

Another sacrifice made with high breathability is wind resistance. Now, this sacrifice isn't as little as warmth or water resistance.

If you go ahead and check out the supplier of FullRange insulator, which is a company called Toray, you'll see that wind cuts right through this FullRange insulator of Nano Air. Again, though, you can solve this with a windshirt.

So these aren't problems you can't solve - but you'd still need an extra gear to gain these extra weather-resistance advantages.

So extra points to Puff in this department.

Breathability

I repeated this many times in this post until now, but for the sake of consistency, let me say one more time:

Air is much more breathable than Puff - and you WILL notice the difference between the two when you're active inside them.

Just like its sister Micro Puff, Nano Puff really doesn't breath at all either, so if you're looking for a jacket that allows comfortable, dynamic use, DO NOT GET NANO PUFF.

Fit

Nano Air has a slim fit, whereas Puff has a regular fit.

Under this "fit" department, we really can't say if one is better than the other since it's comparing apples and oranges.

When moving, you'll function better and feel more comfortable inside a slimmer fit.

Versatility

Puff is a casual piece. I can't see how can you use it other than wearing it in your neighborhood.

Until now, I mentioned that Air is suitable for a wide variety of activities.

That's why, comparing these jackets alone (assuming no other layering is a viable option), I'd say Air is more versatile than Puff.

On top of that...

What's maybe even more important is that you can achieve and actually exceed the warmth provided by Nano Puff if you layer your Nano Air either with a shell or a baselayer. 

But you can't make the Nano Puff as breathable as the Nano Air.

Which, I think, is another factor that makes Air even more versatile.

Durability

In Patagonia's website, denier values for Air aren't revealed.

That's why I asked Customer Service about this, too.

John from Customer Service told me that the shell fabric of Puff is more durable:

So... Extra points to Puff. Its nylon shell not only provides more water resistance but also increases its durability.

Again... Comparing the durability alone will lead you to the wrong decision... It's... apples... and... oranges... guys...

*repeating myself to death*

Weight

I'd say they weigh the same... Air's 318 g (11.2 oz) of weight won't really feel any lighter than Puff's 337 g (11.9 oz).

Briefly, we can say both jackets are quite light.

Conclusion

So, in short, 90% of the difference between these jackets caused by using different insulators. 60 grams of Air's Full Range is going to be much more breathable, whereas 60 grams of Puff's Primaloft is going to be much more wind resistant and a little warmer & more water resistant. If you're going to be physically active, absolutely get the Nano Air. For a stationary use, absolutely get the Nano Puff.

A good video review of Puff is here:

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That of the Air:

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