Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody Review
Our Verdict
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This Product
Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody | |||||
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Awards | |||||
Price | $139.50 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $174.50 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $250 List | $190 List | $40 List $38.00 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | Stylish and durable, this classic offers a solid option for an insulated jacket, though it's far from the highest-performing option | Well-fitting and comfortable, this jacket's ability to stave off weather makes it ideal for outdoor activities | This synthetic jacket features all the bells and whistles needed for backcountry adventures | An ideal outer layer for throwing on when outside during windy and cold days | Our favorite model offers a great blend of function, comfort, and price |
Rating Categories | Patagonia Nano Puff... | Patagonia DAS Light... | Mountain Hardwear C... | Rab Xenon 2.0 | Amazon Essentials L... |
Warmth (25%) | |||||
Weight and Compressibility (20%) | |||||
Comfort (20%) | |||||
Weather Resistance (20%) | |||||
Breathability (15%) | |||||
Specs | Patagonia Nano Puff... | Patagonia DAS Light... | Mountain Hardwear C... | Rab Xenon 2.0 | Amazon Essentials L... |
Measured Weight | 12.95 oz | 12.31 oz | 16.47 oz | 12.56 oz | 11.0 oz |
Insulation | PrimaLoft Gold Eco | 100% recycled polyester PlumaFill | 85% recycled polyester | PrimaLoft Silver | 100% polyester |
Outer Fabric | 100% recycled polyester ripstop | Pertex Quantum Pro | 15D coated nylon ripstop | Pertex Quantum | Nylon |
Stuffs Into Itself | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Hood Option | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Number of Pockets | 2 zippered hand, 1 internal zippered chest | 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest | 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest, 1 internal zip, 1 internal drop-in | 2 zippered hand, 1 internal zip | 2 zippered hand |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The generalist design of the Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody makes it an excellent choice for lightweight travel, backpacking, clipping onto a harness while rock climbing, or just general wear around town. Patagonia made this jacket with 60g of PrimaLoft Gold Eco recycled polyester insulation, focusing on reducing emissions during production. There are two zippered handwarmer pockets for warming fingers during cold weather, and the internal chest pocket acts as a stuff sack. Though this jacket lacks any standout features, it's a great workhorse piece and a classic in the world of synthetic insulation.
The slightly lighter, hoodless Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket comes at a lower price. Without the hood, it's easier to layer under other hooded jackets (like a ski jacket) and has a sleeker style for around-town wear. Although people love both models, the hoodless version is one of the best-selling insulated jackets on the market.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
Quilted rectangles hold the 60 g/m2 Primaloft Gold Eco insulation, which creates a lot of stitching that air can pass through. This adds to the jacket's breathability; however, it's less ideal for howling winds. Still, the Nano Puff felt cozy and warm considering its weight. Its insulation compresses better than some other types of insulation and will maintain its warmth when damp. An elastic cinch at the hem seals in some warmth, though the looser elasticized wrist cuffs let heat escape. The hood fits tightly around the head, helping fight against the wind.
Weight & Compressibility
At 12.95 ounces for a size medium, this jacket sits right in line with many of the lightweight midlayers we tested. The Nano Puff Hoody offers excellent compressibility, stuffing into its interior chest pocket in a small package. We were able to pack it into its pocket and test its clip-in loop while climbing through Yosemite chimneys and getting high up on the Red Garden Wall in Eldorado Canyon. Even if you choose not to stuff it into its stow pocket, it condenses small enough to cram into your daypack without taking up much space.
Comfort
This jacket's minimalist, lightweight, and functional features make it fairly comfortable. The slippery fabric layered well but felt sticky when our testers started to hike heavily and sweat. The short hem length tends to ride up when raising your arms. Patagonia uses a snug-fitting, non-adjustable hood design that fits well under a climbing helmet.
Comfortable microfleece patches form a "zipper garage," which feels nice against the face with a fully zipped-up jacket. Two deep, zippered hand pockets lined with slippery nylon and an internal zippered pocket on the left chest provide ample storage. The jacket stuffs into the chest pocket, while the main zipper and the hand pockets have easy-to-grab zipper pulls. The simple and straightforward wrist cuffs include some elastic to make them snug. However, they still have too much space and wind can sneak through them. The hem cinch has one cord lock located on the right side, which can help keep the jacket down.
Weather Resistance
This jacket comes in at a fairly weather-resistant level. While the sewn-through outer shell helps fight some wind, the interior nylon liner blocks wind that penetrates the seams. Patagonia treated the Nano Puff's outer fabric with a DWR that repels water well, but the vast amount of stitching on the jacket provides places for water to sit and soak through. Jackets with continuous outer fabric perform better when rain and wind come. If the weather report calls for significant precipitation, bringing a hardshell rain jacket would be very beneficial.
Breathability
Unfortunately, the Nano Puff performs poorly during strenous activity. Both the outer shell fabric and interior liner fight weather, but they also block airflow. While hiking in the Flatirons of Colorado and climbing in the nearby boulders, our testers quickly overheated. However, the jacket provided warmth while stationary, making it a better choice as a lightweight belay jacket than one to climb in.
Should You Buy the Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody?
The classic Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody works best as a generalist piece. It compresses into a size that can easily be clipped onto a harness, stuffed into a bag, or carried along. If you like its sleek look, this is a great spring and fall jacket to throw on for chilly days around town, but we prefer more breathable options or more weather-resistant ones for high-energy use.
What Other Insulated Jackets Should You Consider?
The Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody has classic status, but other jackets in the review performed better. The Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody has a similar look and feel to the Nano Puff but is lighter and fits better. The Arc'teryx Atom LT Hoody is warmer and more comfortable. For a more weather-resistant jacket, check out the Patagonia DAS Light Hoody.