Review: The Amazing Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody
There’s been a lot of anticipation for the new Patagonia Micro Puff and for good reason, it’s at the leading edge of the synthetic jacket game.
We had the opportunity to visit Indian Creek, Ouray and the Canadian Rockies and to put the new Micro Puff through to the test.
Unlike their much-loved Nano-Air, the Micro Puff aims to act more like a medium down jacket. It was perfect for late fall days in the desert and mid-winter warm spells in the mountains.
The jacket’s two hand-warmer pockets are spacious and mirror the two drop-in interior pockets to save weight. The pockets offer protection from wind and cold weather. Great for keeping the hands warm while your partner work their the project.
The hood is well designed and delivers amazing coverage on the sides and top of your face. Helmets fit snug on top and there’s no bunching of the fabric. A big bonus when the cold wind whips up unexpectedly.
The Micro Puff really is one of the lightest jackets on the market in this category. We weighed a men’s medium at 260 grams, which is much lighter than the Nano-Air at 380 grams.
For reference, the Arc’teryx Atom LT is 360 grams and the North Face ThermoBall is 390 grams. The Micro Puff is unrivaled when it comes to weight and warmth. Which was great when you’re carrying four racks of cams to the crag.
In terms of durability, all super light apparel compromises some of it to save weight. The Micro Puff uses a 10-denier Pertex Quantum for both inside and out and demands that you be careful around sharp rocks and tree branches.
We stumbled down rocky slopes, stepped on it by accident while racking up and dropped it into a running stream at the base of an ice climb. While none of those are recommended, that stuff happens and after a dust off and dry, it was back to new.
When it comes to fashionably, this jacket looks as good downtown as it does in the mountains. It has that nice look Patagonia always pulls off and a great fit.
It’s not a snug-fitting as some midlayers out there, but it’s not as bulky as the Down Sweater or Nano Puff. There’s no adjustable hem, but the stretchy waistband has plenty of give and good mobility.
Overall, we love how much lighter it is than other synthetic hoodies. It packs down small, it fits great for approaches, climbing or around town and doesn’t feel boxy. Highly recommended.
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