![]() ![]() The face fabric, a nylon ripstop with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish, works in snow and even light precipitation. If you spend winter moving fast and getting sweaty while ski-touring, climbing, or snowshoeing you’ll reach for this jacket day after day. Price, Specs, MaterialsĪt $249, the Nano-Air Light Hoody is fairly priced in the scheme of tech jackets made for the outdoors. But a thick ply of wool is often highly breathable, warm, and at second-hand shops can be found for cheap. You don’t get the tech design or look (or weather-blocking qualities). Patagonia itself has Polartec Alpha jackets, too, including the made-in-the-USA Level 3A.Ī final note: Old-school, used wool sweaters can work in a similar fashion to these pricey pieces see our breakdown on the subject of sweaters here. Outdoor Research, Marmot, Rab, and other brands use Alpha in breathable, insulated jackets that perform similarly to the Patagonia line.Ĭomfort and breathability are hallmarks of the Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hoody Look at jackets with Polartec Alpha insulation, for one. Not The Only PlayerĪs noted, Patagonia is hardly the only brand in this niche. It will work in these situations as a mid-layer though, under a shell jacket. However, in all but the coldest temps this getup is too warm for all-out aerobic pursuits like skate-skiing and running on snow for those activities, there are better options that are also cut and articulated for the sports.įurther, this is a bad choice for downhill skiing and snowboarding, as well as most winter biking, where constant wind from movement and the pull of gravity make the hoody and pants too cold. The Patagonia pieces require a shell jacket in bad weather, as discussed more below.Ī sweater-like piece, the hoody top was made for skinning in the backcountry, ice climbing (but not on dripping falls), and for general high-output sports on sub-freezing days. This jacket is not a replacement for your (much less breathable) down puffy coat. If you’re standing around, look elsewhere. I’d sleep in them, too, as the materials are all soft, quiet, and would add nice warmth in a sleeping bag. Put the Nano pants and top on and leave them there these are all-day pieces. Though light weight - the hoody is about 11 ounces, the pants, 9.7 ounces (in a men’s size large) - the insulated pieces don’t pack up super small like wind-shell styles. There’s a zipper fly but little else, including only minimal articulation, no pockets, and light elasticized ankle cuffs that cause almost zero inference with a boot. On the pants, a simple drawstring is used for a belt. Nano-Air Light Pants Patagonia Nano-Air Light Pants But the half-length zipper is nice once you’re moving - with no hand pockets and no zipper to the waist backpacks and climbing harnesses are not encumbered. It fits under or over a helmet, depending on the hard-hat size. When gloveless on above-freezing days, I often wished there was a place to put my hands. There’s only one pocket, a zip-up on the chest. The feel of the fabric, which has a little stretch, is reminiscent more of a sweatshirt than a technical outerwear piece. The jacket is comfortable from its soft wrist cuffs to its ensconcing hood. If I was moving hard, the hoody worked with a single base layer underneath in temps down to about 15 degrees. In my use, the new Nano-Air Light was undeniably more breathable than similar mid-weight jackets I own. The result, Patagonia cites, is a jacket that is 75% more breathable and 33% less insulating than the first Nano-Air Hoody. The 2016 model adds the word “Light” to its name and cuts back the dose of polyester insulation inside. (GearJunkie gave it a ‘Top Gear’ Of The Year nod two years ago.) Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hoody The hoody is less warm than its predecessor, the lauded Nano-Air Hoody. Overall, the Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hoody ($249) and its accompanying Nano-Air Light Pants ($149) work well for winter days where you’re on the move. I tested it out through a range of temps for this review. It is marketed to the “highest-exertion mountain athletes.” But I found even normal winter-lovers like myself benefit by suiting up in the air-permeable top. ![]() The company touts the Nano-Air Light as having a “breathable warmth” quality, meaning it can keep you warm when stationary but will mitigate sweat and body heat if you’re going aerobic on the snow. Super breathable, warm and quick drying, the Patagonia Nano-Air is one of the best all-around insulating jackets we have reviewed. ![]()
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