Even though hurricanes are ravaging the southern part of the country and forest fires are heating up the west, it’s hard to escape the fact that summer is coming to an end and the dreaded dark days of winter are near. What’s the first indicator of that? Not the shortening days and lengthening nights. Not the slow, but steady drop in temperature in the more temperate climes. No. The first indicator is that iconic sportswear company Patagonia has released its new Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody. And when a jacket with this crazy warmth-to-weight ratio appears on the market, the first cold snap isn’t far behind.
The Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody weighs in at a strikingly minimal 9.3 ounces (that’s just a little over a half a pound), but doesn’t skimp on warmth. Packed into that seemingly impossibly low weight is Patagonia’s PlumaFill insulation (100% polyester), which is a lightweight synthetic insulation that affords the same warmth as down, but will go one further and continue trapping body heat even when wet (perfect for the PNW). The exterior shell is made of nylon ripstop Pertex Quantum GL with a waterproof repellent to block light rain, wind, and snow.
Quilted construction of the Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody not only adds stylish and appealing texture to the jacket, but also serves stabilize and maximize the loft and therefore the warmth retention of the innovative Plumafill insulation. The offset pattern of the quilting also prevents the fill from bunching up or sinking to the bottom of the coat, keeping the insulation properties spread equally throughout the coat. The cuffs and hem are elasticized, so no pesky pulling of drawstrings are required to keep warmth in.
The best part though? The two hand-warmer pockets with welted zippers, the left of which doubles as a stuff sack to pack the entire jacket into. If you day in the snow gets a little too warm, simply pack the jacket into its own pocket and use the attached carabiner to clip onto your day-pack and you’re ready to continue outdooring in comfort without any excess weight holding you back.
The Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody jacket is on sale now for $299 at Patagonia and comes in four colors: black, forge gray, paintbrush red, and viking blue.
