Patagonia Alpine Guide Jacket Review

Likes
The best part of the Alpine Guide Jacket is the material. Polartec Power Shield is an incredibly comfortable softshell material that balances stretch with breathabilty and weather resistance in an Olympic caliber fashion. This is one of the best softshell materials we've tested and we love it both on this jacket and on the company's newly revised Alpine Guide pant, and on products from other companies.

Dislikes
Unfortunately, this jacket misses numerous key features that are, in our opinion, essential for climbing. There is no hood option, both hand warmer pockets get covered by a backpack's hipbelt and harness (don't be fooled by the copy on Patagonia's website), and the single chest pocket is one of the smallest found on any softshell we've tested. Furthermore, the jacket is cut to end just below the waist. More successful climbing shells are longer, stay tucked into a harness better, and are warmer. Though the material is great, updating this jacket with more technical features and a longer cut would greatly benefit climbers.

Value
We recommend going with a cheaper shell like the Patagonia Adze if you're on a budget and don't need techy climbng features. Consider the Patagonia Simple Guide if you want better climbing performance and value. Ssee our Softshell Jacket Review for a breakdown of all the jackets tested.