Patagonia Fitz Roy Hooded Review

The Patagonia Fitz Roy is ready for whatever cold and intense outing you might have planned. With plenty of warmth, a long torso, and a large fit that will let you layer it over anything, this down is ready to help you thrive in the cold. With two zippered hand warming pockets, zippered left and right chest pockets, and one internal drop pocket, this feature-heavy coat has places to keep all your cold-weather accessories and snacks. With a cinchable hood and waist, you can tailor this jacket to keep out the drafts, allowing your body heat to stay locked in.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

This down coat is warm! Without question, this is the warmest jacket we reviewed. Our testers wore it out to sub-freezing boulders, sat in early morning duck blinds in single-digit temps, and gave long and diligent belays while standing in the shade, all without so much as a shiver. If you plan on being in the cold for extended periods with a lot of stop and go action, this down provides the warmth you'll want.

Occasionally there really can be too much of a good thing. While this down is impressive when the temps start to dip down below freezing, the heat generated may be too much for around town use or for mild days in the mountains. If you're in for long bouts of aerobic activity, you might find yourself overheating pretty quickly.

Weight

The Fitz Roy received its lowest marks in the weight category, but the low score comes with a few caveats. Clocking in at 22.3 ounces, this down was substantially heavier than the other options we tested. That being said, it was the absolute warmest jacket we tested, and by a long shot. Designed as a “belay” parka, meaning it's meant to be thrown on over all your other layers when you stop moving, the coat is stuffed with a ton of high loft down.

Many of the lighter down jackets we looked at are meant to be worn during activity or combined with other layers to achieve the desired level of warmth. The Fitz Roy is certainly heavier than these ultralight options but with that extra weight comes a ton of extra warmth. It comes down to what you plan on using it for and if the weight to warmth ratio makes sense for you.

Water Resistannce

The Fitz Roy's outer shell is 100% nylon Pertex Quantum fabric, with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish. The outer shell repelled water during our spray test for a few minutes before soaking through to the down. The down used in this coat is not treated to be hydrophobic, so once your outer shell soaks through, your puff is going to much less puffy and massively less insulating. You'll stay warm in a light mist or a short downpour, but it performs the best in cold, dry weather.

Fit

Being a belay parka, this coat fits large. If you don't plan on layering over climbing or ski gear, you may want to size down. The torso extends relatively far down past your bum, which is great if you're throwing it on over your harness or ski gear but isn't as sleek or form-fitting as some of the other options. If you're looking for a puffy that can double as office or commuter attire, this might not be the look. By the same token, the fit feels quite bulky for actually performing serious athletics feets in. Its large fit feels awkward for climbing in but doesn't feel too constrictive for skiing or hiking. Again, the fit reflects what it was designed for — to keep you warm when the temps are cold and you're standing still.

Our testers enjoyed the fit and how easy it was to layer underneath it. The elastic wrist cuffs make it easy to slide over other layers and keep your arms from feeling restricted while on the move. Despite looking so bulky, our testers managed to layer over it quite well. The good compressibility of the coat means throwing a shell on top is not an issue.

Compressibility

The high quality 800 fill goose down that Patagonia uses in this jacket ensures that despite its size and great warmth, it is still a compressible jacket. With that in mind, compressibility is relative, and while our testers found this down to be compressible for what it is, it compresses nowhere near as small as some of the lighter duty options. When it's all said and done, this coat packs down to be about the size of a football. It's not exactly the kind of thing you'd want to clip to your harness, but you wouldn't think twice about stuffing it into a haul bag or ski pack.

Value

The high quality down that makes the Fitz Roy warm and compressible doesn't come cheap. There is no doubt this is an expensive jacket, but given its incredibly high performance throughout our review process, we found this coat to be a worthy investment; this is the kind of coat that, if taken care of, will be keeping you warm for years to come. Additionally, Patagonia has a great warranty and repair program to ensure you get your money's worth from this purchase. If you need serious warmth to keep you safe and comfortable in the mountains, you won't regret spending the extra dough on this piece.

Conclusion

The Patagonia Fitz Roy is a heavy-duty belay coat that will keep you warm in the bitter winter cold. Whether you're ice climbing, skiing, or just trying to stay warm in freezing temperatures, this down brings the heat. The Fitz Roy is best utilized when staying warm during pauses in activity, when your body temperature can rapidly drop while standing still. Its large fit means it's a simple, tangle-free process for layering, and ensures you get maximum coverage — even down below your bum. Offering a great weight to warmth ratio, despite the high cost, this down is a good value and offers excellent performance in sub-freezing temperatures.