Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody Review

The Patagonia R1 Air Hoody works as an ideal fleece for high-exertion, cool weather activity. It excels in its ability to wick away sweat and moisture, and the unique fabric pattern allows for air to easily move through the garment.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The R1 Air Hoody offers a perfect level of warmth for colder sandstone bouldering, active scrambling, and hiking. Though this jacket is one of the lighter models in the category, it has the warmth of a mid-layer piece and is ideal for moving in colder temps. The flip side is that the chill set in quickly when we stopped moving, necessitating a second layer over the top.

The hood adds another dimension of warmth keeping in heat at the head, including frost-bitten prone spots like the tips of the ears. Relative to most other models, the hood has a very snug fit. In our experience, this is a net benefit. Though it lacks adjustability, it stays put while on the go. Our testers appreciated that when they rotated their heads, the hood moved along with them rather than just turning their faces into the fleece. The hood also provides decent neck protection. If you really need to wait out a gust, the neck is long enough that you can pull it up over your face to cut the wind and protect it from blowing debris. Though the waist lacks a draw cord, the jacket's slim fit also keeps body heat trapped inside.

Comfort

Due to the zig-zag pattern, the 100% recycled polyester fleece of the R1 Air Hoody feels different against the skin than other products. Initially, our testers were skeptical as the fleece has a less stretchy feel than other contenders. However, the only resulting issue was the sleeves riding up slightly when we had to reach straight up over our heads. As for the fit, it is definitively slim.

The textured fleece has a thin polyester band on the underside of the cuffs, around the hood, and along the base of the jacket. These strips minimize fraying and rubbing in the areas that tend to come in direct contact with the skin. The seams on this fleece are also behind the top of the shoulder instead of directly on top, making the R1 Air more comfortable to wear with a backpack. Additionally, we enjoy the simple practicality of the two handwarmer pockets. The liner of these pockets is also sewn all the way around the interior of the jacket, making them viable internal pockets as well. The chest pocket is a great spot to stash small items like keys, a credit card, or an ID.

A couple of minor comfort issues that we noticed around the hood are that, because the hood fits so snugly when it's up, it's actually pretty challenging to put up and pull down if the jacket is fully zipped — so you have to get used to a specific order of operations (i.e., unzipping slightly before moving the hood). Second, this fleece doesn't have a zipper guard, so there is no fabric between the back of the cold metal and your lips. Brrr.

Breathability

The R1 Air Hoody offers superb breathability. The zig-zag patterning leaves gaps between each line of fleece to facilitate a ton of airflow through the garment, and the lightweight material also allows for additional breathability.

In fact, some of our testers thought the garment provided too much breathability. Sharp gusts of wind cut through to the skin, and moisture from perspiration can also escape via soaking through. We once wore the R1 Air as a mid-layer under a shell, and our sweat made it through to the shell's interior. In general, this piece works best during cool, dry weather while on the move.

Layering Ability

The R1 Air Hoody offers great layerability. The athletic fit and streamlined design ensure that it fits comfortably underneath any shell or winter jacket. In fact, other than the friction factor of trying to layer two fleece jackets on top of each other, it fits underneath many of the other models in this review. The thin zippers, single chest pocket, and streamlined hood mean there's no extraneous material to get stuck under a puffy or rain shell. The form-fitting hood moves well under other layers as well. One minor drawback of this fleece is that it doesn't have thumb holes or straps in the wrists, which would otherwise enable the sleeves to stay in place while putting another layer on over it.

On the flip side, despite the slim fit through the body, the sleeves are still loose enough that the garment slides on over a base layer, albeit with a little fleecy friction.

Weight

We really enjoy the light weight of the R1 Air Hoody. Barely tipping the scales at 12.8 ounces, it is the lightest jacket in this review. And though it is not the warmest in absolute terms, one of the things we love about it is how warm it is relative to its packability.

In addition to the hollow-fiber zig-zag fleece, which seems to use both lighter and less material than a traditional fabric pattern, this model is even more streamlined by just a single chest pocket and few other frills. Though it lacks adjustability, it does have a simple build that keeps it light.

Should You Buy the Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody?

The R1 Air Hoody is a phenomenal all-around mid layer. It belongs in any climbing pack or in the car ready for a hike, and it looks good for a day out with friends. We feel confident that this jacket will last through the regular wear and tear of both mountain and city adventures. For someone looking for a lightweight, breathable fleece that performs well during heavy exertion in cooler weather, this one delivers.

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