Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody Review

The Patagonia Micro Puff sets the standard for high warmth-to-weight ratios with this warm 8.15-ounce mid-layer. The shell and insulation are all created from 100% recycled materials; polyester PlumaFill insulation for the stuffing and NetPlus Pertex Quantum made from recycled fishing nets for the outer shell fabric. Patagonia created an ultralight piece that compresses well, fitting into its left handwarmer pocket. Whether you're pushing hard in the mountains or just trying to squeeze more into your backpack, weight matters, and the Micro Puff provides a light, warm, and comfortable way forward.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Micro Puff packs plenty of heat with Patagonia's down-like PlumaFill insulation. While not quite as lofty as nature's top insulator, the PlumaFill retains the warm-when-wet feature of synthetic insulation. The drawcord at the hem and the elasticized cuffs help trap heat. The center-front zipper, which comes up high on the face, above the nose, helps to prevent wind from blasting into our faces.

Weight and Compressibility

The Micro Puff excels in terms of its weight. Patagonia arranged the PlumaFill in long strands that shift less than other synthetic insulators, requiring less stitching and materials to hold it in place and helping to prevent cold spots. With the medium weighing in at a mere 10.37 ounces, this jacket's light weight comes from the stripped-down feature set and great insulation technology.

This model compresses into a small package, stuffing into its left-handwarmer pocket. The jacket packs down, but the tight fit can be challenging to stuff and then zip. Struggling to close it meant our testers found less value in this feature.

Weather Resistance

Patagonia's DWR treatment worked impressively well on the ultralight Pertex Quantum shell fabric, with water beading and rolling off the jacket. Getting the insulation wet enough to investigate the lofty-when-wet claims involved submerging it in the sink and squeezing. The thin Pertex shell offers excellent protection against the wind, especially with a zipped-up hood.

Comfort

The face and liner fabric on the Micro Puff feels soft. The quilting construction involves minimal stitching and prevents scratchiness. The jacket felt true to size and the ample length of the sleeves helped them stay in place when we reached overhead. Zipped up, the hood moved well with our testers' heads, and the hand warmer pockets provided a great place to store our fingers during cold weather.

Breathability

During heavy activity like strenuous uphill hiking, our testers had to remove the jacket. The water-resistant, windproof Pertex shell keeps the weather out, but it also traps air in, giving the jacket a sauna-like feel once you start to work hard. While dropping the zipper helped a little, we tested better-performing jackets for wearing during intense outdoor workouts.

Should You Buy the Patagonia Micro Puff?

The Micro Puff fits a specific ultralight weight niche. If you're looking for a warm and featherweight jacket to layer under a shell when you're not working up a sweat, then this jacket performs well. But as an all-around piece, we liked a few other jackets better. However, if you're hard on your gear, take note that with this jackets light weight comes a fragile outer, and it will rip easily if it abrades on rock or brushes against sharp twigs in the woods. Patagonia did great work with the PlumaFill insulation, though, and if you're looking for a piece to stay warm without adding much weight, then this piece does wonders.

What Other Insulated Jackets Should You Consider?

The Patagonia Micro Puff performed well across the board. It provides plenty of warmth for such an impressively lightweight jacket. If you want something even warmer, try the Mountain Hardwear Compressor Hoody, or if you're seeking a more breathable jacket, check out the Arc'teryx Atom LT Hoody. The Rab Xenon 2.0 mirrors many of the functions of the Micro Puff at a fraction of the cost.