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Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody - Women's Review

A solid everyday jacket but without the comfort or design features that would make it worth the high price tag
patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review
Credit: Patagonia
Price:  $279 List
Manufacturer:   Patagonia
By Maggie Nichols ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Dec 1, 2022
58
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#10 of 12
  • Warmth - 25% 5.5
  • Comfort - 25% 5.0
  • Weather Resistance - 20% 7.0
  • Weight and Compressibility - 15% 6.0
  • Breathability - 15% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Patagonia Nano Puff packs solid warmth for a jacket this thin and is a longtime favorite for many. It has a well-fitted hood that is still protective even without a beanie, and it offers pretty good weather resistance and is versatile enough for everyday use. However, it's not that easy to pack into its own pocket, and it's a bit heavy for lightweight missions. And while it performed okay in our testing, it doesn't stand out in any way in this category of impressive jackets. For this mediocre performance, it's one of the more expensive options we tested. But if you've tried it on and love how it fits, perhaps it's worth the cost to you.
REASONS TO BUY
Warm for its thickness
Well-fitted hood needs no beanie
Good everyday versatility
REASONS TO AVOID
Challenging to pack into its own pocket
Expensive for just okay performance
Editor's Note: This article was updated on December 1, 2022, to include results and comparisons from our latest round of testing.

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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Pros Warm for its thickness, well-fitted hood needs no beanie, good everyday versatilityWarm without being bulky, great coverage all around, protective and comfortable cuffs, microfleece-lined pocketsSoft and comfortable, breathable, easy to layer, great mobility, weather resistantLightweight and packable, more coverage, excellent cuffs, good warmth-to-weight ratio, versatile fit and functionWarmth, many comfort features, very weatherproof
Cons Challenging to pack into its own pocket, expensive for just okay performanceRuns largeDoesn't stuff into its own pocket, hood is very largeHood is drafty without a beanie or helmet, stuff pocket is oddly shapedNot breathable or very packable
Bottom Line A solid everyday jacket but without the comfort or design features that would make it worth the high price tagAn excellent midweight jacket with great warmth, top-notch coverage, and comfortable detailsA very comfortable jacket that's great for adventures in diverse conditions where layering, mobility, and protection are keyA lightweight versatile jacket with good warmth and great coverage that's got your back on any missionA cute, high performing non-technical option that boasts an excellent price
Rating Categories Patagonia Nano Puff... Rab Xenon Hoodie 2.0 Arc'teryx Atom Hoody Mountain Hardwear G... Columbia Heavenly H...
Warmth (25%)
5.5
7.5
7.0
6.5
9.0
Comfort (25%)
5.0
8.5
8.5
6.5
9.0
Weather Resistance (20%)
7.0
8.5
7.5
7.5
8.5
Weight and Compressibility (15%)
6.0
8.0
7.0
9.5
3.0
Breathability (15%)
6.0
6.5
8.5
6.5
3.0
Specs Patagonia Nano Puff... Rab Xenon Hoodie 2.0 Arc'teryx Atom Hoody Mountain Hardwear G... Columbia Heavenly H...
Weight, size small (ounces) 11.6 oz 12.1 oz 10.5 oz 9.7 oz 22.4 oz
Number of Pockets 3 (2 zippered hand, 1 internal zippered chest) 3 (2 zippered hand, 1 internal zippered chest) 3 (2 zippered hand, 1 internal zippered chest) 4 (2 zippered hand, 2 internal drop) 3 (2 zippered hand, 1 internal zippered chest)
Hem Type Single bungee adjustment Single bungee adjustment Dual bungee adjustment Single bungee adjustment No adjustment
Fit Relaxed slim Relaxed slim Relaxed Relaxed slim Slim
Insulation PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco recycled polyester 100% recycled PrimaLoft Silver Coreloft 60 100% recycled polyester 80 g (body, sleeves), 60 g (hood, side panels) partially recycled synthetic 100% polyester
Outer Fabric 100% recycled polyester 30D Pertex Quantum ripstop Tyono 20D 100% nylon
Stretch fleece side panels: 94% polyester, 6% elastane
Whisperer 10D x 10D Ripstop
100% Recycled Nylon
Storm-Lite DP II Polyester
Lining 100% recycled polyester 20D recycled Atmos ripstop Dope Permeair 20D - 100% nylon Whisperer 10D x 10D Ripstop
100% Recycled Nylon
Luscious Pile Fleece Polyester
Hood Option Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Built-in stow pocket Yes; chest Yes; chest No Yes; hand No
Cuff construction Elasticized cuffs Elasticized with overhang Stretch-knit Elasticized with overhang Stretch-knit wrist-warmer cuff with thumbholes

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody is a lightweight jacket with a relaxed slim fit and a fitted hood. Its exterior is made of 100% recycled polyester and it has a single bungee adjustment point in its hem. It has three pockets — two zippered handwarmer pockets and one interior zippered chest pocket that it packs into.

Performance Comparison


patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review - the nano puff isn't a bad jacket for casual wear, it's just a...
The Nano Puff isn't a bad jacket for casual wear, it's just a mediocre performer at a high cost.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Warmth


The Nano Puff Hoody is decently warm, considering how thin it is. It has a slightly longer torso that's about average among models we tested and offers some added protection in the back with a moderate drop hem. The hood is fitted and can be worn over a thin beanie but keeps the wearer protected even with a bare head. The cuffs end with an elastic band cover that holds the sleeves above your hands. All in all, this jacket provides just average warmth.

patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review - the nano puff hood is very fitted and can be challenging to wear...
The Nano Puff hood is very fitted and can be challenging to wear anything underneath - but is a great option for a warm hood.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Comfort


The exterior of the Nano Puff has that classic puffy jacket swish feeling and sound. It's a relaxed slim fit with a slightly tapered waist that leaves some space underneath for non-bulky layers. Our testers had some gripes with the lack of space across the shoulders, which becomes particularly noticeable when reaching our arms forward. A single adjustment point to the bungee running through the hem adds some flexibility to the fit, but in our experience, it requires two hands to loosen and readjust when needed.

patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review - the sleeves of the nano puff are long enough for everyday use...
The sleeves of the Nano Puff are long enough for everyday use, though the lack of shoulder mobility makes this not a jacket we're excited to recreate in.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Weather Resistance


The drop hem and adjustable bungee within make the Nano Puff better able to block the wind than many with less coverage. A full length wind guard helps secure the zipper. Up against precipitation, the Nano Puff performed admirably, beading raindrops and resisting water soaking in. It is covered by an excessive number of baffle seams, though, which are susceptible to becoming weak points for severe weather down the road.

patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review - the nano puff fabric repels water, but with so many baffle seams...
The Nano Puff fabric repels water, but with so many baffle seams, we're not convinced its integrity will last the years.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Weight and Compressibility


The size Small Nano Puff we tested weighs 11.6 ounces, which is just slightly above average for our lineup. It packs away into its internal chest pocket, with a carabiner loop for easy clipping when you're done. We had a challenging time getting this jacket to zip into its pocket, requiring excessive effort in stuffing and using our knees to squeeze it smaller while we zip it shut.

patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review - getting the nano puff into its chest pocket requires quite a bit of...
Getting the Nano Puff into its chest pocket requires quite a bit of cramming, squeezing, and targeted effort.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Breathability


Here again, the Nano Puff performed about average in our testing. It lacks any features that would aid in breathability and instead is helped along by its general thinness. Loosening the hem bungee cord can be helpful, depending on how tight this coat is on your body. But it's not winning any awards for being a breathable model.

patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review - the nano puff has a single adjustment point for its hem bungee cord...
The Nano Puff has a single adjustment point for its hem bungee cord - which is very long and difficult to loosen again without using both hands.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Should You Buy the Patagonia Nano Puff?


If you've found a Nano Puff in a store nearby and you love how it fits and feels, it may be the right jacket for your everyday use. It's not a technical layer and lacks many features of mobility, breathability, and portability that we look for in an adventure jacket. It's also on the expensive side for its overall lackluster performance, and we're just not convinced it's worth the money.

What Other Insulated Jackets Should You Consider?


The Patagonia Nano Puff is a decent everyday jacket with a mediocre performance. For a better jacket in nearly every metric, the Rab Xenon 2.0 is our top choice for everyday and casual activities — and costs a lot less than the Nano Puff. If you want a more technical jacket that's ideal for layering, check out the Arc'teryx Atom Hoody. Or for a great coat that's warm and impressively weather resistant, we love the Patagonia DAS Light.

patagonia nano puff hoody for women insulated jacket review - we like the nano puff, we just don't love it.
We like the Nano Puff, we just don't love it.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Maggie Nichols
 
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