Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 Parka - Women's Review

The Patagonia Tres is three coats in one. Independently, each layer can handle an array of weather. The outer shell is lightweight and made of H2No two-layer waterproof fabric with a DWR finish. It's perfect for wet, warm to mild weather. The inside down layer is insulated with 600 fill traceable down and can keep you warm and looking stylish on a cold or dry day. When worn together, this award winner can handle wet, sloppy, and cold weather without a problem. Weighing in at 2.9 lbs, it isn't super light, but it doesn't feel bulky or heavy when we are wearing it.

Performance Comparison

When worn together, the Tres mildly restricts your shoulders, but it isn't terribly noticeable. Our Top Pick for Wet Climates is perfect for a Pacific Northwest winter, but it's not the best option for frigidly cold winters. Still, we stayed warm and had fun on a snowy day in Tahoe.

Warmth

The outer shell alone doesn't have any insulation and is not very warm unless worn with multiple layers underneath. This shell does an exceptional job of protecting from wind, rain, and snow, while the inside layer offers warmth and comfort. The inside layer is insulated with 600 fill power traceable down and is cozy and form-fitting, and quite warm despite being somewhat thin. It doesn't allow much room for heat to escape and cold air to enter.

Because there is no insulation in the outer shell, our hands were often cold in the pockets, even when wearing the down inner jacket. Our lower arms were often cold as well, which we attribute to a draft that creeps into a zipper on the lower sleeve. It's there to let you adjust the arm opening. Despite its storm flap, it let cold air seep in. Only on the exterior layer has a hood, and it is uninsulated. We recommend wearing a hat on cold days for extra warmth.

The Tres is not as warm as the thick down of the Marmot Montreaux, but is warmer than the synthetic fill of the Arc'teryx Darrah or the Columbia Heavenly. The Tres performs best in moderately cold and wet weather.

The down layer worked great on a crisp morning walk around Squaw Valley Ski Resort. The mid-thigh length offers great mobility without jeopardizing warmth.

If you live in an environment that is windy and cold, we also like the Canada Goose Shelburne. It's slightly warmer than the Tres Parka, is insulated with plush down, and has a thick, durable outer shell that protects against wind. Resting mid-thigh, the Tres offers excellent mobility, but if you are looking for something longer for more warmth, we like the Marmot Montreaux or the Patagonia Down With It Parka.

You don't have to worry about heavy rain when you're wearing this jacket. It held up the best in wet conditions.

Weather Resistance

Hands down, this is the best waterproof jacket we tested. If you live in a wet climate, this Top Pick is for you. The sporty outer shell is made up of Patagonia's H2No two-layer waterproof fabric, and the polyester fabric is breathable, stretchy, and able to repel water for quite some time. Simply put, water easily beads up and rolls off this outer shell. This jacket is windproof as well.

The down layer has a DWR (durable water repellent) coating as well. Water also beads up and rolls off the polyester fabric, but only for a short time. This is not a jacket you want in a downpour, and the down layer can lose its loft if it's worn outside repeatedly in the rain. When we wore both layers together, we had no issues hanging out for an extended period in wet weather.

Keep in mind that the down layer is water-resistant, not waterproof. It did an okay job in light snow, but after a while, it began to saturate. Make sure you wear either the waterproof outer layer or double the layers up in cold, wet weather.

The Tres is the most waterproof contender we tested. The outer shell does a slightly better job in wet weather than The North Face Arctic Parka II and the Fjallraven Nuuk Insulated Parka. The Tres blew the waterproof North Face Arrowood Triclimate Jacket out of the water.

The down layer is comparable to the other DWR models we tested like the Patagonia Fiona Down Parka, The North Face Metropolis Parka II and the North Face Gotham II Down Jacket. It didn't hold up as well as the Marmot Montreaux, which is insulated with water-resistant Defender Down.

When we wore all three layers together the jacket was somewhat snug. If you want to wear thicker layers underneath, consider ordering a size up.

Comfort

The Tres is comfortable considering it's 3-in-1 jacket and weighs 2.9 pounds (one of the heaviest jackets tested). The outer shell is smooth and soft, but it lacks insulation and wears a little loose. We still find it comfortable and the collar of the outer shell is lined with fleece, which we appreciate.

The exterior pockets are lined with fleece. Normally, this feature keeps our hands warm. Unfortunately, with the Tres, there is no insulation in the outer shell, and our hands are noticeably cold in the pockets. Our lower arms were often chilled as well. The sleeves have zippers that allow you to adjust how tight you want them. Despite having a storm flap, the zipper let in cold air, and we could feel it on our lower arms. Don't let that discourage you though. Our core was warm and toasty even on frigid days when we wore both layers together.

A great and comfortable feature on the Tres is its fleece lined pockets. There isn't much insulation above the pockets, so we were happy that there was at least fleece lining the pockets.

The outer layer is more of a workhorse and is not as comfortable as the down layer, but Patagonia did an excellent job of making it breathable, lightweight, and highly functional. Just the fact that this jacket is exceptionally waterproof is a comforting feeling.

The down layer also offers fleece lined pockets.

The down layer is so comfortable that we often forgot to take it off when we got home. It has fleece lined pockets as well. The Tres is lightweight and cozy and wears like a glove. It's not stuffed with down, and there's no marshmallow or frumpy look here. Form-fitting and flattering, the down is distributed evenly, making it comfortable and stylish.

It's hard to wear a thick layer underneath when all the layers are together, doing so jeopardizes mobility in the shoulders and arms. If you want to wear thick sweaters or multiple layers, you may want to consider ordering a size up.

The chevron baffling offers a nice stylish touch to the down layer. We had no issues with the style of this jacket. We wore it to the gym and out on the town.

Style

This is not your standard waterproof jacket — it's better. The Tres is the perfect blend of function and fashion. We were turning heads left and right in this sporty, yet sophisticated jacket. Resting mid-thigh, the outer shell is made up of polyester twill and gives the jacket its smooth, clean appearance. Princess seams on the front and back add a subtle, but flattering touch. The outer layer fits a bit lose without the down shell attached, but it still maintains a flattering look.

The down layer is eye-catching and stylish. It rests mid-thigh as well, and the cut is very form-fitting. The longer length offers extra coverage and warmth, while the satin matte finish looks great paired with the chevron baffling. It's a perfect layer to wear to yoga class, around town, or while taking your dog out for a walk.

The waterproof outer shell is smooth and sleek due to a lack of exterior stitching. It's easy to dress this jacket up for a night out on the town or wear it food shopping.

The smooth and sleek outer shell is comparable in style to the Arc'teryx Patera and the Legendary Whitetails Anchorage Parka. If you are on the fence between a puffy women's down jacket or a clean and straightforward style, this model may be perfect, because it offers both!

From all angles, the smooth, sleek outer shell is stylish and form-fitting.

Durability

No branches are going to snag this durable and impenetrable two-layer shell. It includes Patagonia's signature H2No waterproof, windproof and breathable membrane. We had no issues when wearing this contender in heavy rain or windy weather.

The down layer polyester fabric isn't as durable, but it doesn't concern us. In the few months we tested the jacket, we did notice the jacket lost some down feathers, but not an alarming amount. The down layer did tend to get stuck in the lining of the outer shell, but this only really happened when we were in a rush. This jacket as a whole is very durable, and we didn't find the zipper issue to be a big problem when we took the time to slow down.

The Tres's outer shell is comparable to the waterproof The North Face Arctic Parka II, but isn't as durable as the Canada Goose Kensington Parka. Despite not being waterproof, the Kensington Parka's heavy-duty outer shell, military-grade buttons, and heavy duty zippers stole the show for durability.

Cute and snug, the hood works well in rain, wind, and snow. Being snug, it's hard to fit a beanie underneath, but it is doable. The hood has no insulation so on cold days wearing a hat underneath really helped.

Features

The main feature that this award winner has to offer is its three-in-one option. It's a waterproof raincoat, down layer, and a winter jacket — all in one.

Each layer has something to offer for any weather condition. When worn together, the Tres can handle anything. Putting the layers together only takes a couple of minutes — patience is a virtue. But, for real, it's straightforward. Since the down layer zips into the shell, it has no two-way zipper, though we didn't find this to be too much of an issue. The jacket stays secure with button snaps on the collar, by the tag and on the sleeves of the shell.

The outer shell and down layer zip together, creating one jacket.

Patagonia's H2No two-layer waterproof fabric is the force behind this extremely waterproof outer shell, which is an awe-inspiring feature. There is a fleece lined collar, and two exterior pockets secured shut by snaps. These look nice style wise, but, since this is a waterproof jacket, zipper pockets may be a better idea. The outer shell also lacks an interior media pocket.

A button snap at the sleeve secures the jacket in place. The down layer has a tendency to protrude out from the outer shell.

Each sleeve has a zipper that allows more mobility and movement. No other jacket we tested offered this. The down layer has two exterior fleece lined pockets with zippers, though the zippers are tiny. There's also an interior media pocket with a more prominent zipper. The outer shell has no insulation in the hood which made it noticeably colder than insulated options like the Marmot Montreaux or the Canada Goose Kensington Parka.

A button snaps at the collar and secures the jacket in place.

We tested another three-in-one jacket this winter — the North Face Arrowood Triclimate Jacket. Compared to the Tres, the Triclimate isn't as warm or waterproof. The inside layer is fleece, not down. It didn't keep us as warm in cold weather. The outer shell is waterproof, but we can stay outside in wet weather longer, in the Tres.

The 2-way zipper on the Tres offers better mobility and allows you to access both ends of the jacket. There is also a storm flap that covers the zipper, offering even more protection from wind, rain, and cold temperatures.

Best Application

This contender is a great winter jacket for a wide range of folks, from dry and moderately cold locales like Tahoe to wet climates like the Pacific Northwest. Keep in mind, there is no insulation in the hood, and this may cause some issues in cold climates. For someone living in a rainy city like Seattle, this jacket may be perfect for you. It could also be the perfect option for someone that can't decide between a rain jacket, a down jacket or a winter jacket.

This is a knock-out option for a wet climate like the Pacific Northwest. We stayed warm and dry while wearing this jacket outside in wet weather.

Value

A great deal for what you are getting — three jackets in one! While this isn't the most expensive jacket we tested, it still came in at $600. Considering how much each layer cost separately, this may be a great investment for someone in need of all three layers. This jacket is bound to last at least a couple winters.

Conclusion

Don't let the idea of a three-in-one coat deter you. The Patagonia Tres is a quality constructed, heavy duty winter jacket. Independently, we were impressed with each layer. The outer shell handled wind, rain, and snow with ease, while the down layer was warm, cozy, and stylish. When worn together, this jacket can tackle any weather condition. This is why the Tres Down Parka received our Top Pick for Wet Climates award.