Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket Overview: Set It & Overlook It

Everyone knows the shoulder seasons are the place it’s at. Good climbing temps, stellar trail-running climate, and phenomenal backpacking situations mix to maintain out of doors athletes perpetually lively. Nevertheless, discovering the suitable layers for these idyllic months can current some issue. Excessive-intensity actions typically turn out to be a juggling recreation of base layers, midlayers, and puffies in an ongoing battle with temperature and moisture buildup.

You’re chilly whereas standing round, and you warmth up quick when cranking once more. It’s uncommon to discover a jacket you barely ever take off over the period of an journey, however the revolutionary Nano-Air seeks to ease this dilemma.

Patagonia crammed this layer with the distinctive FullRange insulation, a 60g polyester materials that delivers stable heat and unprecedented air permeability, dumping extra warmth throughout exercise.

This insulation, mixed with an exceptionally breathable polyester plain-weave shell cloth, makes for a super-ventilated combo that means that you can put on the Nano-Air at some point of your journey.

In brief: Whereas the Nano-Air ($249), out there in males’s and ladies’s choices, isn’t the warmest layer you could find, it’s noticeably extra breathable than most of its competitors. This makes it one of many extra well-liked lively midlayers you should buy. In case you are on the lookout for a flexible, extraordinarily breathable jacket for a mess of high-output actions, it’s arduous to discover a higher choice on the market.

Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket Overview

Testing the Nano-Air

Since breathability is one in every of its main promoting factors, I examined the Nano-Air with this on the forefront. Along with how nicely it regulates temperature and moisture buildup, I examined the Nano-Air for its resistance to wind and light-weight precipitation, packability, and total sturdiness.

After taking it on a number of tasking journeys, together with weekend pushes on the Appalachian Path and lengthy multipitch climbs, I can say with a sure diploma of confidence that this guarantees to be one of the crucial comfortable and dependable lively insulation jackets in the marketplace.

Breathability

The key to the Nano-Air’s stellar air flow lies within the stretchy, heat, breathable FullRange artificial insulation Patagonia used.

Designed by Toray Mills in Japan, FullRange is a multi-denier artificial insulation comprised of a number of several types of polyester fibers. This isn’t the warmest shell — and is kind of skinny — nevertheless it works wonders throughout high-intensity exercise on chilly missions.

As a standalone outer layer for gradual or static adventures, it might be greatest to search for one thing hotter, because the Nano-Air is designed for use whereas producing a whole lot of physique warmth throughout exercise. However as a versatile jacket that you simply don’t must shed while you actually begin shifting, it makes an amazing alternative.

I discovered it to be one of many extra snug lively layers I’ve tried. It additionally grew to become one in every of my favourite shells to put on on lengthy multi-pitch climbs in shoulder season temps. I hate having to continuously pull jackets on and off whereas managing ropes and equipment tons of of ft within the air. So one thing I can carry on whereas each climbing arduous and belaying is sweet by me.

For climbing, mountain climbing, and even mild path working in chilly situations, the Nano-Air delivered an applicable quantity of heat after I wanted it, and dumped extra warmth whereas pushing arduous. If I finished for too lengthy, or wore it as my solely insulating shell whereas organising camp or sitting across the fireplace, I typically discovered myself including one other layer.

The draw back of most breathable jackets is wind can simply reduce by means of the material and insulation. In stormy situations or on windy ridge walks, pairing the Nano-Air with a windbreaker or rain shell helps with that situation.

Out of all of the insulating jackets I’ve tried, the Nano-Air’s lining in all probability has the perfect next-to-skin consolation, which makes it really feel extra like a fleece midlayer than an artificial puffy. I consequently wore it extra with only a T-shirt beneath than I normally do with an insulating layer, which additional elevated airflow and helped cut back moisture buildup.

One unfavourable I observed, nevertheless, was that the cuffs of the sleeves match fairly tight on my wrists. This made it tough to roll the sleeves up my arm, which is tremendous useful while you need to dump warmth quick.

Water Resistance 

As is predicted with artificial insulation, the Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket did job of retaining its loft and heat when moist. The DWR end on the outer cloth considerably repelled mild precipitation, however I felt like water absorbed sooner into this jacket than another materials. Possibly it’s due to how mushy it’s.

If dangerous climate is within the forecast, I’d positively suggest bringing alongside a devoted rain shell, because the air-permeable cloth and insulation permits wind to maneuver proper by means of the jacket.

With that stated, the Nano-Air does dry out quick, so after I did discover myself in sustained drizzles it wasn’t an excessive amount of of an issue.

Heat

Whereas shifting quick on climbs, hikes, and runs, I stayed tremendous heat on this jacket however didn’t overheat like I might need in much less breathable shells.

As acknowledged earlier, if you’re on the lookout for most heat in a jacket, the Nano-Air isn’t for you. It can preserve you toasty as you generate warmth whereas lively, however if you happen to’re going to be standing nonetheless in tremendous chilly temps or mountain climbing by means of arduous wind, you’re going to need to a minimum of pair it with one thing else.

I discovered this to be an nearly excellent midlayer for backpacking and climbing excursions in the course of the shoulder seasons, or as a standalone puffy for hotter summer season journeys. I beloved sporting it after I knew I used to be going to be exerting a whole lot of power.

Sturdiness

There have been experiences of previous Nano-Air fashions sporting down sooner than traditional because of its extremely mushy cloth, however I actually didn’t discover that to be a problem with the newer replace. The material is just not rip-stop, however I’ve but to place any holes or tears in it to see if that shall be an enormous situation.

After some fairly heavy use, it nonetheless seems nearly as good as new. I additionally didn’t really feel prefer it was too fragile to do some off-trail bushwhacking whereas scoping out new climbing areas.

Except for some small picks and stains, it has held up fairly nicely over months of use and has proven no indicators of untimely pilling in high-wear areas.

Weight and Packed Measurement

At 11.2 ounces for a males’s medium, the Nano-Air is on the lighter finish of the spectrum for artificial jackets. For me, given how snug and mushy the material is, this appears fairly nice.

The jacket stuffs into its chest pocket, and has an built-in carabiner loop for attaching it to your harness whereas climbing. This was an applicable weight and measurement for throwing into my pack on nearly each high-activity journey I went on, and it didn’t really feel unwieldy whereas dangling from my harness.

I in all probability wouldn’t deliver it as a standalone insulating layer for longer backpacking journeys like a thru-hike the place chances are you’ll be trekking by means of a number of seasons and climates, however for summer season and shorter journeys on the path, this discovered its method into my pack.

Given how mushy and breathable it’s, I’d say Patagonia did job of maintaining it competitively light-weight.

Key Options

The Nano-Air is kind of minimalistic however nonetheless has a useful design. Stretch cloth and insulation combines with strategically positioned, low-profile quilting that gives an ample vary of movement.

Nevertheless, I did really feel somewhat constrained whereas reaching at my restrict on climbs or attempting to seize one thing from my backpack behind me.

It’s a “slim-fitting” jacket, which makes it tough so as to add further layers beneath, and it does really feel considerably tight and constricted. That gripe apart, I personally like a extra athletic match, and it didn’t maintain me again an excessive amount of throughout most actions.

Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket: Conclusion

For start-stop cardio mountain pursuits, the Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket gained’t gradual you down by having to continuously modify your layers. Whereas not the warmest jacket in the marketplace, if you’re on the lookout for a flexible shell with top-of-the-line breathability for sustained exercise, this can be a stable choice.