Patagonia Nano-Air jacket
Working in the outdoor industry means getting exposed to all the latest technical clothing and gear and each year it just keeps getting better and better. The Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket for me symbolises this seemingly ceaseless evolution and quest for perfection.
The first thing you notice is it’s extremely soft and supple feel. Once on its ergonomic and comfy fit instantly wins you over. Designed for high output, stop-and-go alpine missions (the only ones really) Patagonia says that “its exclusive, stretchy and highly breathable fabric package integrates the qualities of fleece, soft shell and puffy by combining a plain-weave liner, warm-when-wet FullRange™ insulation, and a lightweight-yet-durable, weather-shedding shell with DWR (durable water repellent) finish”.
In other words, you get the benefits of the best three types of outdoor jackets in one, and its water resistant too. It certainly feels that this is the case.
The Nano-Air is definitely a game changer and has raised the bar as a mid-layer jacket under a lightweight shell for extreme frigid conditions or on its own when the weather is cold but more benign. If you are a very outdoor focused person that is out there every weekend or consistently on longer trips on various adventures this jacket will cover you.
The jacket’s incredibly soft, supple feel and full mechanical stretch allows for a close, athletic fit and offers an uninhibited range of motion. The Jacket’s uncluttered design also features a left-chest pocket and two ‘above-harness’ hand warmer pockets, all close with trim, low-bulk zippers. The center-front zipper has a storm flap and zipper garage, while stretch binding at the cuffs and a dual-adjustable draw cord hem seals in warmth.
Under light rainfall, the jackets ability to completely repel water is very impressive and it breathes very well offering impressive climate control. I’d rate this as one of my top 2 mid layer insulation jackets and may even take top honours due to its easy on the eye green colour. It doesn’t look too extreme to wear out to a café on a cool morning coffee run but will hold its own hanging off the side of a mountain.
RRP $279.95
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