Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody 2016 – The Fill

For this year, the Nano Puff range has had an overhaul with more sustainable components. For the fill that means 60-g PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco with 55% post-consumer recycled content. Patagonia says it retains ‘98% of it warmth, even when wet’.

PrimaLoft’s the market leader in technical outdoor insulation, but what makes this fill different is its recycled content, something that’s bang in line with Patagonia’s commitment to sustainability.

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody 2016 – Performance

The Nano Puff’s simply a no-nonsense, all-round piece of portable, water-resistant, all-round outdoor insulation. It has a trim fit, a neat, close-fitting hood that also sits nicely under a climbing helmet and packs just enough warmth to up your comfort on short stops and for general pottering about.

It’s completely windproof too, but we found it a little bit too sweaty to use for long on the move. We were also a little dubious about the brick-pattern quilting. The stitching holds the insulation in place and looks good – it’s the iconic Nano Puff pattern – but it also both exposes the stitching to potential abrasion damage.

Cold Spots?

And also creates relative cold spots along the seams. You won’t feel the wind whistling through as the inner fabric is unstitched and windproof, but it will rob heat from the insulation. Does that matter? We think it’s one reason why rivals like the Rab Xenon X feel warmer in real life use, despite having a similar spec on paper.

What that doesn’t take into account is the sustainability angle. Not only does the PrimaLoft Eco fill use 55% recycled content, but the liner and shell fabrics are both 100% recycled, Bluesign approved Polyester with a water-repellent DWR finish.

That may or may not matter to you, but it’s one of the things that defines Patagonia as a great brand with a real commitment to sustainability.