Performance

At 100g the Houdini isn’t as light as some alternatives, but we reckon the extra 20g or so has been well spent. It means the cut is ample for decent protection, the hood adjusts and the hem can be cinched to suit your sizing.

It also means the fabric, 100% Nylon, doesn’t feel flimsy and filmy, which is reassuring if you’re out in a tough outdoors environment rather than running laps of the local park.

The cut is medium/slim rather than super fitted, so not for whippets only and the jacket breathes reasonably well too despite being completely windproof and having enough water resistance to shrug off light to medium showers.

Many trail runners prefer to use a windproof like this rather than a 100% waterproof jacket on the basis that they’ll get wet anyway, so you may as well benefit from the increased breathability of a windproof. Makes sense to us.

One big plus point of the Houdini is the hood. Because it’s adjustable, it stays securely planted on your head on the move and moves with your gaze, unlike, say, the hood of the Arc’teryx Incendo Hoody we’ve also reviewed. It works really well for a lightweight and is well worth the few extra grammes.

Finally, breathability is par for the windproof course and you can always roll-up the sleeves a little for some extra cooling if needed. Finally, if it’s not needed, just stuff it into its small chest pocket to form a flippable bundle roughly the size of an orange

Verdict

Not the lightest windproof out there, but added adjustability to the hood in particular and a tougher, more durable feel to the fabric seem like a decent pay-off for mountain running in particular.

It’s nicely made too and the medium cut means you can press it into additional use for lightweight hiking, biking, or even climbing if you want to. Sometimes there’s more to life than just being light.

More Information

See eu.patagonia.com