Photo: JC
After years of experience, my sweat soaking the inner layers of tens of puffy jackets, ripped sleeves on barbwire (or listening to the shredding sounds as my sister-in-law’s giant dog with its giant claws jumps up to greet me), I consider myself somewhat of an expert on puffy’s.
From my POV, nothing breaks the wind, seals in heat or generally keeps us warm whether in the mountains or on the beach quite like a puffy. They’re a key layer while hiking in the backcountry: start to cool down after a climb and the puffy instantly re-heats. Your fancy shell isn’t quite keeping you warm on a windy chairlift? Nothing sizzles the core like a puffy underneath. Just out of the water with the winds swirling in six directions? You get the idea.
It could easily be argued that not a single company has put more effort into puffy jackets over the years than Patagonia. And the significant hype they’ve put around this year’s release, the Micro Puff, is actually justified. As puffy’s go, they’ve upped the ante (or at least diversified their own classic offering), making a more durable, more environmentally-friendly version.
Put to good use.
The Micro Puff isn’t a classic puffy in the sense that it’s a total, do-it-all jacket on its own. This piece is a solid spring or fall jacket and actually works as a layering device (meaning you won’t wear it alone in the dead of winter). But that does mean you’ll actually use it more as it applies to more situations–you’re not going to wear a puffy that looks like a tundra jacket on cool summer mornings. The Micro Puff is ideal for that.
Packable goodness.
Pardon the use of proprietary names here, but Patagonia’s Pertex Quantum shell is certainly durable and dries easily if you work up a sweat in it. And the brand’s new filler material, which they call PlumaFill, works even when damp. We all love down but it can get downright squishy when wet from perspiration or weather. Deep inside pockets on each side of the jacket’s interior allow ample space for things like carabiners, avalanche transceivers, cell phones or small kittens. And the jacket packs down into a pillow-sized package for stowing.
One thing I noticed is the PlumaFill is a bit stringy and will shed from the jacket after hard use. Nip it with scissors (don’t pull at it or it comes out in balls). This isn’t down, where you can often pull single feathers. Still, minor problem with an otherwise durable jacket with a multitude of uses.
The Micro Puff is also available in a hoodless jacket or vest.
