Patagonia Men's Macro Puff Hoody

This belay-style insulation piece kept me comfortable when used as intended; over a shell and midlayer, and while standing relatively still in 38°F temps. I found the feature set fantastic. However, it's not as warm as the 'high loft' designation suggests—a Down Sweater Hoody is warmer. Even still, I found myself using the Macro Puff more frequently than any other puffy, due to its great versatility.

Intro
This is a great-fitting coat that's comfortable in a "you-forget-you-have-it-on" kinda way. Patagonia's new-ish PlumaFill insulation is fluffy and distinctly doesn't feel like a traditional synthetic puffy. It molds and bends and floats. The hood seems almost double stuffed (in a fantastic way), and if the whole jacket was that puffy, this would be a 5 star review!

A nice big YKK Vislon zipper glides smoothly as if I’m zipping up a sleeping bag. Be on the lookout for versions that have a double-zipper; that second zip is handy if you're gonna wear it with a climbing harness. And the less-insulation-in-the-arms approach does really allow me to move more freely. 

A 'better 100g Micro Puff'

Tested alongside other jackets, the Macro Puff Hoody and its 135 grams-per-square-meter of PlumaFill insulation actually compares very closely in warmth to the outgoing 100g Primaloft-filled Micro Puff Hoody. In other words, the Macro doesn't gain any added warmth; instead it's lighter for the same warmth. In that way—as a rightful successor to the older, coveted 100g Micro Puff—I feel the Macro Puff Hoody is actually a tremendous success. 

 Uses: Technical & Casual

Right out of the gate, I suited up to try the Macro Puff out in three of my regulars: climbing, hiking and general exploration. As a climbing belay puffy, the Macro Puff fits over my layering system just fine (silk-weight base> R1 grid Hoody>  Knifeblade thin softshell> Macro Puff Hoody).

The Macro Puff keeps me warm while rooted in down to the high 30s and low 40s Fahrenheit. Surprisingly though, the cut is slimmer than my Down Sweater Hoody or a Nano Puff. On basic hikes, I find the Macro Puff breathes surprisingly well, even when layered with an R1 and in 40-50F temps. While I did zip and unzip as the trail grade increased, I didn't need to make adjustments while meandering from frigid cold shade, into direct sun, and back.

On a particularly icy morning, I decided to go for a bit of a recce around an old gold mining pit. It was a hike, a scramble, and a sit-and-watch-my-breath-float-away kind of deal. Wearing a few layers, I was comfy. And climbing over and through fallen tree branches (carefully) didn’t cause damage to the puffy. 

*Updated: Hiking in Pacific Northwest-style light rain with wind gusts, I was surprised that no water soaked through after an hour. The PlumaFill insulation did really stay lofted! I had originally questioned the DWR after a 'shower nozzle' test showed apparent wetting-out. I'm confident in the Macro Puffs ability in the wet.

In the end, the Macro Puff Hoody is an ultralight, parka-length jacket that you can put on when stationary, and continue wearing when moving—all without overheating. While the Macro gets most of my everyday use nowadays, I picked up a DAS Parka to fulfill my original need of a "dedicated winter parka."

For tremendous detail, make sure you continue reading Kellys' review, below! 

Background

I've used the Macro Puff Hoody for about a year now. Prior to that, I had used Patagonia's Down Sweater Hoody and Micro Puff Hoody for roughly 10 years each. A few ultralights (both down and synthetic) have graced my quiver, too. I use these for hiking, climbing, camping, and biking.