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First Look: Patagonia’s Nano-Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket

The Nano-Air Ulatralight series sets a new high bar for active insulation, and the NAUL Freeride is a fine complement to your touring and more extreme ambitions.

By

Jason Albert

Here it comes, a ten-syllable name for a fine piece of outdoor clothing: Nano-Air® Ultralight Freeride Jacket. Although this is a first look, we’re going to get some things out of the way first, before a more lengthy review. Patagonia’s NAUL Freeride is a purpose-built active insulation jacket for touring. This jacket shares DNA with the…

Responses

  1. Scotsman

    Interesting piece. I love my Proton but its too warm for uphill.
    I recently bought a Raide Research tour tech hoody.
    Softshell, only insulation on the chest and it has pit zips!!!!!!
    It’s anorak style but I’ve found it to be an excellent touring layer.

    You should have a look at some of Raide’s products.

    1. Slim

      Yeah, pitzips is the one thing I feel is missing from the NAUL jackets.
      Since the whole idea of these is put them on, keep them on, they need a differnt way to adjust temperature as conditions and exertion changes.

      Luckily it’s an easy add.

      I’d love to see a review of the Raide anorak too, it seems cool!

      1. Jason Albert

        Pit zips, I used to love them. But I’ve definitely skewed away from them for several years (even with my hardshell). I don’t run excessively hot when skinning, but man, I hope pit zips are left off future iterations of the NAUL for someone like me. But I get it, others prefer other options, which, it seems, there are some out there. I have also tried to love anoraks…I don’t. (I’d love to see the Airshed Pro with a full front zip as that is sweet, too.) The one thing I have found is that I rarely take off the NAUL… the full front-zip is great for dumping heat at high noon in the spring.

  2. Klaus Vitzthum Vitzthum

    Can you tell us more about sizing? It looks larger than their other NAUL piece

    1. Jason Albert

      Hey Klaus, let’s jump into sizing. I’m 5’10 and 155lbs. I usually wear a Patagonia men’s medium, and I use both the NAUL and NAUL Freeride in a medium. Both fit nicely for what I’m looking for: free movement and a not excessively baggy, but not an over-tight Euro-fit. I would say across the chest the NAUL Freeride feels a bit roomier, and the fit across the forearms, too, is just slightly baggier than the NAUL. The NAUL has a panel of semi-stretchy fabric on the forearm for a snugger fit and easily rolling the sleeves up. As far as hem length, they feel pretty similar. For comparisons, I have worn the NAUL under the NAUL Freeride when I have needed an extra layer. The way the NAUL fits me, it wouldn’t function the other way around—with the NAUL Freeride under the NAUL. (I hope you can track all the NAUL this and that references.)

      1. Fatsanta92

        Awesome. Thanks so much. That’s what I was hoping to hear since I am a similar build and went M as well.

        Love these reviews, keep it up!

    2. Slim

      I can say I know a 6’, 170 lbs, 35” sleeve person who has a M, and a 6’3”, 185lbs person who has the L, and both look like a good fit. Not a tight fit at all, but not overly baggy either, and sleeves are long enough.

      I tried on the M and L. I have a 40” chest and thought it was a good fit around the chest/shoulders.
      I could even wear the M, but it was a touch tighter than I would want.

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