Review: Patagonia’s Nano-Air Ultralight Full-Zip Hoody

 

Patagonia’s Nano-Air Ultralight Full-Zip Hoody is active insulation you can be active in. Which, ironically, is not true of most active insulation. As a touring piece, it is highly praised.

 

I’ll be jumping right into a full-blown review of the Patagonia men’s Nano-Air Ultralight Full-Zip Hoody. (NAUL for short.) This is a soft shell. This is active insulation. And, as the naming convention puts it, it has a hood and a full zip, just as I like it. 

As some may recall in my “Tale of Two Protons,” I wandered, unsatisfied, for years, in the active insulation wilderness. Although designed for active pursuits—as in, a particular jacket is designed to be worn on the ascent and you won’t overheat—generally, for me, the “active” part of the advertising fell flat. I overheated. Then I found a damn sweet spot regarding active insulation with the Arc’Teryx Proton Lightweight Hoody. It boasts an Octayarn/pile liner and a somewhat high CFM shell (meaning it’s not windproof, but lets some air through). At long last, I could wear an active insulation jacket while doing active things. 

But this is about a Patagonia product, so let’s pivot to the full Nano-Air line-up for more than a minute. 

Let’s begin with the warmest of the active: the standard Nano-Air. We’ll cut to the chase here—the face fabric properties and insulation. The Nano-Air uses 60g m2 FullRange insulation (synthetic). The jacket has a light stretch, is semi-fitted, and could serve as a puffy for me. Which is to say it is way too hot to do pretty much anything active. To be clear, active, in this case, means high-output skinning.

I’ve also spent time in the Nano-Air Light Hybrid Hoody. This piece, similar to the above but also different, has 40g m2 FullRange insulation with the same face and liner fabric, and R1 Air fleece panels on the back and underarms/sides. Although this piece is promising, and my outdoorsy older child loves it for climbing and skiing, I find it falls into the too-hot-for-active-pursuits category. The 40g m2 insulates too much, and the R1 Air fleece is too dense.

Those who know me know this: I wear down jackets until mid-May, and ski hats during significant portions of the annual trip around the sun. But I tend to overheat hot and fast when skinning. Late last April, a few weeks before a long ski traverse, I got my hands on a NAUL. In short, it hit the sweet spot. Yes, you can be active in the NAUL, highly active, without overheating, and then remain comfortable when you slow, or stop, and a light breeze blows. This, for me, equals active insulation bliss. 

 

 

The NAUL uses the same FullRange insulation as the other Nano-Airs, but less of it—only 20g m2. Hold it in your hands, and you almost wonder if there’s anything there; it’s light, wispy, and does remarkable work. The insulation covers the chest, back, shoulders, hood, and upper arms. The underarm panels are uninsulated. Finally, a portion of the lower arm/forearm features a stretchy length of Capilene Cool Lightweight fabric. For the climbers and mountain runners among us, this feature comes in handy to dump a bit of extra heat, as you can nearly make a short-sleeved jacket. So far, after 10 months of use, this Capilene Light fabric remains intact and durable. Although, I’m not habitually placing my hands and forearms into abrasive rock cracks, I’d imagine those panels might abrade. For backcountry tourists, it’s a worthy trade off.

 

The Underlayer

The NAUL shines on days when temps sink below freezing and a small persistent wind penetrates the face fabric, cooling the core. Air movement is key. On still-air days, even those slightly below freezing, I’ve got to dump heat either by unzipping the front and/or removing a ski hat.

I’ve settled on wearing a Merino-wool T or a synthetic-wicking T as my only underlayer with the NAUL. I’ve experimented with many layers: a highly breathable fleece hoody or a light long-sleeve synthetic baselayer, and neither seems to help regulate my temp (as in preventing overheating) like the simple T. The NAUL’s liner fabric feels fine next to skin, even when wetted out. 

 

Why It’s Functional

The NAUL keeps me comfortable in a wide range of weather conditions. The face fabric, treated with a DWR, will eventually wet out in a steady drizzle or wet snow squall. There’s an upside: if the precip subsides and there’s a breeze, the NAUL air dries quickly. In conditions where the precip is intermittent, I’ve also found the jacket air dries in a suitable amount of time.

I’ve noted one atmospheric condition I prefer when using the NAUL: slight to brisk wind. From my experience, the CFM seems higher (meaning it allows more airflow, less windblock) than the Nano-Air Light Hybrid. That may be a function of the thinner insulation, or the uninsulated panels, or a combination of the two. Either way, an ample amount of air permeates the jacket to help regulate heat. I’ve skinned in roughly 10-degree to 40-degree temps with varying winds and been able to thermoregulate just fine. (Like most of us, in warmer temps and less wind, I sweat more). In my experience, the NAUL provides a wide range of comfort. 

In a way, I suppose the NAUL functions as a light fleece/light windbreaker combo. This piece is on the more breathable side; it cuts wind sufficiently and provides ample insulation when active. 

The main thing here regarding the NAUL’s high function is its fidelity to what it actually is: active insulation. For those reading this and thinking, “Cool, I can purchase a crossover piece, take a low-output dog walk in winter, and use the NAUL as a puffy,” you will want more. What we have in the NAUL is a technical piece that aligns and remains true to form and function. 

 

When You Might Stash It in Your Pack 

First, the NAUL stuffs into its sole zippered chest pocket, so if you like the tidiness of a round form shoved in the pack rather than simply bunching up and shoving in the pack (as I do), you can do that. 

This section can be concise. When the air is still, the sun shines, and the temps bump above the mid-30s to low-40s, I overheat in the NAUL during high-output skinning. Sure, I can dump heat with the full zip, but I find this insufficient. The key, as already mentioned, is wind. You don’t need much wind to cool you off, but moving air sure does help the NAUL’s cause when the thermometer trends upward into the non-freezing ranges. 

In your pack, the NAUL won’t weigh you down at 254g in a men’s medium. For comparison (all men’s M) the Nano-Air Light Hybrid weighs 340g, the NAUL Freeride 317g, and the Arc’teryx Proton LW 344g. For a refresher, one pound is ~454g.

 

Features and Fit  

The NAUL has the aforementioned single zip Napolean-style pocket. It has the full zip. There is no cinch system to secure the waist hem, although the waist hem is not baggy and sits nicely on the hips. This piece generally boasts a slim cut. The hood is well-designed with elastic around the face—it has a nice stretchy feel. Mostly, I wear the hood under my helmet. But, if you prefer, the NAUL hood will stretch over a low-profile climbing helmet. For those with ski-specific lids, wearing the hood over the helmet will be a stretch. (The NAUL sits in Patagonia’s alpine/climb line, and is not ski/ride-specific.)

Less is more applies here. There are no hand pockets, no interior drop pockets, no mechanical snug-a-hem-or-a-hood system. Besides the complexities of keeping you both warm enough and cool enough, the NAUL package is pretty simple.

I’m like a broken record—the biggest feature of the NAUL is that it is truly effective active insulation. By which I don’t mean dog-walking-effective in winter (not that there’s anything wrong with that), and I do mean paired-down active insulation for mountain pursuits. Which, after all, is what we do (and we still love and walk our dogs). 

The range of motion for climbing and skiing is excellent. And true to the marketing, the NAUL is a slim fit. I am normally a men’s medium (5’10”, 160 pounds)—the fit works for me. The arms extend to my wrist, and I can reach overhead without exposing my belly button; although not a traditional cover-your-bum ski/ride cut, there is ample coverage. As a crossover piece between technical ski ascents and climbing in the off season, the NAUL seats nicely under a harness. With the medium, a fleece hoody layered underneath feels a bit restrictive. 

 

 

 

Mid-Winter Use

The NAUL is my outermost layer with the exception of high-precip situations or screaming cold winds. In those cases, I’m throwing on a light hardshell to ward off the precip or a BD Distance shell to shut down the wind. The bottom line is this: the NAUL has simplified my mid-winter layering. I begin skinning with the T-shirt and NAUL, top out, de-skin, and, depending on the ambient temps, toss on the hardshell/windbreaker or a puffy.

I’ve also begun bringing along a Trail Craft Vest for days when I’m skinning/descending with the NAUL and want a bit more wind/weather protection. The vest has a baggy fit (designed for mountain biking) and easily layers over bulkier mid-layers.    

 

Spring

In spring, and by spring I mean true spring conditions (the solar effect of snow+sun keeps you feeling warm despite what the thermometer might say), my NAUL layering system pivots. For example, on Saturday, the ambient temps were pushing 40-45 degrees around 9,000’ (high for here), with minimal wind. I wore the same T-shirt under the Airshed Pro while ascending. For the descent, I zipped-on the NAUL. The system was ideal for this reptile (I usually run cold).Let’s pivot back to spring 2024. The NAUL became my core piece for layering. I’ll list out my layering system for reference. 

Skinning/climbing: Synthetic T, Airshed Pro, NAUL, M10 Jacket. While active, I rarely wore both the Airshed Pro + NAUL. Lots of sun and low wind=Airshed Pro as my top layer while ascending. Higher elevations/colder temps or descending was NAUL time, either as an outer layer or a mid-layer. 

Camp: The NAUL dries quickly. At camp, before digging out, I’d swap into a dry baselayer, toss the NAUL on, and dig. (Shoveling is properly active, so why not sport active insulation.) The NAUL, however, is no puffy. Remember, the NAUL isn’t windproof; puffies are (that’s almost the whole point of each). While sitting somewhat still, my layering system went baselayer, Airshed Pro, NAUL, Micro Puff Vest, DAS Light. (Below the waist, I’m in a long underlayer, synthetic puffy pants, dry socks, and synthetic booties.) 

Historically, I’ve been a fleece hoody devotee. For this trip, the fleece-hoody-umbilical cord was cut. The NAUL became the surrogate. It dried faster, protected better, and had a greater range of use. In appropriate conditions, I skinned in it, chilled in it, and slept in it. It stunk. 

 

 

    

Conclusion

I’m supposing you’ve picked up on my vibe. I’m super keen on the NAUL. I think this mantra holds, at least for me: Less insulation and ample CFM make for more functional active insulation jackets. Relative to the 60g m2 insulation of the regular Nano-Air, the 20g m2 NAUL has roughly a 66% reduction in insulation. That’s a significant decrease, and it benefits those of us who partake in high-output endeavors like skinning.

I’ve tried other brands’ active insulation over the years, many of them more Euro-fit. The NAUL is not excessively sized, but I find Patagonia’s idea of a slim fit in this piece comfortable. For those among us looking for a baggier, more free-ridey cut, you’ll have to wait for the NAUL Freeride arriving next fall. The NAUL Freeride is similar in function, is cut more generously for use as an overlayer, and has more weatherproof fabric panels on the hood and upper torso. We’re playing with this piece now and will have a review next fall. 

For what it is worth, the NAUL comes with me on alpine trail runs and climbing, too. It’s a climbing piece, but you can do pretty much anything in it. It is, however, not casual wear. I also know the design principles behind the piece emphasize minimalism, and therefore, I might get some eyerolls, but I’d love to see two Napoleon pockets.

Ok. You made it to the end. The NAUL is active insulation you can be active in. Which, ironically, is not true of most active insulation.

 

Specs

Fit: Slim and somewhat technical fit with the face fabric providing slight stretch for mobility. Available in men’s and women’s models.

Shell and Lining: 1.6-oz 30-denier 100% recycled polyester air-permeable shadow stretch ripstop with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish made without intentionally added PFAS.

Lower arm panels: 2.3-oz 100% recycled polyester double knit with a wicking finish.

Insulation: 20-g FullRange 100% recycled polyester.

Price: $250.00