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

By

Jason Albert

Looking yonder in the Winds: a fine place for a NAUL. The NAUL’s good fits snugly over modern climbing helmets.

Looking yonder in the Winds: a fine place for a NAUL. The NAUL’s hood fits snugly over modern climbing helmets.

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…

Responses

  1. Robertson Pearce

    Hey Jason, could you share any thoughts/comparisons between this and the Arc’teryx Proton SL (formerly lightweight) you mentioned in your review?

    1. Jason Albert

      Hey Robertson, I was kinda hoping not to be put on the spot between the Proton SL (LW) and the NAUL. Both are sweet. Here are my thoughts, but you cannot go wrong with these two options regarding active insulation.

      If you are looking for a more all-around jacket, the Proton SL gets the nod for a few reasons: it has two zip hand pockets that come in handy less on the skin track and more doing just regular life things, and it has a comfortable octa-yarn lining that feels great next-to-skin. Don’t get me wrong, this is a technical jacket for things like touring and climbing; it has a broader use range (IMHO) as a do-it-all jacket. (But for trail running, I’d opt for the NAUL.)

      The NAUL looks and feels more techy…as in, “I aspire to do rad stuff in the outdoors,” so it probably has limited function regarding coffee shop time, dog walks, etc. The lining feels good next to skin, but the nod goes to the Proton SL, which feels like a sweet and light fleece on the skin. The feature set on the NAUL is paired down—no hood adjustment (although it is a fitted hood), no hand pockets (good by me as I don’t use them touring), and no waist hem cinch to adjust the hem. I don’t miss these add-ons for a variety of reasons. The NAUl is a more minimalist piece, so if that aligns with what you are seeking, go with the NAUL. (The NAUL weighs about 90g less than the Proton SL, both in men’s medium.)

      The NAUL sits slightly lower on the hips than the Proton SL. If you are concerned with powder snow billowing this way and that, the NAUL might work better.

      I have noticed the NAUL rear panel, when going hard and wearing a pack, feels a bit more damp than the rear panel on the Proton SL—maybe the octa-yarn does a slightly better job at wicking. However, I feel like the NAUL air dries faster. Pick your poison.

      Both jackets work best when there is at least a slight breeze, as this helps cool the core while being active. My overall experience with CFM is anecdotal, with the NAUL feeling a bit more airy in a breeze than the Proton SL. But it is a close call.

      I hope this helps. Let me know if I missed something you want addressed.

  2. Peter H

    Hi Jason, you mention your lower layers in camp. What pant did you wear skinning/skiing on the traverse?

    1. Jason Albert

      Hey Peter, on this traverse I used the Patagonia Stormstride—great balance between mobility, weather protection, and breathability. In hindsight, I’d probably just do a quick DIY mod and add suspenders to the Stormstride for such a long walk. On two other traverses in this zone I used an older pair of Arc’Teryx Rush softshells (with lightweight 3L pants in case it got stormy—it got stormy), and a TNF Futurelight hardshell pant with full side zips. My partners both used softshells on last spring’s traverse FWIW.

  3. SHJ

    Any updates on the ultralight freeride? Looks really promising.

    1. Jason Albert

      Hey Simon, we’ll have a full review later in the winter. That said, I did use a version of the ultralight freeride last winter and spring that I sent back to Patagonia. In short, it’s great. I’m in the NAUL much of the time, which I love. The freeride version has all the attributes of the NAUL, which is catered toward climbers with its trimmer fit, but with a baggier fit. If that is your style, it is a great option, and at least for me, the medium fits nicely over a pile hoodie. With the NAUL, which has a tighter fit in the same size, I can only fit a thin baselayer under it. And yup, the freeride jacket is more amenable to some skiers/riders in that it has zip hand pockets, much like the Arc’teryx Proton Hybrid Hoody, which, as far as I can tell, is no longer sold. I’ve found that these soft-shell jackets, with their thinner insulation and breathability, really hit a sweet spot regarding higher-output activities.

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