Patagonia  Micro Puff Insulated Jacket - Men's

This jacket is really light weight. That was my impression from the moment I put it on for the first time and that impression really stuck with me. You can almost forget you're wearing it. It's noticeably lighter than comparable down-filled puff jackets.On the flip side, it doesn't pack as small, so the Micro Puff will take up about 30% more volume in your pack than a down one...but at these weights and pack sizes that wasn't a big factor for me. Despite the light weight and thin material, Micro Puff provides plenty of insulation. I've tested it in a variety of conditions, from wearing it around the city as an outer layer during a Nor'easter to ski tours in New England to wind blasted summit chair at Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks. As an outer layer it fared much better than its deceiving fragile looks would suggest. While the thermal insulation it provides is similar to other comparable products, Micro Puff blocked wind much better than I expected. Wind blocking performance makes it much more versatile and more useful, especially as an emergency/always in the pack layer. It is very comfortable for travel too and I found myself leaving it on unzipped over just a base layer for the car ride. When making food and gas stops, I would just zip the jacket up and getting out of the car mid-drive wasn't that bad any more. As a mid layer it worked well in a combination with a Goretex shell. On a couple of occasions I was overheating a bit (hiking up a boot pack) but the Micro Puff was breathing well, and despite my intense sweating, the inside of the jacket stayed completely dry - there was non of that gross, wet-down feeling. My only gripe with Micro Puff is the fit. I'm a 6'1", 210 lbs athletic built and I usually wear size Large. While the overall fit of the jacket matches what I would expect from a size Large, there are a few things I didn't like about it. The collar is very close to neck and fairly tall. When zipped up all the way, collar is too tight to fit the chin inside of it...and at the same time, it's tall enough to poke you in the under-chin. I wish the collar was either a bit shorter or a bit roomier. Also, while the fit in the torso is pretty roomy, sleeves are fairly tight/skinny. They are not too tight for when there's only a base layer or a shirt under the jacket, but add another thin mid layer, and the sleeves start feeling a bit restrictive to hand movements. Meanwhile, in the torso area, I could easily fit a full weight fleece or two under the jacket.This only makes things a bit confusing when trying to figure out how to layer it on those really cold days, but won't be a problem in most cases. To sum it up: overall, it's a very good, versatile, comfortable, light weight and windproof jacket. On the flip side, I wish the fit was a bit better, especially in the collar area.

I really wanted to love this jacket, but I'm returning it because of the fit. Any attempt to zip this thing all the way and I'm uncomfortable (even with just a shirt), especially when I sit down. I have a pretty thick neck but I haven't had this problem before. Not with the nano puff, down sweater, ultralight down, R1 etc. Even my MH ghost whisperer vest has more than adequate neck space. And if I can't zip it all the way and be comfortable, then I can't use it as a technical piece. Besides that, it looks awesome and it's very warm for its weight. I'd say to try this on before you make the buy - doesn't fit like the rest. Hopefully in future seasons they will make an update. If they do, I would most def re-buy.