Patagonia  Down Sweater - Women's

I bought the Rustic Purple down sweater in Nov. 2022 after trying on in Bend REI store. I typically am a Patagonia L/XL, and I bought this jacket in size XXL. Ive never before purchased a top in XXL. 5 ft 6 in. tall, 185 lb. 40-41 in. chest; 36-39.5 in. waist; 41-45.5 in. hip (depending where measure at). According to size chart I should be a L or XL. Patagonia website MY FIT says I should wear size L. The XL fit but was tight at the hips and also shoulders (though still plenty of room in midsection); doable but not comfortably what I like. I am an avid bird watcher and always lifting binoculars up to my eyes, and this movement was constructed in XL. The XXL is a bit big on me and baggy in the back and chest, but I needed the larger size to fit my hip area and also so the shoulders arent as tight. I am using this down sweater solely as a mid-layer so it doesnt matter to me that the XXL isnt as fitted looking. The XXL was warmer than the XL, too, prob bc larger size capturing more air to warm. I wouldnt want to wear this as an outer layer anyway, wind blows right through it. But when worn under another jacket/shell, this down sweater is so so cozy. It is now my warmest coziest mid-layer piece. Worn over a Smartwool marino top, and under a Marmot Avant jacket, I was toasty warm in Central Oregon high desert temps 5-20 F, and had to unzip most of my layers as approaching 20 and above midday when sun out. The day before getting the down sweater I wore the same outfit but with a thick handmade wool sweater from Ireland as the midlayer, in 5 F, and I was okay, not cold but also not warm, not feeling warm cozy like sun glowing filling me up. All days long with the down sweater felt like I was wearing a warm hug; core so warm and hugged, like wearing a heating pad! My partner wore it a while and agrees its like wearing a warm hug, and told me to write in Review that this would be a great jacket for people who dont get enough Connection/touch and feel lonely, bc it will continuously hug you! It feels good emotionally to wear it! However, worn over Smartwool and under a Arcturyx rain jacket in raining 40-50 F on Oregon coast, it isnt warm enough, prob dampness in humid air might be getting into the down sweater and compromising its insulating abilities, even though no rain wet it. So not a jacket for PNW rainy westside. I bought the new updated 2022 version made with fishing nets nylon. I never owned the previous polyester version (which is still being sold in stores, so check the tag if yours has fishing net material nylon is the 2022 update). Bend REI store had the new 2022 update, even though the REI website says that they’re still selling the older polyester version. The new version is silky soft material, it feels wonderful to touch. Supposedly the update made it warmer, too. But the waist area is tight if you have hips (though it does have a drawcord at hip which is incomprehensible to me Why if theyre putting a means to tighten the hip, why dont they make the hip wider for the majority of women who have wider hips than waists? since narrower women would still be able to cinch it)? Wish theyd rethink this. People mention the long arms, and it does have very long arms, and they cant be pulled up to the elbow bc the elastic at wrist is too weak and doesnt stretch enough; this makes the jacket unwearable inside the house, and I wish theyd fix the elastic so that the sleeves could be pushed up the elbows and stay; but Im okay w length bc got it for outdoors, and love that my hands can tuck into the long sleeves and be kept warm from the down, so I prefer them long; and when wearing this sweater as a mid-layer under another jacket, the arms crunch up inside the shell mostly at the wrist, so the extra down at the wrist then keeps my hands warmer too. Im very glad this new version has extra long arms. Note: I also tried on the 2022 nano puff hoody in Cloudberry Orange the same day as this down sweater; nano puff fit great in size XL with plenty of room, but had so much extra midsection room that it looked bad on me, not flattering at all. Even though the down sweater is an XXL and still too large on my midsection, the cut is a lot more flattering than the nano puff. Unfortunately, Patagonia womens jackets arent cut for broader hips or shoulders. Wish that could be changed, since women without curvier hips and shoulders could easily wear the mens products.

I have a version of this jacket that is several years old and taped up in several places. I love that jacket. This version of the down sweater jacket has sleeves that are way too long and don’t cinch (no elastic). It is unwearable for me and going back.