Patagonia R1 TechFace Hoody Review

Interested in the Patagonia R1 TechFace Hoody? Then you’re definitely in the right place because this detailed review of the jacket will tell you everything you need to know!

We’ve covered the materials, features, and performance, so you will get all the information you need right here in this review. Read on to learn more about the R1 TechFace Hoody, and see if it’s the right breathable jacket for you!

Materials and Durability

What’s the Patagonia R1 TechFace Hoody made from and how durable is it? That’s all covered in this section.

Shell Materials

The R1 TechFace Hoody is made from double-weave fabric. This material is soft and lightweight for next-to-skin warmth. It’s also breathable and doesn’t trap heat, making it the perfect underlayer.

The material of the jacket is made from 92% polyester and 8% spandex, for great breathability and flexibility.

Also, the fabric features an articulated pattern that allows for freedom of movement. It’s one of the many things about this lightweight jacket that makes it a great option for various sporty activities.

Another important thing to mention about the fabric is that it is made from recycled materials. It’s no surprise since Patagonia is a highly sustainable brand that uses recycled materials in a lot of its products. They also have a program that allows owners of Patagonia items to trade them in for store credit, which helps prolong the life of items and increase their overall sustainability efforts.

DWR Coating

The exterior of the Patagonia jacket is coated with DWR (Durable Water Repellent), for excellent weather resistance. DWR coating allows materials to shed moisture instead of absorbing it, ensuring excellent performance in wet weather.

Although it’s designed as an underlayer to be worn underneath a warmer jacket, it has excellent versatility because of the coating and materials. It’s a great jacket for changing weather conditions, particularly in the mountains.

Durability

The Patagonia jacket is very durable, thanks to high-end materials and DWR coating. It also has great abrasion resistance, which is usually the case with Patagonia gear. The excellent craftsmanship is also one of the reasons for good durability, meaning you don’t even need to think about loose threads and seams.

The jacket will perform great in all weather conditions, and it can easily handle the occasional brush with tree branches and rocks. But that shouldn’t happen too often, considering that this is meant to be worn underneath a thicker jacket.

Weight and Packability

How much does the jacket weigh and is it easy to carry? Find out in this section.

Weight

The Patagonia R1 TechFace Hoody weighs just 13.8 ounces, and it’s extremely thin. Although it doesn’t come with a stuff sack or pack into one of its pockets, the jacket is so thin and lightweight that it’s very easy to fit it into a backpack.

It’s great that the jacket is so lightweight because it won’t weigh you down at all. You’ll barely even feel that you’re wearing it, and that’s essential for underlayers that are meant to be worn underneath warmer jackets.

Packability

The jacket is quite packable, but it’s important to note that it’s not designed to fold into one of its pockets and it doesn’t come with a stuff sack. If you were hoping for an easily foldable jacket that you can carry in a pocket of a different jacket, I’m afraid you can’t expect that from this one.

On the other hand, the thin and lightweight materials mean that this jacket takes up very little space when it’s folded, so you can easily wear it in a backpack. It will comfortably fit into the quick-stash pockets of most backpacks, and it will take up very little space in bags and other luggage. Overall, it’s a packable jacket, but it’s not the ideal option if packability is the key feature you’re looking for.

Breathability and Comfort

Is the Patagonia jacket comfortable and breathable enough you won’t sweat? The short answer is yes but read on to see why.

Breathability

The Patagonia Hoody boasts great breathability, which is precisely what makes it an excellent underlayer. The fabric doesn’t trap heat and instead allows for airflow, ensuring that you don’t sweat bullets when you’re wearing this underneath a warmer jacket.

There’s no insulation in the jacket and parts of the interior are covered with breathable mesh for improved airflow. One thing worth noting about the breathability is that there aren’t any zippers that allow you to let some air in if you get too hot, but because the jacket doesn’t trap heat in the first place, that shouldn’t even be an issue.

Comfort/Fit

TechFace Hoody is a slim-fit jacket that fits true to size. It’s also flexible, allowing for great freedom of movement and that’s what makes it a great underlayer for skiing and similar activities. You can easily move your arms and the jacket moves along with you, instead of constraining your movement.

The material is stretchy enough that you shouldn’t ever feel like it’s too tight, which is one of the main reasons why it’s such a popular option. Another feature of the jacket that helps get the best fit is the adjustable hem.

The cords for adjustment are hidden in the handwarmer pockets, and they have cord locks at the front of the hem. This is great because it not only lets you adjust how the jacket fits you, but also because it allows you to let some air in through the hem, in case you start getting a bit too warm in the jacket.

It’s available in six different sizes ranging from XS to XXL, but it’s currently not available in any plus-size options.

Pockets and Other Features

What about the pockets, cuffs, and hood? We’ve covered all the little details in this section.

Pockets

This Patagonia jacket has a total of three zippered pockets. Two are external hand-warming pockets lined with breathable mesh for good ventilation.

There is also an internal chest pocket on the left side of the jacket, which is also covered with breathable mesh.

The pockets are big enough to fit essentials like a phone and wallet, but they won’t fit much bigger items such as goggles and bottles.

Hood

The TechFace Hoody has an adjustable hood with an under-the-helmet design. It’s very thin and fits narrowly around the head, which makes it super easy to fit a helmet on top of it.

This is also where the spandex in the jacket comes into play – although the hood is quite slim and narrow, it’s not at all restrictive. In practice, this means that you shouldn’t even feel a tug when you’re moving your head, even when you’re wearing both the hood and the helmet.

In addition to that, it’s worth noting that the hood also features a laminated visor that helps improve visibility in snowy conditions. The visor also shields your face from any snow and because of the DWR coating, even the hood doesn’t absorb any moisture.

Also, there are three adjustment cords for the hood – one is on the back of the hood, and two are on the front, just below the chin area. This helps you get that tight but comfortable fit, that allows you to easily fit a helmet on top of the hood.

Cuffs

The cuffs on this Patagonia jacket are sleek and snag resistant. They’re not adjustable, but they do feature stretchy fabric around the wrists that guarantees a comfortable fit.

The tighter fit of the cuffs ensures that cold air can’t seep inside through the sleeves. Also, it’s worth noting that because they are slim and stick to your wrists, it’s unlikely that they’ll get caught underneath another jacket – that’s the whole point of them being snag-resistant.

Value for Money

Is the Patagonia R1 TechFace Hoody worth the money? It depends on what you’re looking for in a jacket.

The TechFace Hoody is a jacket primarily designed as an underlayer for ski sports. It’s the perfect jacket to wear for skiing and snowboarding, underneath a warmer layer. It’s not insulated and it doesn’t feature any warm lining.

In fact, the key selling point of this jacket is its excellent breathability and the fact that it doesn’t trap body heat. It’s not meant to be a warm jacket, but something that’s just warm enough that you can take off your other jacket if you get too hot on the slopes. There’s also the fact that you pretty much won’t sweat in this jacket while on the slopes, but that also depends on what kind of T-shirt you’re wearing underneath the jacket.

If that’s exactly what you’re looking for, then the Patagonia jacket is worth every single penny. They’re an amazing brand with products of premium quality, excellent durability, and great sustainability.

Verdict

Should you buy the Patagonia R1TechFace Hoody? If you’re looking for a breathable mid-layer you can wear underneath warmer jackets, then it’s a great option!

This thin jacket is great for skiing and mountain biking thanks to excellent ventilation and flexibility. It’s perfect for the mountains and if you are specifically looking for a jacket like this, it’s definitely one of the best options on the market.

But, if you are looking for a more versatile jacket, or at the very least something that’s warm enough that you can wear it as a standalone jacket in cold weather, then it’s probably not worth the money for you. In that case, you’re better off picking up one of their fleece hoodies, since they’re much warmer than this one.

Head over to the Patagonia website to see if the R1 TechFace Hoody is available in your size. Check out our related posts for ideas on similar jackets you might like!

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