Review: Patagonia Women’s Nano-Air Light Hybrid Hoody

Sometimes I wonder if my internal thermostat is broken. I often find that I’m running either too hot for comfort, or too cold. Nailing the perfect temperature doesn’t come easy to me, and I often find I have to begin my outdoor days with the old alpine adage ‘be bold, start cold’, as even in the colder months I’ll likely be sweating after just a few minutes of exertion. Then follows the inevitable damp, uncomfortable belays – yuck.

There’s nothing more satisfying than finding a layering system that works for you, even more so finding a layer that actually works across a really broad range of temps and activity levels. It’s not that I’m looking for a mythical layer that you never have to add to or subtract from, but doing so as infrequently as possible would be nice, especially on long, summer alpine days when I need to move fast in order to catch the last lift down!

I want something that works with a harness, basically because I spend a lot of time wearing one, and I want sleeves that are long enough to offer decent coverage for reachy moves and a cut that won’t ride up and expose my lower back. Hoods are handy, especially ones that fit under or over a helmet, and pockets, everybody loves pockets.

I’ve had this jacket since mid-summer now, and in that time it has been lugged around the Lakes as an evening layer for when things cool down, either fell walking or climbing, and latterly, the Nano-Air® Light Hybrid Hoody has joined me on a trip to the alps, taking in Switzerland, France and Italy respectively. Whilst I opted for something a little more insulated for the colder, higher peaks and glacial terrain, this hoody was my go-to for big days out on the Brévent on multi-pitch rock routes where the days often start and end chilly (and the chair lift can get a bit breezy too). The hidden zip hand warmer pockets are generous enough to keep your phone, wallet and lift pass handy.

It stuffed into a rucksack with ease and squashed down nicely (although it did come out a bit creased, if that sort of thing bothers you), and has been worn with a backpack and harness – often at the same time. I’ve worn this with as little as a sports bra and tank underneath, as well as with light, long-sleeved base layers. It has seen the inside of a waterproof on more than one occasion, and has an impressive capacity to somehow feel ‘just right’ in any of these combinations!

As I mentioned before, this particular colourway is on sale right now – so for Patagonia it’s really a bargain! If we’re talking full price however, £270 does seem a bit on the scary side for a lightweight hoody. If it’s what you NEED (and as it turns out, the Nano-Air® Light Hybrid is exactly what I needed to perfect my summer alpine layering system), you’ll likely see a nice return on your investment in the form of hassle-free mountain days, comfort and fantastic thermal regulation.

Whether something is worth its price tag is highly subjective, but for me – this absolutely is. I’m also inclined to wear my stuff until one of us dies, and in the event of a rip or zip failure, I would 100% be taking advantage of Patagonia’s repair scheme too.