Despite the jacket’s winter-ready warmth, Patagonia kept weight low with a thin (20D) shell fabric, stitch-through construction, and high-quality, 800-fill down. on our scale for the size small) and packs into its left handwarmer pocket to about the size of a loaf of bread (you can pack it even smaller in a compression sack). The Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody clocks in at 14.8 ounces for the women’s version (14.6 oz. And of course, your best option for insulation in wind and rain is a fully synthetic jacket, which generally forgoes a baffled design (read: no stitches for wind to enter) and retains its ability to keep you warm even when wet. Arc’teryx's Cerium SV, on the other hand, ups its wet-weather performance with synthetic Coreloft insulation in areas most vulnerable to rain and snow (or sweat). The Rab Neutrino Pro, for example, features a Pertex Quantum Pro shell-we’ve tested this material on a variety of jackets (including Patagonia’s DAS Parka) and found it very impressive in terms of durability and weather resistance. If you’re looking for a down jacket that’s better equipped for harsh mountain conditions, we recommend a model with a beefier shell, hydrophobic down, or synthetic insulation in moisture-prone areas. All told, while it’s true that most down jackets don’t excel in wet and rough weather, the Fitz Roy’s intended use for belaying and other alpine activities left us wishing for a more protective build. The stitch-through construction (compared to a box-wall construction) also creates weak points in the jacket at the seams where wind can enter, although you do get an internal storm flap behind the center zipper to help seal out gusts along the front. The jacket boasts a 20-denier Pertex Quantum shell with a durable water repellant (DWR) finish, which is designed to be soft and supple but lacks the moisture-blocking abilities of Pertex’s premium Quantum Pro. In terms of protection against wind and rain, the Patagonia Fitz Roy is fairly middling and lacks the assurance of many other options in its class. The latest Patagonia Fitz Roy (left) versus the past-generation parka model (right) Weather Protection 2.7 oz.) or price (the Arc’teryx costs $575). of 850-fill down with synthetic Coreloft insulation) for more warmth, but these come with penalties in either weight (the Rab clocks in at 1 lb. of 800-fill down) or Arc’teryx Cerium SV (4.9 oz. You can bump up to the Rab Neutrino Pro (7 oz. These changes all result in a jacket that provides significantly less warmth than its predecessor, but it’s still perfectly serviceable for most winter and shoulder-season pursuits-and many weight-conscious alpinists will appreciate the lighter design. Importantly, it also features a stitch-through construction rather than the previous iteration’s box-wall design, which reduces weight but introduces cold spots at the seams. 6.4 oz.), eliminates the draft tubes behind the front zipper, and drops an inch off the hem (26.5 vs. Throughout testing, the Fitz Roy has kept me warm in temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit (layered on top of a baselayer and midlayer), and its high-loft build is so comfortable that I’m often tempted to wear it around the house too.Ĭompared with last year’s parka design, the 2020-2021 Fitz Roy has significantly less down fill (4.5 vs. In addition to the down fill, you get an adjustable, helmet-compatible hood and draft collar that seal in warmth around the head, and the front zipper is backed by an internal storm flap to keep gusts out. This is fairly substantial compared to most other down jackets, and it makes the Fitz Roy a suitable cold-weather option for activities like winter camping, ice and alpine climbing, and mountaineering. To see how it stacks up, see our articles on the best down jackets and the best women’s down jackets.Ĭlassified as a midweight belay hoody, the women’s Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody boasts a generous 4.5 ounces of 800-fill-power goose down. Below are our experiences with the Fitz Roy. However, we wore the revamped jacket as a belay parka for winter rock climbing and during a few early-season backcountry ski missions and found that it remains a top performer in the cold and retains the quality fit and finish we’ve come to expect from the brand. The latest model is around 20 percent lighter than its predecessor, uses a less impervious stitch-through construction, and delivers less warmth. An iconic Patagonia jacket named after an iconic Patagonian peak, the Fitz Roy has gone through a number of iterations over the years.
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