You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Emperor's new clothes and overpriced outdoor clothing statement, or worth the money and fully functional in the mountains? Got my eye on a few of their synthetic jacket offerings. Having tried them on, I am doubtful to their actual credentials when put to task due to the lightweight construction of them. Well put together and good environmental ethos though. Worth the money and stand up to proper use? ie. Not just walking the dog and doing the school run.
Bit of both IME. I have a Patagonia ski jacket that I paid £330 for in the sale, which is the absolute dogs bollox in terms of comfort, keeping me dry, fit and technical design (hood over helmet, pit zips, pockets that work etc.).
The kids have some of the retro fleeces which are just fleeces.
I also have one of the new Micro Puff jackets which I'm finding really good too.
I’ve bought their stuff on and off for 25 years - I still have an original R1 fleece that I still wear. I rarely buy stuff full price either. Given their background, formed in California by Yvon Chouinard a climbing pioneer and at least have a strong eco credential - far more than some of the ‘lifestyle’ brands like Nike, Oakley and The North Face.
It's decent stuff generally, slightly boxy cut in recent years. Lightweight fabrics are tougher than they used to be thanks to improved technology, but if you mean 'stand up to proper use', it depends on what you mean by 'proper use'. Lightweight technical insulation isn't really designed to be dragged over rock or hammered with pack straps, harnesses, ice gear etc generally. It's intended to take up as little room in your pack as possible and weigh not much. If you treat it as a glorified shell layer, you will trash it eventually. If you want something to wear for stops, bivis, in huts / tents / caffs, it'll be fine. Same's true of most lightweight insulation.
That said, a mate of mine who's an adventure film maker abused a Macro Puff on mountain shoots for several months and was surprised at how well it survived.
Stuff from early 2000s was amazing, in partic their windproof fleece jackets. More recent fashion stuff is as you say, not really mountainwear. Higher priced technical stuff still excellent.
Their westuits are supposed to be amazeballs.
Their westuits are supposed to be amazeballs.
they aren’t. I have two, paid half price for both and that was about right. Just gone back to o-neill and way better.
I've never regretted buying Patagonia when I have the spare money, though have only generally bought base layers, softshells and fleece items, not insulated or hardshell. All of which I still use, despite some being properly old and disreputable looking now.
Exactly the same as malgrey - I've still got some heavily used items from 25 years ago!
They're a great company - I just can't justify the expense most of the time.
I have their Nano-air jacket (two in fact) - very impressive piece of kit, was cutting edge when it came out, now has a few clones from other brands making stretchy insulated mid layers.
Back in 1980's,90's and 00's I think they were a cut above - really well made, superb fabrics, amazing support and warranty> I have owned lots, and still own some.
I still think their Capilene light is brilliant and their own brand fleece.
Now, I do think so many have caught up or overtaken. Brands have better cut, most have same level of quality control, fabrics are shared across so many brands. Many, e.g. Vaude or other bluesign approved products or companies are as 'eco'.
IMO, the recent things I bought have been boxy with some poor fabric or feature choices.
I also had to try to warranty a zip on a jacket a few years ago - I paid a fortune to ship to Portugal for inspection, a fortune to ship it back, and they refused a broken zip tooth as a warranty so I paid for the repair. They offered to keep the jacket (which was a £200, less than year old insulated Torrentshell) and 'recycle' it by selling it on for me, at their profit of course.
I doubt I am buying much Patagucci in future.
Opposite experience to matt_outandabout here. My son has one of their down jackets - pricey but we got it in the sale. It got ripped - his fault entirely. They sent us a pre-paid postage label and are currently repairing it FOC. That is blinding customer service!
They also (under normal circumstances) have a repairs service that tours the big ourdoor retailers - you can drop any outdoor clothing and they'll repair it FOC. Not just Patagucci. It's often at places like Kendal Film Festival etc.
Their eco credentials are beyond any of the other big outdoor companies I believe and they are regurlarly voted one of the best places to work. They were among the first organisations to bring in flexible working to help with childcare and stuff like that.
I have the rainshadow hardshell rain jacket and it's bloody excellent. Withstood some pretty horrendous downpours. It's very 'hardshell' type but also not sweaty. Good job Patagonia.
It's 5 years old now and I did re proof it with the Storm stuff about a year ago. The shop recommended me to and they gave me the storm wash for free as an incentive to buy.
When possible I buy locally made clothes made from locally produced fabrics and down. Local jobs, lower environmental cost, good kit. You might find UK manufacturers who do the same, Rab used to but they've delocalised much of production process unfortunately.
If you really think buying Patagonia stuff is eco think again.
How about starting a "great British outdoors kit" thread. Hell, I'll try.
What kind of synthetic jacket? I have been MTBing in one of their softshells for eight years and it's held up incredibly well.
Only interrupted by sending it back to them to replace the zip for free.
I got it with a credit note for an eight-year-old waterproof that had delaminated under rucksack straps (which I had snagged for £35 from TK Maxx in the first place).
Got some Capilene base layers at the same time and they are still good as new, and brilliant.
They tend to be one of my go to's for general clothes I need due to their environmental credentials. (Finisterre and Howies for the same reason). Good quality and customer service although I'm not sure I'm testing them particularly hard though, I'm not hanging off el cap every weekend for example.
The wife's jacket fell apart. The waterproof layer delaminated. They were very cagey about warranty and returns but did eventually say the might offer a completely different jacket as a replacement. Is was faffy enough that we never got round to it. Might look into it again when things have calmed down
Like Patagonia - not bought for a while as pricey. But realise that pretty much every piece I’ve got from them still in use - some from 2001 Nepal trip still going strong.
Got some Capilene, nano puff and some guide softshell pants from them and can't complain about any of it. Certainly that stuff is as good as any one else's offerings
The older stuff was great, as was the warranty then. The newer stuff is reasonably well designed, although you have to know what it is you want. The e.g alpine shells that are designed to be lightweight and packable are not nearly as robust as the heavier snow, ski and boarding shells. As long as you are careful in choosing which stuff meets your needs and understand the compromises involved, you won't be disappointed. I don't think Patagonia are as far out ahead of the competition as they used to be though. Plenty of good brands out there doing similar stuff.
If it makes any difference (which it definitely should), Patagonia are head and shoulders more ethically sourced/run than any other outdoor kit manufacturers (except Alpkit who are also excellent). They have proper B-Corp certification so aren't just claiming they are good, they actually are.
Yes, it makes the price slightly higher but if the kit is also good - which it is - then you at least know a lot of the extra cost is going to the right places.
Also good are Paramo.
League table from Ethical Consumer here for those interested (which again, you all should be):
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/fashion-clothing/shopping-guide/waterproof-insulated-jackets
I have a Refugio rucksack which I live, but the internal dividers ripped ages ago and the nylon is wearing through on the corners, it isn't something I'd be eager to replace.
I also had a Capilene baselayer of the lightest variety that was amazing even in cold weather and would be used for months when it was just a layer under a jersey. Eventually it wore thin, but it was heavily heavily used for a long time.
So a bit mixed, I'd be tempted to look at Finesterre instead as they are UK based.
Great kit, but it's always a little on the baggy/boxy side, especially their insulation stuff with the exception of the obscenely expensive (and desirable) nano-air stuff. Arcteryx and alpkit fit better IMHE, a bit slimmer.
Downsides, their website is a nightmare and hard to browse just the technical stuff, and I'm still annoyed they've decided my profession is persona-non-grata without bothering to engage in any debate.
Patagonia have gone an interesting direction in the last few years. I think increasingly some of their products are compromises based on environmental factors - that was certainly the case with one of their early wetsuits i had (it wasn't very good tbh) and other bits of clothing are certainly less technical than some of their competitors as a result...
...but then again. Ask yourself, do you need the most technical of perfect technical or is something more sustainable a better idea?
Back in the 1980s when Patagonia became available here in the UK it certainly felt a cut above (sic) but whether that's because it was genuinely better or just that what we were used to was just not very good, I'm not sure. Certainly companies like Mountain Equipment upped their game and started producing some really good kit. I've an ME hooded fleece from early to mid 1990s that's seen 200+ days use per year and one zip broke this year. Apart from a small hole (that I struggle to find) in a pocket caused by keys rubbing that's the only thing that's gone wrong with it.
Really not looked at their stuff in recent years so no idea if it's still "premium", I suspect they've several ranges and you need to look at the top end for what used to be their main range.
Patagonia have gone an interesting direction in the last few years. I think increasingly some of their products are compromises based on environmental factors
They definitely have. You can read about it here https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/stories/our-dwr-problem/story-17791.html
They are aware how devastating (literally: devastating) the chemicals in DWR finishes are to our planet and are funding a research company set up to try and find a more environmentally friendly way to waterproof clothing.
I'm part of the problem. I re proofed a waterproof jacket of mine with the nasty stuff!
Also good are Paramo.
Yep, Nick Brown - who is the Nik in Nikwax and also runs Paramo - is one of the good guys. A lot of Paramo garments are made in Colombia at a social project which was set up to provide jobs and support for women rescued from the streets of Bogota. The word Paramo is the name for a particular type of high altitude Andean cloud forest. Nick once told me that his main motivation for running Paramo is to keep the Miquelina Project going. Go figure.
https://www.paramo-clothing.com/en-gb/ourethics/manufacturing.php
I’m part of the problem. I re proofed a waterproof jacket of mine with the nasty stuff!
Nikwax if you want ecologically sound fabric cleaning and treatment products.
I have a few bits of Patagonia kit and by in large it's all been good stuff.
Capilene baselayer is the best I have ever used. The fleece is great but it's just a nice fleece. The hoody is nice but it's a hoody. My waterproof jacket is good, possibly not the most breathable but very waterproof.
However, their belts are excellent!
I have a down hoody that wore quite quickly but as others have stated it's not really designed for everyday use, it's very very lightweight. They have other more durable jackets in their range that probably more suitable.
Worth mentioning that the only things from Patagonia I have paid full price for is the baselayer (in Hong Kong) and the belt.