Am I nuts,the Nanopuff doesnt work for me?Is the praise just hype?

It packs down much smaller than the fleece it replaces, is lighter in weight and has decent water resistance. Paired up with a light long sleeve base layer and R1 hoodie I'm good with a similar top to the nano standing still in the low 40's to high 30's, maybe. On the move at a fast pace I'm good into single digits F. It's a great replacement for a fleece.

Dave I am completely with you. I owned a Nanopuff for a while but quickly concluded that it simply doesn't breath well enough. I frequently found myself sweating in the conditions/temps that the Nanopuff is intended for. I took it back to Patagonia and got an R2 fleece jacket. It's been a much much better option. Wind blows right through it which is perfect. If I need to block the wind or shed rain then I use a shell to accomplish that.

I too share your disappointment with my NanoPuff Jacket. Ironically, my NanoPuff pullover seems warmer than the jacket to me but neither is very warm. The jacket has become my winter-time "go-to-work" jacket but I have concluded that the NanoPuff products are worthless for backpacking in temperatures below the high 40's F, in which case other layering options work as well. My brother raves about his MB Thermawrap but frankly, because I am very cold-natured, I think I have to stick with down and make sure to keep it dry.

I found that my R2 with a shell was much warmer than a NanoPuff and if I was in warmer temps I just took the shell off. With an R2 I did not have to worry about snags, branches, keeping it compressed, etc. The R2 will also last about 4 times longer than the NanoPuff.

As an aside I find my R2 with a shell just slightly cooler than an Montbell UL Down Inner Jacket. By extrapolating a bit I think you would find that the r2 plus shell combo would be as warm or warmer than a Thermarest.

ok, ok , ok , you trash talkers.

No the Nano is not absolutely perfect.
But maybe just consider what it is intended for.
You're all basically saying a 30* quilt is not as good as a 10* full bag and a tent.
of course not.

my Nano weighs less than my Cap 4 shirt so I'm sure its much lighter than an R1 or R2.

The Nano is for when weight is a major concern, did you notice the minimalist no bells and whistles construction?
If saving weight is of no concern to you, then of course you can come up with better options by using 2 or 3 other items in its place.
But if weight is an issue, the Nano serves its purpose very well thankyou.

The Nano is whatit is. A synthetic puffy and it functions like one. Great as a light belay jacket in damp conditions. Personally I find that if you are sweating in a nano puff you can take it off and be warm enough with just your windshirt or waterproof shell. I dont think the nanopuff or any puffy is an active layer outside of winter.

I dont have one anymore as I perfer down and hike in very dry conditions but the nano puff functions wellfor its intended purpose, a lightweight static base layer in above freezing weather that functions well in damp environments.

the trick with these nanopoofays and others

– you arent supposed to hike in it unless youre moving quite slow for a technical descent, or its effing cold (like REALLY cold)

– you use it at STOPS in milder weather where it doesnt matter too much if its breathable

– it saves weight over a fleece for the same warmth, it has a windshell built in

– it goes OVER your other layers as a light belay jacket

– the concept is designed with climbing in mind where you cant simply take off this or that layer all the time … you need something that will go over your layers AND be windproof … if you were wearing fleece youd have to take off your wind/softshell, put on your fleece then put back on your shell … or suffer the heat loss of wind running through a fleece at belays

a lot of these companies are over promising on these jackets IMO … like any other piece of gear, the proper use in the proper situations is what matters …

I have a jacket and pants filled with Thermolite Micro. I use one or both only in very cold weather, especially around camp.

> These thinner synthetic fill jackets/hoodies are truly best as insulating layers under a shell of some sort, even an oversized windshirt OR as insluation to extend your sleeping bag's range.

Either way, thinner synthetic fill jackets are better than fleece of equivalent warmth for low weight and compressability.

Now the thick synthetic jackets & parkas are another story. They are truly good jackets for winter travel. Thick synthetic jackets/parkas let perspiration dry rapidly and are warm.

If there was one single piece of gear / clothing / widget that worked for all people, all conditions and all activities, it would mean much smaller stores and warehouses. :)

The Nano puff does not work for you and your style of outdoor use…it works well for others.

Sounds about right! :)

Personally, I've grown to like to the nano puff hoodie for three season backpacking because it is compressible and warm enough. It also works well with a quilt.

OTOH, for ski touring, I use a generic 200 wt equivalent fleece jacket that cost me $20 as I like the breathability while moving in the cold, dry Colorado winter.

I like how the warmth/weight ratio on the Nanopuff means improved mobility. Anything else of equivalent warmth seems to restrict movement much, much more. For me, at least, the range of arm movement when wearing a Nano is about the same as it is in a t-shirt. Surprised me no end the first time I put one on.
Edit to add: we have very chilly mornings and evenings in spring and fall, and that's when it shines, I think.

I love my Nano Puff PO. I pretty use it in in the same ways Eric talks about. It's the jacket I use the most- I take it on all car camping trips and most backpacking trips, it's the jacket I'll stuff into my jacket just in case on cooler spring/fall days, it's my casual jacket most winter days here in northern Minnesota (avg 10 F-30 F), and it's my warm up/rest jacket for winter hiking/runs.

For the kind of hiking I do, I rarely wear anything other than a windshirt and baselayer. Under 25 F I'll wear a FA Bat Hang Hoodie; above that, Ibex Indie Hoodie. While I'm warming up, I'll have the Nano Puff over my baselayer and windshirt. Once I've warmed up, it comes off and stays in my pack until I'm I'm resting. It has to be really cold (under 5 F, maybe under 10-15 F with very high winds) before I'll actually hike in insulation- and even then, it's in an Atom LT Hoody, which still isn't as warm as the Nano Puff.

I especially like having the PO vs the full zip- the slippery nylon and shorter zipper is perfect for slipping it on and off with the least amount of effort.

To each their own!

dupe