So, notwithstanding the debates about breathability, I have ended up with three recent vintage lightweight wind hoodies. A Brooks LSD LITE II (~2011), a Marmot Trail Wind Hoody (DEC 2012), and a Patagonia Houdini (FALL 2013). The Houdini is the current model. The Marmot and the Houdini are the current or most recent versions. The Brooks has been replaced with the LSD LITE III, with some minor changes I'll note. The Brooks can be had for $40 to $85. The Marmot (or the identical Ion Wind Hoody) from $35 to $70. And the Patagonia from $70 to 100. I have them all in a men's size Medium.
Brooks
Marmot
Patagonia
Fit:
All three are very close in size and I can wear all three over an ultra light down hoody (or any less bulky layer). The Patagonia is a tad bit more snug, but all three are generously cut, suitable for use over a mid-layer. I would call them "athletic", certainly not as trim as some other tops from each manufacturer. I would say true to size, although trimmer than a MED from LLBEAN or REI or EMS or LANDS END. I can't imagine a need to wear any of them over something bulkier than a down sweater midlayer, so I wouldn't size up.
Fabric:
The Brooks and the Marmot are ripstop polyester. A slick satiny feeling material. The Patagonia is nylon ripstop, just a bit stiffer.
Style:
All three have reflective logos and/or other bits front and rear for running at night. The Marmot has the largest front reflective bit with trim around the pocket zipper. The Patagonia has the smallest, but enough to be seen by headlights. There are hi visibility versions of the Brooks in neon yellow and neon green for max visibility in traffic. The Marmot and the Brooks are decidedly sport/fitness oriented in styling. The Patagonia is more low key, probably better suited to fashion wear around town — muted colors, less shiny, etc.
Breathability and Ventilation:
Using the so-called Darth Vader test, the Marmot fabric is the most breathable, followed by the Brooks fabric, followed by the Patagonia fabric (which as noted previously, is not very breathable for 2013). The Patagonia has no ventilaton. The Marmot has large open mesh panels under each armpit extending down the sides and a very small bit of mesh at the back of the neck. The Brooks has a mesh panel extending over most of the upper back, covered by a flap of solid material tacked down in the center so it can't gape. This would probably provide some ventilation while running, probably not while backpacking. I would expect the Marmot to breath/vent the best, the Patagonia the least, and the Brooks in between. Wind resistance would be in the reverse order. I think it's a waste of time to evaluate DWR. They all will have some when brand new and, after that, it's really a function of how often you restore it. Personally, I try to gather up these types of jackets, give 'em a good wash, and renew the DWR with Nikwax Wash-in once a year or so, since DWR is the only moisture protection from any of these.
Hoods:
The Marmot has by far the best hood protection for wind, with dual draw cord adjusters like a real winter shell. The hood can be cinched tight to face, keeping it in place even in a strong wind. The Patagonia has single drawcord adjuster on the back, but not much in the way of anything to hold it tight to face. Looks the least dorky (in keeping with the more fashionable style), but probably would get blown around more in wind. The Brooks version I have has a hood that rolls up into the collar. As a result, it does not extend up to cover the chin. It has elastic around the hood opening and no adjuster. It's the big limitation of this version for hiking use. The new LSD LITE II version has done away with the stowable hood and added a single back adjuster. The new version would be somewhere in between the Marmot and the Patagonia.
Other bits:
All three have adjustable draw cord hems and, at least partial elastic cuffs. The Marmot has elastic binding trim around the cuffs for the most secure fit.
All three have one pocket and can be stuffed into the pocket, although the Patagonia pocket is tiny and it requires some effort to get the jacket stuffed and zipped. The Marmot and the Brooks stuff easily. The Marmot and Patagonia have fabric loops to clip to something when stuffed. The Brooks has an actual plastic hook (like gloves) to clip it to something.
Weight (actual measured):
Patagonia (99 grams/3.5 oz)
Brooks (123 grams/4.3 oz)
Marmot (134 grams/4.7 oz)
Personal preferences:
I like the Marmot the best for backpacking hiking. The most breathable, the best hood for use in a heavy wind. For around town use (and probably as an ultralight winter shell over a fleece in cold weather), the Patagonia would be my choice. It's the only one that doesn't scream "running" or "hiking" jacket. And, it is pretty impressive to have a full wind breaker package (hoody and pants) weighing in under 7 ounces I wear power stretch fleece pants and zip top lounging around the house in the winter. Throw on the Houdini jacket and pants for a trip to the grocery store or a bit of snow shovelling or a walk to the mailbox. For running, I'd probably get the Brooks in one of the retina-burning hi-viz colors, although the better breathabilty/ventilation of the Marmot would be a plus and it's available in some pretty bold colors.
