Patagonia R1 Air Hoody?

Or the OR Vigor.

The Patagonia R1 pullover hoodie is perhaps the single best light mid layer I haver ever owned. And everyone I have introduced to it seems to agree.

When I first was shopping for something in this category, I saw top reviews on BPL.  I then examined the garment myself and I was skeptical.  My skepticism was partly because the grid fleece did not look like it would be very warm.  I bought one.  I am a convert.  It is a fantastic piece.  Very warm for its weight – and relatively light.  When combined with light nylon hooded windbreakers you have an extremely versatile combination.

But maybe the R1 Air is different than the R1 – forgive me if I commented on the wrong garment.

The Patagonia R1 pullover hoodie is perhaps the single best light mid layer I haver ever owned. And everyone I have introduced to it seems to agree.

When I first was shopping for something in this category, I saw top reviews on BPL.  I then examined the garment myself and I was skeptical.  My skepticism was partly because the grid fleece did not look like it would be very warm.  I bought one.  I am a convert.  It is a fantastic piece.  Very warm for its weight – and relatively light.  When combined with light nylon hooded windbreakers you have an extremely versatile combination.

But maybe the R1 Air is different than the R1 – forgive me if I commented on the wrong garment.

I will agree the “plain” R1 is a great mid-layer, although I tend to use a R2 vest more often.

From what I have read about the R1 vs. the R1 Air, is the Air is warmer while stationary, but much more breathable. Seems the Air might be more for runners or high energy activities, which might not be backpacking. The Air might require a wind shell before one would need a shell with the plain R1.

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I love Patagonia clothing and have been using their stuff for decades for most of my layers (base, mid, wind shell). In my mind, the changes in baselayers from simple to understand placement (Capilene 1, 2, 3, 4) and mid layers (R1, R2,R3, R4) is just a confusing mess to entice the Patagonia minions to buy more new stuff, when the old stuff still works just fine.

I have followed a methodology over the decades that applies to clothing — is you really like a garment, by two or more of them — the manufacturers will make them obsolete with a new and improved model, which usually isn’t much better and sometimes worse. An example is the Patagonia Houdini.

And we have Patagonia’s Post-consumer Recycling Strategy & Upcycling Policy, which sounds nice: Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle and Reimagine, and yet, every year they discontinue good items and bring “new and improved” garments to market, knowing the public with buy the latest and greatest and not really engage in the “Post-consumer” idealism.

<off my soap box>

I have seen nice R1 products in thrift stores for $10 versus spending well over $100 for new.

Nick said: I have followed a methodology over the decades that applies to clothing — is you really like a garment, by two or more of them — the manufacturers will make them obsolete with a new and improved model, which usually isn’t much better and sometimes worse. An example is the Patagonia Houdini.

I couldn’t agree more! Well Said. And great example with the Houdini!  What’s up with Patagonia?  I thought they were supposed to be a “special” company?

I tried several grid fleeces: OR Vigor, Marmot Reactor (Power Grid), Mountain Hardwear Power Grid Hoody, and an Under Armour ColdGear 1/4 zip shirt.

All were similar in breathability and warmth-to-weight. The shirt was slightly lighter weight and so best as a base layer; the jackets could all be used as either base or mid.

The Vigor fabric was pretty similar to Power Grid. The differences in construction and features were greater than the differences in fabric (and those differences were small; any would be fine):

• The Marmot had no hood, which is a bonus from my POV. Too many hoods clutter things up more than they help.
• The MH was a very nice jacket; slightly more refined.
• The Vigor was my favorite for versatility, if I could have only one garment for use both as base and mid.

Overall, I can see why grid fleeces are popular; they are versatile and transfer sweat well. If you don’t mind coyote color, ECWCS L2 should be about the same as R1, but at better price if you can wait for the deal you want.

In the end, I decided that grid fleece is not for me. It is fine to wear, but packs bulky and heavy. A puffy vest is more compact and more versatile in the pack. Airmesh is lighter still, and makes a great cold-weather base (for me; I know that you had different experience). I rarely wear a mid-layer, and when I do I usually want thicker active insulation than grid fleece. YMMV.

I bought an R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody a few months ago on a web special and like it. It does seem more breathable than the regular R1 Pullover Hoody. I like that it has pockets and a full zipper. The fit is more relaxed than the regular R1. Because the Air is so breathable, I do wear a wind shell over it more than I might other less-breathable fleece layers.

I have generally followed Nick’s approach.  If I find something I love I buy a few and store them for when the current piece wears out. There are a few times I was too late to realize how much I liked the piece.  By the time I realized how much I love the item, it was no longer being made :( Most of the time caching a few extra items has served me well. There have been a few times when the product was improved, or I found a different product to be significantly better at which point the items in storage end up being stored forever… Well, eventually I realize they aren’t coming out and gift or “eBay” them.

There are some manufacturers that keep products in production unchanged so long as customer continue to purchase them! I try to give to give my business to these companies. Inov-8 is a great example of this. I went through 14 of one of their first shoe models, 12 of a more minimalist model. The first pair was the same as the last pair! Another example is Outlier. They do a lot of products which only get one run / have artificial scarcity, but their core products like Slim Dungaree’s haven’t changed in the 10+ years I been using them.

There are also a few companies whose changes seem to always be an improvement. Gossamer Gear and ULA come to mind.

Brett,

I have a Patagonia R1 Air hoody and like it.  As you probably know, it is 100% polyester, so it dries faster than the (non-Air) Patagonia R1 Pullover hoody that has 7% spandex.

I find the chest pocket on the R1 Air hoody nearly useless, compared to the larger chest pocket on an R1 pullover (big enough for a phone).  I do like the hand pockets on the R1 Air hoody.

Brett – Real Cheap Sports has the Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody on sale.

Thanks, they do but not in an XXL.  I was able to get a Vigor off on Amazon for $77 so i will try that out and can always return it easy.

I think I am going to end up agreeing with you Bill and just use a down vest and the Alpha Direct and AirMesh items.

If your goal is a rugged Winter base layer, then a Rothco L2 for $43 looks like a bargain.

Both your Airmesh and Alpha Direct garments are higher technology; lighter with similar insulation.

Thanks Bill.  Used those but yeah, the other two are better.  Thanks.  I think I still will keep my old Pat R2 with the hairy fibers for a more fleecy fleece also.  :) L3