Patagonia Micro Puff vs Nano Puff vs Nano Air – 3 Awesome Puffies, but What is Best for You?

If you are looking at great mid weight puffs then this is for you!  The Patagonia Micro Puff vs Nano Puff vs Nano Air showdown will go over the similarities and the differences of each jacket, so you can find the best one for you!

Patagonia Micro Puff vs Nano Puff vs Nano Air Overview

I have separate reviews up on each of these insulated jackets from Patagonia, and will link to those below.  This is going to be an overview of the properties of each puffy, what I like about them and who they might be best suited for. If you are interested in one over another, then please see the detailed write up and videos on that model to solidify your decision.

Patagonia Micro Puff – Their best warmth to weight insulated jacket

I have been using the Micro Puff $299 for about 4 years, so I have a good sense of what I appreciate about this puffy.  This jacket is going to serve you well on backpacking, bikepacking, skiing, snowboarding and other adventures.  The Micro Puff is very packable and light. It stuffs into a pocket and does not take up much space.

 

The insulation used is Patagonia’s proprietary wonder insulation called PlumaFil.  The 65 grams of PlumaFil act much like high end down in the way it insulated and packs up small.  After several years of packing, stuffing and wearing the Micro Puff, it still performs as new.  The 10D Pertex material also add to the weight savings.

The hood is non adjustable, but provides good coverage and will go over a hat.  I appreciate the higher neck and face coverage too. This is a legit jacket that will be great in the mountains or your next backpacking trip.  It can also be used as a casual jacket, but you may find the hand pockets are a bit higher (and therefore functional with a backpack) than on a casual jacket (like the Nano Puff).

Below is the original review video for the Patagonia Micro Puff.  My, how our audio and video quality has evolved!  Thank goodness 🙂 None the less, it is a good showcase of the jacket and it’s features.  If this sounds like the right jacket for you then grab one from Patagonia here or from Backcountry.com here.

Patagonia Nano Puff – Recycled Casual Goodness

The Nano Puff is a fantasist all-around insulated jacket.  I would recommend it to most anyone looking for a fully featured, high quality, good looking puffy jacket.  You can feel good knowing that is made from mostly recycled materials and features 60 grams of Primaloft Gold Eco insulation.  This should keep you warm down to temps in the high teens or twenties (F – we are in the US) .

 

The fit and function of the Nano Puff is great for everyday use.  It looks good on everyone that has one.  I own the non hooded jacket version and find it very useful for day to day use in the city.  This does not mean it wont serve your needs on backpacking and winter adventures.  I just think that the other 2 jackets in this review do a bit better job of that.

The Nano Puff is also the most economical of the 3 jackets here. Starting at $199. This is a fair price for what you are getting and I feel that it will serve most of you very well.  Plus, it goes on sale pretty often, so keep your eyes open for that.

Full review on the Nano Puff here.

 

Patagonia Nano Air – The Active Insulation Solution

Enter the Nano Air, an entirely different insulated jacket.  The Nano Air $299 is meant for high output activities where dumping heat is just as important as staying warm.  The Thermalite (was called Full Range) insulation works magic in dumping heat, providing stretch and being comfortable in a wide range of temps.

the fit on the Nano Air is more trim. Meant to layer under a shell, or be used on its own.  It does not hinder movement in any way.  I LOVE stretch and that is no secret.  The Nano Air stretches like crazy.  Even more crazy though, is the ridiculous breathability of this puffy.  40CFM (cubic feet per minute) of breathability.  That is really hard to conceive on paper, but in the real world, it works damn well.

I find myself wearing this jacket often, even inside.  It has become my “fleece hoody” if that makes sense.  You forget you are wearing the puffy as it just feels that good.  the Patagonia Nano Air is a fantastic backcountry ski and splitboard insulation piece.  Most of my friends, and AIARE Instructors, use a Nano Air.  It is just that good.

But…. it is not very wind resistant.  So, keep that in mind. The Nano Puff and Micro Puff are going to be warmer and more weather resistant.

Full review on the Nano Air here.

 

So, which one is right for you?  Let us know what one you wind up going with!