Patagonia R1 Air Review – Super Comfortable and Ultra-Breathable

The brand new Patagonia R1 Air is super comfortable, like ridiculously comfortable. Plus, it is very breathable. This makes it great for high output activities.

Patagonia R1 Air Material

The zig-zag pattern of the R1 Air reminds me of the Capilene Air that I loved so much (review here) Patagonia claims that the pattern allows the garment to breathe without adding weight.  I think they are onto something here.  I swear by the Capilene Air, and the Merino Air before that.

The actual material is very comfortable against the skin.  Even more so than the Caplinene! The entire jacket is made of 100% recycled materials and is Fair Trade Certifed Sewn.  So you can feel good about feeling good!

They even added HeilQ Fresh to the material to combat odor.  This helps when you are using it back to back missions.  I tend to sleep in the hoody, after a full day of adventures.  So I can appreciate any help I can get on keeping funk at bay.

Patagonia R1 Air Hoody Review

There are several models in the R1 Air line up.  In this review, I will be focusing on the R1 Air Hoody.  This is a full zip jacket that can be used for a variety of situations.  As a hoody for cool weather active pursuits, as a casual piece, or as a mid-layer.

I used it this fall in the mountains of Colorado in temps ranging from 25 – 50 degrees.  The R1 Air was a pleasure on the trails in the cooler temps.  Not too hot, not too cold.  It dumps heat as fast as any active insulation I have tested.  At night, I slipped a puffy on over it with ease.

The fit and function are great too.  For reference, I am 6’1″ 205lb 45″ chest and 33″ waist.  The XL was a great fit.  This jacket is a more trim or athletic fit, so keep that in mind. The sleeves are excellent as well, they did not ride up when I reached overhead.  For reference, I am a 36/37″ on arms.

The hand pockets are lower, which I am not sure why.  I would have assumed they would have them higher up to place nice with hip belts.  Regardless, they are sizable and can easily store plenty of stuff – beanie, gloves, headlamp, etc.

Drop pockets! I love drop pockets and I am stoked the R1 Air has them.  These are very sizeable too.  You can easily store several sandwiches or other items in here.  I feel like I am painting a funny picture here – like a chipmunk storing up food for winter LOL. I do not stuff my pockets with a half dozen ham sandwiches.  Usually.  🙂

The Napoleon chest pocket is very small and good for chapstick or an ID, that is about it. Forget about sticking your phone there.  Though, if you are using this for an active adventure, I doubt you would want to keep your phone there anyway.

The brand new Patagonia R1 Air is super comfortable, like ridiculously comfortable. Plus, it is very breathable. This makes it great for high output activities.

Patagonia R1 Air Material

The zig-zag pattern of the R1 Air reminds me of the Capilene Air that I loved so much (review here) Patagonia claims that the pattern allows the garment to breathe without adding weight.  I think they are onto something here.  I swear by the Capilene Air, and the Merino Air before that.

The actual material is very comfortable against the skin.  Even more so than the Caplinene! The entire jacket is made of 100% recycled materials and is Fair Trade Certifed Sewn.  So you can feel good about feeling good!

They even added HeilQ Fresh to the material to combat odor.  This helps when you are using it back to back missions.  I tend to sleep in the hoody, after a full day of adventures.  So I can appreciate any help I can get on keeping funk at bay.

Patagonia R1 Air Hoody Review

There are several models in the R1 Air line up.  In this review, I will be focusing on the R1 Air Hoody.  This is a full zip jacket that can be used for a variety of situations.  As a hoody for cool weather active pursuits, as a casual piece, or as a mid-layer.

I used it this fall in the mountains of Colorado in temps ranging from 25 – 50 degrees.  The R1 Air was a pleasure on the trails in the cooler temps.  Not too hot, not too cold.  It dumps heat as fast as any active insulation I have tested.  At night, I slipped a puffy on over it with ease.

The fit and function are great too.  For reference, I am 6’1″ 205lb 45″ chest and 33″ waist.  The XL was a great fit.  This jacket is a more trim or athletic fit, so keep that in mind. The sleeves are excellent as well, they did not ride up when I reached overhead.  For reference, I am a 36/37″ on arms.

The hand pockets are lower, which I am not sure why.  I would have assumed they would have them higher up to place nice with hip belts.  Regardless, they are sizable and can easily store plenty of stuff – beanie, gloves, headlamp, etc.

Drop pockets! I love drop pockets and I am stoked the R1 Air hoody has them.  These are very sizeable too.  You can easily store several sandwiches or other items in here.  I feel like I am painting a funny picture here – like a chipmunk storing up food for winter LOL. I do not stuff my pockets with a half dozen ham sandwiches.  Usually.  🙂

The Napoleon chest pocket is very small and good for chapstick or an ID, that is about it. Forget about sticking your phone there.  Though, if you are using this for an active adventure, I doubt you would want to keep your phone there anyway.

The hood is a classic scuba style.  Nothing to mess with and adjust.  Just put it on when you need it and enjoy the cozy warmth on your head.  The hood did not get in the way of my vision either.  I appreciated the higher neck covering as well.

Though the R1 Air breathes like a champ, it is not wind resistant.  So keep that in mind if you are looking for something to block the wind.  Check out the Patagonia Airshed Pro (review here) for another high output top that meets that criteria.

Patagonia R1 Air Zip Neck Pullover 

Our writer Drew Thayer has tested out the zip-neck pullover version of the R1 Air:

 

This isn’t the most technical piece, but I wear it ALL the time…like every single morning since the mornings got chilly in October. As Sean notes, the material is amazing – super cozy and comfortable. This fuzzy fleece layer feels like the popular Melanzana hoodies made in Leadville… and just like the beloved “Melle”, I find myself wearing this pretty much every morning and evening. 

 

OK, so it’s an instant favorite around the house, but how useful is this fleece out and about? I tested the zip-neck pullover, anticipating using this as a layering piece with other hooded clothing where I don’t need to double or triple-up on hoods. The warmth-to-weight ratio of the zig-zag R1 Air material is good for a fleece – warmer than a standard R1, not quite as warm as the merino Capilene Air. The warmth of this piece makes it a great choice to bring as a warm layer for hiking, fishing etc for shoulder-season temps. It doesn’t block any wind, so my Fall fishing kit was a sun shirt, R1 Air pullover, and a windbreaker, which was a lightweight setup to cover temps from 80s to 50s.

 

A benefit of the lack of any wind blocking is this is a great piece for cold aerobic workouts, like winter morning runs, nordic skiing, and hikes that are chilly but not windy. At a time when it seems everything wants to be some kind of softshell, it’s nice to have a piece of clothing that’s just a classic fleece: just fuzzy warmth and nothing else.

 

Losing the hood and full zipper saves about 20% of the weight (12.9 oz to 10.2 oz in Men’s Medium), and also 20% of the bulk. This lets me cram the R1 Air pullover more easily in a large running pack or my kid-carrier backpack (along with the books, snacks, milk bottle, toy bulldozer…). Considering that so many of my layers have hoods (sun shirt, windbreaker…), I’ve felt this compromise is worth it to have a lighter insulation layer in Fall and Spring temps. For what it’s worth, the zip-neck is an excellent style too, and I don’t think twice wearing it on work calls with my boss since it has a classy look (and my house is cold so I’m wearing some kind of fleece at work for half the year).

 

In terms of durability, R1 Air also sits between R1 and Capilene Air. Unlike the delicate Capilene Air, R1 Air can withstand some light abrasion just fine (rock climbing etc), but you probably don’t want to grind your way up a chimney or off with wearing it. 

 

The zip neck pullover is simply built, with no bells and whistles other than one chest pocket. As Sean describes, it’s sort of maddeningly small for a time when we all have phones. Sometimes I put my very small wallet in it, or a piece of gum… bottom line is I don’t use the pocket much, but I don’t feel the need for an additional pocket. 

 

Ok, so a lot to love here, but I need to note what this piece isn’t: a technical fleece for climbing. For climbers, the classic R1 still wins by a long shot for a variety of reasons: R1 Air lacks the extra long cut that stays tucked into a harness. Climbing multi-pitch routes is when I end up using chest pockets, and the R1 Air’s tiny pocket is annoying. The lofty R1 Air fabric is warmer, but lacks abrasion resistance. Classic R1 hood works better in a helmet, too. I’ve used this for casual use cases like a bit of sport climbing, and it’s great for chilly mornings at the gym, but for multi-pitch routes, trad climbs, or a multi-day trip I’d grab the original R1 over R1 Air. 

Bottom line

If you are looking for a very comfortable hoody-style jacket for high output active adventures in cool temps, then the Patagonia R1 Air Hoody is a top contender. For a more town-tailored look and a lighter and more compact piece of fleece insulation, the zip-neck pullover is excellent. Either will be one of your fuzziest, most-worn pieces of clothing during the cold months.