Patagonia Re-Tool Hybrid Jacket – Everyday Chic

Devan Dowd

If you’ve been trying to find that campfire chic, everyday wear fleece that adds a little extra something, something that also helps you show how much saving the planet means to you, look no further than Patagonia Re-Tool Hybrid Jacket. 

Patagonia Re-Tool Hybrid Jacket review

The Women’s Re-Tool Hybrid Jacket is a versatile, insulated, go-to that utilizes two of Patagonia’s most cherished synthetic material innovations. The upper body is built of 100% recycled polyester Re-Tool fleece, while the lower half is made of recycled polyester ripstop that’s insulated with 60-g PrimaLoft ® Gold Insulation Eco polyester (which, fun fact, is 100% post consumer recycled). Thanks to the Full-Length Zipper, this jacket is a breeze to strip on & off, making it ideal for our Western climates (since you know layering for 50+ degree temperature changes is always tricky)! 

As a 5’3”, 137lb female, I am wearing a Women’s Small. Thanks to the relaxed fit, there is space to layer below, making this jacket the perfect cozy campfire fleece. We had a blast putting it to use in the Moab region of Utah, as it kept me warm as temperatures dipped as the sun went down, without the need to throw multiple layers on (a personal plus given my slight claustrophobia which makes winter camping sometimes a tad tricky). The fuzzy top half is soft to the touch thanks to the Re-Tool fleece, which pairs perfectly with the insulated bottom portion of the jacket. I was really impressed with Patagonia’s creativity on this design, as my past experience with fleece is it is great in cool & 

dry climates with no wind presence, but turns south and lacks protection as soon as the wind picks up. Thanks to the insulated lower half it feels like you have a 2-in-1 jacket that keeps your temperature perfectly level no matter what dry, desert climate gets thrown your way.

Before we dive into a few of my favorite technical components of this sports bra, I would be doing Patagonia a disservice if I did not take a moment to spotlight this incredible brand. 

Since Day 1, Patagonia has declared they “are in business to save our home planet.” This is their reason for being, which can be summed up in their origin story:

“At Patagonia, we appreciate that all life on earth is under threat of extinction. We aim to use the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Patagonia grew out of a small company that made tools for climbers. As the climate crisis deepens, we see a potential, even probable end to such moments, and so we’re fighting to save them. We donate our time, services and at least 1 percent of our sales to help hundreds of grassroots organizations all over the world so that they can remain vigilant, and protect what’s irreplaceable.”Staying true to their  core values centered around Quality, Integrity, Environmentalism, and Justice, they are most recognized for their determination to not be bound by convention! So if you’ve heard the buzzword “sustainability” there’s a good chance that it stemmed from Patagonia’s mission. Ringing the bell that consumerism NEEDs to step up in order to give our planet a chance at long term survival, Patagonia is one of the original pioneers for People, Purpose & Planet. 

That’s why if you are someone who leverages their clothing to represent the values you stand for, Patagonia is the pinnacle for how consumerism & fashion can truly make an IMPACT in the world. 

So with that, here are three of my favorite things about the Patagonia Re-tool Hybrid Jacket (including the fact that this sports bra is Fair Trade Certified & is part of the 1% for the Planet Initiative): 

1. Fabric That’s Soft On Your Skin & Kind To The Planet – As mentioned above, this is the first jacket I have seen that combines the coziness of fleece with a functional blend of patented insulation to keep you warm no matter the wind level! Patagonia differentiates itself with state-of-the-art designs, leveraging 100% recycled polyester to create both the upper-body re-Tool fleece & lower-body ripstop insulated with 60-g PrimaLoft ® Gold Insulation Eco polyesters with P.U.R.E ™ (Produced Using Reduced Emissions) technology. Not only is functionality top of mind, but ensuring there is no sacrifice to harming the planet.
2. Embracing Individual Authenticity in Every Inch – Patagonia as a brand recognizes the power the individual has in truly making an impact in the future of our planet. And it is apparent they incorporate the power of doing things your own way in their product design. Given that every body is uniquely shaped, I really appreciated how this jacket had multiple opportunities for you to customize the jacket to best fit your needs. With an Adjustable Bungee Cord Hem that cinches to keep warmth in or uncinches to channel a more relaxed fit or the elastic binding sleeve cuffs that help keep cold out while keeping a hands-free design, I felt that my range of motion was not restricted with this jacket – no matter the adventure we were doing. Also – talk about being clutch while hanging out around camp! 
3. Fashion Meets Utility – Since you are most likely going to be wearing this hybrid jacket in colder weather, Patagonia strategically designed its pockets to maximize both storage and accessorizing. With two front zippered pockets to keep your hands toasty (with extra space to throw in some hand warmers), there is an additional left-chest zippered pocket where you can securely store valuables like your phone or keys, without the risk of these falling out while snuggling your hands into the cozy pockets! 

So, if you’ve been looking for a go-to fleece that adds in insulation with a flair of cute and cozy fashion aesthetics, look no further than the Patagonia Re-Tool Hybrid Jacket. Not only will it be the reliable, campfire cooking, grocery-running, coffee-shop visiting, all-around go-to-jacket your closet needs, but you can be proud that the brand you are representing is truly doing good by the planet! I am excited to see all the memories I am able to make this camping season & am wishing you happy trails & encouragement to #getupandgo chase your AOTDs!

Devan Dowd

Growing up in Massachusetts, Devan has been an athlete all her life. Starting at the age of 4 as a competitive gymnast, she learned quickly the joy that comes from hard work, determination, and a jammed packed schedule. Eventually, gymnastics led to competitive lacrosse, which resulted in her growing some wings and heading to the PNW to pursue a DI College Lacrosse opportunity at the University of Oregon.

 

On the single off-day each week, she quickly learned to see Mother Earth as her playground and wanted to use every second of free time to find chase AOTDs (Adventures of the Days). These AOTDs were the inspiration for her blog Dabbling in Traveling & youtube channel. 

 

From waterfalls, to snow covered mountains, to sand dune hikes – one thing was certain, something always went awry on these AOTDs. But hey, memories were always made! Not only was UO an incredible college experience, Oregon sparked her love for the outdoors & traveling across the country for games helped introduce her to Colorado in 2014. Staring up at the Flatirons on CU Boulder’s campus, she knew one day she would call Colorado home! 

 

After returning to the east coast upon graduation, Devan’s heart never stopped longing to live in Colorado one day. But luckily the pandemic brought a newfound acceptance for remote work and in Nov. 2021 her dream came true!

 

By day, Devan is a Product Manager at Capital One. By afternoon, she is a personal trainer, coaching group Crossfit classes at Axistence Athletics (the best Adventure gym you will ever find!). By evening, she pours her heart into nonprofit work, specifically focused on driving sustainable change in Haiti through the Brace for Impact 46 organization (Fun fact – she has been traveling to Haiti since 2015, accumulating 7 trips and 7 months of living down there!). 

 

Brace for Impact works in Northern Haiti to provide sustainable, multifaceted approaches to support child development, education, medical care, job development, and implementation of clean water & sanitation across the community, which touches 40,000 people each day! (Want to learn more? Check out their website www.braceforimpact46.com )

 

As her friends would tell you (despite trying), Devan does not slow down and is always trying to fit AOTDs into each open moment. Whether it be hiking, paddleboarding, road-biking, running, Crossfitting, weight-lifting, snowboarding or simply exploring different parts of CO with her favorite furry friend Bailey & her husband Jeremy, it’s safe to say Devan has found her “Home” here in Colorado!

 

Fun fact – Devan had reconstructive hip surgery in 2016 (actually called a Periacetabular Osteotomy… but that’s a tongue twister). After a 22 month recovery period, she proved doctors wrong, returned to play her senior of lacrosse continues to use this experience as motivation to encourage everyone she interacts with to truly treat movement as a gift and to never take it for granted. With that being said, to keep her body active, she needs to make sure her gear can support her so she can remain #PAOStrong!

 

Devan is excited to join the Engearment team!