Patagonia Thermal Airshed Jacket –

Patagonia Thermal Airshed Jacket A slim-fit running jacket insulated only on the chest for cold weather high-output running and skiing. Drew Thayer The Patagonia Thermal Airshed Jacket $259 is the answer to those proper cold days when a windbreaker is just not warm enough, but any jacket you own will have you sweating like a…

Sean Sewell

January 19, 2021

Gear Review, Patagonia, Running

Patagonia Thermal Airshed Jacket

A slim-fit running jacket insulated only on the chest for cold weather high-output running and skiing.

Drew Thayer

The Patagonia Thermal Airshed Jacket $259 is the answer to those proper cold days when a windbreaker is just not warm enough, but any jacket you own will have you sweating like a pig in minutes. Designed specifically for hard aerobic activity in cold weather, this jacket is essentially a lightweight windbreaker with 65g Plumafill insulation on the front-facing surfaces (arms and chest).

It’s a great design for high-output activity, with insulation blocking oncoming wind while allowing heat to dump out of the back, sides, and armpits. A PFC-free DWR coating on 1.7 oz stretch ripstop fabric blocks wind while staying very breathable.

I especially like this jacket for any activity where I’m wearing a backpack or running vest, since I can be warm up front without that nasty feeling of sweat drenching my back. This makes this jacket particularly ideal for long-distance runs with a running vest, fast skin-track laps, and skimo endeavors. The front-only insulation also suits high-speed sports well, like cycling and nordic skiing.

For me, this is a true cold-weather piece. I find it’s perfect for running below about 20 degrees, but it’s comfortable for faster sports up to about 30 degrees. And it keeps me comfortable down into single digits as long as I keep moving. For those frigid dawn runs around the neighborhood, or as a layer for a pre-dawn start heading up a skin track, this is a great jacket. Like all of Patagonia’s new running apparel, this stows tightly in a pocket.

Drew Thayer

Patagonia Thermal Airshed Jacket - 3

Drew’s love of gear is born from his life-long obsession with human-powered adventure in the mountains. On foot, on ski, on bike, and on the steep rocks, he loves exploring Colorado’s mountains through each season.

Drew brings a technical eye to gear — he’s a data scientist with a Masters’ degree in Geophysics and loves to understand the design and engineering make great gear what it is. He’s also worked in the field for many years — as a wilderness therapy field guide and a Geophysicist — and knows a thing or two about function and durability of technical equipment.

Drew tests gear in real mountain conditions, on overnight ventures whenever possible. His specialties are rock/alpine climbing and light-and-fast human-powered pursuits on ski or mountain bike. He’s ventured on exploratory climbing expeditions in Argentina, Peru, and Alaska, and completed remote technical river descents in Alaska and Colombia.

When not building statistical models and writing code, he can be found tending his garden or trying to keep up with his awesome wife.

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