I have been testing the Patagonia Women’s R1® Air Fleece Jacket. I have worn it for hill and mountain walking, while ski touring and for general casual outings and lounging around. It’s a versatile jacket and layer so it has been well worn.
Patagonia summarises the R1 Air Jacket as: A lightweight, highly breathable and quick-drying technical fleece for cool conditions. The full-zip silhouette offers easy on-off and venting, and is built with 100% recycled polyester fabric for comfort on the move.
Other features include:
Slim fit
5.7-oz 100% recycled polyester jacquard fleece with hollow-core yarns
Bluesign® approved fabric
Zigzag-knit pattern increases airflow and minimises bulk
Full-length zip
Zipper garage chin guard
1 zipped left-chest pocket
2 zipped hand pockets
Soft cuffs and hem
Off-shoulder seams sit comfortably under pack straps
Weight: 295g
Colours: Ellwood green, wool white, black, barnacle blue
Sizes: XXS to XL
Price: £130
Made in a Fair Trade Certified factory
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My thoughts: Patagonia Women’s R1® Air Fleece Jacket
Normally, my main issue with fleece jackets is they start out looking great but quickly become flat or worn looking. Thankfully, this has not been the case with the Patagonia Women’s R1® Air Fleece Jacket. I have worn it many times, stuffed it in my hiking pack and put it through the washing machine and it still looks good.
The fit is neat but not too tight (I am usually a UK10 and I have the small size) and it is quite flattering. The torso and sleeve length are also good. I have long arms and the cuffs do reach my wrists. There is a thoughtful detail at the cuffs and hems, with a quick drying woven fabric to maintain durability.
I have read that the shoulders are off-set so they so not interfere with rucksack straps. I can’t say I have ever had a problem with the shoulders of any other fleece or baselayer but it’s good to know this is a detail that Patagonia has thought about.
The fleece offers a nice medium-weight warmth. It’s the sort of jacket I wear as a mid layer while walking briskly in autumn or winter (usually below a waterproof jacket) and I have also worn it on milder days as an outer layer.
I have often placed the fleece in my walking or skiing pack as a back-up layer. It provides a good weight-to-warmth ratio and while it doesn’t pack down really small it’s easy to stuff loose into the top of my pack.
While warming, the jacket is also very breathable. Fleece fabric is usually a breathable fabric and the R1 Air is no different. In fact, I’d rate the jacket as very breathable and this is thanks to the zig-zag pattern design that allows more air to circulate. It is also quick drying.
The breathability is a bonus if wearing it as a mid-layer but if you wear it as an outer layer in windy conditions, you will also find the cold air pushes through from the exterior. I find it much better as a mid-layer although I do wear it as an outer layer in my home.
One thing to note is that I find that the fleece jacket gets quite quickly whiffy in the armpit area due to dried sweat. I only need to wear it for a couple of walks of around 10km and it will be smelly under the arms. Most fleeces are like this unless treated with something to combat such odour, but I think many of these treatments are not so good for the environment.
To get rid of the sweat odour I pop it in the washing machine. I am not sure there is a way around the sweat smell, because even when I wear a layer underneath the same happens.
I confess I haven’t made use of the zipped chest pocket. It is not big enough for my large phone and I am not a fan of chest pockets because I find it irritating to place items in that area. It would be fine for a single key or snack if you need to carry something small. The hand warmer pockets are useful if you need a bit of warmth on a chilly day. To be honest, I usually wear gloves instead though.
The jacket doesn’t have a hood. For the price of £130 I’d like to see the added bonus of a snug hood.
Patagonia is well known for being as environmentally caring as it can be and this can be seen with the 100% recycled fabric. They also use a Fair Trade Certified for the manufacture, which is another big positive.
Overall, it’s a great layer. I have worn it a lot since it was sent to me and that usually means I like it because I do have a lot of choice of what to wear. It’s not a cheap garment but you do tend to pay extra for the Patagonia brand because of the high quality of garments and the strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility.