There are many reasons to purchase a jacket with synthetic insulation. Traditionally, people have thought that down was the best option for winter jackets. Down is very compressible and keeps in the warmth very well. But the cost of down has increased over the past few years. Also, we do not allow for much breathability.
There have been advances in them that it insulation technology that allows many of the benefits of down to be included in a synthetic jacket. One of these technologies is Primaloft. Primaloft is made up of tiny polyester balls put into a jacket’s lining. These tiny balls are very compressible and conform to your body. They also keep the warmth in but allow for better breathability than down. The biggest advantage of Primaloft is the fact that they are weather-resistant, but when they do get wet, is so keeps the warmth inside.
The Patagonia Nano Puff’s lining is made up of Primaloft Gold Eco. This is one of Primaloft’s higher-end versions of its insulation technology. The Nano-Air FullRange insulation technology, which keeps you warm and is stretchy. And without further ado, we bring you a list of pros and cons in this Patagonia Nano Puff vs Nano-Air comparison.
Need a warm Thermal Jacket for your next winter hike? Check out our The North Face Thermoball vs Down review.
Features Of The Patagiona Nano Puff
The Nano Puff is the cheaper option between the two. But it does come with some high-grade inflation. It’s interior is made up of Primaloft Gold Eco synthetic insulation. All the pros and cons associated with this jacket come from this technology.
Pros
- Warmth-to-weight ratio: The warmth-to-weight ratio of the Nano Puff is excellent. This is a very lightweight jacket that keeps you warmer than other jackets of the same weight.
- Suggested activity level: Due to the fact that the Nano Puff is so good at keeping the warmth in, it is best used for low activity levels. Many people use this jacket for wandering around the city or at a campsite. It is not recommended for those who are going to be running or doing any sort of aerobic. But for those who are staying stationary, the warmth of the Nano Puff is quite excellent.
- Well-cut and comfortable: Customers of the Nano Puff find that the comfort is great. It fits them like a glove even though it is not stretchy at all.
- Cost-effective: One of the reasons for the existence of Primaloft technology is the fact that the cost of down has increased. However, jackets with synthetic insulation like Nano Puff have the added benefit of staying warm when wet even though there are much more cost-effective than down. In fact, the Nano Puff is cheaper than the Nano Air.
- Stays warm when wet: One of the advantages of Primaloft is that it keeps is warming qualities when wet. The Nano Puff is wind and rain resistant. But when it does get wet, it does a really good job at keeping you warm.
Cons
- Not very breathable: Due to how well the Nano Puff keeps the warmth in, its trade-off is that it is not very breathable. If you’re going to be doing any level of aerobic activity, you can expect to work up a sweat and get drenched on the inside.
- Not stretchy: This is not super important if you are going to be staying put, but the Nano Puff is not stretchy at all. It does have a really good fit and is highly comfortable for those who are not being very active.
Features of The Patagiona Nano Air
With the advent of the Nano Air comes the ability of staying warm without getting drenched with sweat. One of the major advantages of the Nano Air is that it is super stretchy and breathable. Read below for a list of pros and cons.
Pros
- Suggested activity level: The Nano Air is intended to be worn during higher levels of activity. While it can also be worn while your stationary, it doesn’t let a bit of the wind through. You can wear the Nano Air while out for a jog or a mountain climb.
- Stretchy: The stretchiness of the Nano Air is amazing and you will find that you are very comfortable and it while doing aerobics.
- Breathability: The Nano Air is the most breathable softshell jacket that Patagonia has ever created. It will allow you to sweat on the inside and let the moisture escape immediately. This means that you will not get drenched while participating in high levels of activity.
- Softness: This jacket feels very good on the skin as it is very soft.
- Warm when wet: Unlike down jackets, the Nano Air remains warm when wet.
- Very versatile: While this jacket is meant for high levels of activity, you can still wear it as a stationary jacket. If you wear a wind shirt over it, it will stay as warm as the Nano Puff.
Cons
- Not wind resistant: The Nano Puff is not as wind resistant as the Nano Puff. This is intentional in order to allow for the breathability when doing aerobics.
- Low compression: This jacket does not compress as well as the Nano Puff, so storing it in small places is not as possible.
Price Comparison
Generally speaking, the Nano Air is more expensive than the Nano Puff. Prices are always subject to change, but you can see the cheapest prices for the Nano Puff and Nano Air on Amazon below: