This is a very light waterproof jacket that takes up little room in the pack. It’s not that breathable (I’ve never found any of Patagonia’s H2No fabrics very breathable) but against that must be set the low cost as well as the weight. There are underarm zips for ventilation, which are useful in this fabric. The jacket has stretch panels in the arms and across the shoulders but as with other jackets with stretch fabric I haven’t noticed any advantages to these.
The fit is not as close as on some lightweight jackets and I can easily wear this over a fleece jacket. The hood moves okay with the head but the peak is a little on the small side and doesn’t come forward enough to give much protection. It could be stiffer too. The handwarmer pockets are covered by a hipbelt. The chest pocket is pathetically small – barely big enough for a GPS unit.
