![]() The design was first conceived for the U.S. It’s warm when you stop and stays cool when you’re on the go. This different fabric weave releases sweat vapor efficiently through the jacket but traps heat in its numerous air pockets when you’re inactive. Polartec Alpha is differentiated from traditional synthetic insulation like PrimaLoft by its low-density design. While my hiking partner was slipping their insulating layer on and off as the terrain and weather changed, I never once thought to remove it. Even when we stopped for lunch, it kept me warm enough that I didn’t need to reach for a shell-a testament to its temperature regulating properties. Our first venture out was a late season hike with conditions varying from 30 degrees and snowing to 50 and sunny. The Uberlayer certainly made some strong first impressions. ![]() The Uberlayer is at home in a wide range of temperatures ![]() Having enjoyed Patagonia’s Nano-Air for about a year, which aims for the same goal of breathability and lightweight warmth with its FullRange insulation, we were curious to see how the original active insulation would compare. One of the most intriguing features of the Outdoor Research Uberlayer is the stuff on the inside: Polartec’s Alpha synthetic insulation. Performance Active Insulation: Polartec Alpha To see how the Uberlayer stacks up against the competition, see our comparison table and article on the best synthetic jackets. After extensive testing, below we break down the strengths and weaknesses of the Uberlayer including warmth, water and wind resistance, fit, features, and more. All zippers are minimalist, keeping comfort high when layering and the top of the main zipper has a soft zipper garage, protecting the chin and lips when the jacket is fully closed.The Outdoor Research Uberlayer shakes up the high end of the synthetic jacket market, with a relatively steep price tag but impressive breathability and a host of features designed for backcountry skiing, hiking, and climbing use. The wrist binding, close fit and fabric elasticity allow the sleeves to be pushed to the upper forearm when necessary. The Patagonia Nano-Air Hybrid jacket has two zipped and low profile handwarmer pockets and the wrists have thumb slots to provide some hand coverage. This Patagonia Nano-Air Hybrid jacket is the most compressible garment in this test, easily hiding in the smallest crannies of your pack, making it a good “just in case” active insulating piece for highly aerobic adventures. The inside surfaces of the jacket are soft and comfortable against bare skin or light base layers and the lower hem and wrists are bound with elastic. The Patagonia Nano-Air Hybrid is trim and close fitting, but all fabrics and insulation have mechanical stretch, allowing this jacket to unobtrusively move with the body no matter how aggressive the activity. This garment is constructed to work best at high levels of physical activity in milder conditions, so the lack of a hood didn’t affect scoring. The front panel’s shell is DWR treated but the porous nature of the material limits water and wind resistance to minimal levels. This jacket provides just enough warmth and wind protection for mild winter conditions during highly active pursuits like trail running, and in slightly warmer conditions is better suited for moderately active endeavors like rock climbing. breathable scale, and the Patagonia Nano-Air Hybrid jacket purposely lies on the far end of breathable. The functional constraints of available textiles force designers to choose a position on the weatherproof vs. The Patagonia Nano-Air Hybrid jacket uses super light, porous and compressible fabrics so a certain level of care must be taken to ensure longevity. The claimed air permeability of the waffle knit is 130CFM and 40CFM in the front.Īlthough everything in the jacket remains intact after rigorous testing, the shell fabric on the front panel shows signs of abrasion where pack straps create friction. The back, sides and back of the arms are comprised of a waffle knit polyester that does a stellar job of wicking moisture from the skin or base layers, dispersing it and shedding excess heat due to its airy construction (light is visible through this fabric). The shell fabrics and “FullRange” polyester insulation in the front panel are extremely air and vapor permeable, especially while in forward motion. This is the Patagonia Nano-Air Hybrid jacket’s calling: venting off heat and body vapor during activity.
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