Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody - Women's Review

The Patagonia R1 Air is a lightweight, technical fleece made with recycled polyester that's comfortable against the skin. It has two zippered hand pockets as well as a large zippered chest pocket. We love the moisture-wicking fabric and the fact that there are no abrasive seams on the tops of the shoulders or in the armpits.

Warmth

Though the R1 Air is very lightweight, the warmth it offers is much more akin to a midweight fleece — in most situations. When hanging out in camp or traveling to far-flung locations, the soft, fluffy fabric of this fleece does an exceptional job of holding in body heat. Its slim fit keeps the heat close to your body, while the fabric is stretchy enough not to be restrictive for different body shapes. The latest version also has a longer torso and sleeves, so it's easier to cover your hands and bum on a particularly cold day.

A fitted, scuba-style hood that features a very high chin (to keep your face even warmer) stays up in the wind and layers nicely under shell hoods. Our longest-armed tester found the R1 Air sleeves to be long enough, and even during activities that necessitate excessive reaching overhead, like rock climbing, our wrists remained covered. While we wish the R1 Air had thumb loops, the extra length of the latest iteration kept our hands warmer than before. It is worth mentioning that this fleece isn't designed for standalone warmth. Its zig-zag patterning allows more air to permeate the fabric, wicking sweat away from your body and releasing it through the patterning. By keeping your body dry, you retain more body heat while working up a sweat in cold weather.

Almost none of the fleece jackets we tested offer meaningful water protection, so we didn't dock too many points from the R1 Air for soaking up a light mist during our testing. The exterior material of the pocket repels some water, and it takes a while for precipitation to make it through the face fabric to the interior. But the zig-zags in the main fabric — while adding extra comfort and breathability — are the weak point when protecting against the elements. The main zipper features a fabric strip that mostly covers the medium-sized teeth but doesn't entirely stop water or wind from penetrating your core.

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Comfort

All our testers who wore the R1 Air commented on how soft and cozy it feels next to their skin. We love that it's equally as fuzzy on the inside and the outside, not sacrificing comfort for performance in breathability. The fabric is very stretchy and accommodating to a diversity of body shapes, especially the updated fit that features more length in the torso and sleeves. The seams on top of the shoulders have been moved back to avoid conflicting with backpack straps, and the seams typically located in the armpits have been lowered to the ribs, eliminating any annoying rubbing or friction. A drop hem helps keep your waist protected during movement. Our only real complaint about the comfort of the R1 Air is that its slim design, despite a fair amount of stretch, isn't as accommodating for curvier body types or those with wider hips.

The two zippered hand pockets are deeper than their zippers, helping to hold items even when unzipped. However, their placement will be less functional when wearing the hip belt of a pack or a climbing harness. On the inside, the pocket material has been sewn closed across the bottom to create two narrow but deep drop-in pockets. The latest design includes a larger chest pocket on the left side that is big enough to hold a smartphone, but you can definitely feel the extra weight. The soft and cozy fabric, along with an updated fit, make this one of the most comfortable jackets that we tested.

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Breathability

The R1 Air threads the needle between warmth and breathability. The only fleeces in our lineup that were more breathable sacrificed significant warmth and comfort. The R1's ever-present zig-zags in the fabric between rows of fluffy fleece allow your body to expel extra heat whenever necessary. The cuffs are mostly unlined, making them comfortable to push up our arms if we start to heat up.

It was comfortable to wear this fleece unzipped when we needed to let off a little steam, and we never noticed the lightweight fitted hood of the R1 Air pulling the jacket in odd directions. Though some fleeces make the hand pockets out of mesh to facilitate venting, the R1's pockets are made of the same material as the small chest pocket, which helps seal in warm air. Combined with its other breathable features, we appreciated the extra warmth and didn't even notice the lack of pocket ventilation, as we could simply unzip the whole thing. We loved wearing the R1 Air for everything from moderate output activities like spring and fall hiking to rock climbing, and even some extremely cold, early morning runs.

Layering Ability

The R1 Air finds the happy medium when it comes to functionality. Its slim shape and fit aren't ideal for wearing over a baggy t-shirt, but this fleece easily slides on over a next-to-skin baselayer (synthetic provides a better interface than wool). The fluffiness of the internal fabric doesn't catch as much as some others, but it also isn't the most accommodating fabric for an outer layer.

The R1 Air excels as a mid-layer. Its fitted shape and thinner material make it a joy to wear under a puffy jacket, waterproof shell, or both. Without thumbholes to encumber your layered wrists, the sleeves and hem length of the R1 are ideal for layering—keeping you protected without awkwardly sticking out the openings of your jacket.

Weight

The size Small R1 Air we tested weighs only 10 ounces — quite light in the realm of fleeces. None of the fleeces we tested offer specific packable features (like stuffing into a pocket), so we didn't hold that against the R1 Air, either.

However, when packing this jacket into a backpack, the benefits of the lightweight design became evident in ways that they weren't during our warmth testing. The zig-zag material helps cut weight, while the thinner fabric is more compressible and easier to stuff down in the corner of your pack. Considering the weight and packability of the R1 Air alongside its warmth, comfort, and versatile performance led us to reach for this jacket more often than we expected when packing for various adventures.

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Should You Buy the Patagonia R1 Air?

The R1 Air has been one of our favorite technical fleeces for years. We love the updates on this version, and think it offers a great value for what you're getting, despite the higher price tag. It's one of the most dynamic layers that's suitable for a wide range of activities, locations, and weather conditions. It lacks some of the very specific features that niche users may be looking for, but as a general, all-around fleece, this is one of our favorites. However, if you're looking for a high degree of warmth while standing still, there are other fleeces that will work better than this one.

What Other Fleece Jackets Should You Consider?

Though we love so much about the Patagonia R1 Air, its fit and function may not be exactly what you're searching for. We'd compare this hoody directly against the Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip and Rab Ascendor Hoody, both of which are also highly breathable, technical fleeces. But if you're hoping for more of a relaxed fit, sweatshirt vibe, the Arc'teryx Kyanite is a great choice for a fleece that still offers a solid level of protection and performance. And if you're after a budget-friendly fleece jacket that's perfect for cold weather comfort and casual outings, check out the REI Co-op Trailmade Fleece.