Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody - Women's Review

The Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody is a premium technical layer that offers the warmth of a lightweight fleece and the breathable, rugged durability of a soft shell in one ultralight jacket. Its water-resistant fabric offers a rare balance of heat-ventilation and insulation during aerobic activities.

Weather Protection

When a storm catches you unawares like a strike-in-the-blue, the CrossStrata offers enough water resistance to keep you dry in light showers and protect you from the wind chill shivers, and its brushed fleece liner helps retain some extra warmth when it counts.

In the mountains, it can seem to change seasons within minutes. The CrossStrata is uniquely well-matched to work with such evolving conditions. On cooler days, its unique body material, a double-weave fabric with a unique zigzag texture, helps to insulate like a lightweight fleece as well as it ventilates when you find yourself scrambling under high alpine UV rays.

The jacket is highly wind-resistant, and the baklava-style hood fits like a snug hug around your face to keep the wind from biting your cheeks. Although not exceptionally warm, it functions like a lightweight mid-layer, offering a soft and warm base warmth against your skin that can stand alone, staving off the chill in three-season conditions. Pack a puffy if you tend to run cold or when the temps plummet.

Patagonia treated the CrossStrata with a durable water-repellant (DWR) coating, which protects admirably in drizzle and fog. The outer layer does a decent job in heavier rain, keeping your skin and underlayers dry long enough to unpack your rain gear. One tester was caught in a flash mountain storm, and it was a good 20 minutes before her baselayers became soggy.

The only thing we didn't like in the rain is that the chest pocket collects and pools water, so you will want to move your phone in a downpour.

Breathability

Fleece is a premium material for trapping body heat on the skin, and technical fleeces use patterning to balance heat-dumping and retention during exercise so that you don't have to constantly take your CrossStrata jacket on and off to regulate temperature.

Patagonia's interior fleece liner has a zig-zag pattern that provides lightweight warmth as a mid-layer. The double-weave fabric offers an excellent combination of moderate warmth, superior stretch, and durability while maintaining an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio. It's hard to find another layer that strikes a better technical balance between providing soft-brushed warmth on your skin and being a breathable option for outdoor activities on chilly days. With the fleece lining, it is too warm for hiking in summer conditions. It is best suited for spring and fall or cooler alpine climates. We love its slight warmth and breathability for trail running on brisk mornings.

Mobility

The CrossStrata's stretchy fabric makes maintaining a full range of motion easy and provides full protective coverage when we extend our arms in any direction.

The CrossStrata has premium four-way stretch material and offers one of the most comfortable experiences in the lineup when it comes to moving, especially for an insulated model. We appreciated how the minimalist elasticized hood, cuffs, and hem allowed us to bend without scratching bulky toggles. The soft zig-zag fleece slides softly against the skin as you move, and the bottom hem stays securely tucked in a climbing harness stretch for the next climbing hold. If you lift your arms in a morning stretch, the jacket doesn't ride up and protects your core from the elements.

Weight

Functioning as a light fleece and a softshell, the CrossStrata impressed us with its warmth-to-weight ratio. This softshell offers wind and weather resilience superior to most others in the lineup, but it comes with the dramatic weight savings of a lightweight model in your pack.

Despite having a fleece lining, the CrossStrata is incredibly lightweight - only 10.8 ounces. When you wear it, it feels lightweight and breathable, which makes the soft fleece feel cozy without weighing you down. It is highly packable, and the XS version rolls up to about the size of Nalgene.

Versatility

If you prefer a minimalist style and could do without dangly toggles and pulls, you may enjoy the user-friendly and streamlined fit of the CrossStrata.

The CrossStrata's hood, wrist cuffs, and bottom hem are elastic, providing a flexible and no-hassle fit. The trade-off is a lack of adjustability for different body types. The slim fit is flattering, although many women may choose to size up to make it easier to layer underneath. The hood hugs the head snugly and is comfortable for added warmth underneath a helmet, although those who prefer an over-helmet hood may want an option that allows them to zip up entirely over the helmet.

The pockets on the CrossStrata are designed with climbers in mind. Patagonia thoughtfully positioned the two hand pockets above a climbing harness or backpack hip strap, higher than most jackets, making it easy to access a snack when you have on your climbing or hiking gear. The practical double chest pocket is one feature that stands out from other softshells. The inner pocket has a secure zipper to stash cash or keys. We appreciate the convenient phone pocket with easy-to-use buttons.

Should You Buy the Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody?

If your outdoor goals take you into chilly days and dynamically changing weather conditions, the CrossStrata can function as a lightweight fleece and a rugged, weather-ready softshell. It is ideal for cold morning runs, quickly changing alpine environments, and outdoor activities during cooler seasons. If you are cold-natured, this softshell can add warmth while still ventilating heat when you fastpack outside. The high-positioned hand pockets and secure chest zip are handy for climbers underneath a harness. It is light and packable for longer adventures when you want wind protection on an exposed alpine ridge or the touch of a cozy fleece when your sun turns to shade.

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