After it came out in the fall of 2017, Patagonia’s Micro Puff Jacket was our choice for the best synthetic insulated jacket for two years running (until it got beat out by its fluffier cousin, the Macro Puff). Simply put, it strikes the perfect balance of warmth and weight (it’s the lightest insulated jacket that Patagonia has made to date). The secret to its innovation is a new type of insulation called PlumaFill that’s made up of down-mimicking polyester fibers secured together in one continuous, fluffy line, which zig-zags around beneath its ripstop nylon shell.
The Micro Puff has been such a success that Patagonia used it as the base for the Micro Puff Storm, a waterproof version of the jacket that came out in Fall 2018. Patagonia then released the Macro Puff, a heavier and warmer puffy jacket that uses a heartier helping of PlumaFill.
That Patagonia has released variations of the Micro Puff by no means makes the jacket obsolete. If anything, it’s further verification that the jacket, and its fluffy filling, work pretty damn well. Not just in winter either — the Micro Puff’s lightweight warmth makes it ideal for cool autumn nights and mornings as well as mountain adventures, too. Right now the Micro Puff Hooded Jacket is up to 50 percent off in a handful of colors at Patagonia — a savings of $125 — and $75 off in colors with more size availability.
