backpacking products

The Beta SL is Arc'teryx's lightweight, high-end rain jacket offering top-tier weatherproofing with a minimal weight and compact packability. It excels in wet conditions and can double as a ski shell, but it comes at a premium price and has a fit that may require careful size selection; maintenance to preserve the DWR is also a consideration.

The Arc'teryx Beta SL is a high-end 3-layer Gore-Tex hardshell rain jacket designed for backcountry use in wet conditions. It delivers superb weather protection and durability with a relatively light weight and packable profile, but it's stiff and pricey, making it best suited for serious backcountry hikers rather than casual day hikers.

Premium, waterproof three-layer Gore-Tex rain shell that prioritizes weather protection and mobility for demanding wet-weather adventures. Helmet-compatible hood, sealed zippers, and a tailored fit deliver full range of motion, but breathability is limited and price is high.

The Quandary Shorts from Patagonia are a lightweight, quick-drying option built for versatile summer use, from day hikes to longer backpacking trips and travel. They balance comfort, stretch, and style with a belt-less waist option and multiple pockets, though the shallow front pockets and some zippers are minor drawbacks.

The Patagonia Micro D 1/4-Zip Fleece is a minimalist, packable midlayer that delivers surprising warmth for its weight and price. It excels for backpackers, travelers, and those prioritizing simplicity and layering, but is not built for high-output activities or deep-winter warmth.

Premium 3-layer rain jacket designed for frontcountry and light backcountry use, featuring a PFAS-free Gore-Tex ePE membrane and a durable 80-denier nylon shell. It excels in weather protection and durability with a lightweight, articulating fit, but lacks pit zips and a helmet-compatible hood, and its price is hard to justify for a simple rain shell.

The Beta Jacket from Arc'teryx is a function-focused rain shell that balances storm protection, mobility, and everyday versatility. It excels in wet conditions with a top-tier hood design and a durable DWR finish, making it a strong choice for backpacking, climbing, and ski touring, though it carries a premium price and lacks ventilation options.

The Thorium Hoody is Arc'teryx's durable midweight down jacket designed as a standalone outer layer for sub-freezing conditions. It's heavy and not packable, but it delivers excellent warmth and features—such as a long hem, helmet-compatible StormHood, five pockets, and a two-way zipper—that suit serious winter use like mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and snow camping.

The Arc’teryx Thorium AR Hoody for women is a rugged, comfortable down-insulated jacket built for dry outdoor use. It delivers strong warmth for its weight and solid durability, with practical features like a durable plastic zipper and a dedicated stuff sack; however, it can be slow to dry in wet conditions and is best used in dry climates.

The Capilene Thermal Weight Zip-Neck Hoody is a versatile base layer top that delivers excellent warmth for its weight, with high breathability and a soft, comfortable interior. It features an attached hood, long zipper for adjustable ventilation, and hidden thumb loops, making it well-suited for backcountry skiing, overnight backpacking, and alpine climbing, though it can be bulky when packed and is priced higher than some rivals, with some durability concerns.

The Konseal Hoody is a breathable fleece with a built-in balaclava feature, excellent layering, and a trim yet comfortable fit that makes it a strong choice for backpacking, rock climbing, and skiing. It’s lightweight and packable, but it sits at a higher price point and is not a rain shell, so plan to pair it with appropriate weather protection.

The Beta AR is a burly, all-around hardshell built for wet, windy mountain conditions, delivering excellent weather protection and solid mobility. It features Gore-Tex Pro fabric, a helmet-compatible hood, and harness-accessible pockets, making it a versatile workhorse for climbing and mountaineering, though it comes with a boxy fit and lacks a two-way front zipper.

The Arc'teryx Beta AR is a durable Gore-Tex Pro hardshell offering excellent weather protection and a standout collar, but its bulky, baggy fit and high price limit its appeal for some users. It's best suited for backcountry use and daily wear for larger frames, while less ideal for technical climbing or aggressive skiing due to mobility and breathability.

The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody is a supremely comfortable, stretchy midweight fleece ideal for four-season use, delivering exceptional mobility and versatile warmth for activities like hiking, backpacking, and resort skiing. It emphasizes comfort and stretch over rugged durability, with some wear concerns to the face fabric and limited hood adjustments.

The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody is a warm, midweight fleece that blends sweatshirt comfort with technical performance. Its Power Stretch Pro fabric offers exceptional mobility and a plush interior, making it versatile for travel, crag, hiking, and camp, though the zipper is not wind-resistant and it commands a premium price.

The Kyanite Lightweight Hoody is a lightweight, highly stretchy fleece mid-layer with an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, designed for long-distance hikes, backpacking, and travel. It offers surprising warmth, a snug, wind-blocking hood, and versatile layering potential, though its short cut, lack of interior pockets, and price point are notable drawbacks.

The Kyanite AR Hoody is a warm, incredibly comfortable midweight fleece built for movement, thanks to Polartec Power Stretch Pro and a brushed interior. It excels for cold-weather climbing and skiing with a snug fit and a low-profile hood, but can feel too warm in milder conditions and lacks thumb loops, while breathability isn't ideal for high-output activities.

The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody is a versatile midweight fleece that works around town and on the mountain, with a brushed interior for comfort, a Nylon face shell for weather resistance, and 4-way stretch that keeps you mobile for activities like rock climbing, skiing, and winter hiking. It offers excellent warmth and breathability for a fleece, though it pills over time, is relatively heavy, and lacks a chest pocket, with a baggy fit that may not suit everyone.

The Gamma Pant offers strong weather protection and durable stretch for cold, wet hikes. Its stretchy 88/12 fabric, gusseted crotch, and articulated knees deliver solid mobility, while wind and water resistance are standout features aided by a DWR finish. It’s a premium, highly versatile pant with thoughtful details like an integrated belt and ankle cinch, but it’s expensive, lacks rear pockets, and breathability isn’t best in hot conditions.

A premium midweight softshell pant that delivers exceptional mobility, durability, and a refined fit for hikers, climbers, and backcountry travelers. It shines in cooler shoulder-season conditions and alpine environments, but its price limits its appeal for warm-weather use.

The Gamma Pant for Women is a durable softshell hiking pant that delivers strong wind and water resistance, plus stretch for excellent mobility under a harness. It excels for year‑round, technical hiking and backcountry use, offering comfort and durability, but has a rigid waistband and a belt buckle that can be a weak point; breathability is not as high as lighter options.

The Patagonia R1 Pullover Hoody is a long-standing, versatile midlayer fleece that balances warmth, comfort, and durability for a broad range of mountain activities. After more than a decade of field use, the reviewer still regards it as a top all-around fleece, especially for cold-weather mountain travel, with excellent weight-to-warmth and strong layering capability; drawbacks include being too warm for high-output movement in milder temps and a style more suited to technical use than everyday wear.

The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody is a versatile lightweight fleece that blends stretch comfort with midweight warmth and strong breathability. It excels as a mid-layer for travel, camping, and active pursuits, with a soft interior and fitted hood that traps warmth during movement. Drawbacks include a slim fit that may not work for all body types, limited wind resistance, and a lack of thumbholes.

The R1 Pullover is Patagonia's highly versatile, breathable, and compressible lightweight fleece jacket, a go-to layer for alpinists and backcountry skiers. It excels in high-output activities and fluctuating temperatures, packing down small, but is not very wind resistant and isn’t as warm or durable as heavier fleeces, making it less ideal for casual wear around town.

The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody is a lightweight, highly breathable fleece designed for high-exertion cool-weather activities. It excels in comfort, breathability, and layering, making it a versatile layer for hiking, bouldering, ice climbing, and backcountry skiing, though the chest pocket is tight and the hood can be fiddly to use when fully zipped; some may notice odor.

The Patagonia R1 Hoody is a lightweight, highly breathable fleece that excels as a versatile mid-layer for active use. It offers an athletic fit that moves well and layers easily for climbing, running, hiking, or skiing, but it isn't very warm when stationary and offers limited weather protection.

The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody is a standout technical fleece that blends breathability with warmth and stretch for versatile backcountry use. Its hollow-core zigzag fabric delivers excellent heat retention during rests and remains breathable during activity, making it a strong choice for ski touring, climbing, and cool-weather hiking. Note that the updated fit can feel a bit baggy and the fabric can lose softness with repeated washing, but it remains a top all-around fleece.

The R1 Full Zip Hoody is a versatile technical fleece that delivers exceptional breathability and thermoregulation for alpine and backcountry use, serving well as a mid-layer under a shell or as a standalone layer in milder conditions. It’s lightweight, durable, and packable with a helmet-compatible hood and clever pocket design, but it’s not weather-resistant on its own and can be pricey; Patagonia has discontinued this style as of 2022.

The Patagonia R1 Hoody is a high-performing technical fleece layer designed for active cold-weather pursuits. Breathable and lightweight, it excels as a mid-layer for rock climbing, backcountry skiing, and cardio-heavy hikes, with a fitted balaclava-style hood and thumb loops. However, it's not very warm and offers limited wind and water protection, so pair it with a shell in harsher conditions.

The Down Sweater for women is a lightweight, packable 800-fill down jacket made with recycled materials and traceable down. It’s incredibly warm for its weight and stuffs into an interior pocket, but the fabric durability is limited and it lacks water resistance, making it best suited for dry, cool conditions; plus it comes with Patagonia’s solid warranty for long-term value.

The Patagonia M10 is the lightest hardshell jacket GearLab tested and excels for backpacking thanks to its ultralight weight and tiny pack size. It sacrifices weather protection and breathability for minimalism, has a very small hood and limited features, and Patagonia has discontinued the model. Best as an emergency or dryer-climate shell for backpackers and climbers who prioritize weight over all-weather versatility.

The M10 Storm Women's hardshell is ultralight and packable for fast alpine missions, using a three-layer H2No waterproof/breathable shell with a long cut for mobility. It delivers strong weather protection for its weight and remains comfortable during movement, but the thinner fabric trades durability and warmth in extreme conditions and it lacks underarm vents for heat management.

The Patagonia Storm10 is a very lightweight 3-layer hardshell designed for milder climates and high-output aerobic activities. It’s exceptionally breathable, lightweight, and packable, making it ideal for rain and warm-weather use, though it offers limited wind and cold protection and durability. The hood fits a helmet but is a bit snug, and there are no pit zips with a chest pocket that’s tight to stuff into.

A featherweight hardshell designed for alpine climbs, prioritizes mobility and packability with a lean feature set. It delivers waterproof protection and a helmet-compatible hood, but its ultralight design sacrifices wind protection, pockets, and vents for weight savings, making it less ideal as an everyday rain shell but a strong choice when weight is at a premium for alpine objectives.

Patagonia's M10 Storm Jacket is a lightweight, packable 3-layer hardshell designed for fast-and-light alpine climbing. It provides excellent rain and wind protection for its thin fabric, with surprising stretch and comfort, and packs down to a small volume. The trade-offs are no armpit zips and no hand pockets, which limit ventilation and casual versatility.

The Patagonia Black Hole Duffel is a versatile, durable bag that excels in storage, organization, and transport, making it suitable for rugged expeditions, travel, and camping. Tested in 100L and 55L sizes, it features easily removable backpack straps, multiple pockets, water-repellent recycled fabric, and a padded base, with minor gripes around suitcase handle button snaps and the lack of a small-items pouch.

The Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 55L is a lightweight, spacious duffel-style pack that can be carried as a backpack. It offers excellent volume for its weight, rugged durability, and weather protection with a storm flap and tough materials, making it a strong choice for multi-day trips and travel. Its main drawbacks are limited internal organization, no hip belt, and a structureless design that can feel unstable if not packed carefully.

Patagonia's Torrentshell Pant is a lightweight, 3-layer waterproof shell pant intended for short-term, light-use rain protection. It is packable, offers decent weather resistance, and features two hand-warmers pockets, but lags behind on durability and breathability compared with higher-end shell pants.

The Storm Racer is Patagonia's ultralight rain shell geared toward trail running and ultramarathons, with versatility extending to day hiking and light climbing. It’s the lightest jacket in GearLab’s test, with exceptional packability and breathability for its weight, though its durability and high price are drawbacks.

Storm Racer is a lightweight, fully waterproof shell designed for mountain and trail running in wet weather. It packs into its chest pocket for easy carry and offers reliable rain protection, but it runs hot and has limited visibility features.

The Storm Racer is a race-day rain shell designed to be worn over a running pack, delivering bombproof weather protection for race conditions. It sacrifices breathability and comfort for water-tight protection, lacks pockets and reflectivity, and comes at a premium price. Best for runners who frequently endure heavy rain during races, but not an everyday training jacket.

Ultralight and packable softshell designed for mountain biking, the Dirt Roamer offers wind protection and weather resistance for its weight with excellent mobility. It is versatile for rock climbing or backpacking, but trades features and breathability for minimal weight and packability; sizing can run small and the DWR will wet out over time.

Ultralight and incredibly compressible insulated jacket that delivers warmth for its weight and packs down to a pocket-sized package. It’s a go-to for long-distance trail runs, backpacking, and layering around town, with excellent breathability and packability, though it isn’t the warmest option and offers limited wind resistance; it also lacks many features such as cinch cords and has a snug fit through the chest.

The Micro Puff Hoody is an ultralight synthetic insulated jacket that blends down-like warmth with exceptional packability, ideal for fast-and-light alpine missions. It trades durability and weather resistance for weight savings and a minimalist feature set, so it's best as a lightweight midlayer rather than a rugged all-in-one piece.

The Nano Puff Hoody for Women is a lightweight insulated jacket that provides decent warmth and weather resistance for everyday use. It isn’t a technical layer and lacks mobility-oriented features or portability that would justify the high price, and it can feel heavy for very lightweight missions while being challenging to compress into its own pocket. The hood is well-fitted and versatile for everyday wear.

The Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody delivers reliable synthetic warmth with 60-gram PrimaLoft insulation and stays fairly warm even when damp. It's lightweight and versatile for a range of activities—from casual wear to extended backpacking and winter climbs—though it's not the most packable and the outer fabric isn't highly weatherproof in prolonged rain unless you pair it with a shell.

Versatile lightweight synthetic insulated jacket suitable as a midlayer or casual outer layer for town-to-trail use. It offers improved shoulder mobility and a polished look, but warmth is moderate for the weight and it isn't highly breathable or compact for high-output backcountry.

Patagonia Quandary Pants are lightweight, slim-fitting hiking pants that blend nylon and spandex for mobility and wind/light rain resistance. They are versatile for day hikes and casual wear, offering UPF sun protection, a simple pocket setup, and a breathable, quick-drying fabric. The slim cut provides excellent mobility but may not be ideal for larger builds, and pockets are limited.

The Patagonia Quandary women’s hiking pants are lightweight and breathable with a convenient roll-up-to-crop design, but are held back by uncomfortable double inseams and a weak DWR finish that doesn’t hold up in wet weather. They’re best for shorter hikes near home and for rock climbing, with a neutral look that can work for travel, though they aren’t ideal for backpacking due to limited weather resistance.

The Quandary Pant from Patagonia is a lightweight, breathable pant that handles hot-weather hiking and casual backpacking with surprising durability. It delivers comfort for long days but its limited stretch can hinder scrambling or technical terrain, making it a versatile all-around option rather than a peak-climbing pant.

Patagonia Torrentshell 3L delivers solid waterproof protection at a value price, using the 3-layer H2No fabric and handy features like a two-way adjustable hood and Velcro cuffs. It’s a reliable rain shell for hiking, climbing, and skiing in wet weather, though it’s a bit stiff and less breathable than some rivals. With stowable packability and PFAS-free construction, it’s a versatile, budget-friendly option for wet conditions.

The Torrentshell 3L is a standout women's rain jacket, delivering top-tier water resistance at a very good value. It performs well in heavy rain and wet conditions, with good breathability and durable construction, though the fabric is stiff and the zippers aren't watertight. It is a bit heavier and less packable than some rivals, but its waterproof performance and build quality make it a reliable long-haul rain jacket for hikers, runners, snowboarders, and cyclists.

A durable, affordable rain shell built with Patagonia’s 3-layer H2No system. It delivers strong waterproof protection and long-lasting construction for daily wear and light day hikes, but its stiff, crinkly fabric and limited pockets reduce comfort and versatility for high-output or backcountry use.

The Patagonia Better Sweater is a classic no-frills full-zip fleece that's warm, versatile, and easy to layer for casual wear or light backcountry use. It features raglan sleeves for comfort and a knit-style exterior, but it's heavy and bulky with below-average breathability, making it less ideal for backpacking or high-output activities.

An ultra-light, trail-runner-inspired hiking boot that prioritizes weight savings over cushioning and support. The Gore-Tex liner provides strong waterproof breathability, but a narrow fit, minimal underfoot padding, and durability concerns limit long-day comfort and rugged use. Best for hikers with low-volume feet on short, well-maintained trails; for longer days or rugged terrain, more balanced options perform better.

Patagonia's Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T is a plush, warm fleece best suited for casual, everyday wear and lounging around town; it's soft and comfortable but bulky and not very breathable, and it lacks waterproof protection, making it less ideal for backcountry or high-output activities.

The Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T is a warm, casual midweight fleece that shines as a standalone layer for lounging around camp or at home, but it's not a technical performance piece. It focuses on warmth and wind resistance, while breathability and layering versatility are limited, making it best for casual wear rather than strenuous activities.