Sometimes a piece of gear becomes an instant classic. On paper, I didn’t think that the Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover would be such a classic, but it didn’t take long to realize that this one is a keeper.
Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover Features:
- Lightweight, 100% nylon shell
- Capilene® Cool Lightweight fabric on sleeves and hood
- Fitted hood design with tall collar
- Double zipper for ventilation
- Integrated stuff sack
- HeiQ® Fresh durable odor control
- Fair Trade Certified™ sewn
- Weight: 4 oz (medium, actual)
- MSRP: $129
Step One: Put on the Airshed Pro (that’s it)
The Airshed Pro Pullover is part of Patagonia’s High Endurance Kit — a collection of purpose-built pieces for high-alpine running. As part of that kit, the Airshed Pro Pullover stands as a lightweight mid or outer layer for cool conditions in the mountains. Built using a combination of Capilene and nylon fabrics, this thing is light and packable. And, it even stuffs nicely into the built-in stuff sack on the backside of the hood. Once stuffed, it’s about 2/3 the size of a standard bike water bottle.
Since the body material is nylon, it doesn’t stretch like the Capilene sleeves and hood do. Because of that, it has a slim fit, but ample length for coverage. It doesn’t fit like a sausage, but it is form-fitting with little excess anywhere. This allows the Airshed Pro Pullover to excel for trail running since there’s nothing to snag on passing branches along the way. I’ll add that the hem and sleeve lengths are fantastic. There’s plenty of length to prevent midriff and wrist gaps during athletic movements. Nicely-done and thanks for that added coverage.
Every time I put the Airshed Pro Pullover on, I don’t want to take it off. It’s so lightweight and comfortable that I could wear it all day, every day. I find myself keeping it on after running or hiking for hours afterwards. It maintains freshness well and just feels so darn comfortable for whatever adventures you’ve got planned.
I love the tall, stretchy collar and hood. When not wearing the hood, the collar bunches up perfectly and doesn’t distract while running. When deployed, the hood is form-fitting and cozy. Capilene is awesome stuff and its use is well-executed with this piece. The tall collar can be pulled up alone and is so nice against your face.
Do keep in mind that this is a minimalist jacket, so there are no pockets at all. If you need to haul items, you’ll have to do that elsewhere. The only pocket is on the backside of the hood and is purpose-built as a stuff sack for the jacket.
I’ve been able to wear the Airshed Pro Pullover with both long and short-sleeve base layers. If you’re going long-sleeve, it should be form-fitting so the sleeves don’t get bunched up when putting on the Airshed Pro. Depending on temperatures, you can layer up and really enjoy the goodness of this pullover. For mid-to-upper 40’s a long-sleeve has been excellent. Beyond that, up to the low-60’s, a lightweight short-sleeve base layer is in order. For morning runs that start in the 40’s and end up in the 60’s, I can comfortably keep the Airshed on.
The nylon fabric on front/back is super light, but is more capable due to the DWR treatment that repels water. In light rain, the Airshed Pro will hold it’s own — heavier rain will call for something a little more substantial. In a pinch, it’s awesome. On top of water, it blocks wind as well. The cold canyon winds here in Utah are notorious bone-chillers, but the Airshed Pro kills it when those cold gusts blow.
A couple of nice things to mention are the hang hook on the collar and the double zipper. I love hang loops and use them constantly to air items out. This pullover stays fresh because I can hang it up between uses. Again, a small thing, but kudos for including it here. Also, the double front zipper is meant to allow venting without having to deal with a floppy collar. It does a great job of keeping the collar in place, so it doesn’t flop around, but the airflow isn’t outstanding unless you have a nice, stiff breeze.
Fit: I’m 5’11” and 170 lbs. The size medium was spot-on and the same size I always wear from Patagonia.
The Good
- Excellent purpose-built running pullover
- Soft Capilene fabric breathes well and adds comfort
- Slim fit doesn’t get in the way
- Form-fit hood is awesome in a pinch
- Added weather protection is great to have
- Breathes so well
The Bad
- Venting via the bottom-up zipper isn’t outstanding
- A non-locking upper zipper would be nice so I could simply pull to open
The Bottom Line: Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover
Finding a great running jacket for cool weather can be challenging. Breathability and fit are critical aspects that can make or break the deal. With the Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover, I’ve found a comfortable classic that simply excels at blocking wind on cool mornings. Again, comfort is off the charts here as well. I can put it on and leave it on for hours after a run and not think twice.
Buy Now: Available from Patagonia
3 Comments
Nice to the point write up. Im a fan on their Cap line, I was wondering you can wear it (running) on its own without a baselayer? Was it comfortable or felt weird?
Thank you! As much as I wanted it to work alone, it’s not super awesome without some sort of a base layer. You can do it in a pinch, but I wouldn’t recommend it on a regular basis.
Bummer.. their Leightweight Cap (the one that has zip) is my main running shirt on colder days/ultra race. They did a total makeover on the entire line since 2019 so I was excited to see the pullover at first thinking this might be the upgrade version to the zipper version. Thank you for the information! It helps a lot on my buying decision in the future!