Patagonia Macro Puff Hoody Review

The Macro Puff Hoody is the new and improved big brother of the Micro Puff Hoody. But with over three times as much insulation as its sibling, the Macro Puff is designed for much colder conditions.

I’ve never thought of myself as a puffer person. As the puffer jacket made its way from the outdoor scene to the mainstream, becoming a staple in every wardrobe this side of the , the idea of owning a puffer jacket still never crossed my mind. 

But now, after just two months of winter, I couldn’t imagine my life without my most snug and versatile friend – my Patagonia Macro Puff Hoody.

Warmth

Listen here – if you’re planning on purchasing a puffer, don’t be a duffer. Put in the extra dosh and buy one with a hood. Even if you don’t think you’ll use the hood very often, the extra centimetres of jacket you gain to cover your neck and face are worth it. 

Fully zipped, this jacket comfortably covers all the way to my mouth, rather than only reaching around half-way up my neck. If you’re wearing this in a seriously cold sitch, those extra cm count for a lot.  

The hood on this thing is big enough to hold your bucket-head helmet inside and wraps itself perfectly around your face, leaving just your nose and eyes exposed, without cutting off your peripheral vision. 

But head wrappings aside, this jacket is coooosy.

Many outdoor brand puffer jackets are often stuffed with down, however the Macro Puff Hoody uses a high-loft PlumaFill – an ethical synthetic alternative, and a more effective one too. 

PlumaFill replicates the structure of down, making it ultra compactable and light, with the added benefit of still being warm when wet, like a synthetic material. 

For the past two months I’ve worn this hoody everywhere. From windy winter beach walks, snow-shoeing at Perisher, evenings camping on Blue Mountains cliff sides as the temperature plummets, even my cursedly cold office that never sees any sunlight.

The Patagonia Macro Puff jacket has kept me insulated and protected from the wind in a bunch of conditions and has become my go-to jacket for any situation that might get even a little nippy.

Water Resistance

Although you wouldn’t wear just a puffer out in the rain, this jacket is certainly able to withstand a bit of moisture. 

A long weekend in Perisher saw me snowshoeing and igloo-building, all the while wearing the Macro Puff. Snow got all up and over the jacket without any moisture seeping past the nylon ripstop shell. In fact, the jacket’s DWR (durable water repellent) finish meant that the wetness from the snow slipped off the outside of the jacket too. 

Pack a shell for a downpour, but if it’s just sprinkling, the Macro Puff has your back.

Snow angels anyone?

Weight and Pack Down

The Pluma-Fill insulation that fills the insides of this hoody replicates the high-loft and compactability of down, without the guilt of playing Pluck-a-duck. 

With 225g of Pluma-Fill stuffed inside, this baby still only weighs in at 357g. That’s less than half a loaf of bread, AKA shockingly light. This fact will really be driven home when the postman arrives and the package simply floats into your hands.

The hoody comes with its own stuff sack for you to pack it down into, but to be honest, I don’t think this bag flexes the true potential of the jacket’s compactability. I stuffed it down tight into a 4L roll-top dry bag and was able to get it compressed to around half the size of the provided stuff sack.

This technique is probably not the best way to store the jacket long term, but if you’re really pushed for space in your pack, it’s good to know your warmest piece of kit can pack down to nearly nothing. 

Life hack! When packed inside its stuff sack, the hoody doubles perfectly as a pillow. Love gear with a dual purpose.

Features

For a piece of clothing that packs down so petite, they’ve done a stellar job at pumping the features in. 

The Macro Puff has five pockets. Five. Two hand pockets, one chest pocket and two sneaky slip pockets on the inside, which are surprisingly deep – I managed to fit my 1L drink bottle in there. 

There’s a two-way zipper, meaning you can access your belay loop (or the keys in your jeans pocket) without taking the whole thing off. 

All the edges around the wrists are sealed, plus you’re able to adjust the elasticised hem to really tighten the bottom of the jacket around you and prevent wisps of wind creeping up from behind. There’s another elasticised binding around the hood that can be tightened with one easy tug, helping trap in heat from the top down as well. 

There are a few colours to choose from – for women there’s black and purple, and the purple is actually nice! Men have the choice of black or red. 

Snow shoe selfie

Conclusion

I’m honestly yet to find a fault in this puffer jacket. The only thing that would be holding back the average Explorer from making a purchase is the price. At $579 for most people, it’s probably a wishlist item, rather than a piece of essential gear. 

But if you’re in the market for a puffer jacket, the Macro Puff should be seriously considered. The warmth to weight ratio is unparalleled. And don’t forget to choose a hoody!