Reviews You Can Rely On

Patagonia Crosstrek Hoody Review

This is a great fleece for around town or light activity, but a little on the heavy side for long backcountry trips
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Patagonia Crosstrek Hoody Review
Credit: Patagonia
Price:  $169 List
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Manufacturer:   Patagonia
By Adam Paashaus & Matt Bento  ⋅  Nov 4, 2019
54
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Warmth - 20% 6.0
  • Comfort - 20% 7.0
  • Breathability - 20% 5.0
  • Layering Ability - 15% 3.0
  • Weather resistance - 10% 5.0
  • Weight - 10% 5.0
  • Style - 5% 7.0

Our Verdict

Patagonia dropped the Crosstrek Hoody from their lineup in early 2020.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Great range of motion
REASONS TO AVOID
Not a very good warmth-to-weight ratio
The Patagonia Crosstrek strikes a nice balance between casual styling and technical performance. The Polartec Powerstretch fleece breathes really well for when you are active, and under a shell or in non-windy conditions, this fleece is pretty warm. It has comfortable thumb loops and a nice hood that do a great job of holding in warmth where you need it. While our testers were a bit mixed, a few thought the styling was too casual and resembled a tracksuit. We also noted the fit felt more slouchy, and with no drawcord at the hem, we wished we had more closure.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Our testers appreciated this fleece for its amazing breathability and durability. If you're shopping for a fleece for all occasions, this could be what you're looking for. While it receives middle of the road scores for warmth and layering abilities, it excels in comfort and breathability, and some people think it looks pretty slick for around-town use.

Performance Comparison


patagonia crosstrek hoody - the crosstrek is comfortable and has an unassuming style, great for...
The Crosstrek is comfortable and has an unassuming style, great for the crag (well decent anyways) or a night on the town.
Credit: Elizabeth Paashaus

Warmth


The Crosstrek is made from 6.8oz Polartec Powerstretch fleece, which kept our testers warm as and comfortable as any light or medium weight fleece in our lineup. However, this is no heavyweight fleece, and for really cold days, this won't be enough.

patagonia crosstrek hoody - this jacket has long cut at the hem so it fits well under backpack...
This jacket has long cut at the hem so it fits well under backpack straps or a climbing harness.
Credit: Matt Bento

Comfort


Soft and stretchy, our testers would sometimes even wear this jacket to sleep. The flat-seam stitching was hardly noticeable while bundled up in a sleeping bag and also kept the Crosstrek from catching and shredding in Yosemite offwidths and chimneys. The hood fits decently under a helmet and zips up to the base of your chin. Two zippered handwarmer pockets are concealed with a centimeter of overlapping fabric, and they didn't irritate us when tucked under our backpack hip belt or climbing harness.

Breathability


We found the Crosstrek exceptionally breathable for its weight. Our testers were able to run, hike, and climb in cool fall temps without overheating, much more so than with the thicker, knit-style jackets. Our lead tester used this for weeks on a Long Trail thru-hike in Vermont during late fall, where the temps dipped down below freezing, and rain and cold damp air was the norm. The fleece allowed our heat to escape, keeping us from overheating while still keeping us warm.

Layering Ability


A full zipper, two handwarmer pockets, and a slightly boxier cut prevent the Crosstrek from scoring very well in this metric, but the flat-seam construction, thumb loops, and smooth face fabric makes layering under certain shells like the windproof Patagonia Houdini super easy.

patagonia crosstrek hoody - thunb loops and lightweight zippers make it easy to layer this...
Thunb loops and lightweight zippers make it easy to layer this fleece under a hardshell jacket.
Credit: Matt Bento

Weather Resistance


With 6.8 Polartec Powerstretch between you and the elements, the Crosstrek provides very little wind resistance. This is the tradeoff you get by having great breathability. To get the best use from this jacket, you'll need to pair it with a windbreaker when things get gusty or choose a thicker or more wind-resistant fleece jacket. Similarly, this jacket doesn't stand a chance up against the rain, and Water makes its way right through the fabric.

patagonia crosstrek hoody - this fleece is very breathable, yet vulnerable even to light rain.
This fleece is very breathable, yet vulnerable even to light rain.
Credit: Matt Bento

Weight


We weren't super impressed by the weight of the Crosstrek. A men's large weighs 15.7oz, and that puts it closer to the weight of a much heavier weight fleece. The wide hems, coil zippers, and boxy cut contribute to the excess weight of this jacket.

patagonia crosstrek hoody - one of the bulkier fleeces in our test, this is slightly better...
One of the bulkier fleeces in our test, this is slightly better suited for the front country than the backcountry.
Credit: Elizabeth Paashaus

Style


While this jacket is most at home on the cliffs and trails, it has a slick Apple product type vibe. Coffee shops, messenger bags, bikes, and earbuds are all in line with the stylings of the Crosstrek; it even has a special hole in the pocket for your headphone cord. Some found it a little too casual, and the cut too boxy, but for the most part, this jacket will blend into any surrounding.

patagonia crosstrek hoody - stoke the fire and relax after a long day in the cold!
Stoke the fire and relax after a long day in the cold!
Credit: Elizabeth Paashaus

Value


The Crosstrek is not exactly a bargain, but you get all the stuff that goes along with Patagonia products like environmentally friendly fabrics, a great warranty, and that sweet logo with Fitzroy on it.

Conclusion


The Crosstrek hoody is a great all-around fleece. You can take it to the crag or the bar without getting any looks. The Powerstrech fleece is stretchy and comfortable. The face fabric is smooth and won't gather pet fur, and the hood and thumb loops lock in warmth when its cold outside. The full zip and overall bulk and weight keep it from being a top contender for the most technical days out, but for casual outings and town use, this fleece is awesome.

Adam Paashaus & Matt Bento