REASONS TO BUY
Optimally designed pull-cords and buckles
Recycled nylon face fabric
Athletic fit
Patagonia guarantee
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Not super breathable
Hood not as protective with a helmet on
Patagonia discontinued the Pluma as of 2023.
Patagonia Pluma Review
A versatile hardshell that can handle any mountain environment or activity
Credit: Patagonia
RELATED: Best Hardshell Jackets of 2024
Our Verdict
The Patagonia Pluma is a versatile, do-everything kind of hardshell that offers solid weather protection and a finely tuned set of features. In almost all regards we found this jacket to be better than some, and not quite as awesome as our top award winners. Overall, it is better at protecting one from nasty weather than it is at keeping one cool from the inside while sweating heavily, so we think it's a good choice for wet climates and prolonged outdoor journeys, but not our top choice for warmer uphill activities like skinning.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Pluma is a versatile, fine-tuned hardshell. It uses the Gore-Tex Pro membrane combined with 40D nylon face fabric, and has dual pit zips to aid with ventilation. Its hood is not quite as deep and cavernous as some others, which can lead to some drippage in a full downpour. We found that it had above average, but not elite, performance in nearly every category, leading to a middle-of-the-pack comparable rating, although it is a quality piece of gear that almost anyone would be happy to own and wear.
Performance Comparison
The Pluma is a very protective and versatile jacket that works great for either climbing or skiing the deep pow.
Weather Protection
We reviewed a men's size medium Pluma and found that while it offered plenty of coverage, when compared to the other mediums that we reviewed, the sleeves and the hem were slightly short, leading to a bit of undergarment exposure when ice climbing with our hands above our head. The hood design was better than past versions of Patagonia jackets that we've tested that only used one pull-cord for adjustment; the Pluma has three. However, the brim of the hood is not wire-rimmed and is not quite wide enough to completely funnel water out of the face in a heavy downpour.
The wire-brimmed hood of the Pluma was large enough to fully cover us, even with a helmet on, but we wish the wire-brim extended a bit further to the sides, so water wouldn't run down where it has the chance to sneak into the collar. Regardless, this three-drawcord design was far more effective than recent single adjustment point hoods we have tested from Patagonia.
We experienced no issues without a helmet, but while wearing a climbing helmet, some water hit our face and filtered down the collar into our neck. Additionally, we noticed a decent amount of wetting out on the front of the jacket, suggesting that the DWR coating had worn off. Especially in cold and wintery conditions, this jacket offers excellent protection, but when the going gets rainy, we don't think it's quite as good as some others.
Taking a break in a wind created feature on a ridge while touring on Roger's Pass. The wind was howling, visibility was poor, but Dakota remains comfortably ensconced inside his Pluma jacket, which gave him plenty of weather protection for this variable day.
Weight
Our size large jacket weighed in at 15.1 ounces, impressively light considering that this jacket was not stripped of all features and included pit zips for ventilation. While not the absolute lightest, this jacket's weight doesn't give anyone an excuse for not bringing it along, no matter the adventure.
Mobility and Fit
Our head tester is 6'0" tall and around 160 lbs. He has pretty broad shoulders but a skinny torso, and for this review, we purchased a size medium. We are happy we did, as Patagonia sizing tends to run large, in our experience.
While it was trim and athletic in the torso, there was still room for some layering beneath. The sleeves and hem were long enough, but a hair shorter than we would have wished for, especially when raising our arms over our head while ice climbing. Additionally, we noticed slight constrictions in our upper chest and shoulders when moving about.
The size men's medium Pluma fit Dakota ideally (he usually wears mediums). It was plenty mobile and offered no constrictions as he followed the happy weather uphill into the happy alpine play land on Rogers Pass.
Venting and Breathability
The Gore-Tex Pro membrane with a microdot backer has become more breathable and lighter over the years as W.L. Gore has made adjustments, but it is still a solid membrane that does not readily allow air to permeate it.
The first snowfall of the season in the San Juans was just deep enough to allow for a bit of a nordic ski tour, so we decided to test the breathability of the Pluma while working hard.
While conducting our stationary bike breathability tests, it felt relatively hot and sweaty. It has dual pit zips that provide some ventilation relief but lacks mesh-lined pockets or a two-way front zipper that would have aided this process.
Wearing the Pluma on the stationary bike during our controlled breathability testing. The Gore-Tex Pro membrane breathed reasonably well, although we were super hot and sweaty inside the jacket for this test.
Features
The feature set is the strongest aspect of the Patagonia Pluma, utilizing the best Cohaesive buckles available with pull-cords in ideal locations. All five pull-cord buckles are Cohaesive, which we find to be the easiest to manipulate for release, especially with gloves on. We also love how the two side-of-the-face pull cords live on the outside of the collar, easy to pull while completely bundled up, and the two hem pull cords live within the handwarmer pockets and don't leave loops of cord hanging where they can snag or be tripped on.
The pullcords featured on the Pluma.
We should also mention that this jacket has two high handwarmer pockets, a single cross-over chest pocket, and a small internal zippered pocket for a phone.
Skiing steep trees on Roger's Pass in British Columbia on a storm day was the perfect use for the Pluma. It is a great all-around jacket, with fit and features to match and bad weather outdoor adventure.
Should You Buy the Patagonia Pluma?
The Pluma is a versatile jacket that does everything a hardshell jacket should. Its Gore-Tex Pro membrane and durable face fabric makes it ideally suited to climates and activities where the weather is horrible and wet, rather than warmer and drier areas. The quality, materials, and of course Patagonia's ironclad guarantee all back up its price and suggest that it presents a good value. However, it was roughly average in our overall comparative rankings, suggesting there are better deals to be found for those who want the very best at the most affordable price.
Fulfilling pillow dropping fantasies implanted by watching too many ski movies, Dakota hucks himself into the deep powder snow, protected by the Pluma jacket.
What Other Hardshell Jackets Should You Consider?
If you want the best of the best, check out the Norrona Trollveggen Gore-Tex Pro Light or the Mammut Nordwand Advanced, two of our favorite hardshells which don't cost that much more, in the scheme of things. If you're a Patagonia loyalist or just looking for a great value, take a look at the Patagonia Triolet, which is a few ounces heavier than the best options but otherwise does quite well across the board, for a more affordable price.
Crossing the bridge over Connaught Creek on the way to another epic sized uphill on Roger's Pass, BC, while wearing the versatile Pluma jacket.
—
Andy Wellman
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