REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Compressible
Breathable
Cozy for a technical fleece
REASONS TO AVOID
No hood or wind protection
Patagonia R2 Jacket - Women's Review
A versatile jacket for hiking and using as part of a layering system
Credit: Patagonia
Our Verdict
The Patagonia R2 Jacket is a high-performing fleece made of a soft and touchable fabric, and it combines breathability and coziness better than most of the other fleeces we tested. Patagonia is constantly redesigning this model from year to year, and the current offering came very close to winning our Editors' Choice award. It fell a little short of some models, but otherwise, our testers loved this jacket. The hi-loft fleece in the body keeps you toasty, while the stretch panels on the side torso and inner arms provide more breathability and movement. The R2 is a great technical piece for cardio activities on chilly days or as a layer on mountain adventures. Its basic style is perfect slope-side or while exploring the streets of the city.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Patagonia R2 Jacket is made of a Polartec Thermal Pro hi-loft fleece in the body (97% polyester (63% recycled), 3% spandex), which is similar to a long-haired raschel fleece material but with a slightly shorter length “fur.” The side arms and torso are made with Polartec Power Grid (the popular R1 fabric), sometimes in contrasting colors and other times in the same tone. There are two zippered hand pockets and a zippered left breast pocket, and the latest version no longer has thumb loops.
Performance Comparison
This is one of our favorite fleece jackets. It's warm and breathable, as well as very cozy. It doesn't have a hood and isn't as long in the torso as the R1 though.
Credit: Scott Ring
Warmth
The Patagonia R2 Jacket has a good warmth-to-weight ratio. It is extremely packable (about the same amount as the R1), so it's great to toss into your pack as an extra layer on long days. Overall, this model will keep your torso warm on a cold day, but the lack of a hood or balaclava means you don't have the same coverage to seal in the heat if using it as an outer layer. While hoods provide more warmth overall, they can be bulky under a helmet or unwanted if every other layer you are wearing has one. So, if you are specifically looking for a mid-layer, say for under a ski jacket, then you'll want to look for a model without a hood, and the R2 is a good option in that respect.
This midweight fleece is a great option for layering under a shell for snow sports. It's warm enough for cold rides up the chairlift, but breathable enough to vent your perspiration when working hard on the ride down.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Comfort
The R2 is one of the most comfortable options that we tested. It has a soft-lined collar and a garaged zipper to maximize comfort around the neck, and the lofted fleece is cozy inside and out.
The lofted fibers are soft and cozy against your skin.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Breathability
This jacket excels at venting your perspiration. The main hi-loft fleece has thousands of tiny pinprick holes that let your moisture escape, and the R1 gridded fleece panels on the sides are strategically placed in areas where you want less bulk and even more breathability. It also has mesh-lined pockets to increase airflow. This jacket is a great option for a lightweight mid-layer, whether you are heading on a steep uphill hike or out on a long alpine rock climb.
This jacket pairs a hi-loft fleece in the body with thousands of holes throughout, and the R1 grid fabric on the sides. Both help ventilate your perspiration, but they also let wind and rain back in.
Credit: Scott Ring
Layering Ability
The R2 has a tapered technical fit that leaves little room to layer underneath. A thin t-shirt or base layer is as much as you are going to fit under this jacket. As such, it's easy to layer over it. It fit nicely under an insulated ski jacket without restricting our arm movements.
Attempting to layer the R2 over the R1. These two layers have about the same fit, and don't work well together. The slim-fitting R2 fits over a lightweight baselayer and that's about it.
Credit: Scott Ring
Ease of Movement
The stretchy, lightweight fabric made this jacket easy to move in, particularly when not wearing too much underneath it. The torso isn't super long, but it doesn't ride up while exploring the outdoors either.
The stretch side panels and armpit gussets let you move with ease in this jacket.
Credit: Scott Ring
Weather Resistance
Like many of the fleeces we reviewed, this jacket does not protect against rain and will not do much to keep you warm on a breezy day. You can almost see through the fabric. The short-sheared, hi-loft fibers quickly absorb into the fabric without barely beading up first.
Value
One of the more expensive products in our review ($169), this jacket is worth the cost if you're looking for a cozy, yet technical fleece.
This is a great jacket for being active in cold weather. Its slim design fits well under a pack, and the side panels keep it trim and breathable.
Credit: Scott Ring
Conclusion
This jacket keeps getting retooled slightly by Patagonia, so if you haven't liked older models, you might want to take a second look at the R2. While not an award winner, we still really like it, and it's a great option for active pursuits in cold weather. This jacket keeps you warm while also being highly breathable, and it easily fits under your other layers.
This slightly technically styled fleece is a great option for cold hikes and sipping tea around a fire.
Credit: Scott Ring
—
Amber King & Cam McKenzie Ring
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