REASONS TO BUY
Convenient and secure double chest pockets
Breathable fleece
Packable
Easy to regulate temperature
Flexible
Brushed soft lining
REASONS TO AVOID
Fit is slim for some bodies
Outer pockets pool water
Zipper leak first
Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody - Women's Review
Well-designed technical fleece softshell that provides exceptional thermoregulation, mobility, and durability in an incredibly lightweight and packable jacket
The cozy fleece lined CrossStrata is stretchy enough for a loose fit over a helmet and a comfy fit underneath on shadier days.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Our Verdict
The Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody is a technical fleece and softshell hybrid designed for women navigating rapidly changing mountain conditions. It provides versatile breathability and heat retention to handle unpredictable alpine weather. With an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio, it's highly packable, and the brushed lining is ultra-soft. It easily transitions from a cozy mid-layer at camp to a rugged outer shell for your next climb. One of the best ultra-lite insulated soft shells on the market, it strikes the right balance between adding warmth on chilly days and shedding heat during strenuous activities to keep your body temperature stable.
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 This Product
Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody - Women's | |||||
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| Awards |  Best for Cold Weather |  Best Overall Women's Softshell Jacket | Our Favorite Lightweight |  Best Bang for the Buck | |
| Price | $189.00 at Evo Compare at 3 sellers | $300.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $260.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $115.00 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $125.00 at Public Lands |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This ultralight softshell is two layers in one: a lightweight technical fleece mid-layer and a burly, breathable softshell with excellent thermoregulation balance when you move fast in chilly weather | Whether alpine climbing, mountaineering, or hiking, this layer is breathable, moves well, and effectively protects from the elements with style | A svelte softshell that is highly breathable, versatile, and durable, easy to flow in as it expands to your full range of motion | This jacket is lightweight, breathable, easy to move in, and affordable - a great combination for the active outdoorswoman | A softshell with retro style, excellent water and wind resistance, a kanga pouch big enough to stash a guidebook and to stash the jacket when not in use |
| Rating Categories | Patagonia R1 CrossS... | Arc'teryx Gamma Hoo... | Arc'teryx Gamma Lig... | Rab Borealis - Women's | Marmot '96 Active A... |
| Weather Protection (30%) | |||||
| Breathability (30%) | |||||
| Mobility (25%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Versatility (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Patagonia R1 CrossS... | Arc'teryx Gamma Hoo... | Arc'teryx Gamma Lig... | Rab Borealis - Women's | Marmot '96 Active A... |
| Measured Weight (Size: XS) | 10.80 oz | 15.05 oz | 8.60 oz | 7.75 oz | 12.15 oz |
| Number of Pockets | 2 exterior hand, 1 exterior chest zip, 1 exterior chest snap | 2 exterior zip hand | 2 exterior zip hand | 2 exterior zip chest | 2 exterior hand pockets, 1 zip exterior pouch |
| Breathability Test (In-Use Absorption) | 22 sq in | 18 sq in | 14 sq in | 13 sq in | 15 sq in |
| Warmth Test | 30.33 min | 26.57 min | 22.17 min | 22.23 min | 26.55 min |
| Air Dry Test (1-Min Soak to Dry) | 7.2 min | 1.5 min | 2.6 min | 20,2 min | 5.1 min |
| Hair Dryer Test | 13.6 min | 7.8 min | 6.7 min | 22.2 min | 8,8 min |
| Type | Active | Technical | Active | Active | Casual/active |
| Fabric Weight Class | Heavyweight | Midweight | Lightweight | Lightweight | Lightweight |
| Material | 90% recycled polyester/10% spandex breathable stretch double weave with PFC-free DWR finish | Wee Burly Double Weave (56% nylon, 34% polyester, 10% elastane) with DWR finish | Fortius 1.0 recycled nylon DBL weave LTW solid (86% nylon, 14% elastane) | Lightweight Matrix single weave with 2-way stretch (85% nylon 6 15% elastane) with PFC-free DWR | 96% post-consumer recycled polyester, 4% elastane, ripstop with PFC-free DWR |
| Insulated | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Hood | Yes, elastic under helmet | Yes, 2-way adjustable overhelmet | Yes, 1-way adjustable, under helmet | Yes, stretchy but not adjustable under helmet | Yes, 1-way adjustable over helmet |
| Unique Features | Zipped-chest pocket and button phone pocket, breathable fleece lining | Helmet-compatible hood, built-in visor, trim fit, brushed and soft inner lining, UPF 40+ | Ultralight well-rounded weather protection, adjustable storm hood with cap, UPF 40+ | Packs in chest pocket, pockets ventilate, uniquely stretchy material | Packs into zippered pocket, extra-wide kangaroo pouch accessible by both hands, inclusive fit |
| Layering Capabilities | Best worn under other layers | Best worn under other layers | Best worn under other layers | Can be layered over or under other layers | Best worn over other layers |
| Adjustable Cuffs (Material) | No (elastic cuffs) | No (stretch cuffs) | No (elastic cuffs) | No (stretch cuffs) | No (elastic cuffs) |
| Available Sizes | XS - XXL | XXS - XXL | XXS - XXL | XXS - XXL | XS - XL |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody is a premium technical layer that offers the warmth of a lightweight fleece and the breathable, rugged durability of a soft shell in one ultralight jacket. Its water-resistant fabric offers a rare balance of heat-ventilation and insulation during aerobic activities.
Performance Comparison
Cozy and soft, the Crossstrata is like a warm hug on exposed ridges while still allowing for breathing during the climb.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Weather Protection
When a storm catches you unawares like a strike-in-the-blue, the CrossStrata offers enough water resistance to keep you dry in light showers and protect you from the wind chill shivers, and its brushed fleece liner helps retain some extra warmth when it counts.
In the mountains, it can seem to change seasons within minutes. The CrossStrata is uniquely well-matched to work with such evolving conditions. On cooler days, its unique body material, a double-weave fabric with a unique zigzag texture, helps to insulate like a lightweight fleece as well as it ventilates when you find yourself scrambling under high alpine UV rays.
The jacket is highly wind-resistant, and the baklava-style hood fits like a snug hug around your face to keep the wind from biting your cheeks. Although not exceptionally warm, it functions like a lightweight mid-layer, offering a soft and warm base warmth against your skin that can stand alone, staving off the chill in three-season conditions. Pack a puffy if you tend to run cold or when the temps plummet.
The CrossStrata's outer layer takes time to permeate in moderate showers, and the fleece provides excellent insulation, giving you ample time to put on a rain jacket.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Patagonia treated the CrossStrata with a durable water-repellant (DWR) coating, which protects admirably in drizzle and fog. The outer layer does a decent job in heavier rain, keeping your skin and underlayers dry long enough to unpack your rain gear. One tester was caught in a flash mountain storm, and it was a good 20 minutes before her baselayers became soggy.
The rain-resistant layer keeps you warm in light showers and gives you time to get your raingear in heavier downpours.
Credit: Kate Pitts
The only thing we didn't like in the rain is that the chest pocket collects and pools water, so you will want to move your phone in a downpour.
In our shower test, water pooled in the secure zip pocket, so keep your phone in a watertight bag.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Breathability
Fleece is a premium material for trapping body heat on the skin, and technical fleeces use patterning to balance heat-dumping and retention during exercise so that you don't have to constantly take your CrossStrata jacket on and off to regulate temperature.
Patagonia's interior fleece liner has a zig-zag pattern that provides lightweight warmth as a mid-layer. The double-weave fabric offers an excellent combination of moderate warmth, superior stretch, and durability while maintaining an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio. It's hard to find another layer that strikes a better technical balance between providing soft-brushed warmth on your skin and being a breathable option for outdoor activities on chilly days. With the fleece lining, it is too warm for hiking in summer conditions. It is best suited for spring and fall or cooler alpine climates. We love its slight warmth and breathability for trail running on brisk mornings.
The CrossStrata balances sturdy material and breathability. The wave fleece pattern is ultralight and can insulate on a chilly day while providing airflow.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Mobility
The CrossStrata's stretchy fabric makes maintaining a full range of motion easy and provides full protective coverage when we extend our arms in any direction.
The CrossStrata has premium four-way stretch material and offers one of the most comfortable experiences in the lineup when it comes to moving, especially for an insulated model. We appreciated how the minimalist elasticized hood, cuffs, and hem allowed us to bend without scratching bulky toggles. The soft zig-zag fleece slides softly against the skin as you move, and the bottom hem stays securely tucked in a climbing harness stretch for the next climbing hold. If you lift your arms in a morning stretch, the jacket doesn't ride up and protects your core from the elements.
We enjoyed the soft fleece when moving with the CrossStrata's superb four-way stretch. The stretchy material supported long reaches and the full extent of our shoulder rotation.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Weight
Functioning as a light fleece and a softshell, the CrossStrata impressed us with its warmth-to-weight ratio. This softshell offers wind and weather resilience superior to most others in the lineup, but it comes with the dramatic weight savings of a lightweight model in your pack.
Despite having a fleece lining, the CrossStrata is incredibly lightweight - only 10.8 ounces. When you wear it, it feels lightweight and breathable, which makes the soft fleece feel cozy without weighing you down. It is highly packable, and the XS version rolls up to about the size of Nalgene.
We appreciate the lightweight and packable design of the CrossStrata by Patagonia. It's uncommon to find a technical insulated softshell that doesn't add extra weight to your pack.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Versatility
If you prefer a minimalist style and could do without dangly toggles and pulls, you may enjoy the user-friendly and streamlined fit of the CrossStrata.
The CrossStrata's hood, wrist cuffs, and bottom hem are elastic, providing a flexible and no-hassle fit. The trade-off is a lack of adjustability for different body types. The slim fit is flattering, although many women may choose to size up to make it easier to layer underneath. The hood hugs the head snugly and is comfortable for added warmth underneath a helmet, although those who prefer an over-helmet hood may want an option that allows them to zip up entirely over the helmet.
The stretchy, soft hood offers welcome comfort and warmth on High Sierra ridgelines.
Credit: Kate Pitts
The pockets on the CrossStrata are designed with climbers in mind. Patagonia thoughtfully positioned the two hand pockets above a climbing harness or backpack hip strap, higher than most jackets, making it easy to access a snack when you have on your climbing or hiking gear. The practical double chest pocket is one feature that stands out from other softshells. The inner pocket has a secure zipper to stash cash or keys. We appreciate the convenient phone pocket with easy-to-use buttons.
The CrossStrata boasts a double chest pocket with a button closure for a phone and a secure zippered front pocket.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Should You Buy the Patagonia R1 CrossStrata Hoody?
If your outdoor goals take you into chilly days and dynamically changing weather conditions, the CrossStrata can function as a lightweight fleece and a rugged, weather-ready softshell. It is ideal for cold morning runs, quickly changing alpine environments, and outdoor activities during cooler seasons. If you are cold-natured, this softshell can add warmth while still ventilating heat when you fastpack outside. The high-positioned hand pockets and secure chest zip are handy for climbers underneath a harness. It is light and packable for longer adventures when you want wind protection on an exposed alpine ridge or the touch of a cozy fleece when your sun turns to shade.
The elastic cuffs offer comfortable, no-hassle freedom of movement when you scramble.
Credit: Kate Pitts
What Other Softshell Jackets for Women Should You Consider?
While the CrossStrata is our cold weather favorite, it is too heavy for warmer weather. If you carry rain gear, you may also want an ultralight and unlined layer for longer adventures. The Rab Borealis - Women's is one of the lightest and most comfortable soft shells we've tested and can easily double as a sun hoodie or windbreaker. The Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody - Women's weighs next to nothing, can clip easily onto a harness, and has a broad hood for slipping over a helmet.
—
Kate Pitts
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