Reviewer Information

• Name: Cora Hussey
• Age: 23
• Gender: Female
• Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
• Weight: 150 lb (70 kg)
• Email address: cahhmc "at" yahoo "dot" com
• Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
• Date: March 22, 2004

Basic Product Information

• Manufacturer: Patagonia
• Year of Manufacture: 1999
• URL: http://www.patagonia.com/
• Listed weight: 12 oz (340 g)
• Weight after use in this review: 14.5 oz (410 g)
• Size: Womens Large

Product Description

Fit

My R2 has an impressively athletic fit. The blue R2 fleece itself has little stretch, but Patagonia placed inserts of black stretchy fleece with a flat face and slightly fuzzy back at key joint points such as the cuffs, the inner elbow, and the side torso from hem to armpit. The cuffs fit tightly enough that I cannot really comfortably pull them up to my elbows. The hem does not draw in by any cord, but it fits close to my waist on its own. I can wear the R2 over my long underwear and/or a fleece vest, but not another fleece jacket due to the tightness of the cuffs. The cuffs, however, fit effectively enough to keep things like snow from getting inside without closure tabs. The sleeves are articulated in the elbow and in the underarm, and the hem does not rise up when I raise my arms. I have found Patagonia's website to have accurate sizing information. The Large size runs a bit big on me, but at the same time I am at the smaller border for their recommended measurements to fit a Large. Even with this slight oversize, the R2 still has a tailored and nice fit.

Pockets

My R2 has two zip hand pockets a little way above the hem which I can access with both a backpack and a harness on. In addition, the mesh which forms the zip pockets also forms an inside pocket on either side. These inside pockets are very large, and are probably the part of this fleece that I find the most useful. I stick everything inside these large inner pockets, and like them the most in winter when I sleep with socks inside them to dry the socks out, and store water bottles in them to keep the water from freezing.

Venting and Warmth

The R2 fabric itself is very airy. I find it ventilates very well. The pocket inners are composed of mesh which also vents when the pockets are unzipped, and then of course there is the option of venting via the front zipper. However, when zipped up, my R2 retains heat very well. The collar fits closely and its double layer keeps heat in. The cuffs likewise fit closely and warmly.

Details

My R2 has a hanging loop under the tag at the neck. It has a second tag with care instructions on the inside left pocket. The zippers have tiny metal pulls with long green cord pulls. Both the pocket and main front zippers are coil type zippers. My R2 has a small embroidered Patagonia tag on the front left upper breast seam.

Here is a picture of my R2. It illustrates a number of things. First, the thin black stretch fleece inserts on my version are present at the wrist, the inside of the elbow, and along the sides of the torso. This also illustrates the soft black fleece on the inside of the collar. Finally, the viewer's right of the fleece is turned out so that the inner pocket shows. I put a 34 oz (1 L) water bottle partway into the inside pocket (you can see the blue lid poking out) to demonstrate just how large and useful the inside pocket is:

Field Testing

I have used my R2 on countless trips across the western states of the USA. It has been with me on everything from January skiing in the Tetons to late summer day hiking in nearby parks in Los Angeles. Temperatures ranged from 90 F (32 C) to -20 F (-30 C), and conditions ranged from snowy, icy and windy to sunny and dry. Elevations ranged from sea level to 14,000 ft (0 to 4300 m), and terrain was mostly mountainous. The R2 has been with me in the harshest weather and conditions I have been in, as it is one of my most dependable and enjoyed pieces of gear.

Important Usage Points:

+ Product as Advertised: Yes
Comments: The R2 is advertised as a more versatile and athletic version of the typical 200-weight fleece jacket. I tend to agree with this since I have found it to be warm, well sized, and durable. I can layer it easily under anything even slightly loose, and though it is more wind permeable than my other fleece it ventilates well and keeps the warmth in when I put a windproof layer over it.

+ Durability: Excellent
Comments: I have been very impressed with the durability of the R2. Some of my friends owned this jacked before I purchased mine, and the 'hairs' of their R2 fleece fabric would mat out, flatten, and form little mini dreadlocks as dirt, grime, and use degraded them. Thus, I took special care of my R2 and took pains to hand wash it with non-detergent soap once or twice a year. The result is that my R2 is still very lofty. The 'hairs' on the outside of the elbows have worn partially away due to abrasion and heavy use that I could not "wash back in". The fuzzy sides of the black inserts have also flattened out, although nothing on the entire jacket ever came close to pilling. I have used other standard fleece fabrics, and I have found that they tend to compress over time. I like the R2 fabric because, although it does compress, I can partially re-loft it by rubbing and ruffling it with my hand.

+ Comfort: Excellent
Comments: For me, the most comfortable part about my R2 jacket was its fit. At the time, I had never owned a very-high-end tailored fleece jacket before, and... wow, what a difference! To have a fleece that layers well, moves with me, and does not bunch up or flop around turned out to be personally well worth the extra money for the R2 instead of a more blocky-cut and standard fleece jacket. One other thing I like is the collar has a good chunk of fleece above the end of the zipper. This means I can zip the R2 all the way up on my bare neck and it feels fine. Overall, however, the fabric feels nice and the jacket fits me well. What more could one ask for in comfort?

+ Warmth: Excellent
Comments: I would personally put the warmth of the R2 at midway between a 200 weight and 300 weight fleece jacket. I think that this is partially due to its impressive and heat-retaining fit, and partially due to the fact that the R2 fleece itself is quite effective. I have found that I am warm with a t-shirt and the R2 on down to about 50 F (10 C) while sitting around, but this is a very subjective measurement. I do not have much else to say here, since the R2, simply said, does its job beautifully and keeps me as warm as I expect it to.

+ Weather Resistance: Great
Comments: Against cold, this jacket performs wonderfully. The R2 fabric does a nice job of insulating both my torso and arms. When this jacket gets wet, the 'hairs' on the R2 fabric hold water in droplet form for a little while in light rain, but then the fabric begins to wet out. I have found that when the jacket is slightly damp (such as when I let it get a little wet from rain and then sweat through it under a rain shell) it takes only about twenty minutes to dry in direct sunlight. I think that is very fast. As for snow, powder snow sticks to the fleece as powder does for most fleece, but other snow does not. The one thing that the R2 does not handle so well is wind. Since the 'hairs' are so lofty and puff up, they do not pack close together enough to keep the wind from coming through. I personally have found that the R2 is much less wind resistant than normal fleece. However, as discussed below in Ventilation, this has its advantages. I have learned to simply throw a windbreaker over the R2 whenever the wind gets to me, which I have had to do with a normal fleece anyway so I don't mind.

+ Ventilation: Excellent
Comments: This is another trait of my R2 that I really like -- it is the only fleece fabric I own (short of very light 50-weight fabric) that is comfortable enough to hike and really move in. The R2 ventilates very well for me, and I am usually a very sweaty hiker. I especially like the R2 in early autumn when wind is at a minimum and I spend a bit of time hiking in the dark due to shorter days. In these cases, the R2 wears comfortably under my pack, ventilates very well while hiking and pushing a small walking-speed breeze through it, and keeps me warm when I stop every five minutes and try to make sure I didn't get lost yet. However, I also like it on dry winter days while shoveling or skiing because I can work up an amazing sweat inside and the R2 not only really never gets damp but also insulates me when I stop for breath.

+ Packability: Great
Comments: As with any fleece, the R2 is bulky and something of a challenge to pack. However, I have found Patagonia to be true to its word of touting the compressibility of the R2. By cinching down on it by packing other gear on top of it or by using the strap over my pack opening to push it down (on those packs which provide them), I can cram it down to a reasonable size. It being a jacket, I can also use it to fill spaces effectively, i.e. by cramming one sleeve between my stove and water bottle, another sleeve across the back of the packed tarp, and each side of the jacket on opposite sides of the pack to batten down the load.

Summary

My R2 Jacket is a durable, warm, and well-designed jacket. It is nice to have a piece of gear which is so versatile in so many climates, and fits me well enough not to bunch up or bind at all.

Upsides for me:

• More durable than any fleece I've owned
• Very warm
• A very athletic and well-designed fit

• Fleece 'hair' can wear away and needs care to prevent matting
• Cuffs do not pull up around elbows due to tightness

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Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Patagonia R2 Fleece Jacket > Owner Review by Cora Hussey