Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Patagonia Womens Grade VI Jacket > Owner Review by Gail Staisil

The Patagonia Grade VI Jacket is one of my favorite waterproof jackets for backpacking. In the last year and a half, I have either carried or worn the jacket numerous times on backpacking trips. In addition, I often wear the jacket on dayhikes and other aerobic adventures such as cross country skiing and trail running. I can depend on its waterproof barrier to protect me from drenching rain and snow. Because I purchased the jacket in a  Women's Size Medium, the feminine cut doesn't allow for a lot of layering, so I sometimes switch to a larger sized jacket when I need more layering options. However, the jacket works well with one or two light synthetic or 100-wt fleece layers underneath it.

Fit/Construction Details

The Patagonia Grade VI Jacket is a very sleek looking jacket. The construction of it is streamlined in a couple of ways. First, the cut of the jacket is very tailored to fit a woman's shape and it features articulated arms and elbows that reduce bulk in those areas. Second, the most noticeable streamlined feature of the jacket are the welded seams. The Composite Seam System or CSS is trademarked by Patagonia. Instead of stitching seams, they are welded together thereby reducing bulk and weight as well as eliminating needle holes. Theoretically this would make the jacket more waterproof. I was a bit skeptical at first, wondering if the seams would hold together but I haven't had any issues with them ripping apart. Over the last twenty plus years, I have purchased quite a few Patagonia products and I have first hand experience that they stand faithfully by their excellent warranty. Any of their products can be returned for repair, replacement or refund if they do not perform satisfactory. This certainly made me take a chance with their new CSS technology (plus the fact that I bought it at a very discounted price helped my decision).  

The jacket has a 3-layer combination of materials that are laminated together as one fabric. The outside shell of the jacket is made out of nylon ripstop yarns that prevent water from saturating the outside. The midlayer is constructed of Patagonia's registered membrane called H2No Storm HB. It is a waterproof and highly breathable barrier that works well to allow body heat to escape. The inner layer consists of a Nylon Tricot scrim that disperses moisture. It also protects the middle layer from abrasion. In short, the combination of materials make it one of their tougher fabrics.

Ventilation/Warmth/Waterproofness

I find the Patagonia Grade VI Jacket works the best when the humidity and temperature combination isn't extremely high. For example, if it is raining and the temps are above 70 F (21 C) and I'm carrying a full backpack, I quickly become too hot to wear any jacket. I usually then have to remove it. However, during those types of conditions I don't mind getting wet so it isn't an issue. I wear the jacket as a wind protective and warmth layer when the temps are in the 40 to 50 F (4 C to 10 C) degree range or below. I normally just wear a single light wool or synthetic long sleeve top underneath when doing highly aerobic activity. I can additionally wear a 100-wt fleece hoody or similar garment under the jacket as well when my aerobic output is only in the mid-range (dayhikes with small pack). 

All of the zippers on the jacket are of the water-resistant variety. They include the center front zipper and two 9.5 in (24 cm) vertical zippers, one on each side of the jacket close to the side seams. The latter zippers are supposed to be an alternative to pit-zip type zippers. They are backed with 15 in (38 cm) long by 5.5 in (14 cm) wide internal mesh sections that also double as the pockets. All of the zippers have an attached zipper pull cord. The pocket/vent zippers do not have the standard pull tabs but instead have just the pull cords, presumably to save weight and eliminate irritation points. The center zipper is backed by a grosgrain wind flap.

The three zippers on the jacket are great for ventilation purposes. I often adjust the full length front center zipper when I just need a little ventilation. The zipper is offset slightly at the top end for comfort. If the conditions are such that more ventilation is indicated, I keep the vertical chest zippers in the open position. They allow adequate ventilation for most conditions but when the humidity is high, I often wish these zippers were longer.

During heavy rain, I usually close all the zippers and wear the hood of the jacket. The hood is easily adjusted. When I open the chest zippers, I haven't had any problems with water seeping into the areas that they normally cover in the closed position. Moisture on the jacket's exterior just beads up and has never soaked through. Patagonia uses its proprietary DWR Deluge finish on the jacket. This finish is supposed to stay like new after years of use. It prevents water from soaking through the layers. 

The hood features an adjustable stretch cord encased in a floating internal seam. The back of the hood has a two-way adjustable toggle to shorten or lengthen the width of the hood and the inside of the hood has a hook and loop adjustment feature to shorten the length of the hood. This is a convenient feature if one is not wearing a helmet and doesn't need the hood hanging over their face. The inside neck of the jacket has a loop that can be used to roll the hood up with. It fastens by a simple hook and loop closure.

The internal bottom edge of the jacket has an encased stretch cord to also allow for adjustability in venting. The sleeve edges are also smoothly finished with the seamless technology. They have 3.25 in (8 cm) long contoured adjustable hook and closure systems for venting purposes. They can be also adjusted to prevent water seepage from traveling up my arms when I am using trekking poles. At the largest circumference, each sleeve edge measures 10.5 in (26.75 cm).

Comfort/Durability/Care

The Grade VI Jacket has been very comfortable to wear under my backpack or under a waistpack. There isn't a lot of excess material to the jacket, so it doesn't bunch up underneath the waistbelt or harness. The absence of bulky seams seems to eliminate possible irritation points under the harness straps. The CSS seams lay across the shoulders in a raglan position on the back of the jacket and they are contoured similarly on the front side of the jacket. In order to operate the side zippers for ventilation, I usually have to open my waistbelt to access the lower zipper pulls.
 
The jacket is not only lightweight but it is very packable. Without bulky seams, the jacket compresses nicely to fit into the top hood of my pack or when I stuff it into a daypack. Although it gets slightly wrinkled, the wrinkles seem to disappear quickly after wearing it for a short time.

I haven't done anything special to care for the jacket other than to wash it when it becomes necessary. The jacket's inside care tag clearly states not to use fabric softeners when washing the jacket. Care tag symbols suggests to use warm water, no bleach and to dry at a low setting. Patagonia uses symbols on their care tags so if they are not discernable to the user they could look them up on the chart on their website. There isn't any apparent wear on the jacket and it has remained waterproof. I have been very pleased with the durable nature of the fabric.This jacket has been very tough, I find it hard to believe that it is both so lightweight and yet so durable.

The jacket was worn on the majority of my backpacking trips in the state of Michigan, USA or in Ontario, Canada. In addition, it was the only shell jacket I took on my annual two-week hiking trip to Utah and Arizona last April. I have also worn the jacket for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and trail running. In addition to the desert and high desert terrain of the Southwest, I also traveled hilly boreal and deciduous forests in the Midwest. Elevations ranged from 600 ft (183 m) to 8000 ft (2400 m ) and temperatures ranged from a low of approximately 0 F (-18 C) to a high of over 85 F (29 C).

• Lightweight
• Breathable
• Coated water-resistant zippers
• Attractive streamlined appearance
• Functional adjustable wrist closures
  
• Adjustable hood
• Very packable
  

• Could use longer vertical chest zippers for venting
• Feminine cut is very trim not allowing much layering
  
• Expensive
  

Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Patagonia Womens Grade VI Jacket > Owner Review by Gail Staisil