Patagonia’s fleeces are legendary, and have been for the last 45 years. The brand offers a range of them, some better suited for fast-paced pursuits than others. The R1 is one of Patagonia’s more technical garments, with a closer fit that makes it ideal as a lightweight midlayer for mountaineering or other high-output activities.
Until recently, there wasn’t a full-zip, fleece jacket version of the R1 fleece, but the Patagonia R1 Air Jacket changed that. With its familiar zig-zag design and improved fit, it’s one of the best midlayers I’ve tested, not just this year, but overall.
