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Patagonia R1 Hoody

Patagonia R1 Hoodie
Patagonia R1 Hoodie

The Patagonia R1 Hoody fleece pullover is a great mid-layer sweater for use in combination with waterproof shell better for winter hiking and mountaineering.

Why this obsession with thermo-regulation? It’s simple really. Being too warm accelerates dehydration and chilling/hypothermia from perspiration. This matters when you can’t stop to melt more water in winter. On the flip side, being too cold accelerates fatigue and fuzzy thinking: a dangerous combination when you are climbing in unforgiving mountains, far from a trail head, on short days with early sunsets.

What you want is to be dry and warm enough. This requires constant fiddling with your layers by peeling them off and putting them back on, unzipping pit zips, rolling up your sleeves to expose the veins on your forearms, taking off your gloves, raising your hat off of your ears, uncovering your neck, unzipping the sides of your pant shells, or simply slowing down your pace so you produce less heat.

I’ve always been hesitant to add fleece to my layering system because I consider it too bulky and too warm. But I’d read about the magical properties of the R1 Hoody which is praised highly in climbing and mountaineering circles for its warmth and versatility in different conditions.

Patagonia R1 Hoodie
Patagonia R1 Hoodie

While the R1 Hoody is technically a fleece garment, it is not your normal sleepytime Polartec 100 or 200 sweater. It’s made out of several different types of fleece including Capilene 4 stretch polyester, Polartec Power Dry, and Spandex. These materials are distributed around the garment to provide extra elasticity, warmth, length or weight to accommodate the needs of highly active sports and gear.

For instance, the hoody has a thin Capilene 4 layer around the waist and wrists to prevent bunching under a climbing harness and to vent heat at the wrists where you veins come close to the surface of your skin. The material surrounding your core is a heavier waffle pattern to retain heat but wick moisture more quickly by having a higher surface area.

The R1 is not windproof, but it is warm enough to wear as an outer layer in warmer winter weather over a thin base later like a Patagonia Capilene 1 long sleeve jersey. I did this climbing Mt Flume over the weekend in thirty degree weather with light wind. When we got above treeline, I put on a Gore-tex Paclite shell and zipped up the signature hood to protect my face from frost-nip. The high neck line protects your face and reduces the need for a heavier balaclava in milder weather.

During our climb, which was long and strenuous with a lot of elevation gain, I was able to vent a lot of heat by unzipping the long zipper at the front of the Hoody and by rolling my sleeves up over my wrists (see top picture). I stayed noticeably dry and warm all day, and managed to just use one pair of fleece gloves. I usually soak these in two hours and need to change into mittens. My fleece beenie, which I also usually soak through, stayed drier too.

The R1 has a few other features worth mentioning including thumb loops in the sleeves to keep snow from blowing up the arms and a small zippered pocket over the chest which is large enough for a few snacks.

Sizing runs small. I have a 46″ chest and a XL large is snug on me when I wear a thin Capilene 1 base layer. The XL is the largest size made for this garment. I almost returned it because I thought it might be too small, but I decided that it is big enough and that a non-baggy fit helps with the wicking action. This R1 Hoody is a keeper.

Updated 2018.

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9 comments

  1. Excellent piece of kit, I got mine a week ago and have been wearing it a lot since. Will probably be a long standing favourite of mine

  2. Mate,

    LOVE the top picture.

    Scott of the Antarctic in matching gear!

    Hey honey?, do my eyes look ok in red?

  3. You're just jealous because my kit is color coordinated! :-)

  4. You got it in ONE! At least , if you get lost, you wife can easily describe you !!

    Like Santa, but way thinner! (and no reindeer in sight)

    Have a great day…

  5. One of the few pieces of gear that I've never questioned after buying. I use it for all of my winter activities. If I'm moving and it's in the 20s, I just layer it with an unlined softshell and can regulate from there. When I stop, I throw on my insulated jacket (a DAS parka right now but I just picked up a Montbell Thermawrap – 14 oz. lighter!). I can't recommend the R1 hoodie enough.

  6. How tall are you? I'm 6'2" and 195lbs and wondering what size to buy. The XL looks a little big on you. Thoughts anyone?

  7. I'm 5'11" – 195lbs. The XL is snug on me, so I just wear it over a single wicking layer which works well because the R1 absorbs my sweat and evaporates it very quickly.

  8. Omg, you look like the kid in the bunny suit in A Christmas Story. Too cute.

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