Outdoor Wear

Patagonia’s Spring Offerings

Thursday, May 19, 2011
By Michelle Drown

It was a foggy, windy day at Muir Beach just north of San Francsico. Typical weather — and perfect for testing out a couple of outdoor-wear items from Patagonia. Out of a tiny stuff-sack I pulled the company’s new Ultralight Down Shirt, the lightest-weight insulation clothing the company has ever created. Literally as light as a feather, the “shirt” quickly warmed me to a pleasant degree. My companion and I decided to hike the coastal trail for a few miles. Along the way, the temperature rose and fell as the path became exposed and then receded between hills. The Ultralight was brilliant — not too hot, with a zipper to the middle to adjust for climate changes.

Ultralight
Click to enlarge photo

Ultralight

Toward the end of the hike, the fog turned to light rain, which allowed me to try out another Patagonia item — a Torrentshell Pullover. Waterproof and breathable, the Torrentshell was a great complement to the Ultralight. And like the Ultralight, the anorak-style shell folds up tiny. Light enough to wear during a warm spring shower, the shell — combined with the Ultralight — would have also been a perfect pairing even if the weather had turned harsher.

Patagonia also has a slick, durable duffle in the offering, which is great for the adventure traveler. Called the Black Hole Duffel, it is water-resistant, comes in three sizes, and converts into a backpack.

To check out all of Patagonia’s clothing, visit patagonia.com.

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