Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody vs Arctyrex Atom LT Hoody

Was set on buying the Atom but I came across the Micro Puff hoody today and am now interested in that. To be used for ice climbing. Thoughts, experiences, preferences, etc?

I think you're going to get a lot of people praising the Atom LT. It's been hard to find any bad reviews of that jacket since it came out.

Micro puff is in the 100g insulation category. Atom is in 60g. Micro will be warmer.

Micro also uses the crummier sport primaloft insulation. Atom SV uses 100g like the Micro. Arcteryx uses coreloft which is about 5% less warm than primaloft 1. Patagonia for some reason is starting to use the crummier patagonia sport insulation in there jackets.

Bottom line: Get a 60g primaloft and 100g primaloft jacket (or something similiar)

I like the Nano puff pullover. Packs down to nothing. Used Atom Lt and SV - there are great jackets as well.

I have an Atom LT and I love it. I have friends with the micro puff and they're pretty happy with it too. The one advantage I'd say the Atom has in terms of fit is the stretchy panels on the side and the cuffs. The Atom SV feels too heavy for me to actually climb in, it's better on belay. Then again I normally climb in my softshell anyway.

Both the Atom jackets (and the micro puff for that matter) have extremely thin shell material. If you jam it up against rock or roughly put your tools on it while matching you stand a good chance of tearing it.

Micro puff if warmer, otherwise they're both great jackets...I have lots of friends who love the Atom, but I have a Micro puff, thing is amazing...super light, packable, and warm...its saved my ass on ice climbing belays, etc many times....

Atom SV is the warmer version btw..

Mike,

Here's an 80 gm Primaloft 1 jacket kuiu spindrift
And, here's a 100 gm jacket cabelas
Check your PMs for a hoody.

Not the same jacket at all. The Micro puff compares with the Atom SV. The Atom LT compares with the Nano Puff (favorably, IMO).

Thanks for the info. I'm a pretty big fan of Patagonia. I already have the Guide Pants and Nano Puff Pullover for cold weather conditions. The Micro, or Atom, would be for dead-of-winter cold climbing. So, I'm leaning towards the warmer Micro.

The Atom SV crushes the Micropuff. Better insulation, design, etc. Then again, the Micropuff is way cheaper - $130 at REI at the moment.

The Atom LT is in a different category, more in line with the Nanopuff.

the insulation in the micropuff is primaloft sport. Its not on the higher end of insulation.

The Atom SV is a far superior jacket.

An even better choice imo is the RAB Alpine Generator

whuddah evah is very cheap and onsale ...

while there are some "better" insulations if you should pay full price ... the reality is that anything decent will work ... and there are many more sale on stuff using "primaloft sport" or other such than PL1

or you could simply buy a "lesser" name brand like EB, ll bean or MEC that works just fine and uses PL1, but doesnt have the yuppie brand name ... but is often cheaper

consider that companies like marmot, MH, OR, etc ... no longer use PL1 in their garments generally ... yet that doesnt stop their sponsored climbers from doing crazier stuff than most of us

it all depends how much you want "the best", whether you think itll make you climb 10 grades harder, how many chicks you can pick up in the bar with that yuppie logo, and how much of the money you can save youd rather spend on actual climbing

;)

someone really hates name brands.

superkick wrote:someone really hates name brands.

most of the stuff i own and use is "name brands" ... i just ignore people yapping about how "great" certain brands are ... i buy whatever works, fits and is on sale =P

the nasty secret about "brands" ... you likely wont climb any harder despite the fancy logos ...

its the climber and how they use the gear that matters ... any decent brand will work fine

Nationalize outerwear!

Arcteryx for Proles!

Thanks for the replies, and thank you Matt for the PM with a link to a sale and a discount code.

Cheap (low-priced) FTW!

MH hooded Compressor is going for $105 at sierratradingpost (w/ 40% off coupon), and lots of other deals I had to resist.

So, two uses left and expires at midnight 'GYF3468U'

sierratradingpost.com/mount…

I like my micropuff jacket lots. But it's a bit lightweight
(in my opinion), for ice climbing. I use my DAS parka for that,
or my down jacket!

I own both, only wear one: Atom LT

Really very different garments. Even though both are 60g weight insulation. Atom is vented and more useful during high activity. The Nano is a lot more wind proof and because of the lack of vents doesn't breath as well. I use them layered as a system. Atom on the bottom, Nano over the top. The Nano is a lightly insulated wind shell in the pull over version tha I really like.

The Atom is my main climbing sweater. I use it a lot more than the Nanos. Fit is generally much better on the Arteryx clothing as well. But Patagonia is getting better...just not in the Nano line that I can see.

The Nanos are nice but I could live with out them. The Atom...I use almost every time I climb ice in winter. And if I am not using an Atom...I'll be in a Nano :)

I've had a micro anorak for 5 years or so and that thing is SUPER warm. And durable as all hell. I'd highly recommend it. Cant speak for the Atom, although I hear those are really nice as well, but yea, the Micro is rad.