It’s the fall equinox next week-so naturally I’m thinking….VESTS! I love a good vest, always have. I think it’s actually a trait I got from my parents. Excellent layering and breathability all in one item. I’ve ended up with a few vests over the years; some were free, some on sale, some that have changed with trends. But 2 really stand out.

If you haven’t read my post on Puffy Jackets yet-head over and read that now!

For Vests and Jackets, a lot of the same rules apply for synthetic and down. Which brings me to my 2 favorite vests; both from Patagonia…the classic Down Sweater Vest and Nano-Air Light vest.

Brandon and I each have a synthetic and down vest, his synthetic is from Mammut with a Polartec insulation that he isn’t a big fan of-and will likely be replaced down the road with the Nano-Air.

>Down: As in the pic above, a nice down vest adds incredible warmth without adding bulk. We often wear them over other items in place of a light jacket or under weather-proof items like a ski coat (I love mine under my waders for cool weather fly fishing too). Either way, you get the insulation without restricting arm movement, or adding so much insulation you risk sweating. Plus a vest has a full-zip, you can always adjust your needs by unzipping if you had to. Because Brandon likes the fit and feel of his Patagonia over the Mammut-he wears it the most, even for high output activities. He also wears it much of the winter as a winter coat. I prefer to save my down vest for very cold situations and over all daily use and wear my synthetic vest for high output activity.

Why the Patagonia? We’ve referenced a lot from this brand before. Style and fit stand at number one. The comfort is UNMATCHED for us. We are both fairly broad shouldered, and the arm openings leave plenty of space without being too loose and releasing warmed air. The length is just right, covering the waist but not over the hips-I don’t want to sit on it. And when it comes to down-Patagonia is a leader in the industry for sustainability and responsibly sourced down. I also love that when I purchased my vest, it came with it’s own patch kit, to match my fabric so that when I inevitably snag it, I am set up for quick repair. I say it every time I mention gear, invest up front and make it last…Patagonia makes this a goal for all its customers.

Humphrey’s Peak (April, 2022) in Arizona. This was 7,000 feet of elevation change over almost 10 miles round trip-a substantial day outside in changing temps and conditions. Synthetic vests were the perfect layer for that day!

>Synthetic: As with jackets, synthetic vests breath better than down, and will still insulate when wet. In cold weather conditions, staying warm without overheating (sweating) is actually important to your safety. That’s why a synthetic vest for high output (running, hiking, climbing, cross-country skiing etc) cold weather activities is so ideal. They also dry quickly…in winter I wear my vest over a base layer for running on nearly every run. If it is really cold I add a windproof layer like the Houdini Jacket from Patagonia. When I get back, my vest is usually a little damp. I hang it in open air to dry and it’s good to go.

Why the Patagonia? While the stitching has changed some since I purchased my vest, I love mostly that it doesn’t change when it’s wet. This is what we don’t like as much with the Mammut vest insulated with Polartec. Once wet, it tends to ‘cling’ and feel heavy. The Nano-Air doesn’t change at all. It still vents, stretches beautifully with movement and then dries insanely fast. I wore mine all day on our winter BWCA trip, and then actually wore it all night (after changing my base layer). Read more about that here…

As the weather cools down, I can easily say you’ll catch us both in our vests….at the brewery, after shredding the slopes, running the trails or jumping in the car for quick errands…a favorite layer for both of us!

That’s all for now folks-more to come as we wrap up our warm weather activities. Hope you enjoyed reading-be sure to follow the blog and check out our Instagram too!

Now find some time to get out and enjoy some Days Off!