Name: Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody
Brand: Patagonia

The Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody is a midweight down jacket, featuring 6.4 ounces of 800-fill power down. Given this level of insulation, it’s overkill for most summer conditions in the Lower 48, but it comes in handy during the shoulder seasons and while climbing at higher elevations in British Columbia and Alaska. On the other hand, it’s not quite as warm as a winter-weight down puffy like the Rab Neutrino Pro, which features 7.5 ounces of 800-fill down. The Fitz Roy’s level of warmth puts it in its element for fast-and-light adventures in the cold, when you’re spending most of your day moving but need a blast of warmth during pauses at transitions, belays, or in camp.

I took the Fitz Roy on a seven-day expedition to Mt. Kilimanjaro and it kept me warm throughout the trip in temperatures that ranged from 32 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Paired with a Patagonia R1 fleece, the Fitz Roy was a cozy haven during chilly nights and mornings around camp, and features like the dual-sided hem cinch and draft collar at the neck meant I could truly batten down the hatches. I even wore the jacket during the entirety of our summit day, when we climbed through the night and wee hours of the morning from 16,000 to 19,000 feet. The Fitz Roy provided all the warmth I needed for this kind of adventure, where I was moving most of the time and never sitting still for more than 10 minutes or so in cold temperatures (10˚F). For long belays or camping in similarly cold temperatures (i.e. situations when I’m generating less body heat), I would want a warmer down jacket like the Rab Neutrino Pro or Patagonia AlpLoft.

Close up of Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody

One of the headlining features of the Patagonia Fitz Roy is its impressively low weight and packed size, given the warmth it puts out. At 1 pound 1.1 ounces for a men’s large, it's significantly lighter than the majority of midweight jackets that match it in warmth. For example, the Arc’teryx Thorium Hoody (read our Thorium review), which features less insulation (5.2 oz. of 750-fill down compared to the Fitz Roy’s 6.4 oz. of 800-fill down) checks in heavier at 1 pound 2.2 ounces. The Fitz Roy also stuffs into its own pocket and packs down to the size of a loaf of bread (in the words of our tester, a “rustic loaf of sourdough”).

In other words, the Patagonia Fitz Roy is lightweight and small enough that you’ll barely notice it at the bottom of your alpine climbing or ski touring pack. This makes it an excellent choice for single-day winter or alpine missions where weight and packability are important, such as my climb of Kilimanjaro. And when you get caught in a storm in the Bugaboos or are waiting for your ski partner to transition on top of a cold, windy summit, you’ll be thankful you have it.

Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody packed size

The Fitz Roy scores top marks for comfort—wearing it, I feel like I am wrapped in a silky, cozy sleeping bag. The cuffs and hood were two of my favorite features of this jacket, providing a snug, protective fit that sealed out the cold. Even when I cinched the hood around my head, I could still turn my head fully from side to side (there’s ample room for a climbing helmet), and the elastic cuffs moved easily up my arms when needed. Although the jacket’s fabric is relatively thin, it’s incredibly soft (hence the sleeping bag effect). In terms of fit, the Fitz Roy has excellent mobility—I could wear it under a backpack while hiking and never felt constricted. All in all, this jacket feels like it’s “floating” on my body and is much more comfortable than my heavier (and admittedly very old) North Face parka.

The Fitz Roy also offers very convenient storage in the form of four external zip pockets (two chest, two hand) and one internal drop pocket with an elasticized opening. I routinely stored my phone, snacks, and headlamp in various external pockets (sometimes playing the game of memory to remember where I put each one) and found the internal pocket handy for my extra gloves and hat. And a big bonus: I found all the zipper pulls on the jacket super easy to operate while wearing thick mittens.

Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody down jacket yawning on bed

The Fitz Roy lands in the middle of the spectrum for durability: Its 20-denier Pertex Quantum face fabric is more robust than the Rab Mythic G (7D), but less so than the Rab Microlight Alpine (30D) and the Rab Neutrino Pro’s 20D Pertex Quantum Pro (read the Mythic G review). You can still stuff the Fitz Roy into a backpack without worrying too much, but you’ll need to be careful while wearing it around sharp rocks and rogue branches. And although you’ll be tempted to wear it around town, just keep in mind you’ll want to baby it a bit more than jackets with more substantial face fabrics. Aside from the thin shell fabric, the Fitz Roy is exceptionally well crafted, and it’s worth mentioning that Patagonia’s repair program is top-notch.

At $399, the Fitz Roy is on the expensive side for a midweight down jacket, but considering its versatility, warmth-to-weight ratio, and the high-quality construction and warranty program that Patagonia is known for, we think it offers good value.

Wearing the Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody while eating by headlamp

My summit push on Mt. Kilimanjaro began in the wee hours of the morning with a few snow flurries. I wore my Fitz Roy as an outer layer and the durable water-repellant (DWR) coating repelled the light moisture well enough that I never worried about it seeping through the shell fabric. That said, we don’t recommend wearing the Fitz Roy Hoody in anything more than a light and cold snowshower—moisture is down’s kryptonite, rendering it soggy (picture a drenched cat) and useless for insulation. In terms of the competition, the Neutrino Pro’s Pertex Quantum Pro’s shell fabric does a slightly better job repelling moisture, but it’s a bit of a moot point as the jacket is much too warm to wear in temperatures above freezing.

It’s worth a reminder that apparel with PFAS-free DWR needs regular washing to maintain its water-resistant properties—far more so than apparel of yore, which featured PFAS DWRs. This is because PFAS-free DWR does not repel oils and dirt, which can then sit on the DWR and impact its performance. We especially like washing our down products with Grangers Down 2-in-1 Wash + Repel soap, as it both cleans and adds a new DWR finish.

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Longevity

Choosing durable outdoor gear is perhaps the most effective way to reduce environmental impact—the longer it lasts, the less it needs to be produced. Our proprietary longevity rating evaluates overall build quality based on factors such as materials, fabric denier, component durability (including zippers and toggles), real-world performance as reported by our field testers, and our experiences with the brand.

Read Sustainability Report

Tester: 6’2” 175 lb.; 41" chest; 32" waist

Size tested: Men’s large

I normally wear a men’s size large and the Fitz Roy fit perfectly in a large—neither slim nor overly boxy, which allowed for easy layering underneath and great range of motion on my 3,000-foot summit climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. If anything, it runs a tad large, so if you prefer a trimmer fit, consider sizing down. The jacket extends the entire length of my arms and well below my hips, offering full coverage for cold conditions. I found that the Fitz Roy works best as an outer layer, although I was able to fit a shell overtop without feeling too much like the Michelin Man.

Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody standing with hands in pockets

Wearing Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody down jacket with headlamp in basecamp tent

Rab Neutrino Pro ($400): A True Heavyweight Belay Parka
The Fitz Roy and Neutrino Pro are belay jackets that fall around the $400 price point, but the similarities all but end there. The Rab Neutrino Pro is significantly warmer and more protective than the Fitz Roy, with 1.1 ounces more down, a more durable and protective Pertex Quantum Pro shell, and a longer center back length that’s far more “parka-like” than the hip-length Fitz Roy. We think it’s the better belay parka for off-the-deck climbing—think belaying at the ice park or cragging at Indian Creek in the fall—but is a bit too heavy for fast-and-light alpine missions like climbing in Patagonia. It’s also not nearly as soft and cozy as the Fitz Roy for those who like the sleeping-bag-like feel of a winter-weight down jacket.

Rab Mythic G ($525): Wanna Go Lighter?
If you’re an alpinist or backpacker looking for that Goldilocks combination of warmth and low weight for particularly chilly outings, also check out the relatively new Rab Mythic G. The Mythic G features 4.5 ounces of 1,000-fill down—almost two ounces less than the Fitz Roy, but of a significantly higher fill power (remember, this means more loft, which translates to more warmth). It also has a reflective liner that Rab claims boosts the jacket’s heat retention by 30%. All told, it comes close to offering similar levels of warmth as the Fitz Roy, but for a whopping 7.3 ounces less. If staying warm in sub-freezing conditions is a concern, we’d go with a Fitz Roy, but if you want ultralight and packable warmth for chilly belays in the high country, give the Rab Mythic G a look (you’ll just have to be really careful with its 7D shell). For more, read our review of the Rab Mythic G.

Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody ($399)

Smiling in Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody down jacket

4.3/5

Named after one our our favorite mountains, the Fitz Roy is a soft and cozy mid-to-heavyweight jacket that offers efficient warmth for sub-freezing conditions. However, it lacks a few key features we look for in a belay jacket, including a long hem, two-way front zipper, and sufficiently wind and water-resistant face fabric.

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Weight

1 lb. 1.1 oz.

Insulation

6.4 oz. of 800-fill down

Fabric

20D nylon

Packable

Yes (pocket)

Warmth

4.5/5

Weight & Packability

3/5

Comfort

5/5

Durability

2.5/5

Weather Resistance

2/5

Sustainability

4.5/5

Rab Mythic G ($525)

cooking dinner in Rab Mythic G Down Jacket

4.4/5

Hold up, what!? We can’t believe Rab managed to pack this much warmth into such a lightweight jacket. You’ll pay a pretty penny for it, and it's unsurprisingly fragile. But the Mythic G is the only sub-10-ounce jacket we know of that can handle freezing temperatures.

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Weight

9.8 oz.

Insulation

4.5 oz. of 1,000-fill down

Fabric

7D nylon

Packable

Yes (stuff sack)

Warmth

3.5/5

Weight & Packability

4.5/5

Comfort

4.5/5

Durability

1/5

Weather Resistance

2/5

Sustainability

3.8/5

Outdoor Research Transcendent Down Hoodie ($279)

Zipping up Outdoor Research Transcendent Hoody down jacket

3.9/5

The newly redesigned Transcendent Down Hoodie prioritizes comfort, with a soft matte shell and fleece-lined hand pockets. However, the fit is unrefined, and our jacket leaked down feathers through minuscule holes in the shell fabric.

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Weight

13.3 oz.

Insulation

4.2 oz. of 800-fill down

Fabric

20D nylon

Packable

Yes (pocket)

Warmth

3/5

Weight & Packability

3.5/5

Comfort

5/5

Durability

2/5

Weather Resistance

2/5

Sustainability

3/5

Is the Fitz Roy for You?

The Patagonia Fitz Roy is one of our top recommendations for those who want the warmth of a midweight down jacket at a low weight and packed size. It’s overkill for summer in the Lower 48 and not enough warmth for winter in the Rockies, but it’s the jacket we reach for while rock climbing in the Bugaboos or Patagonia’s Chalten Range, ski touring in the Cascades, or—in the case of our tester Jonas—summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. And as a bonus, it’s equally at home running errands around town in the winter. We wish the Fitz Roy had a two-way zipper (ideal for use with a harness) and you’ll have to baby the 20-denier shell fabric, but these are small gripes for such a streamlined and functional belay parka. There are undoubtedly lighter (the Rab Mythic G) and warmer (Patagonia’s AlpLoft) options out there, but for a jacket that combines the best of both at a more reasonable $399 price point (both the Mythic G and Alploft run upwards of $500), the Fitz Roy is a compelling choice.