I think you did better than you give yourself credit for, my friend!

Even though they told me, “You’ll be fine.” on the Hayduke Trail and I was NOT fine; I was terrified for most of the trail.

I am weird. I tend to hike in rain gear when it is that wet. 😉 Being serious, I’ve had fleece dry from body heat in a dry shelter.

It only has to rain heavily for half an hour to soak you to the skin unless your wearing full waterproofs.and in that weather there is no way to dry your clothes off.

Glad it works for you. But that is a very different experience from what most people (myself included) have with puffy layers…despite what marketing materials may say. 🙂

The Nano Puff is designed to be warm when wet. It uses Primaloft One insulation. The promotional material claims that when it is wet it loses just 3% of its insulation capability – that is, it retains 97% of its insulation capability. From my experience with it over two years that figure is quite believable. I find no difference in warmth whether it is wet or not. It draws moisture outward very well and is wind resistant too. Patagonia does make down versions of the Nano Puff but they go by a different name.

I very rarely wear it while hiking – it is mostly for breaks and for camp. I too hike hot, if I have put on the Nano then it is below 15 F and I’m descending. But it is thin enough to use while hiking – thinner than fleeces I have owned.

The problem with any puffy, be it synthetic or down, is that it WILL get damp, or even wet, in these conditions if used while hiking. The loft will be compromised and the garment will not be effective. A puffy is best for camp/sleeping and breaks and not hiking. Even in cold and dry conditions, your body perspiration will get into the loft and, again, compromise the garment’s effectiveness. Only in very cold and dry conditions should a puffy be worn while hiking.

A nano is roughly equivalent to a 200 wt fleece in terms of warmth. Naturally a 200 wt fleece is bulkier and heavier (and makes many people overheat while moving). That’s why many people like a 100wt fleece or even a vest for active hiking as the weight and bulk penalty is not as pronounced.

If you can get your Oreos this easily, you must be doing something right! 😉