I’ve had this item long enough now that I can write a review of it. I bought the R1 Fleece from Patagonia about a year ago and have worn it several times and in many different weather conditions. I got this when it was on sale for around $79. I ordered this with the intention of using it as light insulation layer. This is my first and only article of clothing from Patagonia. Its also my first and only fleece item. I ordered it from Patagonia because I’ve heard many good things about the company and wanted to try them out. I like the fact that they aren’t a public company and the founder still runs the show (I hope I’m correct about this). It’s to bad that they manufacture their clothing outside the US but at least they are being responsible about it and choosing manufactures wisely.

So far I like a lot about my R1 Fleece from Patagonia . It took me a little while to get used to the fit of it. It has a very form fitting design and it’s unusually long. It come down well over my waist and I’m a 6 foot tall person. I believe its this long so you can tuck it in. I’ve worn it in weather down to around 30 degrees Fahrenheit under a light shell with a light synthetic base layer. It keep me pretty warn. I’ve also tried it above my 250 Smartwool base layer. This was great for warmth but the sleeves are a little tight to comfortably accommodate a thick layer underneath. Something that doesn’t work well is using the R1 as a top layer in cool windy conditions. The R1 doesn’t protect from wind at all. Even a light breeze rolls right through it. I think this is because it is designed to breath and not overheat you if you’re really working hard.

The  R1 Fleece from Patagonia has a feature that I really like called Polygiene. This is a permanent odor control built into the fabric. I think they changed to name of it to HeiQ. I put this stuff to the test. I wore my R1 several times before washing it (I’ve only washed it once in the year I’ve been wearing it) and it worked very well. It didn’t smell bad at all. The only reason I even washed it was because the right sleeve cuff was getting crusty from me using it as a snot rag. I probably could have just rinsed that sleeve and called it good.

Pros:

Comfortable light mid layer for warmth.

Built in odor control.

Durable fabric that’s well built.

Cool R1 commercials.

Cons:

A little tight in the sleeves for me.

Almost useless in cold windy conditions without a layer on top.

Note- I think Patagonia has updated the design on the R1 and the link I have redirects to the new version not the version I have.