Chris Townsend dubs the Granite Crest from Patagonia soft and quiet – but not quite stiff enough for winter.
The Patagonia Granite Crest has appeared in our guide to the best waterproof jackets and is made from a soft and quiet recycled fabric with good breathability. It works well but is perhaps not quite stiff enough for the worst winter weather. Then again, it’s not designed for that. The nylon material is made from recycled fishing nets to help reduce ocean plastic pollution, which is excellent.
The design is functional. The helmet-compatible hood is huge, leaving lots of bunched material when cinched down over a hat or bare head, but it can be adjusted to give good protection whilst allowing visibility. The front drawcords are external ones and so are easily tightened with the jacket fully zipped up. The stiffened peak lacks structure and can distort in the wind.
The handwarmer pockets are roomy. The bottom of them is cut off by a hipbelt but most of them is still usable. It’s great to see a fully sized chest pocket that will accommodate a map. The Granite Crest has long underarm zips for ventilation. The zips are two-way and easy to use. They’re so long that you can really get quite an airflow through them to remove any condensation and cool you down if necessary.
A medium size was supplied for the test. As is often the case with Patagonia shells, it’s a similar fit to some UK brands size Large. I can comfortably wear it over a medium weight fleece.
Here are some other reviews for Patagonia jackets:
Written and tested by Chris Townsend
Chris wore the jackets on low- and high-level walks in the Cairngorms and Monadhliath hills in autumn and winter, often in rain and sometimes in blizzards. He describes himself as 5ft 8in tall with a stocky build and short legs.
This review was first published in the Spring 2023 issue of The Great Outdoors.
