The Triolet was the first waterproof jacket I tried with the new Gore-Tex ePe membrane, which Patagonia worked with Gore-Tex to develop, and I immediately liked it. The fabric, which is the same as on the Rab Namche, is soft and flexible with a pleasant feel, though it does crackle a little. Breathability is comparable with the familiar Gore-Tex ePTFE membrane. I can see no disadvantages of the new membrane for the user and the benefits for the environment are excellent.
Chris’ verdict
For mountaineering where a climbing helmet is worn the Triolet is an excellent jacket. It works fine for hillwalking too, if you can manage with the over-sized hood.- Pockets
- recycled fabric, PFC-free membrane & DWR
- Huge hood is hard to adjust
- Cost
The Triolet is designed as an ‘alpine workhorse’. In particular this means it has a helmet-compatible hood. This is huge and whilst it can be cinched down around a hat or a bare head I found this a little fiddly to do and it leaves folds of loose fabric above your head. Once tightened adequately it does provide excellent protection. But if you never wear a helmet it is unnecessarily big. The hood also has a RECCO reflector built-in to the peak, making you searchable by a rescuer with a RECCO detector.
How Chris Tested the Patagonia Triolet
Chris tested this jacket on day walks and multi day trips in the Cairngorms in the autumn and winter of 2023/24. Conditions included heavy rain, soaking drizzle, blizzards, and ferocious winds. Weights were measured on Chris’s home digital scales.
The two large chest pockets easily hold maps but aren’t placed for use as handwarmers. Patagonia says the lower pockets “stay clear of a harness or pack waistbelt”. Maybe with a harness they do but not with any pack hipbelts I’ve tried.
The underarm zips run reasonably freely. They have double zip pullers, which I like as it means they can be opened or closed from either end or only part of them can be opened in the centre if you don’t want too large a gap. The cuffs are wide enough to allow some ventilation too and easily fit over gloves.
For mountaineering where a climbing helmet is worn the Triolet is an excellent jacket. It works fine for hillwalking too, if you can manage with the over-sized hood.
Patagonia Triolet Tech Specs
| Price | $449 | £390 |
| Weight | 550g (size UK L) |
| Materials | Gore-Tex 3-layer 75D recycled polyester with ePe membrane. |
| Hood | Wired and laminated peak, rear and side adjusters, helmet compatible |
| Front Closure | One-way watertight zip with inner flap |
| Underarm/side zips | Underarm |
| Pockets | Two chest, two handwarmer, one inner |
| Hem | Elastic drawcord |
| Cuffs | Hook and loop closure |
| Sizes | XS-XXL |
| Women’s Version | Yes |
| Brand Site | https://eu.patagonia.com/gb |
