Product Review: Patagonia Houdini

I have a severe case of brand loyalty. I will only purchase equipment from specific brands. For example, if Montrail went to war, I would fight for them. I am, for better or worse, a very discerning consumer and a company must have an excellent product, image, and a very high level of involvement within racing or charitable efforts.

One of the companies for which I am an advocate is Patagonia, an apparel company that I was introduced to through my background in climbing and fell in love with for their style, excellent materials, and conservation efforts.

I do not consider them by any stretch a fitness related company, but do believe some of their products can make the crossover nicely. After all, if a jacket is designed to be carried up K6, it can probably handle your early morning run.

K6 in the Karakoram. I believe Steve House used the Houdini in a super fast, alpine style ascent

This happens to be the motus operandi of the Houdini, Patagonia's ultra-lightweight shell. Though I love the jacket, I do so much like one would a family member- in recognition of and despite its flaws. The Houdini is somewhat apathetic in its repulsion of water, and after a long run, the forearm section of the sleeves can be quite wet due to a lack of breathability. But these drawbacks come with some excellent benefits.

The Patagonia Houdini

The weight. Oh my, the weight. 4 oz of goodness- including the hood- wrap around your upper torso. There are also elastic cords within the hood and around the waist to make sure the Houdini cinches down tight. I also really like that the hood isn't removable. All I do is simply tuck it down the back of the neck and I'm good to go, able to pull it back out on the fly should threatening skies end up backing up the promise of rain. The fit is also excellent for me and I run completely unencumbered. Finally, the style is something I love. The burnt orange color and understated dark grey patagonia logo on my jacket are perfect, in my eyes, and I find myself excited to put the jacket on for a run.

As an ultralight jacket, the Houdini comes up short. But as a stylish, ultralight, water-resistant windshirt, it performs exceptionally. Would I buy another one? In a heartbeat, although I would certainly check out the products offered by some of my other favored brands in the multi-sport world. I don't think I'll need to, though, as after years of regular use, the Houdini appears brand new. Given it's ultralight weight, that level of durability is a testament to the quality of Patagonia and the Houdini.