Most of us in the Pacific Northwest are familiar with the Patagonia brand since they are known for their outdoor wear for all weather. You may also be familiar with their commitment to the environment. Patagonia’s mission statement states, “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” But, have you shopped any of Patagonia’s newest products? Some of us at Run Oregon had the opportunity to try out Patagonia’s latest.

Patagonia Women’s Capilene Air Crew
Annette:
I had the opportunity to try out the new Women’s Capilene Air Crew. This product looks like a light sweater and is designed to be worn as such or as a baselayer. Since the weather has just turned to cooler fall days, I wore this as a sweater with jeans while I was out and about. For such a lightweight sweater, it is surprisingly warm. The Capilene Air Crew is made from a blend of merino wool (51%) and recycled polyester (49%). This combination made for a very comfortable feel against my skin. No itchy wool feeling, just a light comfortable feel that moved easily. While I haven’t worn this during any activities requiring physical exertion, I could feel that this fabric would dry quickly and wick away moisture if I were to wear this while doing something like hiking or skiing.
The Capilene Air Crew is a slim fit, so you may want to go up a size if you prefer a slightly looser fitting sweater. I typically wear a medium, but the size large worked great and was still a fitted look. The sweater kept its shape nicely after I washed it (in cold water) and let it hang to dry. I would recommend the Capilene Air Crew for activities on a cold winter day, because it is much warmer than it looks. For runners, I think it would make a great layer before or after a run when you need to stay warm, but you still want something breathable.