Hi all, looking for some help with Patagonia questions.

I'm 5'11" 170 athletic build...anyone with a similar size have any input on what size top would fit best? I like an athletic fit. I have a R1 pullover in a regular medium that is a little baggy but fine because it is a jacket but would be to loose if it wad a shirt. Wondering if I should order a medium slim fit or a regular small...

Anyone able to compare the sizes between the regular small and the slimfit medium?

Whats the difference between the Capilene 3 tops that say midweight in the title and the ones that don't?

Can anyone give some general temp ranges for the different Capilene lines? I know the 1's are for the warmest and 4 for the coldest but does anyone have any temp ideas for each of them if they are used alone?

Thx!

Edited by lundquistas on 08/17/2011 00:01:30 MDT.

What's your chest and waist size? I would put you at regular medium or slimfit medium depending on what sort of fit you want. I think you might be pushing it with a small. You would fit but I suspect it'd be too short for you (not flattering) and would be really tight int he arms.

It's hard to give temp ranges for Capilene because every body is different. I've written to Patagonia to ask exactly this question and that's the answer they give.

See their descriptions here:

http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=10148

Capilene 1 is like silk and I use it for sleep on summer nights

Capilene 2 is what I use to hike (day or night) and workout

I don't own Capilene 3 or 4 because now you are not talking about baselayers but instead warming layers.

I am 6'0, 155lbs, climber build. I wear a medium in everything from Patagonia when it comes to tops. The slim fit will be a little smaller from the chest down. More form-fitting so to speak, but not super tight.

Try it on beforehand if you can. I'm 5'10" (only just) and an athletic 180lbs. I have traditionally always gone with a large in Patagonia in order to fit my shoulders, usually with slightly longer than I would prefer sleeves. That being said, the sizing recently has changed a fair bit and now a medium is larger than my large from a couple of years ago. Based off of what I have from their current line, I would suggest going with a slim fit medium.

About the Capilene layers

Capilene 1 - I wear this the most, always in l/s. I get really warm when hiking, and unless it is in the 60's this is my go to top.

Capilene 2 - I have an older version and use it for cooler temps (60's). The latest version is a bit more breathable. I'd like to give it a try myself, it seems like the most versatile.

Capilene 3 - This is pretty warm for me, more like something I would wear around camp and sleep in if it was cold (50's). Maybe if it was really cold (40's) I would wear this as a stand-alone whilst hiking. Pretty sure it is the same whether or not it says MW.

Capilene 4 - I have not used this, but it is thick. Looks really toasty.

This is just my personal experience. I've gotten the most use out of my capilene in Southern California and West Africa, haven't used it much in below-freezing temps.

Capilene is good stuff, I wore it just about every day for three years while I was in the Peace Corps. I have some pieces that are over 10 years old, and I still wear them.

Edited by ketkrokur on 08/17/2011 01:18:49 MDT.

I don't get the Patagonia sizes either.
I order a Houdini size medium.
Too tight in the shoulders, fine on the waist.
Could not layer it.
It went back to Zappos.

Now that Stoic gear in the OR reports ... Mmmmmmm on sale too!

Edited by asdzxc57 on 08/17/2011 19:32:29 MDT.

They frequently modify their sizing and you really need to try stuff on. They are great about returns.

Their sizing is all over the map. I have large items from 2000 that fit like a medium in 2006. My 2007 Houdini in medium is a perfect fit with just enough room for an R1 and lightweight top. My 2010 R2 fits great in medium, snug but good sleeve length and fit across back and shoulders. My 2010 Nano in medium fits across the chest and sleeves but is tight across the shoulders. I am 5'11' and about 190 when I got the most recent items. The medium was still a pretty good fit.

@asdzxc57 - Where is Stoic on sale?

I'm 5'11+, and 220lb. My C3 and R4 fit snugly in a size Large. Specifically in the shoulder areas, and I'm not broad shouldered. Great items though. Stoic is the Backcountry dot com exlusive. I have some softshell pants by them. Love em'!

Agreed in that you really need to try items on. Most items are either a slim fit OR a regular fit and you are stuck with one or the other. I don't know of any items in which you could order a slim fit or a regular fit.

As far as the warmth of Caps by themselves go, I've found that my caps (I often carry 3s) don't provide hardly any wind protection. I think I'd be warmer in a pair of hiking pants than cap in any conditions with the air moving.

Thx guys, I'm a 39" chest and a 31" waist. I think the slim fit mediums may be the way to go

hi everyone, first post here.
I am having trouble with Patagonia sizing.
I am 5'11'',155lbs, slim type. I have the following problem: the S size seems to fit well, but a bit tight under the armpit, the M is too baggy.
I wear S with Capilene 3, and R3 highloft jacket.
Yesterday I went to try the Torrentshell Jacket and Parka, and the S was perfect if wearing just a tshirt under, but the M would be needed if I were wearing something like a jumper/fleece, otherwise looks too big/roomy. I need a versatile jacket, I can wear as a rainshell both in summer and autumn
It's just me? or is the fact that "European bodytypes" are different? (just kidding here).
It seems I should just forego the idea of wearing Patagonia stuff...

If it doesn't fit right, then yes :) Thats a rather important consideration for clothing!

No loss though. Its really very rare for there to be a genuinely compelling technical reason to get one specific item over the multiplicity of near equivalent alternatives from other people. More often for cottage industry perhaps but they're often custom fitted anyhow.

thanks a lot
but unfortunately where I live (Italy) there are just Patagonia store and The North Face store, and few other small retailers which carry other brands but their choice is not not even comparable to what you guys in the US can buy/try/swap/return back...
And I wouldn't like to buy anything w/o trying it first

Well I'm in England, but also spoilt :) Actually it depends. The high street stores are unsurprisingly not always that great, if not half bad at times. The real concentrations are mostly in the outdoors areas.
(Which must be much more concentrated than in Italy.).

You're right about trying stuff on though, because none of the companies are terribly internally consistent in how their things fit anyway!

I've posted a couple of different threads when I find sizing has changed (which is it does rather frequently)- as posted above they are good on exchanges if it happens to not fit. I'm guessing that w/ certain garments and certain builds- there will be no correct fit for some. It's worth reading the reviews on their site and elsewhere as sizing is often mentioned.

I do have a couple of R1 tops and they seem to run true to size (as of the last couple years anyways).

I had in mind to buy the R1 hooded, with full zip and get the S size: for baselayer it's easier because you know you'd use directly on your skin (or at least w/o bulky stuff under it). But having in mind to get a versatile jacket, which I could use over a tshirt or a fleece, size becomes more important.
I'll have start to look for something else.
What do you think in terms of quality, are The North Face and Patagonia comparable? some told me that Patagonia is higher than TNF. To me they both seem pretty solid. But I must admit that the last Patagonia collection looks over the top, and it's also priced over the roof.

Even baselayers really aren't trivial. Yes the stretch helps, but it won't fix sleeves that are too short or long, or if its pointlessly baggy/too tight or too short/long in the body or....

There's a good example in their base layer line actually - basically everything I've tried of theirs comes up short or very short in the sleeves on me, but capeline2 somehow doesn't. Shrug. Its the same with most other manufacturers so I'm used to it!

Nothing in particular to worry about with TNF I'd think. A bit more so so stuff than Pati perhaps, but then Pati do quite a lot of that too. And its not hard to avoid those with a little care :) Mind you, whether the store actually stocks much of their good technical stuff isn't certain.

Pati's Goretex is simply terrifying pricewise.