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Patagonia unveils stretch-happy, breathable and insulated jacket

Patagonia has targeted breathability it its fall 2014 release of the Nano-Air.

The new jacket — expected in both hooded and non-hooded versions — gives California-based Patagonia a product that stretches like fleece, but with the temperature protection of a puffy, according to Kristo Torgersen, the company’s Alpine product line manager.

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Thanks to a combination of a new insulation and four-way-stretch materials throughout the jacket’s three layers, you can, says Torgersen, “put it on in the morning and wear it throughout the rest of the day.”

To get there, Patagonia put a first-ever insulation layer between an outer shell and inner liner. Developed in partnership with the chemistry company Toray, the insulation, dubbed FullRange Insulation, includes mechanical stretch to match with the rest of the highly stretchy jacket. The 60-gram (somewhat lightweight) insulation also breathes, featuring 40CFM air permeability for ample breathability, whether standing on its own in the fall or as a layer in colder temperatures.

“Alpine climbing is different than most sports in the sense that you are constantly either going full-out, or at a complete stop,” says Josh Wharton, a Patagonia Alpine ambassador. The breathability allows Wharton to keep the jacket on no matter where he is.

The soft shell includes 100 percent nylon ripstop with a water-repellent finish. Patagonia’s quilted design stabilizes the jacket with a tight pattern on the sides and bottom that opens on the arms and top of the jacket, including the hood, for some extreme stretchiness. An interior storm flap behind the front zipper, zippered pockets and a dual-adjustable drawcord hem all fit within the 13.6-ounce jacket.

Patagonia now hopes all this jacket tech in the Nano-Air wasn’t too much of a stretch.

Tim Newcomb covers stadiums, design and gear for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.