How Durable Is the Patagonia Down Sweater?

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My Patagonia Down Sweater has lasted through 4 years of heavy outdoor activity plus casual use, with only minor wear and tear to show.

A green down jacket draped over a chair
After several years, my Patagonia Down Sweater is still in good shape.

Quick Pros and Cons of the Patagonia Down Sweater

  • durability
  • use as a standalone layer or layering piece
  • good warmth for relatively light weight
  • nice selection of colors with new options each year
  • increased price over the years
  • lack of pocket-integrated stuff sack

How Long Will a Patagonia Down Sweater Last?

For casual “around town” and light active use, the Patagonia Down Sweater could last several years. After 4 years of heavy use while backpacking, camping, and rock climbing, my down sweater is finally starting to rip and tear in minor, reparable ways.

My goal for this post is to give a realistic view of the kind of wear you might expect after several years. While I haven’t totally babied my down sweater, I’ve tried to avoid the two main cardinal sins of down jackets: 1. Compressing the down. 2. Washing the durable (but not indestructible) nylon shell in a top-loading washing machine. 

Therefore, I think you could say I am a superuser in terms of the activities I’ve used the jacket for (rock climbing/rappelling) but I have also been very diligent about overall jacket care.

 

Wear and Tear for My Jacket

I’ve not experienced any down shedding the the Down Sweater. However, I am starting to notice some cold patches starting to form in the shoulders because of the way the down has compressed and spread out over time. Perhaps the newer Raglan-sleeve version of the jacket fixes this issue. 

Additionally, the seams around areas that are exposed to friction with tables and chairs along the hem and sleeves are starting to develop small holes where a bit of down is poking through.

Some seams are starting to degrade, with minor tears and a small amount of down poking through
The sleeve of a down sweater, with a small tear
Wear is primarily starting to show along the seams of the sleeves.
There's also a good bit of wear along the bottom hem of the jacket.

Care Instructions: Best Way to Wash a Patagonia Down Sweater

I’ve tried a bunch of different ways to wash my Patagonia Down Sweater and other down apparel. I highly recommend using a front loading washing machine because I’ve ripped down gear using a top loader with an agitator (when a sweater bag came open mid-wash). I also suggest buying dryer balls or getting clean tennis balls to throw in the dryer cycle to re-fluff your jacket and re-distribute the down.

Here’s the best way to wash a down sweater to restore its loft and keep it safe:

  1. Pre-treat any stains with OxiClean stain spray and let the garment sit for at least 5 minutes.
  2. Add your down jacket plus a clean towel (to add some weight, something for the jacket to agitate gently against) to the washing drum.
  3. Add 30ml of Gear Aid Revivex Down Cleaner per jacket to the main washing machine drum (not the soap compartment). 
  4. Wash on cold.
  5. Once the cycle finishes, run the jacket through an additional rinse cycle.
  6. Tumble dry low or with no heat, throwing 3 dryer balls or clean tennis balls in the mix.
I’ve tried Nikwax down wash too, but prefer Revivex (think it cleans better). Don’t use regular detergent. I’ve learned my lesson as regular detergent will clump the down and not wash out fully, leaving behind unsightly stains.

Closing Thoughts on Patagonia Durability

Patagonia is a brand that stands behind its products and encourages consumers to repair their gear. I know they offer in-store repairs with down patches but personally did not opt to take my jacket in since a home repair was easier.

In researching more about their practices, I came across an interesting article on their 10-point quality scale and testing procedures. Number 3 “Is it durable?” and Number 5 “Is it repairable?” struck me as common sense questions to ask that are seemingly missing from many manufacturers’ ethos these days.

"It’s kind of obvious that quality is an environmental issue. We’ve been focused on quality from the very beginning, and it’s not something we’re ever going to walk away from."
Blue sky streaked with clouds.
Walker Ferguson Field Testing at Patagonia, from "Quality is an Environmental Issue"

In my own personal experience, I have not experienced a catastrophic failure with any Patagonia product. Over the years, I have owned their R1 fleece, Better Sweaters (quarter zip and full), Synchillas, an almost 10-year old re-tool snap-t pullover, several Nano Puffs, and of course, the Down Sweater.

Overall, I am impressed with the Down Sweater’s durability relative to other outdoor products and still think it is a product that delivers strong value. I purchased my Down Sweater for around $179 in 2020, but now the jacket retails for $279. But looking at “cost per wear” or “cost per use,” I bet if I divided even the higher modern price by the number of times I’ve worn the jacket, the resulting cost would be well under $1 per use.

True to the ethos behind Patagonia products, I plan to wear this jacket until it is completely patched and worn out.

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