The Secret to Patagonia’s Summer-Tuned Fleece Isn’t Bold Colors

Patagonia’s origin stories are the stuff of outdoor legend, but few are as delightfully weird—or pivotal—as the birth of the fleece jacket. In the early ’70s, Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia’s founder and all-around adventure icon, had a problem: his trusty wool sweater was warm and tough but turned into a soggy mess when wet. Determined to find a better solution, he enlisted his wife, Malinda, to scout for alternatives.

Her search led to an unlikely source: a synthetic fabric used for toilet seat covers. Odd? Yes. But it was light, fast-drying, and retained heat like a champ. It was exactly what Yvon needed.

Patagonia quickly prototyped the material into a jacket and partnered with a mill to bring the concept to life. The result? A technical, trail-ready fleece that redefined outdoor layering and launched a thousand mid-layers. Not bad for bathroom fabric.

A Lighter Take

Patagonia

In the decades since popularizing the material, Patagonia’s Snap-T Fleece pullover has become a quasi-mascot for the brand and one of the first garments many think of when you mention the company alongside its puffy jackets like the Nano Puff or Down Sweater.

So, it’s only fitting that the outdoor outfitter devised a way to make the Snap-T useful all year round, or at least more practical across various climates and use cases.

The solution was the Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover.

As the name implies, it weighs about 30% less than the brand’s standard Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover (13.2 oz vs. 18.7 oz.) That difference is mainly achieved via a thinner fleece fabric.

It also boasts a slightly slimmer fit than its standard cousin, so some recommend buying a size up if you prefer a boxier fit.

It’s still warm and thick enough that most people wouldn’t know it was different from the standard fleece unless you specifically mentioned it. The team at Outdoor Gear Lab even called it “one of the thickest fleeces in our test [of fleeces]” back in 2020.

As such, this isn’t something to wear in the middle of a hot summer day. But it’s an excellent backup layer to keep close by when temps drop quickly in the morning or evening.

Neck and Neck

Patagonia

The collar of the two fleeces also differs slightly in a somewhat unintuitive way. The original Synchilla pairs a thicker, double-sided fleece with a thinner fleece collar.

The Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Pullover is the opposite, with a thicker, double-sided fleece collar matched to thinner body fabric.

As such, the neck area of the Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Pullover tends to stand up better for more of a popped look.

Bolder and Brighter

Patagonia

While outerwear nerds (like me) may harp on these construction discrepancies, the easiest way to spot the Lightweight Synchilla often involves color.

While Patagonia usually offers at least one or two conservative-looking options each cycle, the brand often uses the change in season to introduce several bolder and brighter designs to the garment.

This year’s crop is no exception to this trend.

In my humble opinion, the Still Blue color shown below is the best-looking option of the batch.

But anyone into retro-inspired patterns or hunting for possible future collector’s pieces might gravitate more towards options like SwallowTail: Geo: Still Blue and Quilty Fitz: Wetland Blue.

Right now, Patagonia is selling every version of the spring 2025 edition of the Lightweight Synchilla for $139, while older releases from the fall are on sale for $97 in limited sizes.

Patagonia

Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover (Still Blue)

• $139 at Patagonia

Patagonia

Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover (Pollinator Orange)

• $139 at Patagonia

Patagonia

Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover (Swallowtail Geo: Still Blue)

• $139 at Patagonia

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