Patagonia vs Mountain Hardwear: which zip-up wins?
Both land in the premium tier — the Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Jacket at $159, the Mountain Hardwear Polartec High Loft Full-Zip Jacket at $160, just $1 apart. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| Patagonia | Mountain Hardwear | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159 | $160 |
| Material | Recycled polyester sweater-knit fleece, ~14oz, fair-trade sewn. | Polartec High Loft lofted polyester fleece, lightweight and warm, low-bulk construction. |
| Fit | Regular fit, true to size; reads casual-smart rather than athletic. | Trim performance fit, true to size; layers cleanly under a shell. |
| Quality | Built to last and be repaired — durable warm fleece, solid zipper; the knit face pills slightly over years. | Technical alpine build — warm lofted fleece, breathable, durable zippers, built for serious outdoor use. |
| Best for | Casual-smart layering, cold weather, and anyone who values longevity and repairability. | Alpine and serious outdoor layering, high-exertion cold, and use under a shell. |
| Care | Cold wash and tumble low; Patagonia will repair it rather than have you replace it. | Cold wash and tumble low; the lofted fleece dries fast and retains warmth. |
Patagonia's Better Sweater ($159) and Mountain Hardwear's Polartec High Loft ($160) are a dollar apart, and both are warm full-zip fleece, but one is casual-smart and one is alpine kit. Patagonia uses a ~14oz recycled-poly sweater knit with a refined look and a repair program. Mountain Hardwear uses Polartec High Loft, a lofted low-bulk fleece tuned for warmth-to-weight, breathability, and layering under a shell.
refined casual-smart look, repair-and-recycle program, fair-trade sewn, durable everyday fleece
warmth-to-weight performance, breathable for high exertion, low-bulk under a shell, alpine-grade build
Which should you buy?
Price is a wash at roughly $160, so this is purely about where you'll wear it. Buy the Patagonia if it's mostly town and office-casual layering and you want a piece that looks refined and lasts. Pay the same for the Mountain Hardwear if you actually get cold and sweaty outdoors: the Polartec loft gives you real warmth without bulk and breathes under a shell, which the sweater-knit Patagonia won't match. Casual wear, take the Patagonia; serious cold and exertion, take the Mountain Hardwear.
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