As the hot summer days fade away and the grocery stores start putting out pumpkins and Halloween candy, I’m eager for the changing of the seasons and the cooler weather that comes along with it. When my morning bike commute gives me goosebumps, or when I’m going on a weekend hike but can’t remember what 55 degrees and sunny feels like, I know exactly what I need to bring: my Patagonia Houdini windbreaker.
The Patagonia Houdini is a versatile, ultralight jacket that packs down to the size of a 16 oz water bottle. If I was a dude with decently sized pockets, this would for sure squish into my back pocket, but since women’s pant pockets tend to be essentially nonexistent, I have to settle with stuffing it into my fanny pack, which isn’t so bad. Anyways, for something so small and light when it’s packed down, I get so much in return when I actually put it on. I get warmth, I get protection from the wind, and I even get protection from some light rain. The best thing about it? I rarely overheat – a game changer for my daily bike commute. Whether there’s variable weather conditions where I’m headed, or I just want to bring an extra layer for when the sun goes down, I always have my Houdini with me.
Here’s a breakdown of what you should know about the Patagonia Houdini before you go out and buy one:
Pros:
Cons: