Patagonia Patagonia Synchilla Lightweight Snap-T Review

Patagonia Synchilla Lightweight Snap-T Overview

The Patagonia Synchilla Pullover Lightweight Snap-T is a casual and cozy layering piece you can wear basically anywhere — at home, at camp, at the grocery store, or on a mountain. This fleece contains only the basics, and doesn’t come with a hood, zippers, or drawcords. There’s just one small chest pocket and a few buttons to open or close it at the chest and neck. As per the Patagonia way, this piece is made up of about 80% recycled materials and, as of 2017, is Fair Trade Certified. Thanks Patagonia!

Due to the burly and simple nature of this fleece, we’ve awarded it our Classic Pick for the Car Camper. If you’ve done much car camping, surely you’ve seen this comfy fleece in the wild. It’s a tried and true gold standard for lounging around the fire.

Check out our comprehensive guide to fleece jackets for a breakdown of what fleece best fits your needs, and keep reading for the full Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T review.

Update: We tested the Synchilla Lightweight Snap-T in 2018, and it has not received any major updates since then. However, it is now made with 100% recycled polyester fleece (it was at about 80% when we tested), and there are new colors. Still a fantastic fleece.

Patagonia Synchilla Pullover Lightweight Snap-T Specifications

Gear Review of Patagonia Synchilla Lightweight Snap-T

Revelation: The Moment I Knew

I am no stranger to Patagonia fleece and had high expectations for this lightweight version of the classic Synchilla. So I took the Patagonia Synchilla Pullover Lightweight Snap-T on a road trip! I started in northern New Mexico where the mountains are big, deserts are dry, and the temperatures vary from 20 degrees to 80 degrees in late Fall. And ended in the High Rockies of Colorado near Silverton, a chilly little spot located above 10,000 feet. I don’t think the warmest day there went above 40 degrees.

As it turns out, it is rarely the wrong time to wear a fleece like this, and I wore it for much of my trip. From cold mornings, to chilly afternoons, to freezing evenings and even as a layer for sleeping above 10,000 feet.

Is there a bad time to wear the Lightweight Synchilla? The dog thinks not.

This layer is comfortable and easy. It’s straightforward. Think of it as your most cozy sweatshirt — the one you want to do everything in — only it’s a fleece. This means you can wear it everywhere and it looks a little more polished and is a lot more versatile than cotton. (This depends of course on the pattern you select, but the one I tested was fairly understated for Patagonia).

Lately, when I give a recommendation to people looking for a do-it-all fleece, this is the one. It’ll keep you warm and stylin’. The perfect thing for that perfect Instagram shot. Don’t deny you’ve imagined it.

Sometimes you need outdoor gear to read in the house.

Digging Deeper

Comfort

All in all, the Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T is very comfortable. I’ve lived in this piece for the past month and a half and have enjoyed a couple other versions of the Synchilla line over the years. So I declare myself an expert. The hem and sleeve openings have a bit of spandex that I find delightful. Especially compared to some other long sleeved fleeces that have Velcro or snap cuffs and hems. Those can be a little uncomfortable!

Elastic cuffs allow for maximum comfort.

There are no scratchy tags, no hood to get in the way, and it has a loose fit. All good when looking for a comfy fleece. It transitions from adventure to straight up chillin’ without missing a beat.

Warmth

I mentioned that spandex hemming at the waist. Along with comfort, that adds warmth. It seals up places where heat would normally escape. This is especially nice for car camping when you crouch near the fire — no cold air can crawl up your lower back. The Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T is a midweight fleece, so you can wear it as a stand alone or layer it up depending on the conditions you’re in. I found the warmth to be just right. Goldilocks style.

The fuzzy material is warm, and the four snap buttons seal up the coat at the neck if you need it.

Fit

This is a loose fit kind of fleece. I typically sport a size small in most things, and I received this in a medium. Which was cool. Because it absolutely made this piece a little comfier.

The sleeves extend past the hands, and, for Patagonia, the Lightweight Synchilla is certainly a baggier fit if you order your standard size.

I own a small Synchilla (different model) and it fits well, but the medium worked beautifully as a fleece to layer over a wool baselayer. There have been reports of these fleeces being “way too big”, but that seems to be because Patagonia products typically fit so tight. This fit is true to size for me. If you plan to wear it alone or as a tighter jacket, order your true size. If you want to have some extra room for layering, order up. Both situations will serve you well.

Style

Ahhh Patagonia. All the cool kids are wearing it, all the experienced and accomplished outdoor athletes wear it. Some city moms wear it, too. The thing that Patagonia knows is style with substance. It seems that anything this company creates is timeless — best exemplified by the Synchilla Snap-T, a style that has changed very little throughout the years. The Lightweight Synchilla can be worn for adventure and then transition easily to a brunch in the city.

If you like the Patagonia style, you’ll like the Lightweight Synchilla. In fact, it helped to define what “Patagonia style” was way back when.

Grievances

Comfy, yes, warm, yes, but I do have one big complaint with this fleece. It irks me. It irks me pretty hard, guys.

When you wear this fleece in a vehicle, the actual fleece rubs on the seatbelt and gets little balls of fleece everywhere. These balls are nearly impossible to get rid of and will get on everything they come in contact with for many months. No matter how many times you wear or wash this fleece it sheds, and this creates a mess. Some people probably don’t care at all, but I can’t stand those little balls of fleece collecting in my car!

See those tufts of fleece on the seatbelt? The Synchilla will do that. It’s annoying.

Final Word

The Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T allows you to stay comfy in camp and extra lazy in public. You can spill all over it and stay dry and warm; sweat it in and somehow not stink. If I could only choose 10 items of clothing to wear for the rest of my life, this would probably be one of those items.

Where to Buy Patagonia Pullover Synchilla Lightweight Snap-T

We tested a women’s Medium of the Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover. This has four buttons, no zippers, and one chest pocket. The men’s version is exactly the same except for fit.

Patagonia also offers this jacket in a non “lightweight” version — called the Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover. However, at the time of writing, it’s only offered in men’s. We’re not sure why. This is the original synchilla jacket and is a heavyweight fleece. This means warmer, heavier, and bulkier.

Patagonia also offers variations of the synchilla fabric in 1/4 zip, full-zip, hooded full-zip jackets, and in vests. While these are all nice, we find the original, lightweight design to be best suited to camping and lounging.

Compare Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover prices below.

Deirdre

Deirdre is a photographer and outdoor writer based in Tucson and the San Juan Mountains. She is a big fan of type II fun and loves gear! To check out some of Deirdre's work, check out her IG! Instagram.