ABOUT THE DIRT ROAMER JACKET
Patagonia’s Dirt Roamer Jacket is made from a 100% recycled nylon outer, protecting against both wind and light rain. It some stretch in the material, allowing for greater movement and placing the jacket somewhere between a hard and softshell.
A soft interior helps wick sweat and moisture away from the body, and also helps prevent the dreaded clammy jacket feel. The Dirt Roamer was designed with an adjustable hood that fits over standard trail helmets. One exterior pocket is located above the left hip, and one interior pocket is at the left chest. Both pockets close with a zipper, with the exterior pocket doubling as packable storage.
Patagonia accommodates a significant size range with its Dirt Roamer Jacket. They offer seven sizes — XS through 3XL. It is also offered in two colorways — Pine Needle Green and Redtail Rust. These retail for $249.99.
THE DIRT
Across the board, I have been pretty impressed with all of Patagonia’s mountain biking apparel offerings. While many might associate Patagonia with higher prices, I think it is important to note that those “higher prices” are backed with quality gear. Furthermore, Patagonia is very much on par with other high-end mountain bike apparel brands in terms of price. The quality matches as well.
Patagonia has also done a good job of ditching PFAS materials. If you’re unfamiliar with it, look up PFAS materials. They’re nasty chemicals used to repel water and oil, and often found in DWR coatings. The bottom line is they are bad for you, with states like New York and California outlawing the sale of products that have them. Patagonia has been PFAS-free for several years, finding alternative DWR coatings for products like the Dirt Roamer Jacket and Dirt Craft Pants.
The other aspect of Patagonia I appreciate is their repair program. As a brand, Patagonia has long asked its customers to send apparel in for repairs rather than buy something new. And, in most cases, Patagonia will fix their products for free. How many times have you dropped over $100 on a new pair of MTB pants, only to put a hole in them on your first ride?! They will take care of you if you damage a Patagonia product. It may just be clever marketing, but I think it’s cool.
On the one hand, there wasn’t a lot to the Dirt Roamer Jacket, but on the other hand, it did everything I needed it to do perfectly. The material was a little strange — not quite the stiffer, crinkly material of a windbreaker, but not wholly a soft shell. Instead, the Dirt Roamer sits somewhere in the middle, which made it very comfortable. It stretched very well, never making my movements feel restricted. I also appreciated the hood, which fit over my helmet and could easily be adjusted with one drawstring pull.
Pockets are few and far between. While front pockets would’ve made getting to the trailhead easy (holding my phone, wallet, keys, etc), the truth is that I don’t need them when I ride. The rear and chest pockets the Dirt Roamer Jacket does have are perfect for stashing items away if required, and the rear pocket doubles nicely as a stuff pocket for the entire jacket.
While this isn’t Patagonia’s heavy rain jacket, the Dirt Roamer worked perfectly for the prolonged lighter rain I occasionally found myself in. It even stood up well against more significant rainfall, and I never got wet. The jacket also did a good job of regulating my body temperature, keeping me warm when I needed it without overheating. While armpit vents are nice on a jacket, they often go unused. They were also not needed as the Dirt Roamer breathed reasonably well. If I needed extra breeze, I would unzip the main zipper.
While I thought of the Dirt Roamer Jacket as a cooler weather jacket, I could easily see packing it with me for stormy summer rides.
The Wolf’s Last Word
I got along very well with the Patagonia Dirt Roamer Jacket. While the jacket performed flawlessly, I also like that if I crash tomorrow and rip a hole in the elbow, Patagonia will patch it. With that repair promise, Patagonia apparel should last a very long time, offsetting the fairly large price tag. 
Price: $249
Website: Patagonia.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
The local boy — Travis was born and raised in Bend, OR. Skateboarding consumed his life until his high school years (yes, he can still kickflip), but was replaced by mountain biking…then rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and finally back to mountain biking. After a stint in the big city, Travis returned home, trading a teaching career to be an okay mountain biker and above-average journalist. He is an outspoken 90s grunge fan, cornering poor souls in conversations about the meaning behind the lyrics of Alice In Chains’ “Would.” Most days, Travis hopes to be outside, whether that is on an early morning ride or a hike with his family (the best days include both).
Rank: Contributing Writer
Size: 5’8” / 172cm | 195lbs / 88kg
Social: @travis_reill_writes
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