Compared to Patagonia's more hiking-focused jackets, the Boulder Fork is aimed more at the outdoor 'utility player'. Those jacks of all trades who might be fly-fishing or climbing one weekend, hiking or biking the next. The key thing, of course, is the superb water-resistance, utilising Patagonia's tried-and-trusted breathable H2No 3-layer fabric and bolstering the performance with waterproof zips and stormproof cuffs. The hood has a laminated visor and single-pull adjustment, with a clever low-profile cut that sits flat against your back when not in use. The designers at Patagonia have set the chest and handwarmer pockets relatively high to sit clear of a climbing harness or waist belt, and they're also surprisingly roomy to swallow up maps, fly boxes or other bits and bobs. It all adds up to a superb jacket that's as versatile as you need it to be.
Waterproof and breathable H2No Performance Standard 3-layer shell with PFAS-free durable water-repellent (DWR) coating
Streamlined, minimalist cut
Low-profile hood with laminated visor and single-pull adjust lies flat when not in use
Watertight zips
One left-chest zipped pocket
Two watertight zipped high handwarmer welt pockets are large enough for fly boxes, maps, notebooks etc.
Stormproof cuffs with hook-and-loop tabs
Adjustable drawcord hem is routed up through the front pockets
Made in a Fair Trade Certified factory in Vietnam
H2No™ Performance Standard shell: 3-layer, 3.7-oz 30-denier 100% recycled polyester ripstop face, a polyester membrane, a recycled polyester tricot backer and a durable water repellent (DWR) finish
Fabric, membrane and DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS
Made in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory
Alpha Size
Numeric Size
Chest*
Waist
Hip
XXS
00
79 cm
62 cm
86 cm
0
81 cm
65 cm
89 cm
XS
2
84 cm
67 cm
91 cm
4
86 cm
70 cm
94 cm
S
6
89 cm
72 cm
97 cm
8
91 cm
75 cm
99 cm
M
10
94 cm
77 cm
102 cm
12
98 cm
81 cm
105 cm
L
14
102 cm
85 cm
109 cm
16
107 cm
90 cm
114 cm
XL
18
112 cm
95 cm
119 cm
20
117 cm
100 cm
124 cm
XXL
22
122 cm
105 cm
130 cm
*Chest is usually the best size predictor. However, if your hip measurement is larger, consider buying the size indicated for your hips.
Recycled Materials: made from 100% recycled polyester - PFAS-Free
Environmental Initiatives: Through their membership with 1% for the Planet, Patagonia donate 1% of every sale to carefully chosen social and environmental causes
Patagonia is the brand that other gear companies want to be when they grow up. In 2022, the company's founder, Yvon Chouinard, famously gave the company to the planet. It’s now jointly controlled by a charitable trust and a not-for-profit dedicated to fighting the climate crisis, and all post-operating profits go to environmental causes.
But in some ways that’s the tip of the (melting) iceberg. For nearly half a century, Patagonia has been an experiment in responsible business. From the farms that grow their cotton to the factories that make their goods and everything in-between, they’ve tried incredibly hard to set the gold standard in terms of ethics, transparency and social responsibility. Not only that, but their gear is made to last – to take hard use and repairs, and to maintain its performance through thick and thin.
All of which is even more extraordinary when you consider that Yvon Chouinard started out blacksmithing climbing gear for his mates in his parents' backyard, using a forge and anvil that he bought from a junkyard.
At WildBounds we don’t usually tend to go for the big-name brands, but this was one we simply couldn’t resist. Quite apart from their amazing ethical and environmental credentials, they just make great gear. We’ve used it and loved it for years, and you will too.