Key takeaways
- H2No is Patagonia's in-house waterproof-breathable membrane technology.
- It keeps rain out while venting sweat vapor, like other waterproof-breathable fabrics.
- It's an alternative to licensed membranes like Gore-Tex, used in Patagonia's own shells.
- It lets Patagonia control its shells' performance, cost, and sustainability, with rigorous durability testing.
Patagonia brand (H2No Performance Standard).
What H2No is
H2No is Patagonia’s proprietary waterproof-breathable technology, used in many of its rain jackets and shells. It’s an in-house alternative to licensed membranes like Gore-Tex — developed and controlled by Patagonia rather than sourced from an outside brand.
How it works
Like other waterproof-breathable fabrics, H2No uses a waterproof-breathable barrier (membrane or coating) that blocks liquid rain while letting sweat vapor escape, paired with a DWR finish so water beads off the face fabric. Patagonia runs H2No products through rigorous testing for the durability of their waterproofness over time.
A shopper choosing a Patagonia rain shell sees it uses H2No rather than Gore-Tex — getting comparable waterproof-breathable protection from Patagonia’s in-house tech, often at a different price point, and maintains the DWR to keep it shedding water and breathing.
How it compares to Gore-Tex
Both are waterproof-breathable technologies; the difference is that Gore-Tex is a licensed membrane brand while H2No is Patagonia’s own technology. Developing it in-house lets Patagonia control its shells’ performance, cost, and sustainability. Performance varies by version, and as with any rain jacket, keeping the DWR maintained preserves breathability.
The bottom line
H2No is Patagonia's in-house waterproof-breathable technology — its own alternative to licensed membranes like Gore-Tex, used across its rain shells. It does the same job (rain out, sweat vapor out, with a DWR finish), but developing it in-house lets Patagonia control performance, cost, and sustainability, backed by rigorous durability testing. Maintain the DWR to keep it breathing.
Frequently asked questions
What is H2No?
H2No is Patagonia's proprietary (in-house) waterproof-breathable technology, used in many of its rain jackets and shells. It serves the same purpose as licensed membranes like Gore-Tex — keeping rain out while letting sweat vapor escape — but is developed and controlled by Patagonia rather than licensed from an outside brand.
How does H2No work?
Like other waterproof-breathable fabrics, H2No uses a waterproof-breathable barrier (membrane or coating) that blocks liquid water from getting in while allowing water vapor to pass out, paired with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish so water beads off the face fabric. Patagonia subjects H2No products to rigorous testing for durability of their waterproofness over time.
How does H2No compare to Gore-Tex?
Both are waterproof-breathable technologies; the key difference is that Gore-Tex is a licensed membrane brand while H2No is Patagonia's own in-house technology. Using H2No lets Patagonia control the performance, cost, and sustainability of its shells. Performance varies by the specific version, and (as with any shell) keeping the DWR maintained preserves breathability.
Sources
- H2No technology — Patagonia
- Waterproof-breathable fabrics — The Mountaineers