How I use it
Being a windproof layer with a hood this jacket can be thrown on top of whatever one is wearing to get that bit more comfortable and warm.

I in particular use it for:

  1. Multi-pitch climbing: Either as a bit of protection at belays or in combination with a fleece or vest if it is colder in general.
  2. Cycling: Especially on longer descents it gives more protection than a windproof vest by covering the arms. The hood fits perfectly under a helmet as well.
  3. Hiking / light mountaineering: For all of those days and terrains that do not call for a full-on hardshell jacket this thing is just right.
  4. Day to day: Either in windy conditions or if it is just a bit too cool I take the Houdini with me. Sometimes I do not use it (which is no problem as it does not take up space and weights next to nothing) other times I do (and it traps that bit of warmth that is needed in these situations).
Top left: Multi-pitching in Mallorca; Top right: On top of Pico de Aneto; Bottom left: Just hanging out; Bottom right: Descending the italian side of Col de la Lombarde

Construction and Quality
It’s made out of rip-stop nylon, weighs just above 100g and packs down really small.

The pack size is especially surprising: It fits in a jeans back pocket or a cargo pants side pocket for example. Technically the jacket packs into its own breast pocket, but I do not bother with that and just stuff it into the next best place I can find.

The material feels super thin and I thought I would rip holes in it quite quickly (I am not known to be soft on my gear) however after many uses in thorny and rocky conditions it is still without any damage.

There is only one small best pocket on the jacket which I have not found to be particularly useful but it does not bother me either.

I am 183 cm in height and rather slim at 65 kg and a size Small does fit me perfectly and leaves enough space underneath for a fleece and a puffy vest.

One thing that I found to be an issue with cheaper windproof vests and jackets is that the zipper corrodes and gets hard to use. I have not found this problem with the Houdini yet - even using it for high output endurance activities.

Performance
It 100% does what it is supposed to do: Be completely windproof while packing down to almost nothing.

However it does not protect against precipitation and gets soaked through in rain really quickly - but that is what a hardshell is for!

It also traps heat really well and does not breath. Which means that you need to be mindful of using the front zipper during endurance activities to manage the heat.

Price (and is it worth it)
As with all Patagonia gear the list price is a bit of a shock at 110 Euro / USD. However I found that you can find this piece for well under a hundred Euro at many stores (I paid 65 Euro for it).

For me this price is definitely worth it because of the many uses I have found for the jacket and for the level of performance it provides.