In my opinion both publications (in high impact journals) and patents are equally good for progressing your research career. However, above these, the findings/ technology that have generated a real impact imparting benefit to the society will add more value to a researcher.

I do not find anything bad if paper was published in Journal with low impact factor or in Journal without IF! Visibility is a key issue for younger researcher who can not afford to publish in ISI ranking Journals. 

There are some threads that are related to this one, I have attached a link.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Publish_or_perish_Is_it_useful_to_publish_in_a_journal_without_an_impact_factor/1

Dear Isah

It is true that published research is accessible, but industrial research which is solely profit oriented invented patents to protect their processes and products. In knowledge century, profits from knowledge marketing through patents and products has become the norm. For pure science the preferred route is publishing in good journals.

Thank you for your contribution.

Best wishes.

Dear Ramesh and Ljubomir

Thank you for your contributions.

Regards.