A down jacket has a number of makes use of on a mountaineering or backpacking gear listing. It may be used as an insulating midlayer by itself or beneath a shell, as a heat outer jacket whenever you’re much less lively in camp, or as an adjunct to your sleeping bag/quilt at night time. Relating to mountaineering or backpacking, some down jackets cater to the wants of hikers greater than others by way of their warmth-to-weight ratio, hood design, sturdiness, and price. With these elements in thoughts, listed here are the perfect three-season down jackets that we suggest throughout a wide range of value factors. Make sure to take a look at our characteristic suggestions beneath, so you possibly can select the correct jacket in your wants.
Patagonia Down Sweater Hoodie
The Patagonia Down Sweater Hoodie is a light-weight down jacket out there in each
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. It’s light-weight and windproof with a 100% recycled polyester ripstop shell and 800-fill-power goose down. The hood is adjustable (rear-only) so you possibly can shrink its quantity to suit your head, with elastic wrist cuffs. It has two zippered aspect pockets and an inner chest pocket, that’s good to maintain your smartphone heat. It stuffs into its chest pocket, making it simple to pack away when not in use. Weighing 14.8 oz (males’s medium), it’s on the heavy aspect, however is an effective selection if sustainability is a precedence.
A strong selection with helpful options. .
Feathered Associates EOS Jacket
The Feathered Associates Eos Down Jacket is insulated with 900 fill energy goose down that’s out there in each
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. The Eos weighs 11.8 ounces (335g). It encompasses a low-profile twin drawstring hood and a zippered chest pocket, along with two handwarmer pockets, Lycra wrist cuffs, and elastic hem adjustment. With a Pertex Quantum Shell and sewn-thru building, it’s light-weight sufficient for use as a mid-layer beneath a shell but additionally makes a heat outer layer when worn over a fleece or heavier baselayer. The Eos additionally makes a superb adjunct to a quilt or hoodless sleeping bag, if you’d like extra upper-body insulation and a draft-free hood.
Costly, however undoubtedly a premium jacket with a superb hood. Arc’teryx Cerium Down Hoodie
The Arc’Teryx Cerium Down Hoodie is a light-weight down jacket out there in
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. It’s made with a 15d recycled nylon outer cloth insulated with 850 fill energy down and augmented with artificial insulation in moisture-prone areas such because the cuffs, armpits, and shoulders. The hood is helmet-compatible, however it has a rear drawstring quantity adjustment, whereas the wrists shut with elastic cuffs. Weighing 11.8 ounces (335g), the jacket has an inner chest pocket and two zippered aspect pockets, with a drawcord-adjustable drop hem serving to to seal out drafts. The match runs slim for layering beneath a shell. It’s a good selection for those who’re fearful about moisture build-up within the mid-layer of a down jacket.
The diploma of artificial insulation on this jacket is exclusive. REI Magma 850 Down Hoodie
The REI Magma 850 Down Hoodie is an 850 fill-power goose down jacket out there in
males’s and
ladies’s fashions which might be particularly designed for hikers and backpackers. Weighing 12.5 oz, the goose-down is handled with a water resistant components so it repels water and dries quick. The jacket has zippered hand and chest pockets, that are positioned to be appropriate with a pack’s hipbelt and shoulder seams which might be rolled ahead to forestall chafing beneath pack straps. The shell is a troublesome Pertex Diamond Fuse abrasion-resistant cloth, with body-mapped baffles offering heat the place it’s wanted and diminished bulk the place it’s not. The down-filled hood with rear adjustment allows you to fine-tune the match, and tightly quilted underarm gussets scale back bulk and enhance vary of movement if utilizing trekking poles. Elastic wrist cuffs and a hem adjustment are included. The jacket might be stuffed into the left aspect pocket for straightforward packing.
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REI actually went to city for hikers with this glorious design!Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Hoody
The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Hoody is an ultralight down jacket out there for
males and
ladies. It’s insulated with 800 fill-power down insulation and has an ultralight 10d recycled ripstop shell cloth with a DWR end. Weighing 8.8 oz, the primary baffle at each cuffs is crammed with artificial insulation to forestall cuffs from wetting out. The hood has a rear cinch with elastic binding to seal in heat. The jacket has two zippered hand hotter pockets and a drawcord hem adjustment to forestall drafts from beneath. Its extremely packable design stuffs into its personal hand pocket with an inner carabiner clip loop.
Outside Analysis Helium Down Hoodie
The Outside Analysis Helium Down Hoodie is a light-weight down jacket out there in
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. It’s insulated with 800 fill energy down with a 15d Pertex Quantum shell. In an fascinating twist, the hood and shoulders are made with 30D waterproof Pertex Defend for added moisture safety. There are 5 pockets: two drop pockets on the within, two aspect zippered pockets, and a zippered chest pocket. The hood has a rear quantity adjuster, elastic wrist cuffs, and there’s a drawcord hem. Whereas the jacket is a bit on the heavy aspect at 16.2 oz, we like the additional performance and storage it affords, which lends itself to cooler temperatures.
If you happen to like pockets, that is the jacket for you. Montbell Ex Mild Down Anorak
The Montbell Ex Mild Down Anorak is a unisex ultralight down pullover insulated with 900 fill energy goose down with a 7-denier ballistic nylon ripstop shell. Weighing simply 7.6 oz, it has a completely adjustable 2-way hood with a completely insulated tunnel pocket to maintain your arms good and heat. Whereas this extremely compressible garment packs down small, it can maintain you toasty heat when worn by itself as an outer layer or layered beneath a shell. It doesn’t have any zippered pockets however you’ll be amazed by how heat the jacket is.
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This has been my major heat layer for the previous 5 years and makes a fantastic adjunct to my sleep system when the climate turns cooler. LL Bean UL 850 Down Jacket
The LL Bean UL 850 Down Jacket is a light-weight down jacket out there in
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. It’s insulated with 850 fill energy DownTek PFC-Free water repellent down and comes with a tender Pertex Quantum nylon shell. Weighing 16 oz (450g), it has an adjustable hood (neck toggles), two zippered hand pockets, one zippered chest pocket, and one inside stash pocket with elasticized cuffs and a drawcord hem to seal out chilly drafts. As well as, the left pocket serves as a stowaway pocket with two zipper pulls.
It is a nice jacket for those who hike in chilly and windy situations and need a cosy and technical hood with good controls. Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket
The Cotopaxi Fiego Hooded Down Jacket is a light-weight down jacket weighing 13 oz (367g)and out there in
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. It’s insulated with 800 fill energy goose down and has a colourful 20d ripstop nylon shell with quite a few shade combos out there. Elastic binding across the hood and cuffs seal out the chilly, whereas a drawcord waist protects your waist. The jacket has 2 inside stash pockets, 2 zippered hand pockets, and stuffs right into a pocket for transport.
Good options and probably the most wonderful shade combos. Decathlon Forclaz Trek 100
The Decathlon Forclaz Trek 100 is a low-cost light-weight down jacket that’s insulated with 800 fill-power duck down. Weighing 11.3 oz (320g), it’s out there in
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. It has an outsized helmet-compatible hood that lacks any sizing changes, two zippered handwarmer pockets, elasticated wrist cuffs, and a shock-cord waist adjustment to seal out drafts from beneath. There’s no chest pocket for storing a telephone, however the jacket might be stuffed into its left-hand pocket.
Learn the SectionHiker Overview.
Nonetheless, it’s a superb finances possibility as a result of it’s so cheap and made with increased grade fill energy down. Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie
The Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie is a light-weight down jacket out there in each
males’s and
ladies’s fashions. It’s light-weight and windproof with a 100% recycled polyester ripstop shell and 700-fill-power goose down with artificial insulation over the shoulders to insulate when moist or compressed by a backpack’s shoulder straps. Weighing 17.3 oz (490g) the hood is totally adjustable (neck toggles and rear quantity management) so you possibly can shrink its quantity to suit your head, with elastic wrist cuffs. It has 2 hand pockets and 1 inside chest pocket, all zippered, and it stuffs into its chest pocket.
Nice technical options and extra inexpensive than the Arc’teryx Cerium listed above. Down Hoodie and Jacket Shopping for Information
Down Hoodies, Jackets, Sweaters, Anoraks, and Parkas
Producer product names are very inconsistently utilized in terms of lighter-weight down hoodies and jackets. Normally, hoodies, sweaters, and anoraks weigh beneath one pound. Search for ones with hoods, as they supply probably the most head and neck insulation. Relating to jackets, some are light-weight and a few are heavier, designed for winter use in harsh situations. You actually have to have a look at the general jacket weight to find out which is which. Something as much as or barely over 16 oz will probably be good for transitional climate in spring or autumn right down to freezing by itself or layered beneath a shell, whereas heavier jackets will probably be extra acceptable for winter use. Parkas are virtually at all times supposed for very chilly winter situations and are too heat for lively use when mountaineering.
Sewn Through vs Baffled Building
With only a few exceptions, light-weight down jackets and hoodies have what known as a sewn-through building slightly than a field baffled one, as a result of it’s inexpensive and labor-intensive to fabricate. With sewn-thru building, the back and front of the jacket are sewn collectively making a pocket that forestalls the down insulation from shifting. Nevertheless, heat air can leak by means of the needle holes, leading to a barely cooler jacket. This isn’t the case with a field baffled design, which is extra prevalent on premium down parkas supposed for colder temperatures.
Hood Adjustment
The hoods on many light-weight or ultralight down hoodies and jackets are fairly rudimentary, with elasticized hood openings that could be too massive to forestall chilly drafts from coming into round your ears. It actually relies on the scale of your head and the precise jacket. Hoods which might be 1-way changes have quantity controls within the again that allow you to shrink the scale of the hood to offer a greater match. Hoods with 2-way adjustability go one step additional and add neck cords that let you measurement the opening to simply suit your face and block out any drafts. Two-way adjustability is fairly uncommon on light-weight down jackets and hoodies however undoubtedly a premium characteristic value looking for.
Down Fill Energy
Down fill powers, similar to 700, 800, 850, or 900, measure the effectiveness and compressibility of down insulation – the upper the higher. Now, 900 or 950 fill energy down is primo stuff and might actually add plenty of value to a jacket whereas holding it very light-weight because it takes much less down by weight to maintain you heat. You possibly can obtain the identical quantity of heat with a decrease grade of down, like 800 or 850, however it takes extra of the stuff to maintain you heat and provides a little bit of weight to the jacket. Nevertheless, don’t dismiss 700 fill-power down jackets, particularly in the event that they embody artificial insulation in moisture-prone areas. The heat distinction isn’t that important, and whereas they’ll be a bit heavier, they’re superb in moist climates.
Down Fill Weight
The fill weight of a down jacket or hoodie measures the quantity of down that it has been insulated with by weight. Whereas this may be informative, the precise heat of a jacket is a operate of the quantity of insulation it has and its design, which makes it considerably laborious to match totally different jackets which might be styled in a different way. Most light-weight jacket producers don’t doc the quantity of down included of their jackets, which might make it troublesome to find out which will probably be hotter in lively use.
Waterproof Down
Some producers use down of their jackets that has been coated with a chemical formulation, known as DownTek or Nikwax, to make it extra proof against moisture, and so it dries sooner when it will get damp or moist. Truthfully, the jury remains to be out on whether or not these remedies make any distinction to the insulation efficiency of the down. Some producers consider it degrades insulation worth, and others use it as a result of it’s thought-about a fascinating characteristic by potential prospects.
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