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Finest Down Jackets of 2024, Examined and Reviewed


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An amazing down jacket is a game-changing piece of substances: light-as-air white fluff encased in a shell of light-weight nylon. The perfect down jackets hold you heat with out weighing you down. However severe points can come up when delicate stitching on the baffles and too-thin shells make these jackets susceptible to ripping. When left untreated, water can negate all the down’s insulating properties. I examined 17 choices from Marmot, Patagonia, Cotopaxi, Eddie Bauer, Out of doors Analysis, Arc’teryx, and extra — those I’ve included listed here are one of the best down jackets.  

How I Selected the Finest Down Jackets

Down jackets are prized for his or her capability to maintain you heat with out weighing you down. For this story, I evaluated jackets on various standards, together with general heat, weight, water resistance, and sturdiness. I additionally thought of different components corresponding to worth, guarantee, and recycled materials content material, the place relevant. Extra details about my hands-on testing and the way grades for heat, sturdiness, and water resistance have been decided may be discovered under in Testing the Finest Down Jackets

Finest Down Jackets: Critiques & Suggestions

Finest for Males: Stone Glacier Grumman Goose Down Jacket


Stone Glacier Grumman Goose Down Jacket

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Report Card

  • Heat: Wonderful
  • Water Resistance: Wonderful
    • PFAS is at present within the DWR end
  • Sturdiness: Nice

Key Options

  • Sizes: Males’s S to 3X
  • Weight: 11.8 ounces (males’s S)
  • Down Quantity: 70 liters of loft potential (5.3 ounces at 850 fill energy)
  • Pockets: Two zip pockets at waist
  • Guarantee: Restricted lifetime 

Execs

  • Very heat and comfy
  • Surprisingly sturdy
  • Wonderful climate resistance

Cons

  • No ladies’s choice obtainable
  • Heavier than different choices I checked out

The Stone Glacier Grumman Goose Down Jacket checks all of the bins. Together with the Huge Agnes Luna and Fjallraven Expedition Pack, it was one of many warmest jackets I checked out, whereas nonetheless being a number of ounces lighter. It additionally does a wonderful job at retaining chilly air from sneaking by the edges, with a lightweight elastic across the cuffs that’s comfy and safe and an additional elastic part contained in the hood that gives extra safety. It was surprisingly water-proof, with no lack of loft detected after I submerged the cuff in water, and no water penetration detected after I left 1 / 4 cup of water on the again of the jacket for 2 hours. 

The 15D Pertex Quantum shell was exceptionally clean and comfy, however I used to be involved that the thinness of the material wouldn’t stand as much as the sturdiness take a look at. I used to be improper. Within the first take a look at, involving shoving my arm right into a thicket of blackberry brambles, it got here out with only a few scrapes and no seen holes. The second take a look at had me stacking more and more heavy weights on the jacket after which dragging it throughout tough asphalt. At 10 kilos, the utmost in my take a look at, the Stone Glacier Grumman Goose Down Jacket, was massively scraped up, however had no holes and no down escaping. 

In case you’ve been in search of a down jacket that may deal with severe backcountry circumstances, this one is a no brainer. In addition they supply a model with a pair ounces much less down for those who’re in search of a extra light-weight choice for milder circumstances. The one drawback? At current, Stone Glacier doesn’t supply a ladies’s model of this jacket, and the match of this jacket on the hips and waist was not a match for this feminine tester’s pretty typical curves. 

Finest for Girls: Huge Agnes Luna


Big Agnes Luna

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Report Card

  • Heat: Wonderful
  • Water Resistance: Truthful
  • Sturdiness: Nice

Key Options

  • Sizes: Girls’s XS to XL (Males’s Shovelhead equal is on the market in XS to XXL)
  • Weight: 13 ounces (ladies’s S)
  • Down Quantity: 65 liters of loft potential (6 ounces of 700 fill energy)
  • Pockets: Two zip pockets on the waist
  • Guarantee: Restricted lifetime

Execs

  • Affordably priced
  • Nice match
  • Very cozy
  • Sturdy
  • PFAS free

Cons

  • Poor water resistance
  • Heavier than different choices I checked out

I’m a little bit salty that the Stone Glacier Grumman Goose Down Jacket isn’t provided in a lady’s match (that is 2024), however regardless of: Now we have the Huge Agnes Luna. In testing, this jacket was simply as heat as my greatest decide for males, and at a considerably decrease value. I particularly appreciated the protection offered by its hood and cowl — which makes such a distinction on misty PNW days within the useless of winter — and the drop-tail hem. It additionally has a novel characteristic amongst down jackets that I’ve examined: thumbholes.

I’ve been sporting the identical Huge Agnes Luna jacket for over a 12 months now, so I wasn’t stunned that it was one in every of my strongest performers within the sturdiness take a look at. Whereas there have been a few small puncture holes seen after it was subjected to the blackberry brambles (no down leaking, nevertheless), it appeared nice after being dragged throughout the pavement with weights on prime of it. Among the different down jackets I examined will have to be repaired earlier than they are often worn once more, however this one is headed proper again into my common rotation.

The one actual ding right here for the Huge Agnes Luna is in water resistance. Whereas the sheer quantity of down will hold you lots heat and dry in gentle rain, if heavier rain is in forecast it’s further necessary to pack a shell with this jacket.  

Finest Eco-Pleasant: Marmot Guides Down Hoody


Marmot Guides Down Hoody

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Report Card

  • Heat: Wonderful
  • Water Resistance: Good
  • Sturdiness: Nice

Key Options

  • Sizes: Males’s S to XXL, ladies’s XS to XL
  • Weight: 19.5 ounces (ladies’s S, examined); 21 ounces (producer offered)
  • Down Quantity: 100 liters of loft potential (9.3 ounces at 700 fill energy)
  • Pockets: Two zip pockets at waist
  • Guarantee: Restricted lifetime

Execs

  • Very heat
  • Makes use of a mixture of recycled down and plant-based insulation
  • Affordably priced

Cons

  • Heavy
  • Free match means air can sneak in simply

I’ll be trustworthy, I struggled with this one. The Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket has far and away one of the best eco-friendly credentials: It’s constructed from 90 p.c recycled supplies (which is actually unbelievable). Rab can be exceptionally clear about all of this, with a nutrition-label type info field that I want the remainder of the business would duplicate. 

However I can’t give the Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket the eco-friendly award as a result of it’s not delivering on the heat — stunning, since on paper its 5.1 ounces of 700 fill energy down ought to have made it one of many warmest jackets in my take a look at. I don’t have sufficient testing achieved to talk as to if recycled down is much less insulative for its weight than virgin down, however regardless, Marmot solved this difficulty with their Guides jacket by simply utilizing a ridiculous quantity of insulation: 9.3 ounces, 80 p.c of which is recycled down and 20 p.c of which is a plant-based down various constructed from the flower of kapok timber. It’s a really heat jacket. And just like the Rab, this jacket is delivering on the recycled bonafides with a completely recycled shell and lining, together with zip pulls constructed from recycled materials. 

Sadly this one has some match points. Its match is oddly unfastened across the center — except your midsection is on the thicker aspect, there are going to be main gaps the place chilly air can enter in by the underside, even with copious layering. The cinch twine on the backside hem helps a little bit with this, but additionally pulls the jacket as much as nearer to my waist than I usually like. 

Finest Light-weight: Kuiu Tremendous Down LT Hooded Jacket


Kuiu Super Down LT Hooded Jacket

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Report Card

  • Heat: Nice
  • Water Resistance: Nice
  • Sturdiness: Nice

Key Options

  • Sizes: Males’s S to 3X, ladies’s XS to XL
  • Weight: 7.5 ounces (ladies’s S examined); 7 ounces (producer offered)
  • Down Quantity: 34 liters of loft potential (2.6 ounces at 850 fill energy)
  • Pockets: Two zip pockets at waist
  • Guarantee: Restricted lifetime

Execs

  • Nice heat for weight
  • Good sturdiness and water resistance 

Cons

  • Unusual crinkly sound 
  • The outer fringe of the cuff holds onto water, which may be uncomfortable

I wasn’t anticipating to discover a higher down jacket choice for the light-weight backpacker and backpack hunter set than the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer, however the Kuiu SuperDown LT Hooded Jacket edged it out in a number of classes. Whereas these jackets are equally heat with comparable water resistance, the Kuiu is inexpensive and a contact lighter weight (assume a number of tenths of an oz.). Extra importantly: It’s noticeably extra sturdy. 

Throughout my sturdiness take a look at, I loaded up every jacket with 10 kilos of weight and dragged them throughout a tough pavement floor. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2 was very scraped up on the finish of this, with a number of holes and tears that would wish patching. The Kuiu Tremendous Down LT had one gap and some minor scrapes that I’m not terribly involved about. 

The opposite a part of that take a look at concerned checking to see how simply the sleeves would tear after they encountered blackberry brambles. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2’s cloth caught very simply — it took some doing to disentangle the jacket —  and ended up with two punctures. The Kuiu barely caught in any respect and was basically unhurt on the opposite aspect of the take a look at. I even ran this take a look at twice on the Kuiu to examine that I wasn’t imagining how simply the material slid previous many of the thorns. 

Oddly for a searching model, the Kuiu SuperDown LT was the one down jacket I examined that produced audible noise whereas testing. I’m not speaking rain-jacket stage of crinkle, however this isn’t a completely silent jacket. 

Finest Ultralight: Loopy Levity


Crazy Levity

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Report Card

  • Heat: Nice
  • Water Resistance: Truthful
    • Unable to verify whether or not PFAS was used within the jacket’s DWR remedy
  • Sturdiness: Truthful

Key Options

  • Sizes: Males’s S to XL, ladies’s XS to L
  • Weight: 6.1 ounces (ladies’s S examined), 5.4 ounces (producer offered)
  • Down Quantity: 35 liters of loft potential (2.4 ounces of 950 fill energy)
  • Pockets: Zip pocket at inside proper waist
  • Guarantee: Lifetime guarantee (with some exceptions)

Execs

  • Lightest down jacket I checked out
  • Good guarantee
  • Surprisingly heat

Cons

  • Very costly
  • Not as sturdy as different picks on this checklist
  • Few options like pockets or hem drawstrings, and so forth. 

The heat to weight of the Loopy Levity is off the charts. It weighs over an oz. lower than its closest competitor (the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2) and was simply as heat, if not hotter, than that jacket. 

There are a few methods the Loopy Levity pulls off this spectacular feat. The primary is to easily use the best grade down it could: 950 fill energy to 1000 fill energy. And it doesn’t skimp on it both. A full 2.4 ounces of the entire 6.1 ounces of the jacket are down. Subsequent is a novel strategy to baffling. Somewhat than sew in conventional baffles, they’ve small ovals glued in at periodic intervals that helps to maintain the down separated and evenly distributed. I’ve been sporting this jacket frequently for months and haven’t seen any chilly spots on account of erratically distributed down, so I’d say it’s lots efficient. 

The Loopy Levity additionally dispenses with something resembling an additional. There is just one zip pocket on the jacket (inside on the proper waist) and there are not any drawcords or adjustment factors to cinch the hem or the hood, only a contact of elastic to carry it in place. Throughout testing, nevertheless, this felt like sufficient. I couldn’t really feel the chilly creeping in wherever. The material can be not particularly water repellent (regardless of being handled with DWR) and absorbed basically all the water throughout my take a look at of water resistance (the jacket nonetheless lofted wonderful, nevertheless). 

There was no jacket I used to be extra apprehensive about on the sturdiness take a look at than the Loopy Levity. The outer shell is made out of a wafer skinny 7D nylon (the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer is constructed from a 10D cloth by comparability); I questioned if it was going to separate open simply by wanting on the take a look at, spilling all that premium down in all places.

Thankfully, the truth was a little bit completely different. Within the brush take a look at, it didn’t significantly catch on any of the blackberry brambles, rising with a number of scrapes, however no seen holes. On the weighted take a look at on pavement, it picked up two holes on the third weight, so I ended the take a look at with out transferring as much as the complete ten kilos. Whereas that is undoubtedly the worst efficiency in my take a look at, it’s additionally a greater efficiency than you’ve got any proper to anticipate from an ultralight puffer jacket with a 7D shell. Don’t take this one bushwhacking, but when it by accident scrapes up towards some Satan’s Membership, it’ll most likely be wonderful. 

The actual draw back to the Loopy Levity is its worth, which is tons of of {dollars} greater than anything I checked out. That’s considerably ameliorated by the guarantee, which is second solely to Patagonia’s and Forloh’s. This one is a Satisfaction Assured guarantee, which signifies that, in contrast to restricted lifetime warranties, there isn’t an arbitrary age of the garment at which level the guarantee stops being in play. Nevertheless, they don’t cowl improper care of the garment, together with improper washing or drying, publicity to the solar, or contact with exterior brokers, like scraping towards rocks, snagging in your backpack, or in my case, being dragged alongside the pavement. Nonetheless, it’s a surprisingly good guarantee given how delicate this down jacket is. 

Most individuals will have a look at the Loopy Levity and determine (rightly) that it’s not for them. However for those who’d pay virtually something to scrap a few ounces out of your pack weight and are prepared to child your gear, it’s a should have. 

Learn the complete evaluate: Loopy Levity: Can a Tremendous Ultralight Puffer Truly Maintain You Heat?

Finest Made in America: Forloh ThermoNeutral Down Jacket


Forloh ThermoNeutral Down Jacket

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Report Card

  • Heat: Good
  • Water Resistance: Good
    • PFAS is at present within the DWR end
  • Sturdiness: Wonderful

Key Options

  • Sizes: Males’s S to 3X, ladies’s XS to XL
  • Weight: 17.1 ounces (ladies’s S examined); 14 ounces (producer offered)
  • Down Quantity: 43 liters of loft potential (4.3 ounces at 650 fill energy)
  • Pockets: Two zip pockets at waist, one zip pocket at left chest
  • Guarantee: Lifetime guarantee

Execs

  • Made in America
  • Very sturdy

Cons

  • No hooded choice
  • On the costly aspect
  • Heavy

The fact is that the majority outside gear is made abroad, loads of it in China. So after I run throughout a model that’s getting it achieved at a comparable worth level whereas nonetheless being made within the USA, I’m impressed. Forloh takes {that a} step additional by not simply making the ThermoNeutral Down Jacket in America, but additionally sourcing all of the supplies from America, too — even the down, which is from Amish duck farmers in Indiana. 

In contrast to the wafer-thin Loopy Levity, the Forloh ThermoNeutral Down Jacket is constructed from a strong 40D ripstop nylon that meets army grade specs and makes use of glue bolstered by ultrasonic acoustic vibrations (very futuristic sounding) as an alternative of sewing to carry the baffles collectively. I used to be anticipating this jacket to be probably the most sturdy choices that I checked out, and it didn’t disappoint: After each assessments, this jacket appeared surprisingly near untouched. Equally, it stored water from soaking by over two hours on the water resistance take a look at, though I used to be stunned that the cuffs did lose a little bit loft when submerged immediately into water. 

Virtually all the downsides of this down jacket must do with match. It’s surprisingly stiff and heavy in comparison with different jackets that I examined, and was much less form-fitting than I anticipated. Whereas the neck closure of the Forloh ThermoNeutral Down Jacket was efficient at retaining chilly air from sneaking, it’s onerous to overstate simply how a lot physique warmth is misplaced when there isn’t a hood, an choice that Forloh doesn’t at present supply. 

Finest Guarantee: Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody


Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody

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Report Card

  • Heat: Nice
  • Water Resistance: Good
  • Sturdiness: Nice

Key Options

  • Sizes: Males’s XXS to 3X, ladies’s XXS to XXL
  • Weight: 12.4 ounces (ladies’s S, examined); 12.1 ounces (producer offered)
  • Down Quantity: Unknown
  • Pockets: Two zip pockets at waist
  • Guarantee: Satisfaction assured (lifetime guarantee)

Execs

  • Finest-in-class guarantee
  • Nice match that enhances insulation
  • Sturdy

Cons

  • Not a stand-out efficiency in any class
  • Not as heat as different picks on this checklist

If there may be any down jacket on this checklist that has a repute to dwell as much as, it’s Patagonia’s Down Sweater Hoody. The place I dwell, within the Pacific Northwest, it’s one in every of most typical items of out of doors attire there may be. So I used to be curious to see how it might stack up in testing.

Verdict: It’s wonderful. It was typically much less water-proof than I used to be anticipating, with an basically new jacket seeing some water penetration by the seams when standing water was left on it for 2 hours and the outer fringe of the cuff holding onto moisture when submerged in water. It picked up a small gap on the finish of the sturdiness take a look at. And whereas the superb match of the hood and cowl helped to lure heat whereas I used to be testing jackets in a walk-in fridge, a little bit chilly air was sneaking in by the cuffs. In case you’ve been struggling to discover a puffer jacket that’s heat sufficient to your adventures, this isn’t it, however for typical circumstances it’s going to work simply wonderful. Even its weight was on the middling aspect, with the jacket weighing a number of ounces greater than the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody, which was marginally hotter. 

Sadly, Patagonia declined to share the variety of ounces of down fill their Patagonia Down Sweater contained (the one model in my take a look at to take action), so I used to be unable to calculate the down quantity. 

However for those who’ve been in search of an excuse to buy the Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody, right here it’s: It’s all about that guarantee. Most producers present a restricted lifetime guarantee. That’s not your lifetime; it’s the lifetime of the jacket, and there isn’t a ton of transparency round what producers assume that ought to be. A greater guarantee (one of the best, actually) is satisfaction assured, which Patagonia calls their Ironclad Assure. If one thing goes improper together with your jacket, Patagonia will get you set straight. They’ll even restore your jacket (at a price) for those who do one thing ridiculous to it, like drag it throughout a car parking zone with ten kilos of weight on prime of it.  

Finest Finances: Eddie Bauer Stratustherm Down Jacket


Eddie Bauer Stratustherm Down Jacket

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Report Card

  • Heat: Good
  • Water Resistance: Nice
    • PFAS is at present within the DWR end
  • Sturdiness: Wonderful

Key Options

  • Sizes: Males’s S to XXL, ladies’s XS to XXL
  • Weight: 10.8 ounces (ladies’s S, examined); 11.8 ounces (producer offered)
  • Down Quantity: 35 liters of loft potential (3.5 ounces at 650 fill energy)
  • Pockets: Two zip pockets at waist
  • Guarantee: One 12 months

Execs

  • Inexpensive
  • Hotter than I used to be anticipating
  • Very sturdy

Cons

  • Snap buttons are pointless and annoying to make use of
  • Worst guarantee in my take a look at
  • Match wasn’t nearly as good as a few of the dearer down jackets

I’ve tried my justifiable share of price range down jackets up to now, together with the Decathlon Forclaz MT100 and the Uniqlo Extremely Gentle Down Parka. In case you’re working up a sweat on a day hike, these are most likely wonderful. In case you’re waking up within the alpine to shut to freezing circumstances? Completely not. They simply aren’t heat sufficient. 

Whereas the Eddie Bauer Straustherm Down Jacket wasn’t the warmest jacket I checked out, it received the job achieved in all classes. It’s heat sufficient, lots water-proof, and was probably the most sturdy jackets I examined, with just a few scrapes on the again after being dragged throughout a car parking zone with a 10-pound weight on its again. 

Which is nice, as a result of this was the one jacket in my take a look at that had solely a one-year guarantee on it. The opposite draw back to this jacket is that the match isn’t nice. It’s not particularly type becoming, and the hood (which is a vital a part of how this jacket was retaining heat in) was a looser match than others that I checked out. There additionally wasn’t any technique to cinch the hem, which is a helpful technique to hold out chilly gusts on windy days. 

The Remainder of the Subject

Three down jackets greater than impressed throughout testing, simply lacking out on incomes an award. I’ve lengthy been a fan of the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2, which is lots light-weight for gram counters and heat sufficient for a lot of alpine adventures. Throughout testing, nevertheless, its sturdiness simply wasn’t there in comparison with the Kuiu SuperDown LT. It’s additionally a hair dearer and a hair heavier. However for those who discover one on low cost, it’s an awesome jacket that can serve you effectively. 

One jacket that didn’t wrestle with sturdiness was the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody. In reality, it did nice in nearly each take a look at I threw at it. The draw back, sadly, was worth: It didn’t fairly justify the load and efficiency of this puffer jacket. Lastly, I liked the Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie, which doesn’t skimp on heat whereas coming in at an awesome worth level. But it surely was fairly heavy in comparison with the Huge Agnes Luna, and the match wasn’t on the similar stage. 

I checked out what’s arguably the most well-liked down jacket — or at the very least essentially the most recognizable — the Cotopaxi Fuego. Whereas it carried out completely wonderful in all my assessments, it solely impressed on sturdiness, escaping that take a look at with solely scuffs. It repelled water within the cuff take a look at, however 1 / 4 cup of water soaked by the again when left to sit down for 2 hours. It was moderately heat within the walk-in fridge take a look at, however not excellent for its weight or worth. In case you like the colours (the colours are nice), then the Cotopaxi Fuego is completely a serviceable selection, however you probably have particular efficiency wants, different picks on this checklist will serve you higher. I felt equally in regards to the Marmot Hype Down Jacket, which did wonderful in testing, however didn’t impress in comparison with equally priced jackets. 

If cash is not any object, then the Norrona Trollveggen Superlight Down is one to contemplate. It’s very light-weight and comfy, if not particularly heat. The match was spectacular. It makes use of a wholesome quantity of recycled supplies. However even at its steep worth level, it solely gives a five-year guarantee. Given this jacket’s poor efficiency on the sturdiness take a look at, that makes this one much less of a certain funding than others I thought of. 

I actually went forwards and backwards with the eco-friendly award, as I used to be past impressed by Rab’s transparency of their use of recycled supplies and what a powerful job they’ve achieved in eliminating PFAS from the 2 down jackets I examined. Nevertheless, whereas their Microlight Alpine Jacket was constructed from 91 p.c recycled supplies, it simply wasn’t that heat, particularly for its weight. Their Mythic Alpine Gentle Jacket impressed extra for weight to heat (whereas nonetheless utilizing a wholesome proportion of recycled supplies at 53 p.c, however nonetheless wasn’t competing on the stage of the Kuiu SuperDown LT, Loopy Levity, or Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer. 

Testing the Finest Down Jackets

For my take a look at of one of the best down jackets, I expanded on an earlier take a look at I ran of the greatest packable down jackets. For this story, I selected to ignore the problem of packability and focus as an alternative on heat, weight, water resistance, and sturdiness in my testing procedures. I additionally thought of extra components corresponding to worth, guarantee, recycled supplies, moral remedy of animals, and use of PFAS.

Water Resistance 

To check water resistance, I poured 1 / 4 a cup of water over the again baffling of every jacket after which let it sit for 2 hours. I additionally examined the cuffs of every down jacket (a typical fail level) for water resistance. First, I sprayed them with water from a twig bottle (mimicking the excessive humidity and mist that may be prevalent in widespread backpacking locales), and allow them to sit for an hour. I then dipped them right into a container of water for 5 seconds to see how simply (or if) they wetted out. The outcomes of those three assessments have been mixed to offer an general image of how effectively the down jackets resisted water. 

Wonderful water resistance signifies that the down jacket utterly resisted water absorption throughout my take a look at (though I might not take that to imply they’re waterproof) whereas truthful notes cases the place the water soaked both into the insulation of the jacket or utterly by to the opposite aspect of the puffer. 

To check the water resistance of the jackets’ cuffs, I sprayed each 20 times using a mister and then let it sit for an hour.
To examine the water resistance of the jackets’ cuffs, I sprayed every 20 instances utilizing a mister after which let it sit for an hour. Laura Lancaster

Heat

General heat was examined utilizing a walk-in fridge. Whereas I thought of operating a take a look at outside for this take a look at (it was February in any case), I discovered that over the course of 17 down jackets, making certain comparable circumstances was an excessive amount of of a problem. The solar would peak out behind a cloud for a couple of minutes warming issues up, or the wind would decide up unexpectedly, affecting how heat or chilly I used to be greater than the relative deserves of 800 fill energy down versus 850 fill energy down. The walk-in fridge, nevertheless, offered pretty static circumstances at even air stream and low humidity. Plus, it was simple to inform if the temperature had shifted a level or two and work that into the heat evaluation. 

Thanks to the employees of Chuck’s Hop Shop for letting me hang out in their walk-in cooler on a Wednesday.
Because of the workers of Chuck’s Hop Store for letting me hand around in their walk-in cooler on a Wednesday. Laura Lancaster

General heat was judged to be wonderful if on the finish of my testing interval within the walk-in cooler I felt comfy sufficient to remain there indefinitely whereas truthful packable puffers point out cases the place my enamel have been beginning to chatter. Whereas contemplating the comparative heat between down jackets, I additionally thought of how a lot protection was offered by the hood, in addition to the performance of drawcords on the hem and elastic on the cuffs. 

Sturdiness

In comparison with one of the best rain jackets or one of the best base layers, down jackets are comparatively fragile. The down is often encased in nothing greater than a skinny nylon shell, sewn along with delicate baffles. Catching a nook of some down jackets on a chunk of bramble can lead to a tear; others might be unaffected. To check the sturdiness of one of the best down jackets, I ran two assessments. To approximate the snags that may generally shred down jackets, I balled my hand into the sleeve of every and shoved my arm right into a thicket of blackberry brambles. Among the jackets received fairly caught in there, and I needed to manually unhook a number of thorns to get them again out. Others barely caught in any respect and I used to be in a position to simply pull my arm out. 

My second take a look at checked out extra basic abrasion resistance, corresponding to you would possibly encounter for those who slipped and fell on a tough floor. For this take a look at, I grabbed 4 2.5-pound weights and located a car parking zone with a rougher asphalt floor. I positioned every jacket on its again with one of many weights on it, after which dragged it about 5 ft. If it survived with out noticeable harm I added one other weight. Once more, a number of of the jackets survived this take a look at with nary a scratch whereas others ended up with a number of spots the place down was pouring out. 

Weight and Down Weight

Weight was independently measured to verify producer specs. Due to the character of down there might be some variability in weight between merchandise; nevertheless, in cases the place there was greater than a half ounce discrepancy, I listed each my weight measurement and the one offered by the producer. 

Along with checking the down fill energy for every jacket, I additionally queried every producer in regards to the variety of ounces of down in every jacket. Down fill energy (fp) refers back to the variety of cubic inches of loft 30 grams (1.05822 ounce) of down can obtain. Down that fills 800 cubic inches is 800fp, whereas down that solely fills 600 cubic inches is 600fp. However fill energy solely tells you half the story: You probably have three ounces of 600fp down, you’ll find yourself with 1700 cubic inches of loft. You probably have two ounces of 800 fill energy, you’ll solely find yourself with 1510 cubic inches.

A greater measure of purported heat of a jacket can be Down Quantity: Fill Energy x Weight. Whereas one producer (Patagonia) declined to share the load of the down they use of their jackets for this story, I’ve included that info for the remainder of the down jackets on this take a look at. Be mindful, nevertheless, {that a} jacket’s development will play a significant function in how successfully the down is used. Not sufficient down, and there might be chilly spots within the baffles. An excessive amount of, and the down received’t have sufficient room to loft to its full potential. 

Efficiency 

Down Jacket Value Down Fill Energy (fp) Down Weight Down Quantity Weight Water Resistance  Sturdiness General Heat 
Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody $400 850fp N/A N/A 10.2 ounces Nice Nice Nice
Huge Agnes Luna $270 700fp 6 ounces 65 liters 13 ounces Truthful Nice Wonderful
Cotopaxi Fuego Down Hooded Jacket $300 800fp N/A N/A 11.7 ounces Good Nice Good
Loopy Levity $650 950fp 2.4 ounces 35 liters 6.1 ounces Truthful Truthful Nice
Eddie Bauer Stratustherm Down Jacket $150 650fp 3.5 ounces 35 liters 10.8 ounces Nice Wonderful Good
Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie  $275 700fp 3.5 ounces 38 liters 17.8 ounces Good Good Wonderful
Forloh ThermoNeutral Down Jacket $400 650fp 4.3 ounces 43 liters 17.1 ounces Good Wonderful Good
Kuiu Tremendous Down LT Hooded Jacket $320 850fp 2.6 ounces 34 liters 7 ounces Nice Nice Nice
Marmot Guides Down Hoody $275 700fp 9.3 ounces 100 liters 19.5 ounces Good Nice Wonderful
Marmot Hype Down Hoody $300 800fp 3 ounces 37 liters 9.2 ounces Good Good Good
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2 Hoody $360 800fp 2.9 ounces 36 liters 7.8 ounces Nice Poor Nice
Norrona Trollveggen Superlight Down Hood $430 850fp 2.5 ounces 33 liters 7.3 ounces Nice Poor Good
Out of doors Analysis Helium Down Hoodie $300 800fp 2.6 ounces 32 liters 15.4 ounces Wonderful Nice Truthful
Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody  $330 800fp N/A N/A 12.1 ounces Good Nice Nice 
Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket $300 700fp 5.1 ounces 55 liters 14.6 ounces Truthful Nice Truthful
Rab Mythic Alpine Gentle Jacket $390 900fp 2.1 ounces 29 liters 8 ounces Wonderful Nice Good
Stone Glacier Grumman Goose Down Jacket $350 850fp 5.3 ounces 70 liters 11.8 ounces Wonderful Nice Wonderful
*When my measurements exceeded greater than a half ounce of variability, I included that measurement as an alternative of the producer equipped specification and famous it with an asterisk

How Water Resistance Testing Could Change within the Future

Whereas I’ve included the outcomes of the water resistance testing within the above desk, customers ought to know that upcoming laws could change the efficiency of a few of the greatest down jackets. California issued Meeting Invoice No. 2771 in 2022, which is able to prohibit the sale of textiles together with deliberately added PFAS beginning in 2025, and different states, together with Washington and Colorado are enacting comparable bans that can impression outside attire. Whereas PFAS is mostly related to non-stick cookware (assume Teflon), it is usually used to offer water resistance, in addition to extra sturdiness and stain resistance, in outside gear. For down jackets, PFAS is typically discovered within the washes used to make the down itself water-proof, in addition to the sturdy water-proof (DWR) coating on the skin of the jackets. 

I queried producers as to the place there may be at present PFAS of their clothes, and have equipped that info under. This turned out to be a reasonably difficult query, as PFAS turned up in a number of components of attire that producers don’t immediately make, such because the coating used on their zippers. A number of indicated their dedication to completely eliminating PFAS from their attire strains by fall, however few had but achieved that standing. 

In case you personal gear that accommodates PFAS, there is no such thing as a motive to discard it. PFAS will increase your threat of most cancers when ingested, however there is no such thing as a indication that it passes the pores and skin barrier readily sufficient to pose a threat. Nevertheless, its ubiquity in client items and its standing as a “endlessly” chemical (so referred to as as a result of they will construct up in each the surroundings and the human physique) signifies that a number of states the place it’s now banned have seen it present up in unsafe ranges in native ingesting water provides. There are additionally substantial dangers confronted by the folks within the factories the place these jackets are manufactured. 

Different Concerns

I additionally thought of a number of different moral and environmental components, together with the quantity of recycled content material in every jacket and whether or not it was Accountable Down Commonplace licensed. RDS states that force-feeding and live-plucking is prohibited. I additionally thought of the offered guarantee (most have been fairly spectacular) and its impression on the general worth of every down jacket. 

Company Accountability

Down Jacket Value Guarantee Recycled Content material Down Certification PFAS Free? 
Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody $400 Restricted Lifetime Shell cloth solely RDS No, in progress for Fall 2024
Huge Agnes Luna $270 Restricted Lifetime Shell and lining cloth solely RDS Sure
Cotopaxi Fuego Down Hooded Jacket $300 Restricted Lifetime None RDS Sure
Loopy Levity $650 Satisfaction Assured N/A Downpass N/A
Eddie Bauer Stratustherm Down Jacket $150 1 Yr Shell and lining cloth solely RDS No (DWR coating), in progress for  Summer time 2024
Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie  $275 Restricted Lifetime Lining cloth solely Inside verification No (zippers solely), in progress for Fall 2024
Forloh ThermoNeutral Down Jacket $400 Lifetime Guarantee None RDS No (DWR coating)
Kuiu Tremendous Down LT Hooded Jacket $320 Restricted Lifetime  None RDS No, in progress for 2025
Marmot Guides Down Hoody $275 Restricted Lifetime Shell and lining cloth, zipper pulls, down fill  Recycled Sure
Marmot Hype Down Hoody $300 Restricted Lifetime Shell and lining cloth, zipper pulls RDS Sure
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2 Hoody $360 Restricted Lifetime Shell and lining cloth solely RDS No (zippers solely), in progress for Winter 2024
Norrona Trollveggen Superlight Down Hood $430 5 years Shell cloth solely RDS Sure
Out of doors Analysis Helium Down Hoodie $300 Restricted Lifetime 41% of the liner RDS Sure
Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody  $330 Satisfaction Assured Shell and lining cloth solely RDS Not within the DWR coating
Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket $300 Restricted Lifetime 91 p.c of jacket RDS No (zippers solely), in progress for Winter 2024
Rab Mythic Alpine Gentle Jacket $390 Restricted Lifetime 53 p.c of jacket RDS No (zippers solely), in progress for Winter 2024
Stone Glacier Grumman Goose Down Jacket $350 Restricted Lifetime None RDS No, (DWR coating), in progress for 2025

Issues to Take into account Earlier than Shopping for a Down Jacket 

Fill Energy and Fill Weight of Down versus Feathers

It’s grow to be more and more widespread to promote the fill energy utilized in one of the best packable down jackets. However what’s fill energy? Fill energy refers back to the complete quantity taken up by an oz. of absolutely lofted down at varied grades. Increased grade down can seize extra heat air than decrease grade down, and so will take up extra quantity. An oz of 450 fill energy down takes up 450 cubic inches. An oz of 900 fill energy down takes up 900 cubic inches. There are enormous weight financial savings that include utilizing larger grade down, however at the next value.

Much less typically marketed, however nonetheless necessary, is the fill weight: That’s how a lot of that down is definitely within the packable down jacket. (See our desk above for info on the fill weights of various packable puffer jackets). Even when a jacket is utilizing 900 fill energy down, if it’s not utilizing very a lot of it, it’s going to solely be so heat. Conversely, a down puffer jacket stuffed to the brim with 550 fill energy down could also be fairly heat.

However even when you realize each of those metrics, you continue to don’t have the complete image of heat. The design and distribution of down throughout a jacket can have an effect on heat. The potential for chilly spots — areas the down has shifted away from — may also have an effect on your expertise. Options like drawstrings on the hem in addition to the hood and cuff design can enable or forestall chilly air from creeping in. Lastly, if down is packed in too tightly, it could forestall it from absolutely lofting, diminishing the heat potential of the load and fill energy grade. 

Chris Curtis, senior product supervisor for outerwear at Mountain Hardwear defined one other complicating issue: The mix of feathers to down can differ significantly when buying bulk down. “800 fill energy down insulation could possibly be a mixture of 95 p.c down plumules and 5 p.c feather, or 90 and 10 p.c or 85 and 15 p.c,” he mentioned. “However because the warmth trapping properties of the down plumules is bigger than the feathers, the 95/5 mix is statistically hotter than the 85/15, even when each are 800 fill energy.” Whereas manufacturers can specify a sure mix, generally that mix merely isn’t obtainable, and they’ll compensate by adjusting how a lot fill is utilized in completely different components of the puffer coat. 

RDS Certification 

Whereas most down is a byproduct of the meals business, its reputation as an insulation materials has led to unethical practices up to now: specifically, dwell plucking and power feeding of geese. As a result of down is in just about all instances sourced from a third-party provider, it could make it tough for producers to independently confirm that animals have been handled humanely within the harvesting of goose and duck down. Accountable Down Commonplace (RDS) is a certification that verifies that there was third-party verification that each one animals have been handled humanely within the creation of a down garment. 

Whereas RDS is the principle certification for down clothes, there are a few others which might be widespread as effectively, together with World Traceable Down and Downpass. 

Shell Materials

Most packable down jackets are made with a nylon shell and DWR end. The shells usually are made in various thickness measured in denier (D). Often these vary from 10D to 30D. 

Pertex can be a typical kind of nylon used for packable down jacket shells, which gives an additional diploma of safety from water. 

Water Resistance

Whereas down jackets and down coats have a repute for dropping their effectiveness in moist circumstances, my assessments confirmed that at this time’s breed of down jackets, full with DWR remedies on the shell and hydrophobic remedies on the down itself, are literally fairly efficient at repelling gentle rains. Nevertheless, these remedies will put on off over time. In case you ceaselessly put on your down jacket out with no shell cowl, plan to refresh the water repellency frequently with merchandise like Nikwax’s hydrophobic down remedy. 

Hood Protection

For my part, one of the best down jackets may have hoods, however the quantity of protection offered by every hood varies significantly. In case you plan to make use of your down jacket as a standalone piece (i.e. with no balaclava or scarf) then examine that it gives enough protection of your head and face. 

FAQs

Q: What’s the distinction between a down jacket and a puffer jacket?

Down jackets use down, the innermost layer of feathers on duck and geese, for insulation, whereas puffer jackets could use down insulation, artificial insulation, or a mix of each. 

Q: Are down jackets hotter than different choices?

Down has the best heat for weight potential of any insulation materials. Nevertheless, how a lot heat is being offered relies on the standard of the down (measured in fill energy) and the quantity of that down that’s getting used. Typically, the much less puffy a down jacket is, the colder it is going to be. 

Q: How heavy ought to my down jacket be?

How heavy your down jacket ought to be relies on how chilly your native temperatures are and what you intend to do. In case you plan to face round in subfreezing circumstances you’ll want a down jacket with the next fill quantity than for those who’ll be actively mountaineering within the spring months. 

Q: How do I do know if my down jacket is heat sufficient?

You may examine the relative heat of many best-in-class down jackets by reviewing our desk, which exhibits the outcomes of side-by-side testing. Typically, “truthful” rankings ought to be saved for cool summer season evenings, whereas good and nice rated jackets may be worn into the shoulder season months. Down jackets rated wonderful are those who I might put on in below-freezing circumstances. 

Q: Are you able to put on down jackets in moist climate?

Whereas down jackets should not absolutely waterproof, they’re fairly water-proof. Search for down coats that publicize DWR remedies and hydrophobic fills: These can deal with brief spurts in gentle rain. 

Q: How do I wash a down jacket?

You may wash down jackets, however to guard the down for the long-term you will need to use detergents created particularly for down, like these from Nikwax

Q: Do all down jackets leak?

Sure, all down jackets will lose a feather infrequently. That is regular and to be anticipated. Attempt to not pull on them once you see them as that may inadvertently lead to holes in your down jackets.

Last Ideas

The perfect down jackets can hold you heat from the nippiness of early spring by the deep freeze of winter. After testing 17 completely different down jackets, these eight got here out on prime for heat, water resistance, and sturdiness.

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