Lightweight Backpacking Down Jacket

Ultralight down jackets are focused pieces designed for backpacking climbing backcountry skiing and other outdoor pursuits where every ounce matters.

Lightweight backpacking down jacket.

Remember that the higher the down fill power the lighter the jacket will be for the provided warmth. Down jackets are in general light for the warmth they provide and therefore perfect for lightweight hiking and mountaineering. While many ultralight shells are similar in appearance and weight they can vary significantly in functionality. By design ultralight down jackets are constructed from material that sacrifices toughness for the sake of saving weight.

Car camper day hiker ultralight backpacker urban hiker wilderness backpacker the arc teryx cerium lt hoody is a meticulously engineered down jacket. I stated in my recent ultralight backpacking sleep system post that down is a superior choice for a quilt or sleeping bag. Jackets with a mesh lined yolk will give you maximum airflow where you need it most while still being able to keep the cold air out. I ll go over all the elements that make a good jacket talk about synthetic vs down and show 10 of the best puffy jackets on the market.

By utilizing insanely efficient 1000 fill down as an insulator montbell has raised the bar for all premium ultralight down jackets. This feature is especially helpful in lightweight winter hiking jackets that have warm down or synthetic fill that traps the heat. We recommend however that any backpacking down jacket be ultralight. For puffy jackets however synthetic insulation has its place.

The best lightweight down jacket for the outdoors arc teryx cerium lt hoody. If you spend a lot of time being active in the mountains or in the city or just want the best lightweight down jacket to take traveling an ultralight. Models reviewed include mountain hardwear montbell rab arcteryx marmot rei feathered friends westcomb uniqlo sierra designs big agnes. These down jackets generally have similar fill weights as lightweight down sweaters but are ultralight due their use of premium down fill power thin shell fabrics denier and minimalist.

The rei co op 650 down hoodie 2 0 is another exceptionally light jacket at 11 9 ounces for a men s large but at the cost of warmth as its 650 fill duck down insulation isn t as warm there isn t a whole lot of it in the jacket and it lacks crucial cold blocking features like hood and waist cinches. A comprehensive backpacking guide to the best ultralight down jackets for thru hiking in 2020. Gear nerds rejoice as it simply doesn t get better. Down fill insulation vs synthetic fill insulation.

8 8 oz 250 grams in terms of warmth to weight the plasma 1000 down jacket is second to none. Simply put the best ultralight jackets for trail running may be different from the best models for cool weather hiking climbing or ultralight backpacking and your choice will also depend on the typical weather you encounter.