Lightweight Backpacking Down Jacket

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.

Lightweight backpacking down jacket.

Down fill insulation vs synthetic fill insulation. 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. A comprehensive backpacking guide to the best ultralight down jackets for thru hiking in 2020. For puffy jackets however synthetic insulation has its place.

A down jacket should have conveniently placed pockets for storing hiking and mountaineering accessories. This feature is especially helpful in lightweight winter hiking jackets that have warm down or synthetic fill that traps the heat. 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. Gear nerds rejoice as it simply doesn t get better.

While many ultralight shells are similar in appearance and weight they can vary significantly in functionality. I stated in my recent ultralight backpacking sleep system post that down is a superior choice for a quilt or sleeping bag. Montbell plasma 1000 alpine down parka. The best lightweight down jacket for the outdoors arc teryx cerium lt hoody.

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. 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. Down jackets are in general light for the warmth they provide and therefore perfect for lightweight hiking and mountaineering. Models reviewed include mountain hardwear montbell rab arcteryx marmot rei feathered friends westcomb uniqlo sierra designs big agnes.

Down vs synthetic. 8 8 oz 250 grams in terms of warmth to weight the plasma 1000 down jacket is second to none. 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. We recommend however that any backpacking down jacket be ultralight.

Remember that the higher the down fill power the lighter the jacket will be for the provided warmth. Ultralight down jackets are focused pieces designed for backpacking climbing backcountry skiing and other outdoor pursuits where every ounce matters.