Outdoor Research Alpine Down Hooded Jacket

Here’s everything you need to know about Outdoor Research Alpine Down Hooded Jacket. Find all the information it in this article.

Most of the jackets in this guide are made with down, though a handful are filled with synthetic insulation that mimics down or a blend of the two. Stio has made the list with the Hometown Down jacket — and that’s still a solid puffy. But we gave the nod this year to its rowdier cousin, the Colter. It has a lot of what we loved about the Hometown — plush and cozy in a uniquely Stio way — with an eye toward pow days and nasty weather. Unlike the Ghost Whisperer, however, the Superior Down Parka adds a fully adjustable hood and some interior stash pockets.

The main thing to consider when looking at your budget is the end use. For backcountry excursions, the lower weight can be a worthy tradeoff. And if you do get a tear, there’s always the reliable duct tape or Noso Puffy Patch repair option. The hood and shoulders use Pertex Quantum Shield 30-denier ripstop that fights abrasion and adds a waterproof barrier where you need it — head and shoulders, exactly where rain hits. What’s more, the NESSH comes in five color options (we’re partial to maroon), and the price beats out many competitors — thanks largely to the brand’s direct-to-consumer model. If you’re looking for something that does everything well, this should be among the options you consider.

How To Choose A Synthetic Or Down Jacket

Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-guides to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Buying online vs. in-person doesn’t matter too much, and online, there are usually more color options and sizes. That said, if sizing is often difficult, try some jackets on in stores. Down feathers are a byproduct of the meat industry, and therefore have a supply chain that has historically been questionable.

For the price, a three-season backpacker can find a down jacket that’s lighter and/or has a higher down-fill rating than the Radical 800-fill, as some of the above jackets have. For four-season use, you might also consider a synthetic insulation and possibly save money. The Coreloft Compact synthetic insulation kept me warm while standing around evaluating avalanche hazard and lost none of its warmth when it got damp.

Product Info For Outdoor Research Alpine Down Hooded Jacket

For the same reasons, this is an excellent jacket for commuters who want a warm jacket they can easily stuff into a small pack while getting on and off public transit. It has a classic Arc’teryx fit that makes it appropriate for the mountains and looks good while out on the town. The hood and hem both have adjustable drawcords to lock out the cold, which is unique for such a lightweight jacket. A down hoodie or lightweight down jacket is a hiking and backpacking essential during spring and autumn when nighttime temperatures stay cool.

• However, some jackets are now made with water-resistant, or hydrophobic down feathers that greatly improve their ability to repel water, continue to trap heat when damp, and dry faster. And even those jackets that contain standard down often have a water-resistant shell fabric that repels light precipitation (but isn’t designed to withstand a steady rain). The Jack Wolfskin DNA Tundra Hoody is a featherweight down hoodie comprising dual STORMLOCK fabrics to fully protect you from the elements.

Outdoor Research Men’s Alpine Down Hooded Jacket

We found this jacket ran big, so check the sizing if a solar-heated puffy sounds right for you. That said, Patagonia employs 100% recycled material in that fabric, along with Fair Trade sewing. So the brand, per usual, strikes the best available balance between outright performance and social and environmental sustainability.

Some jackets are more streamlined, while others are roomier, boxier, or longer. Beyond responsible down, down jackets have an opportunity to include a bunch of eco-friendly design traits. Some jackets are created with PFC-free DWR treatments, like the Mammut Flexidown IN, or recycled materials, like the polyester in the Jack Wolfskin 365 Flash Down Jacket. The face fabrics of some down jackets are treated with DWR to help block light moisture, too.

Montbell Ex Light Down Anorak

At 538 grams for a size large it would be hard pressed to find something as warm, durable, weather resistant and functional. Lastly, read more closely and an expert like you will see that they are all quite different from one another. The Feathered Friends Eos is one of my favorite, pure down jackets for three-season insulation in camp in the mountains. The Helios is certainly much warmer and what I would certainly recommend if you anticipate being stationary for any significant length of time. It’s also a nice piece of safety gear in an emergency to have a really warm down jacket. I know some consumers will buy one jacket and deciding that they like it, and that’s fine.

By no means the warmest puffy we tested, this one wound up in the backseat, at the ready for just-in-case adventures. If you need one puffy to grab that can handle a range of elements, this one fits the bill. As we all know in winter, where’s there’s alpine ice there’s very often incremental weather not too far away; incremental weather that can totally derail your ascent. With the Outdoor Research AlpenIce Hooded Jacket in your pack though, you’ll be ready to go no matter how bad the weather gets. It’s an insulated shell that shields you from the elements, without blocking the airflow that occurs when you’re getting properly active. We are a Seattle, WA based outdoor gear store with a mission to make climbing, backpacking, skiing & mountaineering accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Best Down Jackets For Men Of 2022

You can achieve the same amount of warmth with a lower grade of down like 800 or 850, but it takes more of the stuff to keep you warm and adds a bit of weight to the jacket. Our team has tested, analyzed, and published down jacket guides for men and women across several seasons. For this guide, we considered the most durable, highly acclaimed, well-constructed, and environmentally responsible down jackets.

The jacket stuffs into its chest pocket for easy packing. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer /2 Hoody is an ultralight down jacket available for men and women. It’s insulated with 800-fill power down insulation and has an ultralight 100% recycled ripstop shell fabric with DWR finish. Weighing 8.8 oz, the first baffle at both cuffs is filled with synthetic insulation to prevent cuffs from wetting out.

Alpine Down Hooded Jacket

You could even pair the fleece with a vest to add some core warmth. I go from hot to cold quickly with that moisture building up. I know I should start ‘cold’ but it gets too cold on the lift. I don’t need a hood because my helmet helps me with that.

Ll Bean Ultralight 850 Down Sweater Hooded Jacket

The Microlight Alpine Jacket is 17 ounces, which is heavier than other jackets on this list, so unless wet weather is your main issue, we do recommend a lighter jacket. However, the Microlight Alpine Jacket works well in the back- and frontcountry, and doesn’t have the highest end price despite being a very high-quality product. The Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket is a unique down jacket in that it excels at water resistance, a quality not often found in down jackets. First, it uses Hydrophobic Treated 750-fill down that’s PFC-free, in conjunction with Nikwax, the leader in waterproofing tech. Second, it uses Pertex Quantum fabric, which is very tightly woven and sprayed with more PFC-free DWR to heavily fend off water. Finally, it has a stiff wire brim, not found in almost any other down jacket, and this keeps the hood up against wind and rain.

Arc’teryx Cerium Sl Hoody

Please share what you think of my analysis or any of the jackets covered here in the comments section at the bottom of this story. Yet down is still the lightest, warmest material out there, so outdoor engineers have set about to improve its water resistance. Today there is “hydrophobic down” — water-resistant down — that has been treated with chemicals at the plume level. This helps it repel water, but more importantly , it really helps the dry-out time of down. The down fill weight isn’t always that ratio and really depends on the jacket’s purpose.

The Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody hasn’t changed much over the years but remains one of our favorite down jackets. While style is subjective and not one of our official testing metrics, there is no question that this piece offers a more refined look than some of the other more techy-looking pieces in the analysis. This became our go-to option for day missions where conditions were uncertain or expected to be quite variable. It has great wind resistance, which significantly helps keep you warmer on bitterly cold days.

The Rab Electron Pro is designed to keep you warm in all but the absolute coldest environments. At home on backcountry ski trips, shady belays, or for layering up during any stop-and-go winter activity, this jacket brings along some serious warmth. Stuffed with 800 fill treated hydrophobic down, this is no light duty puff.