By Jeff 
Packable down, puffy, puffer, or synthetic mid-layer with no down at all – whatever you call it, you probably have one. If you don’t, you may want one. This quintessential piece of layering gear is the staple mid-layer of many outdoor enthusiasts. In cities too, you can’t go far without coming across puffy-wearing city slickers. With everyone and their mother’s uncle wanting a packable down, companies are responding with a plethora of options. So, which puffy do you buy and why? Here is the ultimate buyer’s guide to packable down jackets for any budget. May it help you in your endless search for the perfect mid-layer and Fall/Winter fashion.
What is a Puffy Jacket, and Why do I Need One?
Good question! The down jacket/puffy is popular and awesome because it provides warmth without much weight. Generally, they are filled with down or synthetic insulation that use loft – trapping the heat from your body in air between fibres – to keep you warm. The “puffy” comes from those pockets of insulation that are often sewn in sections, or baffles, to prevent clumping and cold spots.
The packable down has been around for ages in the outdoor world. Soon, the practicality of the jacket spread to the city streets. These days, it’s trendy. They are great for around the city, walking the dog, late season canoe trips, climbs at altitude when the air gets frosty, skiing and snowboarding, cross country skiing and everything in between. My packable down might be #7 on my list of essential hiking gear items – you never know when the temperature could drop or the conditions worsen on the trail.
Insulating Mid-Layer Jacket Feature Comparison and Overview
Synthetic / Down Insulated Jackets
As technology progresses, the differences are becoming more and more trivial; the line further blurred. However, here are the main differences between synthetic and down insulation.
- keeps you warm even when wet / pretty useless when soaked
- dries fast / takes forever to dry
- no animal products / goose or duck feathers
- doesn’t pack down as small / very compressible
- lower warmth to weight ratio / higher warmth to weight ratio
- less durable / long lasting loft
There are also hybrid jackets which either use some synthetic and some goose down or an enhanced/altered goose down. These “hydrophobic” downs or combination insulations are treated to resist moisture and stay warm when wet. I am personally a fan of down, but am open to a synthetic or hybrid alternative if the right one came along!
A note on Responsible Down:
RDS (Responsible Down Standard) is an independent, voluntary global standard that aims to ensure that down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to an unnecessary harm. The NSF Traceable Down Standard (Global TDS) “ensures that down in garments and other household and commercial products comes from a responsible source that respects animal welfare and can be transparently traced”. RDS is spearheaded by The North Face, where TDS is used and led by Patagonia. Both have good intention, but are different in a few ways.
Hooded / Non-Hooded Jackets
- many fit over helmets when you can’t fit a hat underneath / nothing to cover the helmet
- retain heat behind your neck & head / leave the neck & head exposed
- can replace a hat in a pinch / head is cold if you forget a hat!
- can get in the way of shell jacket hoods / stay out of the way of helmets and other hoods
- catch wind if not properly cinched / no fuss
- may limit peripheral vision / freedom of vision and movement
At the end of the day, this is a personal preference. I choose hoods because of my forgetful nature (where did I put that hat again??), minimalist gear (why bring a hat when you have a Buff and a hood?) and love of cozy stuff (hoods are better for spontaneous napping). As such, I recommend hooded jackets.
Down Fill Power: What do The Numbers Mean?
Down fill power is the down’s ability to fill air. This is important because more trapped air = more trapped heat as it leaves your body. However, a higher number doesn’t necessarily mean it’s warmer: a super thin 800-fill jacket will keep you as warm as a thick, heavy 400-fill jacket. This means that the high fill power jackets can weigh less and compress smaller for the same performance. For a mid quality jacket at least, you want something that is 500 fill power or higher. To dig deeper, you can learn more about fill power, fill weight, and feather ratios in this guide to down jacket warmth.
Other Features to Consider
Pockets
Does it have enough, are they zippered, and where are they placed?
cinch cord
A hem and hood cinch cord will help keep the cold air out in more extreme environments
fit & style
An active fit is best for layering under a shell, but consider the layers you wear underneath your jacket as well. How much room do you need for a fleece and base layers? Will you be wearing this around town, too?
weight & packability
Down is known for its warmth to weight ratio: it is feathers, after all. However, within down there is a scale. How lightweight and small does this need to pack down to?
aesthetics
Will you be taking it on long hiking trips and up mountains, or will it stay in the city?
Outer Material
75% of the time, I wear my Eddie Bauer Microtherm puffy by itself walking around in the city and going cross country skiing. 25% of the time, when it’s really cold, windy, wet, or snowy, I wear it under my North Face Venture rain jacket. The material of the puffy’s exterior can be waterproof or not, depending on your needs. Will you be rock climbing in it, and therefore need a durable outer fabric?
After answering some of these questions, you are ready to check out which puffy is your perfect puffy.
Best Hooded Packable Down and Synthetic Down Jackets for Any Budget and User
Who this list is for
For each category of user, I provide options for a variety of budgets. Since I’m based in Toronto, all prices are in Canadian Dollars and the list has been curated for a Canadian buyer. For each jacket, I identify its:
- Ideal user – City Dweller, Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- Type of insulation with its warm-ness rating – WARM, WARMER, WARMEST
- Notes and general overview
I imagine you hope to use your jacket as an all-rounder. A bit of city-dwelling, some snowshoeing, a few days of skiing, on chilly nights at camp, and as a companion on hiking trips. If so, look for jackets I have identified for the Weekend Warrior or Active Adventurer.
My Perspective and bias
This list is essentially which jackets I would buy in each category – it is biased, and based on both personal style and technical specifications. Mostly, however, I focus on value.
I consider myself a Weekend Warrior/Active Adventurer. I’ll take this jacket up Kilimanjaro, but don’t plan on doing much ice climbing or glacier navigating any time soon. I also want to wear this around the city and use as a mid-layer for snowboarding. Both synthetic and down jackets are attractive to me, however after owning a down jacket I am curious to try a synthetic option for comparison. My budget for this kind of gear is in the mid range: between $150 and $300. Although to be honest I wouldn’t spend more than $200 because stuff is always on sale.
What is this guide based on & why can I trust it?
Of course, I have not personally owned nor tested each of these jackets. However, I spend an alarming amount of time in gear stores and have inspected & tried on over half of these. That, combined with hours of research and reading reviews (many of which I have included links to), has led me to these conclusions.
Why aren’t there more brands represented here?
Because I’m in Toronto, I went for brands and items I could easily obtain in Toronto. What that meant was taking out brands that don’t ship to Canada despite being well represented in Canadian stores. Marmot is a great example of this. Other brands that are not listed but are great: Mammut (I am loyal to their Trovat GTX Hiking Boots), Sherpa Adventure Gear, Rab and Fjällräven.
Down and Synthetic Jackets Around $150
- Eddie Bauer Cirruslite Down Hooded Jacket, $165
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer
- 650 fill RDS down: WARMER
- For this price, this is offers great value. It’s hard to find such high fill power at such a low cost. Plus, Eddie Bauer always has sales, so you are hopefully getting a great deal on this one!
- Joe Fresh Quilted Down Jacket, $79
- City Dweller, Weekend Warrior
- ??: WARM
- Until last year, I relied on this wonderful jacket I got on sale for $40 (see image near beginning of post of me lying in the hammock). It took me all around the world, and for that, I am grateful. On sale, it is a steal.
- L.L. Bean Katahdin Insulated Pullover, $145
- City Dweller, Weekend Warrior
- 40g PrimaLoft: WARMER
- So I am pretty in love with both the Katahdin and the Mountain Anorak, mostly because they look so damn cozy. Maybe it’s the kangaroo pocket and hoody style, but this would be my top pick for aesthetics in this category. Plus, it’s hard to beat the price!
- Columbia Heavenly Hooded Jacket, $159
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer
- Synthetic down and Omni-Heat™ thermal reflective (in house technology): WARMER
- Great hooded option for a decent price – Columbia is great for affordability. It’s surprisingly one of the nicer looking jackets, too!
- Uni Qlo Ultra Light Down Seamless Parka, $99
- City Dweller
- Minimum 90% down – no specified fill power: WARM
- Perfect for strolling around the city and layering. Ultralight for sure, but not a technical piece of gear. It will keep you warm and looking great at a totally reasonable price!
Synthetic Jackets Between $150 – $300
- Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoody, $275
- Active Adventurer, Pro
- Polartec® Alpha® Direct Insulation: WARM
- Best for those who will be on the move, this award winning mid-layer is for climbers, ski tourers, and runners. [Switchback Travel Review, Outdoor Gear Lab Review]
- Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody, $299
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- 60-g PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco: WARMEST
- An original, timeless, and popular option – the Nano Puff is a favourite for many reasons. From brand ethos to product quality, this jacket checks all the boxes! [Switchback Travel Review]
- The North Face Thermoball Eco Hoodie, $279
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- ThermoBall™ ECO powered by Primaloft ®: WARMEST
- This jacket is remarkably similar to the Patagonia Nano Puff, and equally as popular. It falls lower on the list simply because I prefer the look & shape of the Nano Puff, but that is subjective. [Backcountry Skiing Canada Review]
- Arc’Teryx Atom SL Hoody, $250
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- 40g/m² Coreloft™ Compact: WARMER
- In classic Arc’Teryx style, this jacket is beautiful and functional. It is also, in similar tradition, very very expensive. For $300, the Atom LT provides significantly more warmth and is an award-winning favourite for professionals and recreational users alike. The next level up is the Atom AR for $360. [Strategic Wandering Review, Blister Review]
- Outdoor Research Refuge Hooded Jacket, $249
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer
- VerticalX™ insulation: WARMER
- A more subtle jacket that would look great as a city coat as well, the Refuge is lauded for its performance in wet weather. [Climbing.com Review]
Down Jackets Between $150 – $300
- Outdoor Research Transcendent Down Hoody, $270
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- 650 fill RDS down: WARMEST
- Award winning and popular, this is a great price for a down jacket. This thing will last years and years. [Outdoor Gear Lab Review, Backcountry Skiing Canada Review]
- Roots Packable Down Jacket, $178
- City Dweller, Weekend Warrior
- 700 fill trackable down: WARMER
- Bet you didn’t expect me to throw this in here, but frankly it’s a great price for high-quality down. While you won’t get the same water resistance, breathability, and performance when wet as the outdoor brands, it’s a great option for warmth and comfort in the city.
- Columbia Voodo Falls 590 Turbodown Jacket, $299
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer
- 550-fill-power down + 40g Omni-Heat Thermal insulation (hybrid): WARMER
- Nothing terribly special about this jacket except Columbia’s usual value for the price.
- MEC Tremblant Jacket, $225
- City Dweller, Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer
- 700 fill RDS down: WARMEST
- Leave it to MEC to provide amazing value for a high quality product! Comparable to the OR Transcendent Down, it falls below it as the fit is slightly boxier and uses duck down instead of goose down.
Synthetic Jackets Between $300 – $400
- Arc’teryx Atom LT Hoody, as mentioned above, $300 [Paddy Pallin Review, Switchback Travel Review]
- IceBreaker MerinoLOFT™ Hyperia Lite Hooded Jacket, $390
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- MerinoLOFT™ (88% Merino Wool, 12% Polylactide): WARMER
- I am intrigued by merino, and I love Icebreaker – I just can’t bring myself to spend the money. Their other top-selling mid-layer is the MerinoLOFT Helix Long Sleeve Zip Hood for $330, and their warmest jacket is the Hyperia Hooded Jacket for $450. [Cycling Weekly Review, Practical Travel Gear Review]
- Black Diamond First Light Hoody, $330
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- PrimaLoft® Silver Insulation Active: WARMER
- Breathable, durable, and beautiful. [Switchback Travel Review, Gear Institute Review]
- Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody, $350
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer
- 65g PlumaFill: WARMER
- While the technology and performance are fantastic, I personally don’t love the baffle design. Their Nano-Air is my preferred option, though this is more of a mid-layer to be worn under a shell and when you will be very active. [Pack Hacker Review, Bikepacking.com Review]
- The North Face Summit L3 Ventrix Hybrid Hoodie, $329
- Active Adventurer, Pro
- 60g Ventrix: WARMER
- A Summit Series product, this was made for the alpinists. The regular Ventrix is a great option too at $289. [Climbing.com Review]
Down Jackets Between $300 – $400
- Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody, $329
- City Dweller to Pro
- 800 fill Advanced Global Traceable Down: WARMEST
- The unanimous winner across the board on a number of mid-layer guides, this jacket is the timeless go-to for many. Its versatility in both function and style make it a standout product. [Outdoor Gear Lab Review, Trail to Peak Review]
- Outdoor Research Baja Down Pullover, $325
- City Dweller, Weekend Warrior
- 800 fill RDS down: WARMER
- This jacket looks fly. It’s got the performance of a technical piece of gear, but looks like a hoody. Fleece-lined kangaroo pocket and all.
- Arc’teryx Thorium AR Hoody, $400
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- 750 fill down: WARMEST
- You pay a premium for a premium product. Well made. Well designed. If you have the budget, it’s probably worth it. The popular Cerium LT ($450) is the go-to for warmth to weight and more advanced outdoor endeavours. [The Alpine Start Review]
- Eddie Bauer Microtherm 2.0 Stormdown Jacket, $319 (FULL REVIEW)
- City Dweller, Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer
- 800 fill RDS Stormdown: WARMER
- This makes it onto the list partly because I own it and partly because it deserves to be here. While it is listed at $319, it is always on sale, which makes it an incredible value buy. Check out the full Microtherm Review to see why.
- Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hooded Jacket, $400
- Active Adventurer, Pro
- Q.Shield™ Hydrophobic 800 fill RDS down: WARMER
- The ultimate lightweight option for when every ounce counts. [Outdoor Gear Lab Review]
- Eddie Bauer Evertherm Down Hooded Jacket, $379
- Weekend Warrior, Active Adventurer, Pro
- 30g Evertherm Down: WARMEST
- A new product with new technology that made waves when it was released, the Evertherm is the thinnest jacket for its performance. The down is sewn into one continuous sheet rather than in baffles. I’ve tried this on, and while very warm and soft, the fit and look just isn’t for me.
Honorable Mention
It would be remiss to ignore another valid and well-respected insulation: merino wool. Both Smartwool and Icebreaker make incredibly well-reviewed mid-layers and jackets. The Smartwool Smartloft 60 Jacket and the Icebreaker Hyperia Lite are on my shortlist after much Smartloft review-reading and research. You can learn more about Smartloft, MerinoLOFT, and Merino Wool if you like, but just know that this stuff works. Of course, it comes at a high cost.
another honorable mention
The Outdoor Vitals Loftek Adventure Jacket is all over the internet – or at least my chosen corner of it. I came across their Kickstarter Campaign on an Ad on Facebook. While that doesn’t necessarily set up the scene well, I am incredibly impressed by the specs and technology. Plus, it is going to retail for $150USD ($200CAD) which is a fair price for this kind of gear. My main qualm with it is that it looks rather boxy – it doesn’t come in women’s or men’s specific cuts, and I fear that the size small would still be too big. Additionally, it would be harder to wear around the city.