REI Co-op 650 - Women's Review

The REI Co-op 650 Down is a mid-weight down jacket filled with 80/20 650-fill goose down and feathers. It's made of recycled nylon taffeta with a DWR finish and lacks an option with a hood. It's shorter than most, with a hip-length cut and a roomy fit with a small drop hem. It weighs 9.9 ounces and has decent weather resistance.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

Insulated with 650-fill goose down, the REI 650 has some of the lowest quality down of any model we tested. Brand new, this thickly filled jacket is puffy and warm and kept us cozy for months of fall to wintertime testing. Over time, lower fill down will deteriorate faster than higher quality down, losing its loft and warmth at a higher rate. However, if you're not planning to cram and squeeze your down jacket into small bags, and if you wear it infrequently, you may not even notice a difference. It obviously looses significant points in the warmth department for the lack of a hood; we wish that there was a hooded option for a similar price, as it would make the jacket a better option for colder places.

With large, relatively wide baffles stuffed full of down, the 650 Down is above-average thickness for its fill power, and toasty to wear. It has plenty of space inside for layering and, though it's a bit bulky, can be worn under a shell if your shell has enough room within. A single hem bungee helps to keep out drafts on blustery days (though we prefer the double hem bungees of the previous model). With this roomy, hip-length jacket, there's less worry of it riding up your torso when it's cinched tightly. When zipped all the way up, the high neck helped to keep us warm, though we think it could stand to be even a little taller for added warmth. The cuffs are rimmed with a medium-loose elastic band.

Comfort

The 650 Down has that classic puffy jacket swishy feeling that's silky and soft, though a tiny bit plasticky. It's comfortable to wear against bare arms and smooth enough to pull on over a fuzzy fleece. It's wider and shorter through the torso than most other models we tested, falling to our hips and lending an overall square look to the jacket. The boxy fit gives it a casual vibe and makes it more adaptable to fit a wider variety of body types, which we greatly appreciate. Additionally, REI has an inclusive size range for this jacket, so it should fit most women looking for a down jacket.

A decidedly relaxed jacket, the 650 Down lacks any mobility-enhancing features, like underarm gussets. Combined with its shorter torso, we quickly discovered that stretching and reaching in the 650 easily exposed our wrists and waists to the cold. It has four pockets in total: two zippered hand pockets and two slip pockets on the inside. While previous iterations of this jacket garnered reviews of the “plucked chicken effect,” or massive shedding of down in the interior, we thankfully didn't have that result with this updated version--which perhaps has better durability. The pockets are also a tad smaller on this jacket than previous iterations.

Portability

The size small we tested weighs just 9.9 ounces, landing it among the lightest jackets in our lineup. However, when you consider all the coverage and features it lacks, this low weight becomes less impressive. The lack of hood and short hem for added core warmth make the REI 650 Down more lifestyle-oriented, but there are obvious trade-offs regarding weather protection.

While the 650 Down can in theory be packed into its hand pocket, this newest model lacks a dual-sized zipper, leaving you with no real effective way to close it into a compressed state. It's also quite challenging to get it to fit well into the pocket without a bit of a struggle. Additionally, it's one of the few models we tested with an exterior not made of ripstop material. This makes it a snagging hazard if it's hanging off your bag while you walk through the woods. The lower fill quality down in this jacket is also less resilient to the negative effects of being compressed repeatedly and for long periods of time. While we didn't have any issues during our testing period, other users of this jacket complained of its long-term durability in reviews.

Weather Resistance

REI claims the 650 Down is wind resistant, and we're actually impressed at how well it performs against gusts and gales. The box baffles are sewn through (which can prove to be a weak point over years of wear and tear — but also a standard construction for this type of jacket) and quite full, which helps to block breezes. The average-looseness cuffs do an okay job in this scenario too, though there are many better options we tested for warmer wrists. The single hem adjustment cord cinches the hem reasonably tight, but don't expect your exposed backside to be warm.

The 650 Down has a recycled nylon taffeta exterior with a DWR finish that works just as well as we'd expect from a garment treated with DWR. Our worry with the water resistance of this jacket once again is tied to the potential longevity of its lower-quality materials. Any DWR finish needs to be reapplied at regular intervals as it wears off with use. Because of the decreased quality of the down and its proclivity to poke through the lining of this jacket, we're not optimistic about how well it will fare in the washing machine with a product like Nikwax. We'd prefer to cover it with a shell to help it last a little longer.

Breathability

All the aspects and (lack of) features that make the REI 650 more lifestyle-oriented help it to be reasonably breathable. Without a hood to hold heat against your back or an elongated torso to trap heat, it's a bit more breathable than many others. Its looser fit can also be used to facilitate airflow if you need to cool off on your hike.

However, it's far from the most breathable option we tested. It's still a fairly thick jacket and not one we'd reach for when heading out on a more strenuous adventure where we anticipated working up a sweat. Its fabric also trends on the slightly plastic-feeling side of models we tested, which makes us feel a bit warmer than we otherwise might while wearing it against bare arms. Features of the 650 Down that make it properly wind and water resistant become contradictory when it comes to breathability.

Should You Buy the REI 650 Down?

One of the biggest draws we have toward this down jacket is its low price. It costs a fraction of what most of the others in our lineup will run you: nearly a quarter of some options. So is it right for your needs? If you're in the market for a warm puffy for casual use or infrequent wear that can hang safely in your closet, saving a chunk of change by choosing the 650 Down may be a great choice. If you're searching for a technical layer that can offer versatile coverage for your backcountry adventures, this relaxed, simple jacket may not live up to your expectations. As long as you don't really need a hood, this affordable layer could hold its own in your backpack or suitcase.

What Other Down Jackets Should You Consider?

When searching for a down jacket on a budget, the REI 650 Down is an enticing option with a lot to offer casual users. If you're looking for a down jacket that has better coverage, is warmer and more comfortable and built with higher quality, more durable materials, and still sticks to a budget, the Rab Microlight Alpine is a much more versatile jacket. If you like a relaxed, fun vibe for your down layer, the Cotopaxi Fuego is another reasonably-price option we enjoy for casual hangouts.