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Searching for a down jacket to keep you warm through the winter months? Since 2012, we have tested more than 60 different options to bring you this year's lineup of the 17 best, most popular, and of course, coziest women's down jackets available. We tested these down jackets through intense blizzards and chilly strolls to the coffee shop. We investigated their warmth, weather resistance, style, and packability, across the mountain ranges of the American west and on international trips to Japan, Canada, and Iceland in the depths of winter. Whether you just need a layer to keep you warm or you're shopping for your next backcountry adventure, we've found the right jacket to fit your needs — and your budget.
We've tested hundreds of women's jackets over the last 14 years. If you're considering a synthetic alternative to down, check out our picks for the best women's insulated jackets. If you're looking for something a bit more robust for daily casual wear, consider these top women's winter jackets. While a down jacket is an essential piece of warmth for hitting the slopes, check out our favorite women's ski jackets and women's base layers to keep cozy all winter long.
Editor's Note: Our women's down jacket article was updated on October 17, 2024, to ensure our lineup is current and share more recommended jackets in our award section.
Felt chin guard, fleece-lined external pockets, reinforced external shoulder and hood material, key clip in L hand pocket
The lightest option of the lineup, with high quality down and fill power. First two wrist baffles are synthetic fill to avoid wetting out when ice climbing, digging pits, shoveling snow, etc.
Two way zipper, water resistant, pockets are meant to be both backpack and harness compatible
N/A
Balaclava-style hood, comes with 2 repair patches
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Covered baffles on front, shoulders, and tops of sleeves, reinforced external shoulder material, strechy uninsulated armpit vents, reflective internal pocket trim, reinforced projecting hood brim
N/A
N/A
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Down fill: 800-fill European goose down, hydrophobic Nikwax | Weight: 18.5 oz
REASONS TO BUY
Incredibly warm and cozy
Comfortable and high loft
Flattering fit and extra coverage drop hem
Excellent adjustability
REASONS TO AVOID
Too warm for mild climates
Hood adjustment is velcro (not a toggle)
If you're seeking the absolute warmest down jacket in this category, the Rab Neutrino Pro remains a peak performer, year after year. Just shy of an expedition parka, this thickly-filled puffy features extra-wide baffles and an exaggerated drop hem to provide extra protection from even the coldest storms. It's cut longer than comparable jackets, with added coverage in all the right places, and adjustability everywhere we wanted it. Cleverly designed sleeves allow for better movement, especially for activities like ice climbing and mountaineering, keeping you comfortable while moving in extreme temperatures. Somehow, with all of this protection, the Neutrino Pro still manages to have a streamlined, flattering fit for a high-loft, super cushy jacket; definitely an anomaly when compared to most other thick jackets that can make us look and feel like a marshmallow.
Unless you live in a cold place, the Neutrino Pro might be overkill for your needs. Our testers found it so warm that we don't necessarily recommend it for folks living in a mild or even a moderate climate — unless you run cold or you're often venturing to colder places. If you're looking for something cozy and technical but less lofty, the Rab Microlight Alpine is another great jacket from Rab, for a significantly lower price. If we had to nitpick, many of our testers wished the Neutrino's hood had a toggle volume adjustment rather than a velcro strap to get a better, snug fit. Nevertheless, if you want a jacket that can keep you warm, cozy, and dry no matter where you roam, the Neutrino Pro is that jacket. Another incredibly warm jacket is the cloud-like Feathered Friends Eos, with cushy 900+ fill down.
Down fill: 700-fill, treated with Down Defender | Weight: 13 oz
REASONS TO BUY
Stylish and soft
Fun colors
Decent breathability and high versatility
REASONS TO AVOID
Not water resistant
Could be warmer
The Marmot Highlander is like your stylish yet low-maintenance friend who's down for anything but in jacket form. We happily donned the Highlander for a wide range of activities, from coffee shop to hopping to snowy hikes and fat-tire biking. The soft, malleable exterior and casual, relaxed fit make it enjoyable to wear for just about anything out in the cold – as long as it doesn't start raining. (If you're looking for better weather protection, look to a jacket like the Rab Microlight Alpine.) The Highlander comes with a few sneaky technical features and packs very well into the chest pocket, but it's low-key enough that you could wear it for a holiday stroll or to the office without looking like you're about to head out on a mountaineering expedition.
There is much to love about the affordable Highlander, but our testers weren't impressed by its water repellency, or rather, complete lack thereof. The exterior lacks treatment and does not offer added material to block moisture. For another flattering down jacket with high breathability and a bit more water resistance, check out the Mammut Broad Peak IN Hooded we tested. The Highlander is also vulnerable to letting in cold gusts with its lower loft, hip-length hem, and lack of hood adjustment. However, these same downfalls also make the Highlander a breathable jacket that we can keep on for activities without working up too much of a sweat. Perhaps most of all, we love the vibrant combinations that add a pop of color to this jacket, that's easy to wear and, overall, easy to like.
The simple but effective REI 650 Down has the warmth of a classic down jacket without the bells and whistles that often make them so expensive. This hip-length jacket's wide, comfortable fit is ideal for laid-back pursuits and everyday wear. Decidedly casual, the 650 Down is lightweight, compressible, and offers reasonable protection from the chill of a mild winter. This jacket is well-suited for cozying up during fall evenings, and its relaxed fit easily layers over a thick sweatshirt or fleece for added warmth when you need it. The high neck has decent coverage when zipped up, and plenty of room to move in without it bunching or pulling.
With no hood and a short hem, the 650 Down doesn't quite cut it on sub-zero or stormy winter days. If you need a lot more warmth and don't care so much about packability, the Columbia Lay D Down III has a cozy faux-fur lined hood. For another lightweight budget-minded option with a hood, check out the Rokka and Rolla. The exterior of the 650 Down is not ripstop, and it tends to shed down through the lining more than some of its competitors in the long term. Though it lacks the technical features to earn a space in our pack for backcountry adventures, it has just the right coziness and price to make it a great choice for travel, commuting, and meandering around town in a moderate winter climate. Another casual option that we enjoyed wearing is the Cotopaxi Fuego, which has fun colors that mimic the Alpenglow and has a similar cut to the REI 650, but with a hood.
Performance outerwear is typically prohibitively expensive. The Wantdo Packable Down Hoody - Women's aims to change that, as a basic, simple, and wallet-friendly down jacket that will do the trick for occasional cold outings. Claiming to be fully windproof and water resistant, in practice the Wantdo actually comes fairly close. It does an upstanding job at blocking the elements, especially water and wet precipitation. Moisture beads up and doesn't soak into the exterior fabric, not even through the seams. Though it has a boxy – and for some, unflattering – fit, the Wantdo comes in an inclusive size range (XS to 3XL), a wide variety of colors, and doesn't inhibit movement.
During testing, the Wantdo performed well in certain metrics, but some notable flaws decreased its performance in others. The water repellency works extremely well, but a bit too well on the inside, trapping perspiration. Check out the Kuhl Spyfire Hoody for another water-resistant option that's more breathable. While the Wantdo's square cut makes this jacket a better, less restrictive fit for most, it lacks adjustability. If you're after a more lifestyle-oriented budget down jacket with a slimmer cut, check out the Lock and Love Ultralight. Our main gripe with the Wantdo, though, is with the sleeves. They're a couple of inches too short for most of our testers, frequently sliding back and exposing wrists to the cold. If you can live with these shortcomings, we think you'll find the Wantdo is a decent down jacket for milder climates or less frequent use.
Down fill: Recycled 850-fill European white goose down | Weight: 10.2 oz
REASONS TO BUY
Great warmth to weight ratio
Breathable for cold weather activities
Stylish and practical fit
REASONS TO AVOID
Pricier than other mid-weight options
Relatively fragile exterior
The Arc'teryx Cerium has consistently won us over with its stellar performance across the board in a lightweight, top-quality package. This jacket can adapt to just about any situation, and maintains a stylish look despite its technical sensibility. The slight drop hem, protective and adjustable hood, and sneaky 850-fill power lend this jacket a good amount of warmth. Strategic synthetic insulation and lower fill in certain areas make the Cerium activity-inclined, and it's among our favorites of this lineup for keeping us warm while recreating in the cold.
The Arc'teryx Cerium certainly isn't the most budget-friendly of down jackets on this list, but Arc'teryx doesn't cut any corners when it comes to quality and versatility. While the 15-denier Arato and nylon exterior does well at keeping out the wind, it's semi-transparent, giving us latent concerns of a lack of long term durability. We do wish that it had a bit of strategic fleece on the chin guard backer to make it a touch more comfortable. But overall, the Cerium jam packs a whole lot of performance into an easy-to-carry, sleek, and functional package. If you're looking for another jacket meant for technical mountain use that can effortlessly see you through running errands in style, consider the Mammut Broad Peak IN Hooded, which is also highly breathable and features a flattering slim cut. Another activity-inclined option if you have narrow hips is The North Face Summit Breithorn, which our slimmer testers really favored.
Down fill: 800-fill RDS-certified Down | Weight: 6.9 oz
REASONS TO BUY
Seriously lightweight and compact
Incredibly packable
Breathable for high-output activities
Adaptable hood fit
REASONS TO AVOID
Fragile exterior fabric
Not very warm or wind-resistant
Mountain Hardwear renamed this jacket to the Ghost Whisperer Hoody, dropping the 2 from its name. You may be able to get a great deal on a jacket with “/2” in the name. The only big difference between the two versions is the colors offered.
For those of us who love to know precisely how many ounces our pack weighs, the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer is a dreamy addition to your cold weather kit. This ultralight down jacket is thinner than most other jackets we tested, but at just 6.9 ounces, it's by far the lightest. It still packs impressive warmth for active insulation into a featherweight, no-frills jacket designed for mountain missions. Its elastic-rimmed hood fits effortlessly over most beanies or a helmet, allowing the Ghost Whisperer to shave weight and forgo an adjustment tab. With narrow baffles and less insulation, it's also one of the most breathable models in our lineup, perfect for throwing on during a climb, to warm up during a ski tour, or for a quick walk to a yoga class.
As you might expect, certain features are sacrificed to reach this shockingly low weight. The Ghost Whisperer has no chest pocket, just a single hem adjustment cord, and is made of delicate 10-denier outer material. It also lacks some of the arm mobility features we see in other activity-specific models, occasionally leaving our wrists exposed to the cold as we reach. Still, when every ounce counts, we'll gladly pack the Ghost Whisperer. If you're after something light and packable but much cheaper, the Rokka and Rolla is a budget option that weighs in at just 8.5 ounces. For a superior warmth-to-weight package in a truly cozy down jacket, check out the Feathered Friends Eos, which clocks in at a modest 10.3 ounces and is generously filled with 900+ fill power down.
If you're looking for an alternative to down for sub-zero adventures, Patagonia DAS Light Hoody has been a top performing synthetic insulated jacket for our testers for many years running. The unique, baffle-free design adds mobility and a generous fit, making it one of the more comfortable insulated jackets on the market. The cavernous hood easily accommodates a helmet or bulky beanie, and the light and airy Plumafill insulation provides a lot of warmth, even when the going gets wet. The DAS is undoubtedly well-suited as a belay jacket for climbers, but it's equally as cozy for strolling around town. Heavy precipitation – from rain to sleet to fresh snowflakes – beads off of this jacket. The synthetic insulation keeps its loft, and keeps us warm and dry, in a range of conditions.
After all our testing, we don't have many gripes about the DAS Light. That said, the outer fabric is notably fragile; it unfortunately sliced easily with contact with a sharp snowboard edge. Due to the lack of baffles, this is a problem, as all of the insulation could theoretically work its way out through one hole. At just 10 denier, the outer fabric helps keep the overall weight down but is less durable than other models we tested. Even with the thin exterior, we didn't find this jacket particularly breathable. On the other hand, it blocks wind and precipitation excellently thanks to the Pertex Quantum fabric. Though the jacket is relatively packable for its size, we had trouble actually getting it to fit into its packing pocket. But, if you're searching for an incredibly cozy, lofty, and weather-resistant jacket, the DAS is a great pick. Another warm, synthetic option we recommend that's a bit more affordable is the Columbia Heavenly Hoody.
The DAS Light provides high caliber warmth in a compressible package, perfect for staying cozy on the slopes.
Credit: Amber King
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Year after year we test these jackets to see which is the best on the market.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
How We Test Women's Down Jackets
Every season, we spend hours searching the market for updated models and exciting new products to test. We then purchase each contender and put them through our rigorous battery of field and lab testing. We wore them skiing, climbing, snowshoeing, camping, backpacking, and hiking, as well as running errands, walking the dog, touring foreign cities, and meeting friends for coffee. We test how they fit and feel on different women's bodies, how well they move, and how breathable they are. We evaluate their warmth, their wind and water resistance, and all the features they have. We wore these jackets for months on end and subjected them to countless lab tests to tease apart even the most minute differences.
We tested each jacket across 5 different metrics:
Warmth (30% of overall weighting)
Comfort (25% weighting)
Portability (20% weighting)
Weather Resistance (15% weighting)
Breathability (10% weighting)
For more on our testing process, check out our How We Test article.
Why Trust GearLab
This in-depth women's review is brought to you by Senior Review Editor Maggie Nichols. Maggie grew up in the sub-zero winters of the upper Midwest and has over 15 years experience as a backcountry guide. Currently living in the Sierra Nevada foothills, she pushes her gear to its limits in freezing fall camping trips and deeply snowy winters. An avid traveler, Maggie loves visiting some seriously cold places around the world, including getting married in Iceland in the winter and spending her honeymoon visiting Svalbard. She is an expert on what goes into a high-quality and warm jacket that'll perform throughout the seasons. In addition, Maggie recruited many of her friends and family to help test and provide feedback on these jackets. Maggie has been working for GearLab since 2016, testing dozens of categories of adventure gear across the globe on expeditions from Oregon to Alabama and Japan to Norway.
Joining Maggie on the testing team is freelance contributor Kaylee Walden. Kaylee, a born and raised Montanan, has spent the better part of the past decade guiding expeditions in Alaska, leading backcountry skiing trips in southwest Colorado, and teaching avalanche courses at around 10,000' — all very cold environments. From the summit of Denali, to spending time digging into the nuances of the snowpack, down is her omnipresent and necessary companion. As a lover of the cold, she knows the importance of a down jacket truly having your back and the hallmarks of quality that make them durable, cozy, and protective from the elements.
We love breaking out the down jackets on crisp fall mornings.
Kaylee Walden testing the packability of the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer on a long mountain bike ride near Moab.
We've tested these jackets in all kinds of conditions, from everyday jaunts to backcountry missions.
Analysis and Test Results
Though we aren't able to subject every test to years' worth of wear and tear before bringing you our findings, we do our best to use them as much as possible and abuse them in ways that we think are realistic to how you'd treat your favorite down jacket. While each model has their overall score that shows how each performed relative to other jackets in our tests, in what follows, we break down each of our five testing metrics and get nitty-gritty with the performance of these coats.
What's the Best Value?
Down jackets come with a wide range of price tags, features, and functions that we can help you match to your lifestyle and your budget. Our top pick that landed right at the intersection of quality, versatility, and value is the Marmot Highlander. If you're hunting for an option that performs well across the board and costs less than many others, we'd also recommend the Rab Microlight Alpine. It has the right combination of adjustability, packability, and layerable warmth that make it a great choice for most winter days. If those are still a bit out of your price range and you just need a down layer for light or infrequent use, the REI 650 Down is a warm jacket that we enjoy for casual wear.
For those looking for a highly packable down jacket on an extra tight budget, check out the Lock & Love, Rokka and Rolla, and Wantdo jackets, all with very affordable price tags. On the other end of the spectrum, if you're a hardcore expeditioner who loves to backcountry ski, scale big mountains, and perhaps occasionally camp in snow caves, the extra warmth, comfort, coverage, durability, and technical features of the Rab Neutrino Pro are well worth the extra investment, and kept us cozier than any other option.
The Lock & Love is a solid option for staying warm in cool weather on a budget. Dual bungees on the hood help to seal out the wind.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Warmth
The most important aspect of any down jacket is that it keeps you warm, which is why we gave it the highest weight of all our testing metrics. We tested the warmth of each model in trying conditions like snowstorms, predawn mountain mornings, and late nights in the high desert winter. We noted their insulation type and thickness, as well as how warm it felt in similar conditions. We considered their layering ability — both underneath and over top of other garments as part of a comprehensive cold-weather layering system. And we noted adjustability factors and points of heat loss. We also compared the warmth of each jacket in different wind conditions to see what they're built to withstand.
One common misconception about down jackets is that higher fill power numbers equal a warmer, or higher quality jacket — so a 900+ fill power model would be warmer than a 650-fill power coat. In reality, the higher fill power number actually refers to the space between down filaments, or loft. It's actually the spaces between insulating fibers that keep you warm, rather than the fibers themselves. By using a higher fill power down, a jacket can offer more warmth compared to a jacket of the same thickness with a lower fill power. However, a thickly-filled puffy jacket insulated with 650-fill down can end up feeling warmer than a thinly filled jacket utilizing 900-fill down.
Comparing down jacket loft, which in our testing lineup ranged from 550-fill to 900+ fill power.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The warmest jacket we tested is also the thickest: the Rab Neutrino Pro. This seriously cushy puffy jacket is filled to the max with 800-fill power hydrophobic goose down. But even this impressive construction doesn't tell the full story. The Neutrino Pro is packed with details and features that further contribute to its exceptional warmth. It's a long jacket with a long drop hem that many of our testers could cinch tight over their backsides. It has a thick puffy hood with a wire-stiffened brim and volume adjustment that works well over beanies, a bare head, or a helmet. It's one of just two models we tested with Velcro adjustable cuffs for true wrist protection in any condition.
It's hard to compare to the warmth and coziness of the Rab Neutrino Pro.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The Arc'teryx Cerium isn't as thick as other jackets that scored high marks in warmth, but it has an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio. A medium-thickness jacket with 850-fill down, the Cerium manages to pack a lot of additional warmth in a slimmer, more streamlined package. It also has synthetic insulation in key areas of moisture buildup to help you stay warm even if certain parts of you get a little wet. Updated for this season with better zippers and a roomier fit, the Cerium is a great option for a daily driver jacket in cold winter climates, especially for activities.
The Arc'teryx Cerium keeps us nice and toasty while backcountry skiing in single-digit temperatures.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The Feathered Friends Eos is another very warm jacket and is thickly insulated with the highest fill power down of any model we tested — 900+. This coat is less technical than others but has great coverage, elastic cuffs, and an adjustable hem and hood that all add warmth. It's super cozy, lofty, and quickly became a go-to option among our testing team when heading out around town on cold days. The North Face Summit Breithorn is another appreciably warm model, with wide baffles, thickly filled with 800-fill ProDown. It has a long torso with a drop hem — though it is rather narrow through the hips — and stretch-knit cuffs that comfortably seal your wrists against the cold.
For snowstorms when the windchill dips low, the Eos will quickly warm you up with its high-loft down.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Of other cozy options, both the Rab Microlight Alpine and the Columbia Lay D Down III have thick exterior fabric that trap in heat. While it's technically a low loft jacket at only 550-fill, the Columbia Lay D takes the warmth to the next level with the thickest and most robust outer material of any jacket in the test. The linchpin, though, for the Lay D is the removable faux-fur trim on the hood that warms up and insulates your face, offering coverage that none of the other options can quite compete with. It really seals out the wind in a way that more portable and lighter weight options cannot.
The high collar, adjustability and snug faux-fur lined hood of the Columbia Lay D Down III take warmth to the next level.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Comfort
Since we all have differently shaped and proportioned bodies, we enlisted as many friends as we could to help us evaluate the fit and comfort of each jacket. We looked at their shape and noted how much or how little space was left inside. We put them over bulky underthings like thick fleeces, and under shells to see if it was easy and if we could still move freely. We played, climbed and skied in them, taking note of whether they raised up and exposed our torsos or wrists to the cold. We wore them over bare skin to see how the material felt. We looked at their additional features like pockets and adjustability. And we wore them for a bunch of different kinds of pursuits to see where they perform at their best.
The most comfortable jackets we tested are the Rab Neutrino Pro and the Feathered Friends Eos. Both of these jackets have soft interiors to add to their puffiness and make us feel like we're wearing clouds. The Neutrino Pro has some excellent mobility designs baked into this jacket that no other model in our lineup can match. Twisted sleeve baffles facilitate arm movements without exposing our wrists or torsos. This means that whether we're on an ice climbing expedition or giving underdogs on the swing set, the Neutrino Pro stays put and doesn't restrict our movements. The Eos doesn't have these mobility-enhancing features but has just the right combination of length, soft fabric, and adjustability that our whole testing team loved how it feels to wear.
The Rab Neutrino Pro is a super functional and warm jacket.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Rab Microlight Alpine offers a more accommodating fit with a soft interior and excellent adjustability to suit an array of body types, styles, and weather conditions. We appreciate the felt-backed chin guard and snug hood for The Columbia Lay D Down III features a removable fur lining around the hood that keeps your face extra toasty, and soft, lined sleeves that come with thumbholes to keep your wrists protected.
We're comfortable and cozy in the accommodating fit of the Microlight Alpine.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The Arc'teryx Cerium isn't quite as “cushy” as some others we tested, but it is still a comfortable jacket to wear. Its small underarm gussets help with range of motion for less-restricted movement. The Cerium also features one of the thickest lining materials of our test jackets (20D fabric), so the down quills don't poke through so readily. The Patagonia Down Sweater offers classic comfort for everyday use. Their latest version runs narrower through the hips than previous versions, but once we found the right size, we enjoyed the easy comfort of this simple casual jacket. Its elastic cuff is sewn comfortably inside the cuff and a tall chin turns it into a balaclava-style hood. It also has five total pockets (three of which are internal) and comes with two repair patches.
The Spyfire has a casual level of comfort, with a tapered fit that's more stylish than most other models we tested.
Credit: Maggie Nichols
When it comes to casual comfort, we also enjoy wearing the easy Kuhl Spyfire. With a more tapered waist and flared hips, this soft jacket has a more fashion-friendly appearance than any others we tested. It also features small underarm gussets to aid in arm movements and a small zippered pocket on the sleeve that's a great spot for our ski pass, credit cards, and lip balm. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer is decently comfortable, in part because it's a thin, ultralight model. Even without mobility-specific features, we enjoyed the feel of this jacket and almost forgot it was on – especially for mountain activities.
The Ghost Whisperer is comfortable to wear for movement, with just a touch of stretch and a good fit overall.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The Marmot Highlander is another favorite for comfort, with a soft, malleable, and cushy exterior that makes this jacket enjoyable to wear. It has a stylish, hip-length cut, a well-sized hood, and works perfectly as a mid-layer under a shell. This jacket was among the most versatile of models we tested, and could easily – and comfortably – take us from activities to a night on the town. Look good, feel good, as they say, and we enjoyed how this down hoody added a pop of color to every outing.
The Subjectivity of Comfort
At GearLab, we're aware that the comfort of a particular jacket is inextricably tied to the overall fit--which is an inherently subjective metric. The perceived comfort of a jacket depends largely on a person's body type when contrasted with the cut of a jacket. Some jackets in our review have fits that don't necessarily work for every body type, and thus had conflicting comfort ratings amongst testers. These differences are also especially notable between the men's and women's versions of some jackets. The Marmot Highlander seems to be a great fit for those with wider hips and who are perhaps a little curvier, while it didn't perform highly in comfort in the men's review. Male testers seemed to favor the Patagonia Down Sweater for superior comfort, while our female testers did not. Same goes for The North Face Briethorn Hoody, which caters more to those with narrow hips. Keep in mind the inevitable fact that our testing team may only account for certain body types, and may lead to discrepancies in comfort ratings.
Cozy enough to stay out until past sunset in the Highlander hoody.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Portability
Starting with the basics of portability, we weighed every model to compare them together. We then stuffed them into their pockets, their stuff sacks, our backpacks, and our suitcases to see how easy they were to tote around. We considered their overall size and shape as we packed them away. We looked at the materials they're made of — including their down quality — to gauge how well they'll stand up to being packed and unpacked over years of adventures and outings. And we asked our testing team the crucial question: In what circumstances would you bring this jacket?
Taking the proverbial cake in this metric is the ultralight Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer. This seriously impressive jacket weighs just 6.9 ounces and packs down into its own pocket, giving you a package smaller than a 16-ounce can, to carry or clip to your harness or backpack. When even fractions of an ounce matter, the Ghost Whisperer is the ideal “just in case” layer for instances where you don't want to pack a bulky, heavy jacket, like backpacking or on a spring vacation. None of the other jackets we tested came close to matching this low weight and insane compressibility.
The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer is so light, we wouldn't hesitate to take it on a long fall bike ride, and it easily fits in a small pack.
The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer packs uber tiny, and easily clips onto a harness.
When you're heading out for a long outing but need some extra warmth, the Ghost Whisperer is the most packable option.
The Lock & Love, Rokka and Rolla, and WantDo all received high marks in the portability department. All are lightweight and extremely packable, and all three pack into stuff sacks that come with them. The lightest of the three is the Rokka and Rolla, which weighs in at an impressive 8.5 ounces and still provides acceptable warmth and weather protection on mild winter days.
The Arc'teryx Cerium and Feathered Friends Eos may not be ultralight, but they both weigh less than their levels of warmth and extended coverage might suggest. In size small, they weigh 10.2 and 10.3 ounces, respectively. The Eos manages this combination of supreme thickness and low weight by using extremely high loft down — 900+ fill power, for the best warmth-to-weight ratio of any jacket we tested. The Cerium also uses high loft down (850-fill) but is thinner and densely packed, sticking to the warmer side of average rather than shooting for intense cold usage.
The cozy Eos is the loftiest jacket we tested, with 900-fill RDS goose down.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The Mammut Broad Peak IN Hooded also impressed us with its low weight and high packability, conveniently stowing into a hand pocket. It packs down into a very svelte package, quickly regains loft, and provides pretty outstanding active insulation for a low weight of 11.6 ounces in size small. While the REI 650 Down is among the lightest of all jackets we tested at 9.9 ounces, it has an unfair advantage due to its short hem length and lack of a hood, and the pocket it stows into lacks a dual-sided zipper to keep it contained.
The Broad Peak gave us solid warmth and protection in a pinch, and doesn't take up much pack space.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Weather Resistance
Though down jackets aren't designed to block all wind and precipitation, they sometimes have to face it when we're stuck without a waterproof shell. A solidly protective down jacket should have at least a modest level of water repellency and wind resistance. We checked these jackets moisture-stopping properties by wearing them through wet snow storms outside, and spraying them with water — even rubbing it into the fabric — in the lab.
We tested each jacket's ability to withstand high winds by heading into the mountains on blustery days, and got granular by testing them all for weak points in front of a high-powered fan. We considered fabric technologies and treatments that help resist the elements. We also looked at certain features that can offer additional protection, like adjustable cuffs, hood brims, and cinchable hoods and hems, and longer bottoms.
The Arc'teryx Cerium exceeded our expectations. The 15D Arato ripstop nylon did an impressive job stopping the wind from whipping through even the baffle seams of this jacket. It's adjustable at key points (like the hem and hood volume) with elastic at the cuffs and hood rim to keep you protected without having to tighten too much. The DWR finish did an excellent job repelling water throughout all our testing as well. The Cerium is also one of just a few down jackets in our lineup to strategically replace down with synthetic insulation (which retains its loft — and therefore, its warmth — when wet) in key areas to keep you warm even in trying conditions. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer also features smartly-placed synthetic insulation, at the first couple of baffles at the cuffs and in the hood. This helps keep your jacket from wetting out for the rest of the day if you're shoveling snow, alpine climbing, having snowball fights, or digging snow pits in the backcountry.
The Ghost Whisperer continued to bead wet snow well several hours into a soggy multi-pitch ice climb.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The Outdoor Research Helium Down prioritizes weather resistance in other ways. This lightweight jacket also uses thicker 15D x 30D Pertex Quantum fabric on the outside for added wind protection. Along the tops of the sleeves, shoulders, and back, as well as on the hood, the Helium Down utilizes Diamond Fuse technology (designed to be waterproof) to keep you dry. And for good measure, the whole jacket is coated with DWR treatment. The North Face Summit Breithorn offers above-average weather protection as well. Thickly filled baffles and key adjustment points help to cut the wind. The zippers are reverse-coil in their design, making them water resistant, and the whole jacket is treated with a DWR finish.
The OR Helium has extra resilient patches of water repelling fabric on the shoulders, upper sleeves, and hood.
Credit: Maggie Nichols
Though a down jacket isn't typically meant to be a final layer to protect you from rain or wet snow, many of the ones we tested have fabric technologies or other treatments to their exteriors and even their insulation to slow the process of getting wet. Pertex Quantum fabric is designed to be wind and water-resistant. The exteriors of the Rab Neutrino Pro, Mammut Broad Peak, Feathered Friends Eos, Rab Microlight Alpine, and Outdoor Research Helium Down all use this material. Similar element-resistant fabrics are found in the constructions of the Arc'teryx Cerium (15D Arato) and Kuhl Spyfire (Microtex 20D). Additionally, most of the jackets we tested have a hydrophobic DWR treatment applied to them. Taking things a step further, the Rab Neutrino Pro, The North Face Summit Breithorn, Marmot Highlander, and Cotopaxi Fuego all are stuffed with down that's been treated through various methods to be water-resistant.
The Fuego is one of a few jackets we tested that's filled with hydrophobic-treated down.
Credit: Maggie Nichols
The Wantdo Packable Down Hoody is coated with a waterproof material, and even in extended storms and shower tests, would not let any moisture come through. But, the Columbia Lay D Down III comes in a cut above the rest, and while we tried as hard as we could, we couldn't get the exterior to wet out. From super wet snowstorms to legitimate downpours, we'd trust this jacket to keep us totally dry. However, that waterproofing comes with a weight penalty, and the Lay D Down weighs nearly four times as much as most other contenders.
No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't get any water to soak through the Columbia Lay D Down III.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Breathability
One of the core principles of getting outside safely in the winter is to regulate your body temperature — both in the cold and as you work up a sweat. Whether you're wrangling toddlers at the park or scaling a wall of ice, it's important that your sweat doesn't ultimately make you colder when you inevitably stop moving. We tested the breathability of each jacket by wearing them during reasonably sweaty endeavors like skiing, climbing, hiking, and brisk walks. We considered features that aid ventilation, like two-way zippers, armpit vents, and cuffs that can be pushed up your arms.
In general, thinner jackets that aren't as warm are more breathable. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer is one such jacket. This ultralight layer vents excess body heat more easily than other thicker or warmer options. On the other hand, some models employ breathability features to help when you really need them. The Kuhl Spyfire has uninsulated underarm gussets of stretchy material that vent heat exactly where you need it. The Arc'teryx Cerium has slightly thinner insulation in the underarm area, which may make a small difference, but not anything truly amazing that we noticed during our testing.
Despite being one of the thinnest and most breathable jackets on the list, the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer will still protect you from the cold, especially if you're on the move.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
As baffle seams often become a point of heat loss (especially over time), many manufacturers sew thinner baffles onto the sides of their jackets to assist in moderating body temperature without including overt heat-loss features. The Rab Microlight Alpine, Patagonia Down Sweater, and Kuhl Spyfire all employ this strategy. The thin insulation of the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer, along with its elastic lining inside the cuff, allowed us to push the sleeves of this lightweight jacket up our wrists. The Rab Neutrino Pro and Mammut Broad Peak both have a two-way zipper, which can be useful for venting your core without loosening the jacket around your shoulders. And while it doesn't have any specific features, the soft and more permeable exterior of the Marmot Highlander also makes it nicely breathable for getting after it in cold conditions.
No matter where your travel takes you, the right down jacket should keep you cozy no matter the conditions.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Conclusion
There's an overwhelming amount of down jackets on the market to choose from, designed for specific use or everyday wear. Some are better in the backcountry, while others are more adept around town. Most are a significant investment, and our aim is to help you make a selection you'll be happy with for years to come. It's our goal to help you narrow down the search to the optimal choice for your particular climate, budget, and lifestyle. By considering all of the nuances of the above jackets, our intent is to give you a nudge in the right direction. We hope that our research, comprehensive testing, and thorough analysis of this year's best down jackets will help you zero in on which one is precisely the best fit for you.
