The Best Puffer Jackets to Survive the Cold

Decathlon's Simond MT100 is my favorite budget down hoodie. It's got 3.1 ounces of 800-fill-power down, giving it a great warmth-to-weight ratio for the price. At 10.3 ounces for the men's medium, it's impressively light, and it easily packs down into its own pocket, which serves as its stuff sack, with a reversible zipper. The outer shell is 15D polyamide with a DWR finish that stands up well to life on the trail. I've had mine for almost a year now, and the DWR still does very well, shedding snow without wetting out. This is a down puffer though, so you want a shell if it rains.

I like the MT100 because it's very warm, doesn't weigh too much more, and is regularly on sale for around $80, making it an outstanding bargain for ultralight hiking. I've used it as a stand-alone warm jacket component on three-season trips, and as part of a winter layering system in more extreme conditions, and it's done very well at both. I suggest sizing up, in part because this one runs small, but also because if you can get a merino mid-layer under it, you increase the versatility considerably without sacrificing the ability to use it as a stand-alone jacket in milder conditions.

The MT100 is comfortable and doesn't feel like you're trapped in a slippery nylon sack the way some puffers do. The 15D shell (which is less shiny than lighter denier shells), combined with the less technical cut, means this one looks fine around town, and it's my pick when traveling to cold cities. The main competition to the Simond (which, by the way, used to be called Forclaz, but was rebranded last year) is the REI Magma 650 hoodie, which is in our honorable mentions.

Based on a classic design from 1974, this deeply impressive jacket from Swedish outdoor specialists Fjällräven reminds us just how warm goose down can be. With 14.6 ounces of 700-fill-power down, I doubt I will ever be cold in it. In fact, in a 17-degree cold snap recently, I don’t think I even zipped it up. It’s big, bulky, but brilliantly insulating, thanks to a clever combination of sustainably sourced goose down, feathers, and a generous helping of synthetic fill around the shoulders. This clever idea means you won’t ruin the effectiveness of the down if you get caught in the rain. Oh, and the hood is next-level. Just don't expect to be able to see behind you.

The polyamide outer has a PFAS-free DWR coating and is 100 percent recycled, as is the liner. The zippers are huge too, making them easy to use when wearing big gloves and mitts, and there’s five generous pockets for stashing layers—not that you’ll need them. At 2.7 pounds (1,260 grams), this is not a jacket for fast and light adventures, and the bulk from the down can feel almost excessive if you’re having to do much while wearing it, especially around the huge (gloriously warm) hood. But, if you’re faced with a winter of subzero temperatures, this is as good as I’ve found without having to invest in an Everest-ready suit. Remarkably, this is the Lite version. If you do need even more cold protection, there’s the original Fjällräven Expedition Down jacket with a longer profile and 680 grams of insulation. —Chris Haslam

Mountain Hardware's Ghost Whisperer UL hoodie has been a popular pick among ultralight backpackers since it was introduced a few years ago. It remains the best puffer jacket for anyone trying to shave every last ounce off their pack weight. It weighs just 6.7 ounces for a men's medium (7.3 ounces for the men's large I tested), packs down to a tiny little thing (stuffing into its own pocket), and the 1,000-fill-power goose down offers one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios on the market. The very lightweight shell material is a mix of 5D and 7D ripstop nylon, which is a bit more fragile than heavier jackets, but it has held up well so far in my testing. I can safely say that the Ghost Whisper UL is everything I ever wanted in an ultralight down puffer and then some.

What sets it apart from some other very nice puffers out there are the little details. First there's the 1.9 ounces of 1,000-fill-power down, which is as high a fill power as you'll find in a jacket of this class, meaning you're getting the maximum warmth and loft that you can for the least amount of weight. My only caveat for this jacket would be, if you are the type of person who gets cold easily, you might want something with a bit more fill. The classic Ghost Whisperer Down Hoody (not the ultralight) has 3 ounces of 800 fill power and is slightly warmer in most scenarios, the trade-off being it's heavier as well (about 9 ounces for a men's medium). Also check out the Katabatic Gear puffer below, which is considerably warmer. I do not get cold easily, and I have found the Ghost Whisperer UL works well for me as a warm layer to throw on in camp at high elevation in summer, a mid-layer for hiking in cold conditions, and a mid-layer under the Rab Glaceon Pro in extreme cold.

Other details that make the Ghost Whisperer UL our top pick for ultralight hiking include two very nice zippered hand pockets with a good amount of space to stash little stuff like a three-season hat and some gloves. I also love how small this thing packs down, well under the size of a 1-liter bottle (see photo). It packs into its own left pocket with a reversible zipper, although it will stuff down even smaller if you get a separate stuff sack.

My only gripe about this jacket is that there's no drawstrings. The hood, cuffs, and waist hem are all elastic. This works fine for the cuffs and hood, but I wish there were a drawstring for the waist. For this reason, if I am expecting temps below 40, I bring a heavier puffer. The rest of the time, this is what you'll find in my backpack. Note that I found the fit to be a little small. According to the fit guide on the Mountain Hardware website, I am right between medium and large. I tried both and found the large fit much better.

Stellar's Ultralight Down Hoodie packs 5.2 ounces of 850-power down fill into a remarkably light jacket that weighs a mere 9.9 ounces (men's large). Despite the low weight, it manages to have 5 pockets (zippered hand pockets, chest pocket, and drop pockets inside) and a helmet-compatible, adjustable hood. Our tester found it to be warmer than our top-pick Ghost Whisperer (not surprising given the added down and overall weight), and suitable down to about 30 degrees on its own, 15 if you throw a good base and mid-layer under it. I like the larger baffles, which mean less drafts, and the heavy-duty zippers that you don't typically find in a jacket this light.

The recycled 10-denier nylon ripstop shell pairs well with the 850 down, and the baffles fill out quickly when you pull it out of your pack. The shell is water-resistant, shedding snow pretty well in our testing, but it is only 10D, which means if it's really coming down you'll want a shell. The down is HyperDRY, which is water-resistant thanks to the DWR coating (PFC free).

Unlike everything else on this page, Ororo's insulated jacket isn't just insulated. In addition to the synthetic Thermolite insulation, the Ororo Heated Jacket generates heat through a series of carbon-fiber heating elements, which plug into a rechargeable battery. There are heating pads on the left and right chest, mid-back, and collar. You can't control heat to individual pads, but there are three heat settings to let you dial in a comfortable temperature to match your exertion level. The outer shell is a DWR-treated nylon that does a good job of shedding light rain and snow, though as with most of these puffer coats, you'll want a rain jacket if it really starts to rain.

Ororo claims up to 10 hours of battery life. That's on low. Running at high in some very cold conditions, I found that five to seven hours was more realistic, but it’s plenty of time for most things you'd want this jacket for (my daughter declared it the perfect ice-skating jacket). Due to the limitations of batteries, I would not take this jacket into the backcountry, but for around town, running errands, walking the dog, this is a great jacket for those coldest of days.

The Cirrus Flex is a synthetic jacket, with PrimaLoft Silver RISE recycled synthetic insulation. It has 5.5 ounces of fill in a size medium jacket. The Thermic stretch fleece side panels offer a flexibility and freedom of movement you won't find in any other jacket here. It feels less like you're wearing a puffer jacket, more like a mid layer (but with the warmth of a puffer). I liked the Cirrus Flex hoodie a lot because it keeps the weight down, packs up relatively small, and it's easy to toss in your bag as a kind of “just in case” jacket. It's not the warmest thing here, but it's great as an active insulating layer when temps drop or the wind picks up and you want to keep going.

I've owned Patagonia's classic down puffer for the better part of a decade and usually reach for it after the first snowfall. It uses 800-fill-power down and borders on overstuffed, making for a beefier coat than many others I've tried. It has plenty of loft nonetheless, and the recycled nylon ripstop fabric still looks like it does the day I took it home (that fabric is now made from recycled fishing nets). Patagonia jackets do tend to run a little large in my experience, and my puffer is a size large though I usually wear an XL. —Martin Cizmar

Aritzia's sleek, stylish Super Puff is one of the company's flagship pieces; it can be found on city dwellers all over the nation (it's Martha Stewart's favorite winter jacket, for example). There are a ton of different variants, which include the Rain Supers and even a Super Puff for dogs, but for the purposes of this guide, I opted to try the packable Super Stuff Mid.

This jacket deserves the hype. Despite its premium reputation, it's reasonably priced. Aritzia does not post its fill weight or weight, but the small goes down to my knees (I'm 5'2") and provides remarkable warmth for its weight. I have been wearing this during a damp Oregon winter where lows rarely dip below 40 degrees F at night; Aritzia rates this jacket for down to 32 degrees, which is exactly right. The sheen is soft but also water-repellent and wind-resistant. It's hooded and packs into its own pocket.

This is a city or travel puffer; it's designed more for looks than layering. It's cut very slim, and I will not be stuffing my beloved Icelandic horse sweater underneath it anytime soon. However, I packed this for several trips this winter and can highly recommend it for travel, if that travel does not involve sitting in the woods in the snow. —Adrienne So

When you need more warmth than our top lightweight pick offers, but still want to stay as light as possible, this is the jacket to grab. I have a half-dozen down puffers in my closet, but the Tin Cup jacket from Colorado down specialist Katabatic Gear has been my go-to all winter. The jacket uses 850-fill-power down and a lightweight 10D fabric made from recycled yarns, which gives it an impressive 48 percent ratio of fill to total weight. It's super light, super packable, and the size XL has a cut that fits me perfectly, hanging snug to my body to maintain warmth without feeling constrictive when I'm active outdoors.

Be warned that it's built for performance over sheer durability, and after months of wear I did end up with a mysterious burned hole in the shell after a long night out in frigid New York, which I had to awkwardly patch. I'd still buy and heartily recommend this jacket, though I'd keep it out of unpredictable urban environments. —Martin Cizmar

When the weather gets down well below freezing, when the wind makes my cheeks burn, this is the jacket I turned to. With a base layer at the bottom, wool sweater over that, then this jacket, I was toasty warm walking in the early morning chill of winter (usually –10 Fahrenheit in January). If you're familiar with Rab (which is a much bigger brand in Europe), this replaces the Axion Pro. The shell is lightweight (20D) Pertex ripstop nylon that's nicely windproof and water-resistant. I found it was able to shed snow without issue, though if you're in a decent downpour you'll want some kind of outerwear, like a rain jacket, over it.

Inside, this jacket has 9.3 ounces of recycled 700-fill-power down. There are generously large, fleece-lined hand pockets and a chest pocket, though no inside stash pockets. The drawstring at the bottom keeps drafts out, and the generous hood is made to go over your helmet. That, combined with the two-way main zipper, which makes belaying easier, make this our pick for cold-weather climbing. My only issue with the Rab Glaceon Pro is that I've yet to find gloves that can do for my hands what this jacket does for the rest of me.

REI's upgraded, warmer, and packable down jacket is the Magma line, which is available with or without a hood. This features a similar recycled ripstop nylon shell as the 650 Down Jacket below, but ups the fill power to 850. At 12.5 ounces it's not the lightest in the list, but for the price it's hard to argue.

The front zip has a wind flap, and there's even a draft collar, something you hardly ever find in a puffer at this price. Even better, the hood uses an elastic cord in the back that allows you to cinch it down and keep cold air from blowing in the sides. I've worn this in some pretty icy winds coming off Lake Superior, and I haven't been anything but warm. My only real concern is the sloped baffles on the chest, which seem like they would lead to down piling up and cold spots, but I haven’t seen that in my three months of testing.

Yet more insulated brilliance from Sweden, where northerly winter temperatures can hit −20 degrees Fahrenheit or even −40. Klättermusen, which translates to “Climbing Mouse,” manufactures some of the highest-performing and stylish outdoor gear available. Yes, they’ve been co-opted by the fashion-oriented Gorpcore Gang, but don’t let the hipsters put you off. The Lopt, which is also available as a vest and without a hood in both men's and women's sizes, weighs just 15 ounces (435 grams) and boasts a generous 800 fill power of sustainably sourced white goose down. It’s water-repellent, temperature rated between +10 and –10 Celsius, and the PFC-free bio-based outer fabric is impressively wind-resistant.

I’ve been using this jacket daily in London and also as a mid-layer while skiing, and I’ve been impressed by the lofty warmth from the down and the comfort of the fit. It can also pack down into a pocket, which is always a bonus. The asymmetrical opening—something you find on a lot of their gear—does take a bit of getting used to, but once fully zipped up there’s absolutely zero chin chafing or annoyance from the zipper. You might not think you’ve ever been irritated by a zip, but trust me, you notice when it has been eliminated.

It is hard to look past the high price of Klättermusen gear, and you do not need to spend $400 to find a jacket that keeps you warm, but if you have deep pockets, I think the brand offers a significant upgrade on athletic and aesthetic performance compared to fashion-focused brands such as Moncler and Canada Goose. —Chris Haslam