A down jacket is one of the best things to keep you warm and cozy for backpacking in the cold weather.
However, there are countless models on the market across different types and categories, how do you know which one to buy? This post will help you find the best backpacking down jacket.
Here are the best backpacking down jackets (Nov 2024 Update):
- Best Overall (Men’s): ZSHOW Men's Lightweight Down Jacket
- Best For Small-Framed People (Men’s): HARD LAND Men’s Packable Down Jacket
- Best For Light Rains (Men’s): CAMEL Men's Down Jacket
- Ultra-Packable (Men’s): Gerry Men's Replay Packable Down Jacket
- Best For Big Men (Men’s): Bakery Men's Hooded Packable Down Jacket
- Best Overall (Women’s): Eddie Bauer Women's CirrusLite Down Jacket
- Best For Light Drizzle (Women’s): CIOR Women's Packable Down Jacket
- Best For Small-framed People (Women’s): Wantdo Women's Lightweight Packable Down Jacket
- Best For Windy Days (Women’s): Lock and Love Women's Ultra Lightweight Packable Down Jacket
- Best For Wide Hip (Women’s): Rokka&Rolla Women's Lightweight Packable Down Puffer Jacket Coat
| 10 Best Backpacking Down Jackets | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | ZSHOW Men's Lightweight Down Jacket
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Best For Small-Framed People | HARD LAND Men’s Packable Down Jacket
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Best For Light Rains | CAMEL Men's Down Jacket
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Ultra-Packable | Gerry Men's Replay Packable Down Jacket
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Best For Big Men | Bakery Men's Hooded Packable Down Jacket
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Best Overall | Eddie Bauer Women's CirrusLite Down Jacket
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Best For Light Drizzle | CIOR Women's Packable Down Jacket
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Best For Small-framed People | Wantdo Women's Lightweight Packable Down Jacket
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Best For Windy Days | Lock and Love Women's Ultra Lightweight Packable Down Jacket
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Best For Wide Hip | Rokka&Rolla Women's Lightweight Packable Down Puffer Jacket Coat
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Best Overall (Men’s): ZSHOW Men's Lightweight Down Jacket
- Look stylish – snug-fitting design & three color choices
- Comfortable and convenient – breathable materials & 4 pockets
- Warm – added with a color-matched drawstring, waist hem, stand-up collar, and elastic cuffs
- There are a few loose threads
The windproof and warmth of a quilted down feather jacket combined with the stylish look of minimalism makes this apparel a worthy investment for any male backpacker.
With no compromise of your comfort, it features a high-stand collar with front zipper closure, elastic cuffs, and waist hem. The added four pockets, meanwhile, comes in handy for storage enhancement.
| ZSHOW Men's Lightweight Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 220g-320g |
Material | Shell & Lining: 100% 20D*400T Nylon |
Insulation | 80% White Duck Down, 20% Feather |
Highlight Features | snug-fitting design & three color choices breathable materials & 4 pockets added with a color-matched drawstring, waist hem, stand-up collar, and elastic cuffs |
ZSHOW Men's Lightweight Down Jacket is the best overall choice for those looking for minimalism, style, warmth, and versatility.
Best For Small-Framed People (Men’s): HARD LAND Men’s Packable Down Jacket
- Great heat retention – temperature ranges of 15 to 45 degrees F
- Packable – folded dimensions of 7.8” x 9.4”
- Spacious storage – 5 pockets with YKK zippers
- A bit pricey
- Huge logo on the back
- The hood is a little small
While offering a wide range of size options, we find the HARD LAND to be slightly smaller than standards. The close-fitting design makes you not look like a bear, especially small-framed people.
A notable thing is this jacket retains body heat pretty well at a temperature below freezing (within 15 to 45 degrees F).
It also highlights 5 pockets with YKK zippers. When not in use, you can pack it down (measured by 7.8” x 9.4”) for easy carrying.
| HARD LAND Men’s Packable Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 13~17oz. |
Material | 100% Nylon |
Insulation | 90% down, 650 fill power |
Highlight Features | temperature ranges of 15 to 45 degrees F folded dimensions of 7.8” x 9.4” 5 pockets with YKK zippers |
If you’re looking for the best men’s backpacking down jacket for small-framed people, we feel the HARD LAND is a great option to consider.
Best For Light Rains (Men’s): CAMEL Men's Down Jacket
- Good water repellent - water-resistant 20D nylon shell
- Super-warm - the filling of 20% feather and 80% duck down
- Smooth zippers – SPS zippers
- Some people might not like the logo of this jacket
- Not true to color
Backpacking trips during the fall and winter usually include some light rains, which is even colder and more uncomfortable if your jacket is easily water-absorbing.
But with this option, its water-resistant 20D nylon shell is guaranteed to keep you dry under small rain weather. Meanwhile, the filling of 20% feather and 80% duck down ensures your warmth.
| CAMEL Men's Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 0.66 lbs. |
Material | 20D Nylon |
Insulation | 80% duck down and 20% feather |
Highlight Features | water-resistant 20D nylon shell the filling of 20% feather and 80% duck down SPS zippers |
We highly recommend the CAMEL Men's Down Jacket for light rains according to its decent water-resistance performance.
Ultra-Packable (Men’s): Gerry Men's Replay Packable Down Jacket
- Easy storage – able to stuff down into a compact silhouette & made of lightweight materials
- Good wind and water resistance - polyester shell
- Simple maintenance – machine-washable fabric
- Down isn’t the most quality
- Not for extreme weather
For long-term backpacking trips, we suggest that you should carry this jacket as it easily stuffs down into a compact silhouette for easy storage. Plus, the materials are ultra-lightweight to not strain down your bag or shoulders.
What we appreciate the most is its wind and water resistance, thanks to the high-grade polyester shell.
This fabric also allows for machine-washable capabilities.
| Gerry Men's Replay Packable Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 1 pound 6 ounces. |
Material | 100% Polyester |
Insulation | 90% Down, 10% Other Fibers |
Highlight Features | able to stuff down into a compact silhouette & made of lightweight materials machine-washable polyester |
Looking for an ultra-packable men’s backpacking down jacket? The Gerry Men's Replay should be your best bet.
Best For Big Men (Men’s): Bakery Men's Hooded Packable Down Jacket
- Extra comfort for big men – wider size chart (up to 4XL size) & ultra-large design
- Good at heat retention and cold-invaliding prevention – a nylon shell + the filling of 650 fill power and 90% white duck down
- Only feature two pockets
Don’t quickly feel disappointed if you haven’t found out the best backpacking down jacket for your big torso yet, because we’ve got this option for you.
The Bakery, aside from its wide size chart and ultra-large design, is very good at heat retention and cold-invaliding prevention.
It also resists wind and water pretty well. Along with a protective hood with front zipper, the jacket is perfect for fall and winter use.
| Bakery Men's Hooded Packable Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 370-500 grams |
Material | 100% Nylon |
Insulation | 90% White Duck Down, 650 fill power. |
Highlight Features | wider size chart (up to 4XL size) & ultra-large design a nylon shell + the filling of 650 fill power and 90% white duck down |
With an emphasis on ultra-large design and wider size chart, the Bakery Men's Hooded Packable Down Jacket is our pick for big men.
Best Overall (Women’s): Eddie Bauer Women's CirrusLite Down Jacket
- Easily fit most people - ergonomic design, good length, and a classic fit
- Durable - storm-repelling, water-resistant, nylon shell, and strong zippers
- Comfortable and toasty warm - high neck collar, waist hem, elastic cuffs, and two zipped, sided pockets
- Reliable - certified by Control Union and Responsible Down Standard
- The sleeves are slightly on the loose side
- Not include a carrying bag
The Eddie Bauer isn’t a universal option for everyone but with the ergonomic design, good length, and a classic fit, you can bet this style will look great on MOST people.
Not only retains heat excellently, but it is also storm-repelling, water-resistant, and feels durable due to the nylon shell, strong zippers along with high neck collar, waist hem, elastic cuffs, and two zipped, sided pockets.
One highlight point is that it’s certified by Control Union and Responsible Down Standard for safety, quality, and reliability.
| Eddie Bauer Women's CirrusLite Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 12.5 Ounces |
Material | 100% Nylon |
Insulation | 650 fill Premium Down |
Highlight Features | ergonomic design, good length, and a classic fit storm-repelling, water-resistant, nylon shell, and strong zippers high neck collar, waist hem, elastic cuffs, and two zipped, sided pockets certified by Control Union and Responsible Down Standard |
Providing a unique combination of ergonomic design, weather resistance, warmth, and a great price, the Eddie Bauer Women's CirrusLite Down Jacket is undoubtedly our best overall pick in this category.
Best For Light Drizzle (Women’s): CIOR Women's Packable Down Jacket
- Good water resistance – a nylon shell
- Ensure your warmth - Ergonomic 3-structured cutting, down insulation, and quilt-through construction
- Convenient to carry – include a pouch & compressible material
- Poor instructions
- Not warm enough for hours outside.
This hooded down jacket is a great solution for backpacking trips in light drizzles, all thanks to its weather-resistant nylon. Down insulation combined with quilt-through construction ensures your warmth during the trip.
Besides, its materials are compressible so you can pack this jacket down into the stock pouch for easy carrying.
| CIOR Women's Packable Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 220g-320g. |
Material | 100% 20D*400T Nylon with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish |
Insulation | Down & Zipper closure |
Highlight Features | a nylon shell Ergonomic 3-structured cutting, down insulation, and quilt-through construction include a pouch & compressible material |
CIOR Women's Packable Down Jacket will not lose its warmth under light drizzle, according to its functionally weather-resistant nylon shell.
Best For Small-framed People (Women’s): Wantdo Women's Lightweight Packable Down Jacket
- Warmth and weather protection – 80% duck down insulation, water-resistant and windproof nylon shell, and more
- Lots of storage space- 5 inner pockets
- Extra convenience – a media port
- Slightly expensive
If you’re a woman with a small torso, the Wantdo can give you the best of both worlds – great fit and warmth without bulk. The nylon shell is water-resistant and windproof.
It’s also lightweight, breathable, and packable for simple storage. Besides, you’ll benefit from its five pockets – two inner deep ones, two zippered outer ones, and one zippered chest pocket.
The highlight point is its media port for earphone line, which is great for music streaming.
| Wantdo Women's Lightweight Packable Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 280 grams |
Material | water-repellent nylon |
Insulation | insulated 80% duck down |
Highlight Features | 80% duck down insulation, water-resistant and windproof nylon shell, and more 5 inner pockets a media port |
While looking stylish, the Wantdo Women's Lightweight Packable Down Jacket performs its duties well and is a fine option for small-framed people.
Best For Windy Days (Women’s): Lock and Love Women's Ultra Lightweight Packable Down Jacket
- Unparalleled windproof properties - DWR finished nylon shell, a front-zip hood with a water-repellent coating, hem seal, and nylon-bound elastic cuffs
- Easy to pack – compressible fabric & include a pouch
- Not look stylish
- When zipped up, the neck isn’t too confining
Aside from the DWR finished nylon shell, this jacket is designed with an additional front-zip hood with a water-repellent coating.
Combined with hem seal and nylon-bound elastic cuffs, it’s top of the line for windproof properties. The fabric, on the other hand, is compressible and there also includes a pouch for convenient storage.
| Lock and Love Women's Ultra Lightweight Packable Down Jacket Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 12.8 Ounces |
Material | 100% Nylon with a DWR finish |
Insulation | 80% Duck 20% Feather |
Highlight Features | DWR finished nylon shell, a front-zip hood with a water-repellent coating, hem seal, and nylon-bound elastic cuffs compressible fabric & include a pouch |
If you’re about to backpack on windy days, don’t skip the Lock and Love Women's Ultra Lightweight Packable Down Jacket.
Best For Wide Hip (Women’s): Rokka&Rolla Women's Lightweight Packable Down Puffer Jacket Coat
- Warm, lightweight, and windproof - 100% Nylon shell
- Dependable - RDS certified
- Convenient and secure - an adjustable hood quilted finish and YKK zippers
- Not waterproof
Looking for the best backpacking down jacket for women with a wide hip isn’t an easy task. That said, it isn’t impossible! Rokka&Rolla is our proud choice for you.
Out of comfortable fit, it is warm, extremely lightweight, and windproof.
The jacket also meets RDS standards for safety, skin-friendliness, and quality. For enhanced comfort and secure, there comes with an adjustable hood quilted finish as well as YKK zippers.
| Rokka&Rolla Women's Lightweight Packable Down Puffer Jacket Coat Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 9.6 Ounces |
Material | 100%Nylon |
Insulation | 90% White Duck Down/10% Duck Feather |
Highlight Features | 100% Nylon shell RDS certified an adjustable hood quilted finish and YKK zippers |
Don’t worry if you have a wide hip, the Rokka&Rolla Women's Jacket Coat will give you more than just a comfortable fit.
How To Choose The Best Backpacking Down Jacket?
Weight & Compressibility
For backpacking, you need a lightweight jacket to minimize the weight you carry. Thanks to technology advancement, there are now extremely light down jackets for you to choose that could weigh as little as 8-10 oz.
As for this factor, there are three categories available. But you should go with ultralight jackets, which are specifically made for backpacking, featuring premium down, thin shell fabrics, and minimalist pockets and zippers.
Besides, ultralight jackets offer the best packability as they can be stuffed into their own pockets.
Durability
The durability of the down jacket is determined by the shell fabric thickness, measured in D (denier).
Remember that the lower the denier, the thinner the shell fabric, which means the jacket requires more care.
For backpacking, you should choose a thickness durable enough to endure outdoor conditions but the denier value shouldn’t be too high or the jacket won’t be compact for packing anymore.
Weather Protection
Generally, down doesn’t withstand wet environments very well. It tends to clump and lose the ability to insulate when exposed to moisture.
However, there are now down jackets with features to endure light to moderate wet conditions.
What you should look for is DWR (durable water repellent) treatment that can protect you from light snow and rain. Even better, some down jackets include a 2-layer or 3-layer waterproof shell that provides efficient protection against moisture.
Warmth
To figure out how much warmth you need, it’s important to understand the relation between the fill power and fill weight. In short, the higher the fill power the warmer the jacket, an 800-fill jacket is warmer than a 550-fill one, for example.
If the fill power is not high enough, the fill weight will have to increase to make up for the lack of warmth, which also adds weight to the jacket as a whole.
For example, at the same 800-fill level, a 6-ounce jacket will be much warmer than a 3-ounce one.
Therefore, to choose the best down jacket for backpacking, you should opt for a higher fill power than high fill weight.
An ultralight jacket is warm enough for 35-60 degrees F (2-15 degrees C), and you can add warmth by wearing extra layers underneath.
Which Brands Make The Best Backpacking Down Jacket?
HARD LAND
This is one of the most trusted brands in the world, offering high-quality, stylish, and affordable products for you.
Bakery
This clothing brand has become a loved one among consumers for delivering quality through its products.
Wantdo
Founded in 2011, this brand specializes in outdoor gear. It aims at optimizing the experience for the entire family by focusing on the fitting of its products.
Rokka&Rolla
Since 2017, this brand has expanded from a T-shirt to jackets for outdoor activities. Here, you will surely get a down jacket to stay warm when backpacking.
FAQs
Which is better for backpacking: down insulation vs. synthetic jacket?
Down insulation seems a better option for backpacking due to its better weight-to-warmth ratio. That means down jackets are warmer and lighter compared with synthetic jackets.
Besides, modern down jackets are now better waterproof than before.
What is fill power?
It’s the quality of down. It is calculated based on the space 1 ounce of down takes up, also known as the amount of loft. The higher the fill power, the warmer the jacket.
Hooded vs. non-hooded jackets?
The answer to this question comes down to your own preference. A hood provides a lot of additional warmth and protection for your head and neck without adding considerable weight. But it does take up more space in your packing so, consider the trade-offs carefully.
How to store and wash your backpacking down jacket?
Use downwash or stain remover to treat grubby spots.
Put the jacket in the washing machine, set the warm cycle, and add downwash.
Let the machine wash the jacket then runt the jacket through the cycle once again with no detergent.
Dry the jacket with very low heat.
Is it important to keep clothing weight to a minimum?
This depends on your type of activity. But the more you travel, the more lightweight your clothing weight should be or you will have trouble carrying your packing around.
Conclusion
We hope that this complete guide on choosing the best backpacking down jacket has helped you figure out what to seek in your new gear. Though the factors could be a bit confusing, you will be fine if you follow our guide closely.
