3 Incredible Men’s Packable Down Jackets for the Great Outdoors
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, live in a place with cool to frigid temperatures, or just need a fashionable and functional travel jacket you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been using and relying on men’s packable down jackets for years now.
Whether I’m hiking, traveling, or just having a casual night out it’s paid dividends to have a packable men’s down jacket nearby. Shelby uses her packable women’s down jacket just as much, but in this article, we’ll be focusing on options made available to men.
If you’re new to hiking or an avid hiker, you may want to cover or revisit the 4 Essential Pieces of Hiking Clothing for Men before moving forward with a men’s packable down jacket. Using technical and comfortable clothing together makes or breaks traveling and hiking for us!
So What is a Packable Down Jacket?
Traditional down jackets are insulated with…down, the soft and warm fluffy filaments found under the exterior feathers of duck or geese.
The term ‘down feathers’ is a misconception, as exterior feathers have quills, repel water, and make it possible for a bird to fly, while ‘down’ simply keeps the bird’s body warm.
The benefit of down is the insulator property consisting of thousands of little air pockets that trap warm air and retain heat. This property is what allows down jackets to keep our bodies warm in cool to frigid temperatures.
Thank you duck and geese!
Packable means the jacket can be conveniently stuffed into one of it’s own pockets! This is normally the left or right hand pockets or a chest pocket. Best for backpackers and ultra light travelers.
PACKABLE DOWN JACKET HIGHLIGHTS
Pros
- Incredible Compression (great for travel!)
- Extremely Durable with Proper Care
- High Warm to Weight Ratio (compared to synthetic)
- Great Addition to a Layering System
Cons
- Wet Down is a Let Down – Loses Insulation and Slow to Dry
- Requires Special Care to Clean Down
- Generally More Expensive than Synthetic
- Not Hypoallergenic (the majority are unaffected)
Are All Men’s Packable Down Jackets Created Equal?
Not exactly. Companies use Down Fill Power to measure the ‘loft’ (the ability to trap heat) and the weight of down jackets. A down jacket with a higher Down Fill Power rating will be warmer and lighter than those with a lower rating.
This boils down to the quality of down. To maintain equal warmth, down with more ‘loft’ can maintain heat with less down versus down with less ‘loft’ requiring more down.
Down Fill Power Range 400-900
- 400-450 – Warm
- 450-550 – Warmer
- 550-750 – Very Warm
- 750-900 – Extremely Warm
What About Synthetic Packable Down Jackets?
Synthetic insulation replicates the properties of down and unlike down, it even manages to keep you warm when wet. It’s also quite a bit cheaper than duck and geese down jackets too.
There are 2 types of synthetic insulation commonly found in the market.
The first is short-staple insulation, featuring short strands of synthetic fibers densely packed together to minimize the loss of heat.
It’s soft, flexible, and highly compressible. On the flip side, it can gain cold spots from moving filament and is less durable than the latter.
Second is continuous filament insulation, consisting of a single, long fiber weaving and interlocking with itself.
It’s thicker, warmer, and more durable than short-staple, but it’s also stiffer and less compressible, not so ideal for travel or ultralight packing.
SYNTHETIC PACKABLE DOWN JACKET HIGHLIGHTS
Pros
- Less Expensive than Down Jackets
- Very Water Resistant
- Maintains Insulation While Wet
- Hypoallergenic (a plus for the affected few)
- Zero Chance of Mistreated Foul (more on this later)
Cons
- Less Durable than Down
- Heavier and Bulkier than Down
- Less Warmth to Weight Ratio vs. Down
Down vs. Synthetic Packable Down Jackets
If you’re looking for maximum heat to weight ratio that also compresses the most, then you’ll want a classic men’s packable down jacket with geese or duck down. If you’d like a comparable option that’s cheaper and a bit easier to clean then look no further than a men’s synthetic down jacket.
A combination of down and synthetic insulated products also exist, which balance out some of the pros and cons of either stand-alone insulation.
2 Packable Down Jacket Construction Methods
1) BOX BAFFLE CONSTRUCTION METHOD
If you want a thicker, warmer down jacket then you’ll want to make sure it has box baffle construction.
These are down jackets with tons of little squares individually packed with down for maximum heat and virtually no cold spots.
2) SEWN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION METHOD
The more common of the 2 is sewn through. It’s less complex, consumes less material, cheaper to make, and is ultimately cheaper for the consumer to buy.
Since down is able to freely move through the longer sewn sections you can experience ‘cold spots’ when down accumulates in one area of a section. Perhaps a small price to pay for the savings.
Importance of Outer Shell Material & Weight
Many of us who use a down jacket for hiking, adventure, and travel prefer something lighter so we can layer with other garments and pack it down small when it’s not in use.
A thinner outer shell could have some drawbacks though in terms of durability and protection against windchill and rain.
A heavier outer shell, while warm and durable, will sacrifice some mobility, breathability along with a larger footprint not so great for travel.
Are Down Jackets Ethical?
Great question. The majority of down is sourced from China and much of the down gathered from geese and duck is unfortunately done in a way that most will find unethical.
Foul often have their feathers plucked and down collected while they’re alive and can endure this painful process up to 3 times before they are slaughtered.
To ensure that you purchase and use products with ethically sourced down look for companies that have adopted the Responsible Down Standard.
The final product will have a RDS certification claim so you know that foul was ethically treated.
In short, RDS ensures the 2 most important components:
- From hatching to slaughter, there is holistic respect for the birds’ animal welfare—proper feeding and handling, proper health treatment, and a safe environment should all be provided.
- Removal of down or feathers from live birds is prohibited.
3 MEN’S PACKABLE DOWN JACKETS TO KEEP YOU WARM THIS WINTER
Now that you’re a down jacket expert, let’s check out some men’s packable down jackets!
🌻 Our content may contain affiliate links. If clicked through to make a purchase, the price remains the same for you and we will earn a small commission. This helps us to continue creating useful and valuable content for you and other visitors. 💜1. Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket – Highest Rated Men’s Down Jacket
The Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket is a time tested winter staple for outdoor enthusiasts due to its high form and function.
It’s truly no surprise that this is the highest-rated men’s (synthetic) down jacket on this list. It’s full synthetic (ethically sound), windproof, highly water-resistant, has box baffle construction eliminating cold spots, and great for layering systems and travel.
Being synthetic it does weigh in a little heavier than down at 11.9 ounces. Still lighter than equivalently warm jackets that aren’t down or synthetic down.
The PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation used for this down jacket is roughly the equivalent of 550 Down Fill Power.
MORE SPECS:
- 60g PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco, made with 55% post-consumer recycled content, is the most thermally efficient synthetic insulation available
- PrimaLoft Gold Eco is water-repellent and retains 98% of its insulating ability when wet; it also saves 2,156,127 plastic bottles from landfills in a single year
- Windproof, 100% recycled ripstop polyester shell has a durable water repellent (DWR) finish that sheds moisture; bluesign® approved fabric
- Brick quilting pattern with narrow horizontal quilt lines on side panels stabilizes insulation and uses durable thread for abrasion resistance
- Elasticized cuffs and a dual-adjust drawcord hem seal out wind and seal in warmth
- Center-front zipper has wicking interior stormflap and zipper garage at chin for next-to-skin comfort
- Zippered handwarmer pockets have cleanly finished zipper garages; zippered internal chest pocket doubles as a stuff sack with a reinforced carabiner clip-in loop
2. Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer/2 Down Jacket – Most (Positively) Reviewed Down Jacket at REI
First and foremost, this men’s down jacket is Down certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS).
The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer puff jacket has an incredible 800 Down Fill Power rating and features a hood. On top of that, the treated down keeps drier longer vs. untreated down.
As you can expect with a premium men’s down jacket, this garment only weight 8.3 ounces.
MORE SPECS:
- 100% recycled, ultralight ripstop shell fabric with durable water repellent (DWR) finish sheds unwanted moisture and light rain
- 800-fill-power Q.Shield™ treated goose down certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) stays drier longer than untreated down
- Responsible Down Standard (RDS) ensures the down does not come from animals that have been subject to any unnecessary harm, such as force-feeding or live-plucking
- Down is highly compressible; jacket stuffs into its own zip pocket
- Low-profile quilt pattern holds down in place
- 2 zippered hand pockets provide secure storage
- Easy single-pull hem drawcord
- Cuffs have elastic binding to seal off cold and moisture
- Built-in carabiner loop lets you attach stuffed jacket pocket to harness
- Fits true to size; Standard Fit will fit over base and mid-layers without restricting movement
3. Arc’teryx Cerium LT Down Hoodie – Warmest Down/Synthetic Combination
Arc’teryx and Patagonia often go head to head when it comes to leading industry outdoor products and this example is nothing short of what you’d expect.
The Arc’teryx Cerium LT Down Hoodie is ridiculously warm. This men’s synthetic down blended jacket offers an 850 Down Fill Power rating, making it the toastiest men’s packable down jacket on this list.
Having a blend of insulation does make this a slightly heavier jacket at 10.9 ounces, but considering it’s top scale warmth and the fact it still weighs far less than 1 pound with a hood, there’s little room to complain.
MORE SPECS:
- Premium 850-fill-power down provides warm, compressible insulation; Down Composite Mapping strategically places Coreloft™ synthetic insulation in moisture-prone areas
- Breathable, wind-resistant Arato™ 10 nylon shell with durable water repellent (DWR) outer face fabric provides lightweight durability and moisture resistance
- Articulated construction moves easily with your body; improved fit features longer body length than the previous version
- Insulated StormHood™ with adjustable drawcords provides coverage without compromising your range of vision
- Full front zipper with chin guard, elastic cuffs and drawcord-adjustable hem help seal out drafts
- Hand pockets with zippers; internal zippered security pocket with stuff sack
- Corded zipper-pulls reduce noise and are easy to grab
You’re Now an Expert on Ethical Men’s Packable Down Jackets
In this article, you’ve learned the ins and outs of down, synthetic down, pros/cons of both, and even the political climate of ethically sourced down. You now wield the power to make the best decision regarding a men’s down jacket.
All of the previously mentioned options are reputable companies that pride themselves in sustainability and utmost functionality. Now all you have to do is choose a men’s down jacket that is right for you!
For more winter clothing, check out our other post on these 12 Articles of Cold Weather Clothing to Keep You Warm.
Do you already own a men’s down jacket? What men’s packable down jacket are you wearing? We’d love to know in a comment below!
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