Best Packable Down Jacket – Women’s Pick of 2021

The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer jumps off the page for us as a mid-layer model thanks to its incredibly low weight of only 6 ½ oz, which is almost 50-percent lighter than the next closest competitor. On top of that, it also has a great fit, which works well under a hardshell without restricting your mobility.

Even better, it is also one of the most compressible jackets that we came across and packs smaller than any other product on our list. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer provides excellent waterproofing with its DWR finish and NIKWAX hydrophobic down.

The 800 fill down combined with an internal hem cinch and raglan sleeves will keep you warm in cold weather. The only real issue with this product is the thin, lightweight material is not as durable as some of the other options making its high price all the more costly.

The Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody ran away with as our top choice, thanks largely to its impressive warming ability. This product tops our list with a list tieing 850 fill down, but then complements that superior insulation with a hem drawcord and raglan sleeves to prevent wind from seeping in.

To continue offering superior protection, the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody provides some of the best waterproofing we found with a good DWR. In addition, Coreloft synthetic insulation at the shoulders and pits helps prevent this model from getting wet inside and out.

Despite the exceptional fill and warmth provided, the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody still works well as a mid-layer thanks largely to the second-lowest weight we reviewed at only 9 ½ oz. Even better, it is also more durable than many of its competitors, with 10D Arato nylon layered to prevent abrasions.

While all the listed jackets are expected to provide exceptional warmth in the coldest climates, some do better than others. The Summit L3 Hoodie tops our list in this regard with an 800 fill power down rating.

This model further enhances its warming ability by including more down weight than most competitors. As if that were not enough, the North Face Summit L3 Hoodie also employs larger baffles than the other options we reviewed, which reduces the number of seams and, subsequently, the number of cold spots.

Though the North Face Summit L3 Hoodie might be pricey, you get substantial value thanks to the 10D x 10D nylon fabric whose weave helps reduce abrasions. One thing that surprises is the size and weight of this jacket are a bit on the larger size, but you can still compress it down to a small packable size.

That said, the North Face Summit L3 Hoodie is one of the less water-resistant models for its price range.

The Rab Microlight Alpine does plenty of things well, but its outstanding feature is its long term lifespan thanks to the use of Pertex Quantum fabric. Pertex Quantum protects the Rab Microlight Alpine from abrasions, but it also helps resist snagging.

Of course, the Alpine is not just durable as it also sports a respectable 750 fill power rating to help keep you warm. This model also does a great job of keeping you dry thanks to its solid DWR coating and it hydrophobic down.

Beyond some base qualities, the Alpine also employs raglan sleeves and a hem drawcord to reduce drafts from getting in. On top of that, this product uses an interesting seam pattern at the forearm to offer better mobility than most, especially for climbing.

The only real problem with the Alpine is its relatively hefty weight of 13 oz and its merely adequate packability for longer excursions.

Typically, Outdoor Research is at or near the top of the list for outdooring jackets, with the Outdoor Research Illuminate does a great job of balancing high-quality performance at a more reasonable cost. The Outdoor Research Illuminate might be the best value for money thanks to its durable 10D nylon shell and 20D nylon lining.

Beyond general value, the Outdoor Research Illuminate also impresses with an 800 fill power down rating, though it does not offer quite as much loft as more expensive options. Still, this is an excellent layering product with enough articulation and mobility to serve as a mid-layer.

Just be aware that the Outdoor Research Illuminate is one of the heavier models on our list at 11 oz. This is also not the best single-layer product for higher elevations due to poor waterproofing.

Thankfully, the Outdoor Research Illuminate comes with more pockets than any other jacket we found, including hand pockets, and an interior media pocket, perfect for smart devices.

As mentioned in the intro, not all models are meant for the same purpose, and Columbia’s Voodoo Falls 590 is a prime example. This is a great option if you need your jacket to fit well and sit comfortably for casual wear around town or in mild weather.

In fairness, this is also one of the least expensive models that we saw and is close to the best budget option. For that low price, you still get a product that provides a surprising amount of water-resistance thanks to its solid DWR shell and grid baffling.

The inclusion of a scuba hood that keeps its shape in windy conditions combined with a drawcord hem and elastic cuffs also protects you from the wind. On the other hand, even the Omni-Heat reflective shell and Turbodown mix of insulation types do not make up for the lower 550 fill power down rating for warmth.

The Marmot Aruna may not provide the best performance in extreme conditions, but it is a better option for a casual day around town or in milder climates. A big part of this comes from the fact that this product fits well as a single layer and offers enough room to layer if need be.

Even better, the Marmot Aruna provides surprisingly good waterproofing with a DWR shell further enhanced with a Down Defender hydrophobic down. Elastic cuffs and an elastic hem also help break the wind and prevent it from seeping into the Marmot Aruna.

On the other hand, this model has the second-lowest down fill power rating of only 600 and does not augment it with additional features. This is also the heaviest and one of the least packable models on our list at 13 ½ oz.

Still, the ripstop nylon is more durable than some of the other models that we reviewed in this price range.

Patagonia made it a point to provide a jacket that offers excellent performance both on the surface and underneath. While many manufacturers scramble to source their down ethically, few have gone as far as the Patagonia Down Sweater, which uses Global Traceable down using the highest standards.

Even better, this product also provides plenty of warmth with a fill power down rating of 800, which ranks near the top of our list. This solid down rating combines with larger baffles and a higher loft that most of the competitors for a toastier feel further increased with a roomier fit.

All of this warmth does not come at the expense of convenience; however, as the Patagonia Down Sweater is also the second-lightest option, we reviewed at only 9 ½ oz. Even more surprising is that this model is one of the more durable we encountered 20 x 30D ripstop nylon fabric.

Considering how inexpensive the Co-op 650 Fill Power 2.0 is, we are all the more surprised by its specs. While not one of the lightest on our list, this model still comes in at only 10.8 oz.

On top of that, the 650 2.0 also sports a great fit that, combined with the lightweight design, makes it great for layering or being a layer. While not quite reaching the highest standards we found, this product is still one of the more ethically sourced on our list.

That said, this is a fair-weather jacket as the 650 fill power down rating is merely adequate for mild weather. Unfortunately, this modest warmth rating pairs with so-so water-resistance that features a decent DWR but more porous sewn baffles than we would like.