Best Down Jackets For Hiking Of 2024

When it comes to hiking in unpredictable weather, a down jacket is your ultimate trail companion. Lightweight, incredibly warm, and easy to pack, down jackets are a hiker’s best friend when temperatures drop. But not all down jackets are created equal. The best down jackets for hiking strike the perfect balance of durability, warmth and weight, while also being made with responsibly sourced down to align with ethical outdoor practices.

In this guide, I’ve handpicked the top down jackets of 2024! Every one of them trail-tested and personally worn by me, so you can trust these recommendations will keep you cozy without weighing you down. I’ve prioritized brands using ethically sourced down and eco-friendly production practices, so you can stay warm while caring for the planet. Let’s dive in and find the perfect jacket to keep you exploring comfortably!

Check Out The Best Down Jackets For Hiking!

Katabatic Gear Tincup Down Jacket

• Weight: 11.7 ounces for a women's medium
• Cost: $299

The Katabatic Gear Tincup Down Jacket is designed, cut, and filled to maximize warmth while maintaining thoughtful details and a stylish look. The down in this jacket is responsibly sourced from Allied Feather and Down, and the highest quality 850+ fill power ExpeDRY™ hydrophobic down. This jacket really shines in the mountains. from super chilly alpine starts to cold evenings winding down at camp. I also find this to be a durable down jacket, capable of handling bushwhacking and scrambling.

Stio Pinion Down Pullover

• Weight: 10 ounce for women's medium
• Cost: $275

Stio's Pinion Down Pullover is a favorite of mine for casual times roaming around the deserts and mountains of the Southwest. It's a genuinely very nice down jacket for hiking because of its pullover design and kangaroo pocket. That kangaroo pocket is clutch. It has a really easy fit, which is great for layering. I've gotten up to all kinds of the adventures in the Pinion Down Pullover and where I love it most is a desert setting. It's perfect for cool desert mornings on trail. Of course, the down used in this pullover is responsibly sourced.

Check out our review of the Pinion Down Pullover!

Outdoor Vitals NovaPro Down Jacket

• Weight: 12.8 ounces for women's medium
• Cost: $249.97

The NovaPro Down Jacket from Outdoor Vitals is the most unique jacket on this guide. And while it's not the lightest, it may be the most ideal for the hiker who loves to push themselves and do really hard things. Using Outdoor Vitals' proprietary DownLT ™ insulation, the filling in the NovaPro combines 850 Fill Power HyperDry™ down (Allied RDS down- responsibly sourced) with a small amount of synthetic to create a more stable insulation that stays lofted and warm even when soaking wet. Yes: soaking wet. Yes: I tested this. No: I didn't test it on purpose. This jacket is snag-proof and also packs down really small! Overall the NovaPro is a down jacket that I can confidently say is down for literally any cold adventure.

Check out our review of the NovaPro!

Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody

• Weight: 10.05 ounces for women's medium
• Cost: $380

Designed for those days where you might be layering up and layering down frequently, the Approach Down Hoody is a very reliable bit of lightweight insulation. Whether you’re layering it over a sun hoody for crisp 14er aproach or tucking it under a shell on icy alpine routes, it is made to perform. The ultralight shell is PFC-free, with eco-friendly DWR. Premium traceable 800-fill HyperDRY™ goose down insulation delivers exceptional warmth while staying lightweight and packable! This is a great do-it-all down hiking jacket.

Mammut Broad Peak IN Hooded Down Jacket

• Weight: 11.7 ounces for women's medium
• Cost: $349

The Broad Peak IN Hooded Jacket from Mammut is a powerhouse of warmth and functionality! Perfectly designed for demanding adventures in cold conditions. It uses 800-fill, responsibly sourced goose down. It's lightweight and compressible, making it perfect for alpine climbs and cold hikes. This is a great choice for high elevation areas of the Soutwest! The Rocky mountains year-round and the high desert over the winter. The Broad Peak IN Hooded Down Jacket is very, very toasty warm!

Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie

• Weight: 15.3 ounces for women's medium
• Cost: $280

Fjallraven makes excellent outerwear and their Expedition Pack Down Hoodie is definitely excellent. It combines all the things you'd expect in a great down jacket for hiking. It's lightweight, very packable, super warm and durable as can be! This particular jacket is for your most intense cardio hikes in the coldest conditions. Alternatively, I find it super warm when I am sitting in a talus field looking for ptarmigan too. It's not super lightweight, but it's much more durable than most down jackets. The down used in the Expedition Pack Down Hoodie is responsibly sourced.

Finding The Perfect Down Jacket

What makes a down jacket the right one for your adventures? There’s a lot to consider before picking the perfect jacket for hiking and exploring. From warmth to weight to durability, the details matter. Let’s break down the key features you’ll want to keep in mind to find the jacket that fits your needs.

Fill Power

Down fill power measures the quality and loft of the down insulation in your jacket. It’s expressed as a number—typically ranging from 600 to 900—that represents how many cubic inches one ounce of down can fill. Higher fill power means the down is loftier and traps more air, offering better warmth for its weight. For example, an 800-fill power jacket will be lighter and more compressible while still providing excellent insulation compared to a jacket with lower fill power. It’s a key factor to consider if you’re looking for maximum warmth with minimal bulk.

What the Numbers Mean!

• 900-1000: Extremely high quality. Best loft and warmth-to-weight.
• 800-850: Excellent quality, used most commonly in high-end jackets.
• 700-750: Moderate quality, used in mid-range to high-end jackets.
• 650: Lowest “acceptable” quality in outdoor down jackets.

Expert Advice: You need to wash your down jacket frequently to keep the loft nice! Nikwax Down Wash is my go-to down sprucer upper.

Fill Weight

Fill weight refers to the actual amount of down used in a jacket, measured in ounces or grams. While fill power tells you how efficient the down is at trapping warmth, fill weight indicates how much insulation is packed into the jacket. For example, a jacket with 800-fill power down and a high fill weight will be warmer than one with the same fill power but less down. Fill weight is crucial when balancing warmth and weight—if you’re heading into colder conditions, look for a jacket with a higher fill weight for more insulation.

Expert Advice: If you find yourself asking "is this down jacket going to be warm enough?!" check the fill weight. That's the most simple way to get your answer without being able to try the jacket.

Water Resistance

Synthetic jackets were created in part because of how poorly down handles getting wet. Yikes! So if you want some water resistance, you want hydrophobic down. Hydrophobic down is treated with a special water-resistant coating to make it more effective in wet or damp conditions. Unlike untreated down, which loses its insulating properties when exposed to moisture, hydrophobic down repels water, helping it retain its loft and warmth. This makes it a great choice for hiking and adventures where you might encounter rain, snow, or high humidity. While it’s not completely waterproof, pairing a hydrophobic down jacket with a good shell ensures you stay warm and dry in challenging weather.

Responsible Sourcing and Ethical Down

Ethical down, often certified by Responsible Down Standard (RDS) or by similar organizations, ensures that the down used in your jacket is sourced humanely and sustainably. This means the birds providing the down are treated with care, avoiding practices like live-plucking or force-feeding, and that the entire supply chain is transparently monitored. RDS-certified down also considers environmental impacts, promoting sustainable farming and processing methods.

Choosing ethical down jackets not only supports better animal welfare but also aligns with values of environmental responsibility and conservation. By opting for products with certifications like RDS, you can feel confident that your gear keeps you warm without compromising the well-being of the planet or its creatures. It’s a small but impactful way to make a difference while enjoying the outdoors.

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