There’s a clever baffle construction too including stitched-through baffles on the arms where more articulation and dynamic movement is required and box wall baffles on the body where maximum loft and warmth is wanted. It’s clever stuff and it works excellently. What’s more, the box wall baffles are all offset, further reducing the chance of any cold spots.

Related: Best Waterproof Jackets for Women

In terms of features you’ve got a two-way zip so it can be worn while belaying, it comes with a little stuff sack that can be clipped onto a harness, the hood’s large and adjustable and can be worn over a helmet (or under one) and the arms are articulated so that you can reach up without the hem lifting up over your waist.

Selected for our Green Gear Guide 2023 – Here’s our full Rab Mythic Ultra Jacket Review

Buy the Rab Mythic Ultra: £420 at Ellis-brigham.co.uk

2. Haglöfs Spitz Down Hood

Selected as the best women’s down jacket overall, according to our tests

Price: £280
Weight: 654g
Best for: Camping, climbing, unpredictable conditions
What we liked: Hydrophobic down, durable fabric, elasticated hood baffle
What we didn’t like: Bulky, loose sleeves

The Haglöfs Spitz Down Hood jacket is ideal for keeping warm on a belay stance or anytime when outside in the elements. The hydrophobic material repels moisture. This has kept us warm in the damp conditions of the persistent misty-rain that is common on the west coast of Scotland. At 800 goose fill-power, it is at the top end for providing a high level of warmth.

The outer polyester fabric on the jacket feels tough too. And following our rigorous testing, we do not expect it to easily rip, as might accidentally be the case with other down jackets.

At 554g it is not the lightest or most packable. It really needs a good stuff sack if you are planning to take it into more remote places. It is however a robust jacket that is worth its weight for blocking out the elements. Effective wind blocking design features include baffles around the hood, sleeves and along the full length of the zip.

Read our full Haglöfs Spitz Down Hoody review.

Buy The Haglöfs Spitz Down Hood: £280 at Haglofs.com

3. Jack Wolfskin Cyrox 2L

Selected as the best waterproof down jacket we’ve tested

Price: £270
Weight: 885g
Best for: hiking, day-to-day winter use
What we liked: high spec materials, very warm
What we didn’t like: hood is very basic 

This jacket brings waterproof warmth, combining a 700 fill power duck down and synthetic PrimaLoft insulation with a 2-layer waterproof shell. There’s also a bit of breathability thanks to the big zips at the armpits. 

Waterproof down jackets can be a bit hit and miss but all in all I’d say Jack Wolfskin have definitely hit with this. During an evening testing this high up in the Cairngorms in early November, I was really impressed by the amount of warmth it provided and it’s since become my go-to jacket for any cold and miserable days where I need reliable protection. While it’s designed for hiking, this thing could also easily serve as that all-through-winter day to day jacket that you walk the dog in or wear to watch football. Just bear in mind that at 885g, it’s not that light, so it’s not something to take on hikes where it might end up being carried in a backpack for long periods.

It could only be improved if they made the hood a little bit more insulated and made the main zip two-way.

Selected for our Outdoor 100 23/24 – here’s our full Jack Wolfskin Cyrox 2L review.

Buy the Jack Wolfskin Cyrox 2L: £190 at Bergzeit.co.uk

4. Haglöfs LIM Down Jacket

Picked as the best ultralight down jacket in our tests

Price: £175 (sale)
Weight: 250g
Best for: three-season hiking and for ultra races
What we liked: lightweight, packable, water resistant down
What we didn’t like: main zip feels a little flimsy

This is a simple, no-frills down jacket that looks good and does what you need it to do. It’s not warm enough to be used as your main layer during winter but it serves really well as that option to carry on any three-season adventures when you want something for a bit of warmth on those early morning starts, during those sandwich summit stops or on evening wild camps during summer.

The down it uses has an 800 fill power – that’s an above average rating – and it also has a hydrophobic treatment to ensure the down stays lofty and able to insulate even when it gets wet. Haglöfs say that it can face up to 10,000 minutes of exposure to rain before the down flattens.

“I’ve found this excellent for ultra running,” said our tester. “It’s the kind of layer that you can cram into your running pack either for use during emergencies or simply for when you stop to refuel. “

Selected for our Outdoor 100 list – read our full Haglöfs LIM Down review.

Buy the Haglofs LIM Down Jacket: £175 (sale) at Haglofs.com

5. Passenger Ashland

The best everyday wear down jacket – and the best anorak we’ve tested

Price: £180
Weight: 400g
Best for: summer camps, casual use
What we liked: durable shell, good sustainability credentials
What we didn’t like: not ideal for layering underneath

While this is not quite as technical as some of the down jackets in this round up, it’s still a reliable insulator and, from our experience using it, it’s warm, durable and functional. One factor that stood out during our tests was the durability of its shell fabric. This stood up to all our tests, shrugging off branches and withstanding the abrasive straps of a heavily loaded backpack. 

We also admire the sustainability ethos of Passenger, who plant a tree for every product they sell. They’ve used 100% recycled fabrics for the shell and liner here, while the down is responsibly sourced and fully traceable.

Overall, it’s not really one for gnarly mountain conditions, but it’s a nice jacket for casual wear and for warmer camping adventures in summer. 

Read our full Passenger Ashland review.

Buy the Passenger Ashland: £180 at Passenger-clothing.com

6. La Sportiva Lumina 200

Price: £300
Weight: 250g
Best for: fast hiking, high aerobic outdoor activities
What we liked: light and packable, good sustainability credentials, great warmth-to-weight ratio
What we didn’t like: not much adjustment, some down leakage at the seams

La Sportiva can be commended here for using both a 100% recycled liner and a 100% recycled shell too. The Lumina 200 is also free from any intentionally added PFAS chemicals meaning it avoids the long-lasting environmental pollutants that can be found in some water-repellent treatments. What’s more, it comes with a simple repair kit; a small touch that not only extends the jacket’s life, but also helps to promote the message of repair over replacement.

And the performance? We loved how light and packable it is and appreciated the amount of articulation at the arms which allowed for a full range of movement during our tests. Our sample was pre-production so we didn’t get to try the full 1000 fill power down but all signs are good for the finished article.

The Pertex Quantum fabric – which uses Diamond Fuse technology – is impressive. It looks and feels very light – almost in a flimsy way – but actually it’s a lot stronger than meets the eye. It comes across as being strong enough to withstand repeated abrasion from the straps of a backpack or from coming into contact with some rough rock while you’re scrambling.

Read our full La Sportiva Lumina 200 review.

Buy the La Sportiva Lumina 200: £300 at Alpinetrek.co.uk

7. Rab Cirrus Ultra Hoody

Price: £230
Weight: 548g
Best for: alpine hiking, mountaineering
What we liked: more water resistant than traditional down, hardy insulation
What we didn’t like: on the heavier side

Disclaimer: this jacket is technically not made from down but the PrimaLoft® insulation lofts and acts in much the same way.

PrimaLoft have updated their technology, releasing a new iteration called ThermoPlume+ which the company says is able to offer the same loft as before, but with 20% less material. It’s also made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials – mainly recycled bottles.

The Rab Cirrus Ultra Hoody features ThermoPlume+ fill combined with Rab’s TILT technology, a reflective lining that enhances warmth by reflecting body heat back toward the user, improving thermal efficiency without adding extra weight or bulk. 

We’ve been using the Cirrus Ultra Hoody synthetic insulated jacket this autumn, most notably on a cold few days in the Lake District, and for daily dog walks through some very miserable wet and cold weather. Weighing 548g , we’d call it a mid to heavy-weight insulator; it’s not the kind of jacket that you’re going to scale Everest in but it’s the right kind of insulation for winter hiking, climbing and alpine pursuits.

We’ve found it repels light rain very well and although it does eventually wet out in heavy rain, it still manages to loft and still provide warmth. The durability is impressive too; it’s a jacket that seems to have relatively good abrasion resistance to it – for a puffer jacket anyway. We can see it lasting well.

Check out our full Rab Cirrus Ultra Hoody review.

Buy the Rab Cirrus Ultra Hoody: £230 at Rab.equipment

8. Arc’teryx Thorium SV

Price: £550
Weight: 695g
Best for: cold hikes, casual use
What we liked: durable and protective fabrics
What we didn’t like: heavy, quite boxy

What impressed us during our tests with this jacket was its wind and water resistance. Across the hood and shoulders it uses Gore’s Infinium fabric which, while not waterproof, does bring a lot of rain resistance to the table. We found we could wear the jacket through drizzly conditions without the whole thing getting wet through and cold within an instant. 

It’s also very lofty and cosy, with a lot of down feathers packed into it and a thermally efficient box wall baffle construction. There’s a downside though and that’s the fact that this is a pretty heavy garment, coming in at just below 700g. As such, we found it’s not really the best thing you can buy if you’re looking for something that you can squeeze into your backpack just in case it’s needed. Instead, it’s one of those jackets for those days where you know you’re going to be wearing your insulation all day long. 

Read our full Arc’teryx Thorium SV review.

Buy the Arc’teryx Thorium SV: £550 at Ellis-brigham.co.uk

9. Rohan EOS Insulated

Price: £150 (sale)
Weight: 570g
Best for: winter hikes, casual wear
What we liked: lofty down, well insulated hood, longer cut
What we didn’t like: a little boxy, not the best performer in wet weather

This is a well made down jacket that we enjoyed using during our tests. The thing that stood out the most to us was its cut which is slightly longer at the hem than most of the other jackets in this round up. This means that you get just a touch more warmth and protection from the elements, plus it stays nicely below a backpack hipbelt or climbing harness.

The down feels good quality and the outer shell is light but it still passed our durability tests. There’s no skimping of insulation in the hood either, particularly around the neck. Said hood is supremely comfortable and with the adjustment cords cinched in, it moves nicely with the head. 

Like the Arc’teryx Thorium SV, this is another down jacket that is a touch on the boxy side, particularly around the shoulders.

Read our full Rohan EOS Insulated review.

Buy The Rohan EOS Insulated: £150 (sale) at Rohan.co.uk

10. Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Anorak

Price: £315
Weight: 518g
Best for: camping, hiking
What we liked: responsibly sourced down, recycled fabrics, useful details
What we didn’t like: down fill power quite low for the price

This is a light and packable down layer that’s available in both men’s and women’s versions. We only tested the women’s version though.

Our testers found that it offered an OK warmth for weight. It works well as a standalone outer layer in cold, dry conditions, with a fit that will accommodate layers underneath. Having said that, it’s not so bulky that you couldn’t also wear it underneath a shell if required too.

The shell material and inner lining in the new series are both made of 100% recycled nylon, and the face fabric is also finished with a PFC-free water repellent treatment. This ensures added resistance to moisture without the need to resort to environmentally harmful chemical compounds.

Similarly, the 700-fill power down is guaranteed to be 100% traceable and ethically produced. In fact, the Fjällräven Down Promise is recognised as one of the best in the outdoor industry.

Related: Best Walking Shoes for Women

The anorak design is actually very practical. Obviously, you sacrifice the slight convenience of a full-length zip, but in return you get extra insulation around the torso for additional core warmth, plus a useful central kangaroo-style dump pocket. There’s a cosy baffled hood and an extended hemline for full coverage too.

Those who like a trim fitting down garment might want to look elsewhere as we found that this had quite a relaxed fit, spacious fit.

Selected for our Green Gear Guide – here’s our full Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Anorak review.

Buy the Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Anorak: £315 at Ellis-brigham.co.uk

11. Peak Performance Helium Utility FLO Jacket

Price: £290
Weight: 375g
Best for: trail hiking, everyday and campsite use 
What we liked: made from leftover fabrics, unique design, comfortable fit
What we didn’t like: not the warmest in its category, some unnecessary details

First launched over 10 years ago, the Helium down jacket has been revamped and relaunched and, as part of Peak Performance’s commitment to circularity, it’s now made from leftover fabrics (hence the name FLO which stands for from leftover fabrics). 

As well as using leftover fabrics, the Peak Performance Helium Utility FLO jacket is free from eco hazardous chemicals and uses a responsibly sourced down fill that can be traced using a site called Track My Down. The jacket certainly feels quite lofty and warm. We used it on a cold trip to the Lake District and found it to be pleasantly warm when hiking.It did, however, feel a little cold to wear when we weren’t moving and we found ourselves wanting a thicker layer at times.

The hood holds well thanks to the bungee cord adjustment. Although we weren’t able to try this with a climbing helmet, it did seem like it would fit comfortably under one. There are also bungees with toggles on the cuffs and at the waist. The jacket can be stuffed into the left handwarmer pocket too, and there’s a pocket on the left arm which is ideal for a lift pass or smartphone. 

With its simple plastic components that aren’t embedded in the jacket and easy to remove zip, you can tell that Peak Performance have made this with repairability in mind. Also, the fact that its shell and liner fabrics are all made from the same material suggests that they’ve made it to be easy to recycle at the end of its life. So, credit to Peak Performance for their sustainability efforts and not just on this specific jacket but with their whole commitment to circularity.

Here’s our full Peak Performance Helium Utlity FLO Jacket Review. 

Buy the Peak Performance Helium jacket: £290 at Peakperformance.com

12. Salomon Elixir Ultra Down

Price: £360
Weight: 402g
Best for: hiking, winter sports
What we liked: clever internal reflective lining, sustainable efforts in design, flexible fit
What we didn’t like: pockets cut off by hipbelt

We tried out the women’s version of this, but you can expect the men’s version to possess all of the same qualities. The thing that stood out most about this during our tests was its loftiness; this is one of those jackets that feels like a big cosy duvet. As you should be able to see in the picture here, the jacket has quite a long cut to it, with the hem coming down to below the waist. That brings that extra bit of warmth to this, so too does the clever internal reflective lining which is designed to reflect heat back to your body. 

Our tester Cat Nicol noted the Elixir’s “flexibility to move freely in” and she said it compressed to a “super small size” when she needed to carry it in her pack. 

Related: Best Walking Boots for Women

Other things we liked about this include the fact that most of the materials are recycled and the PFC-free DWR has been used and there’s a good number of pockets – 4 to be precise. The only downside is that the two handwarmer pockets can’t be accessed when wearing a climbing harness or a backpack with a hipbelt. 

Read our full Salomon Elixir Ultra Down Jacket review.

Buy the Salomon Elixir Ultra Down: £360 at Salomon.com

13. Klättermusen Liv 2.0

Price: £419
Weight: 469g
Best for: climbing, hiking, backpacking
What we liked: warm and very lofty, smart design details, sustainable
What we didn’t like: boxy shape

This is one of those classic all-rounder down jackets, the kind of thing that’ll suit anything from mountaineering and climbing to hiking and backpacking. Basically, it’s made for any pursuit where you want a top notch warmth-to-weight ratio. That comes from the premium 800 fill power down, generous fill weight and excellent down-to-feather ratio of 93% goose down to 7% feather. The first thing that struck us is just how lofty it feels – it’s like wearing a big down sleeping bag.

The face fabric is made from 100% recycled Polyamide and no nasty eco-hazardous PFCs are present in the durable water repellent coating and impregnation. On top of that, the down is all certified by the Responsible Down Standard and comes with bluesign approval to boot.

Perhaps best of all, and this is where this jacket has a real edge, Klättermusen have gone for a box wall construction. This style of baffle structure tends to make for a much warmer jacket than one with a ‘stitched-through’ method as the chances of warm air escaping through the seams are minimised. The downside with box wall constructed jackets is that they tend to be heavier than ones with stitched through seams but this is by no means a heavy jacket.

Related: Best Headtorches For Running

The zip is an unusual offset design, which adds comfort around the neck and throat. The handwarmer pockets are comfy, though they’re not particularly backpack or harness-friendly. There’s one more pocket on the inside of the jacket that’s quite large, big enough to fit an OS map, and this doubles as a stuff sack.

During our tests, we found that this had quite a boxy shape to it, but it felt very warm and comfortable. The outer shell fabric is a little on the thin side, though it still held up to our test period. It’s a shame that Klattermusen don’t make a version of this with a hood too.

Selected for our Green Gear Guide – here’s our full Klättermusen Liv review.

Buy the Klattermusen Liv 2.0: £419 at Klattermusen.com

14. The North Face Summit Pumori Down Parka

Price: £378
Weight: 538g
Best for: belaying and mountaineering
What we liked: very warm but also light, loft fill
What we didn’t like: price, zip baffle is very small

This belay down feather jacket by The North Face is incredibly loft and incredibly warm – one of the warmest jackets in this round-up. It’s also surprisingly light, weighing just 538g, and it packs down into a bundle that’s about as small as a Nalgene bottle. 

One thing we really appreciated about this during our tests was the women’s specific shaping. The lining also has a nice stretchiness to it, so you can wear the jacket over a bunch of layers or no layers at all and the jacket will still keep close to your body to maximise thermal efficiency. 

We had some concerns over the durability of the outer during our tests but actually the jacket has held up well. Details include two large handwarmer pockets, an adjustable and helmet-friendly hood and there’s an adjustable internal hem cinch cord. Credit to TNF for using 100% recycled materials for the shell and a PFC-free water resistant coating. 

What we didn’t like? The price. This thing costs a fair whack. 

Selected for our Outdoor 100 list. Read our full The North Face Summit Pumori jacket review.

Buy The North Face Summit Pumori Down: £378 at Ellis-brigham.co.uk

How To Choose a Down Jacket

The best down jackets will strike a perfect balance between warmth, weight, breathability, packability and wet weather performance. A good down filled jacket will also have a long lifespan and ideally won’t cost you an arm and a leg either.

Down itself is a layer of fine plumage found under the tougher outer feathers of ducks and geese. The best down insulation tends to be goose down as it’s more thermally efficient than duck down. Because of this, goose down is usually more expensive.

If you’re looking to buy a down jacket, it’s worth checking the fill power when measuring the quality of down insulation. The higher the number, the better the quality. The best down jackets tend to have a fill power of over 750. A fill power of 900 or higher is premium.

The best down jackets usually have a box wall baffle construction to lower the risk of heat escaping through any stitching. That said, this design does usually result in a slightly puffier and heavier jacket than down jackets with stitched-through baffles. Patagonia’s Nano Puff jacket is an example of a stitched through jacket that is very popular. On this page, the Rab Mythic Ultra shows an example of a jacket with box wall baffles.

Down can be rendered ineffective if it gets wet, as its loft collapses, reducing its insulating power. Therefore waterproof down jackets or water resistant ones are extremely useful. Some will come with a durable water repellent coating (DWR) to repel water, but you can also add this yourself. Nikwax, Grangers and Storm Care make treatments that can be applied at home.

Some Key Terms Related to Down Jackets

Warmth-to-weight ratio: this refers to the balance a jacket strikes between weight and warmth. The best jackets will be very warm but also very light and that balance can be hard to hit. The jackets on this page that hit the mark there include the Klattermusen Liv and the Rab Mythic Ultra.

RDS: This means Responsible Down Sourcing. It’s a certification that down has been procured through methods that prioritise the welfare of the animals and the environment.

PFC-free DWR: Down loses its capacity to insulate when it gets wet and because of this some companies will add a water repellent coating to their down jackets. In the past, these coatings have contained PFCs which are bad for the environment, but these days more and more brands are using alternatives that are non-hazardous.

Fill power: This refers to the thermal efficiency of the down fill. The lower the number the lower the efficiency. Anything upwards of 700 tends to indicate good thermal efficiency.

Fill weight: This gives an indication of the volume of down fill that has been used. It is usually measured in gsm (grams per square meter). A higher gsm tends to signify a warmer jacket, though fill power and the jacket’s overall design are a big part of the equation too.

For more on what makes the best down jacket, including the synthetic jackets versus down jackets question, plus our guide to ethical down, check out our full down and synthetic jackets buyer’s guide.

How to Wash and Reproof a Down Jacket

Here’a a useful guide we put together that explains exactly how should wash a down jacket – and why it’s so important towards the longevity and performance of your garment.

You May Also Like:

Best Walking Boots Reviewed

Best Walking Shoes Reviewed