Down and Insulated Jackets

Filson Ultra Light Jacket | Review

With its classical styling, and effective warmth-to-weight ratio, the Filson Ultra Light is ideal for weekend walks

Filson were founded in Seattle, way back in 1897, by a man called Clinton Filson. At a time when thousands of fortune seekers were heading north as part of the Great Klondike Gold Rush, your man Filson saw a golden opportunity to kit them out in gear that’d help them survive the unimaginably brutal conditions they would face. His company has been making functional clothing for the outdoors ever since.

The Ultra-Light is one of Filson‘s most recent releases, and we’re digging it.

While this is a good-looking jacket (in our humble opinion) we can assure you there’s certainly no case of fashion over function here, not when PrimaLoft Gold is involved.

Video Review

If you’re not already familiar with it, PrimaLoft is a synthetic insulation that feels very similar to down and isn’t that far off it when it comes to thermal efficiency. What is really great about this type of fill however, is that it’s able to provide insulation even when it gets wet – only losing 2 per cent of its capacity apparently.

There are a number of variations of PrimaLoft, and Gold, as you can probably guess, is right up there at the top level.

There’s 60g-worth of this PrimaLoft fill in the Filson Ultra-Light and it’s all housed within a ripstop Cordura nylon shell which is amazingly tough and durable despite its soft and light feel. This should certainly be capable of fending off anything from a rogue branch to rough boulder edges.

The hardwearing shoulder fabric will easily withstand wear from a backpack. Photo: Chris Johnson.

The handwarmer pockets have a soft moleskin lining. Photo: Chris Johnson.

The PrimaLoft fill will insulate even when it gets damp. Photo: Chris Johnson.

Despite the name, the Ultra-Light isn’t actually the lightest of jackets out there, but the warmth-to-weight ratio is still decent, and it won’t be a burden in the backpack.

There isn’t much bulk to it either, so it will fit comfortably when worn underneath an outer layer, and the elasticated cuffs and waist, interior security pocket with zipper and moleskin-lined collar and hand pockets round the Filson Ultra-Light off nicely.

Available in a choice of Field Olive Green and Raven Black or as a gilet cut, this is a real wear-it-anywhere number. We think you’ll like it.

Tester’s Verdict

“There’s something nostalgic about this jacket. The Filson Ultra-Light seems to have sprung from a simpler time; a time when men built things out of raw materials, a time when you couldn’t do a Google search or watch a YouTube tutorial video to find out how to do things.

“As soon as I put this on, I could tell right away that it had the necessary beans. Classically styled, and home to some excellent insulation, this is the perfect jacket to wear on a 10-mile hike to that place you’ve read about in the Good Pub Guide but haven’t got round to visiting yet.” – Jack Clayton, Editor of Mpora.

Price: £190

More info: filson.com