Down and Insulated Jackets

Haglöfs Spitz Down Hood | Review

This initially caught our eye due to its high quality, hydrophobic down, a durable fabric and technical details. But how did it fare in our tests?

This has been my go to warm jacket lately, to put on after river kayaking and when out climbing. I have also taken it camping. It reliably keeps me warm in unpredictable Scottish conditions, with water repellent materials and an elasticated hood baffle to keep cold winds out. The Haglöfs Spitz Down Hood jacket is everything I would look for in a down insulated jacket for being out in exposed locations, especially now that winter is setting in.

Here are some of my more detailed thoughts.

What It’s Best Suited To

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 me 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. I certainly feel warm as soon as I have put it on.

Nicole testing the Haglöfs Spitz Down in Scotland. Photos: Dave Macfarlane

At 554g it is not the lightest or most packable. Relative to my usual go-to insulated jacket, I found this Haglöfs jacket to be fairly bulky. It really needs a good stuff sack if you are planning to take it into more remote places. It would not be my first choice for a lightweight setup. 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.

Related: Haglöfs LIM Down Hoody Review

Overall, I think this is a dependable insulated jacket that will keep you warm when you need it most for a range of outdoor activities.

Haglöfs Spitz Down Fit

The elasticated baffle around the inner section of the hood works wonders for keeping heat in. I really like this feature in addition to the elastic adjustable cord on the rear of the hood. This allows the hood to be pulled in snuggly around the face, including when wearing a helmet. The top of the zip sits high on the chin, further enhancing the level of warmth this jacket can bring.

The jacket has a straight cut. In a size medium this meant plenty of room for going over the top of other layers. The hem is adjustable, which I really like as an additional feature for sealing in warmth.

The elasticated cuff sleeves are a good design feature, but they are too large for my small wrists and would not keep snow flurries out. With thick winter gloves on, the cuffs fit better.

Details

I find the large reinforced zip tags make this jacket easy to operate in cold conditions, including when wearing thick winter gloves. The two-way zip allows for ease of access to a climbing harness when belaying.

The handy inner pocket is a good size for stashing goggles or keeping a phone close to your body in a fully insulated zone.

For use with a climbing harness, I would prefer if this jacket had an outer high level pocket for quick access to items.

Material

The outer polyester fabric on the jacket feels tough. I do not expect to easily rip this, as might accidentally be the case with other down jackets.

Hydrophobic down and the Nikwax treated surface material make this jacket water repellent. I found the Nikwax also speeds up the drying process. I like that the waterproofing treatments are PFAS-free. This is good when thinking about our impact on the environment, as we should be avoiding the use of harmful “forever-chemicals” used to treat some materials.

Conclusion

This jacket is ideal for when you need a super insulated outer layer that will reliably keep you warm.

I will pack it for an upcoming ice climbing trip to Rjukan (Norway) in February next year. Temperatures will, hopefully, be down to around -10C. With other jackets I have found the cold winds, that howl through the valleys there, find a way to blow through you to your core. Recent testing has given me confidence the Haglöfs Spitz Down jacket will offer more than adequate protection in these conditions.

Pros: Tough outer shell, dependable warmth, elasticated hood baffle great for keeping cold winds out.
Cons: Loose elasticated sleeves (on my small wrists), not very packable.