A lightweight down jacket is one of the best pieces of kit money can buy – you just have to make sure you buy the right one!

A lightweight down jacket is one of those pieces of clothing you will not regret buying. In addition to its qualities in the outdoors, you will find yourself wearing it just about everywhere you go. I never travel without one – they pack down to next to nothing, are super warm and honestly once you get one, you will never go back. You can kiss those bulky jackets in your wardrobe goodbye. I have rounded up the very best lightweight down jackets that offer the very best when it comes to the warmth to weight ratio. Prepare to get cosy!

 

1. Mountain Hardwear Whisperer Down Jacket

Price: €325

5 of the Best Lightweight Down Jackets

This lightweight, hooded down jacket is not the cheapest in the bunch but it certainly is a box ticker when it comes to insulated jackets. Weighing in a just 219g, packing away into its own pocket, this is the lightest hooded down jacket in the world. You will not even notice it in your backpack, however, you certainly will notice it when temperatures drop. With 850 fill down the Mountain Hardwear Whisperer is super cosy. This jacket is also equipped with hydrophobic down (or Q shield as Rab refer it to) in order to retain the loft should the jacket get wet.

Buy the women’s version now from Cotswold Outdoor

Buy the men’s version now from Wiggle

2. Rab Microlite Alpine Jacket

Price: €230

5 of the Best Lightweight Down Jackets

Rab is a favourite amongst the most hardcore climbers and adventurers out there. This is due mainly to the brand’s long-standing reputation for quality. And the Rab Alpine Jacket is no exception to that. This 750 fill goose down jacket will become a firm favourite in your backpack. Weighing in at 445g, the jacket packs away into the chest pocket.

As we have come to expect from Rab, the Microlite Alpine Jacket is not equipped with umpteen rather useless bells and whistles but instead, focuses on what you really need. The outer fabric has been wrapped in a water-resistant technology to protect the down in wet weather conditions while care has been taken to optimise heat retention with a down filled hood and zip baffle.

The jacket is sublimely cosy and comfortable and will take you from the world’s highest peaks to the city streets and will not look out of place on either.

Buy the men’s version now from 53 Degrees North

Buy the women’s version now from 53 Degrees North

3. Berghaus Tephra Stretch Jacket

Price: €150 reduced from €192

The Tephra Stretch jacket from Berghaus is an absolute steal at its current price of €150. Equipped with a hydrophobic down filling which repels with to 75% of water and dries up to 50% quicker than regular down, this is a great choice for those adventures in unpredictable weather conditions (in other words the Irish summer!!). The jacket has also been treated with Nikwax which keeps the down dry for up to 16 hours, ensuring all-day warmth. The other thing I love about this jacket are the stretch fleece panels under the arms and down the side of the jacket. It offers exceptional freedom of movement.

Buy the men’s version now from Cotswold Outdoors 

Buy the women’s version now from Cotswold Outdoors 

4. Arc’Teryx Cerium LT Hoody

Price: Currently on sale for €252 down from €390

Best Lightweight Down Jackets

I am a big fan of Arc’Teryx but up until relatively recently, the brand had no insulated jacket in its range. Thankfully though, it saw the gap and delivered the Cerium LT Hoody. And thankfully, it was worth the wait.

Innovation is what we have come to expect from Arc’Teryx so it was great to see the brand deliver something that little bit different. Unlike the others, this jacket is a hybrid between a synthetic and down jacket. Recognising that many of us sweat quite a lot when exerting ourselves, this jacket has used body heat mapping and switched the down for synthetic in areas where moisture is likely to build up.

Buy the women’s version from Cotswold Outdoor 

Buy the men’s version from Cotswold Outdoor

5. Columbia OutDry EX Gold Insulated Jacket

Price: €150 for the womens and €185 for the mens reduced from €250

best down jacket columbia-womens-outdry-ex-eco-insulated-jacket-white-undyed

The Columbia OutDry EX Gold Insulated Jacket is a waterproof insulated down jacket from Columbia. Great on the trail, the fully seam sealed Titanium OutDry Ex with bold, external seam taping is a problem solver when it comes to a soaking rain. The bonded, horizontal baffles keep the 700 fill power goose down in place and eliminates the cold spots. This versatile down jacket is perfect for just about anywhere its cold and wet.

Buy the women’s version now from 53 Degrees North

Buy the men’s version now from Cotswold Outdoor

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