The Best Down Jacket

A high-quality down jacket can keep you comfortable during everything from backyard social gatherings to winter snowshoe adventures.

To help us choose our favorites, 10 testers romped across every corner of New Hampshire’s iconic Presidential Range and throughout the Pacific Northwest in 57 insulated jackets, covering more than 300 miles. We took on conditions that ranged from frosty to wet to mild.

After all that, we concluded that the Montbell Alpine Light Down Jacket (in women’s and men’s sizes) is the best puffy jacket for most people because it is lightweight, warm, and weather-resistant.

For over four years, the Montbell Alpine Light Down Jacket (available in women’s and men’s sizes) has been our top pick for the best down jacket. This jacket is lightweight but has a high volume of 800-fill-power down, which kept our testers warm. Our testers also appreciated this jacket’s extra luxury features, such as its microfleece-lined hand-warmer pockets and collar, a drawcord hem for an adjustable fit, sturdy YKK zippers, large interior drop pockets, and an included cinch sack.

The Alpine jacket is wind-resistant and packs down smaller than any of our other picks. And it has a durable water-repellent (DWR) coating, which will help keep you dry even when you’re walking through socked-in, super-wet alpine zones. In 2023, Montbell updated the women’s jacket to add horizontal baffles, which match the men’s, and new colors. It’s just as warm and comfortable as it was before. Unfortunately, this jacket doesn’t come in extended sizes (but we have a pick that does).

Our testers found the REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket (which comes in men’s and women’s sizes) to be the best low-cost option. Unlike the makers of other budget jackets, REI actually lists down-fill-power numbers—and the 650-fill jacket performs well in moderately cold climates. The jacket also comes in a wide range of sizes, is easy to layer under, and looks attractive.

For those who live in climates that don’t require you to look like the Michelin Man to survive, this jacket is perfect for just-in-case scenarios when you need extra warmth. And due to this coat’s sturdy stitching, it lasts for at least a few seasons. It also packs down small. The cost savings shows up in the form of sometimes-sticky zippers and wide baffling that started shedding down fairly quickly.

More susceptible to rips and tears because of its less-durable nylon taffeta shell, this jacket isn’t puppy-proof, but it is capable of brushing against undergrowth and backpack straps without noticeable wear. The jacket also has a DWR coating, which helps keep you dry for a short time, but it is not fully waterproof. It’s the only one of our picks that comes in a wider range of sizes, including women’s plus and men’s tall sizes.

Every square inch of Stio’s Hometown Down Hooded Jacket (available in men’s and women’s sizes) has been carefully constructed for a trifecta of warmth, durability, and performance. The attention paid to finishing details—such as a cinch cord that allows you to adjust the hood to accommodate peripheral vision—truly makes a difference.

The coat’s 800-fill-power down keeps you warm on long chairlift rides, when you’re building snowmen, or while you’re watching hockey or figure skating. And the DWR coating helps to stave off most moisture. The true kicker is the jacket’s ripstop nylon fabric, which feels like butter. Sadly, it’s not offered in extended sizes.

For those who have a tendency to play hard, the Arc’teryx Atom Jacket, in women’s and men’s sizes, is up to the task. If you’re allergic to down or prefer to avoid animal products, or if you’re headed to an environment where you’re likely to sweat heavily or hit a spot of damp weather, a synthetic-fill jacket is the right choice. And this one also has a DWR finish to help protect you from light rain.

With its stretchy side panels, the Atom Jacket complements active motion in all sorts of scenarios, making this coat ideal for alpine climbing and trail running. However, the narrow Arc’teryx fit isn’t right for every body shape, the jacket doesn’t come in a broad range of sizes, and it’s not the warmest option of our picks.