ski-touring insulated-jackets

The Lyngen Down850 is a midweight down jacket designed for backcountry warmth with a high warmth-to-weight ratio and exceptional comfort. It’s extremely packable and features a trim fit that’s ideal as a midlayer, but the thin face fabric and limited weather resistance keep it best suited for dry, cold conditions and careful handling in wet or rugged environments.

The Thorium Hoody is Arc'teryx's durable midweight down jacket designed as a standalone outer layer for sub-freezing conditions. It's heavy and not packable, but it delivers excellent warmth and features—such as a long hem, helmet-compatible StormHood, five pockets, and a two-way zipper—that suit serious winter use like mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and snow camping.

The Arc’teryx Thorium AR Hoody for women is a rugged, comfortable down-insulated jacket built for dry outdoor use. It delivers strong warmth for its weight and solid durability, with practical features like a durable plastic zipper and a dedicated stuff sack; however, it can be slow to dry in wet conditions and is best used in dry climates.

The Arc'teryx Cerium SV Hoody for women is an exceptionally warm, lightweight down jacket designed for severe cold conditions, like ice climbs and long ski tours. It delivers extraordinary warmth for its weight with a StormHood and high-loft 850-fill down, but is best kept for selective, high-intensity cold outings due to limited daily durability and a high price.

Atom SV is a great all-around mid-weight synthetic insulated jacket from Arc’tteryx. It’s warmer than lighter models, yet light and highly compressible, with a superb hood and refined fit. The jacket shines as a warm mid-layer for ski touring, alpine climbing, and general mountain use, though it isn’t as weather-resistant as rivals and is best when not used as a primary outer layer in wet conditions; it’s also fairly expensive for the warmth it delivers.

The Nano-Air Light Hybrid Hoody blends 40g FullRange insulation at the front with breathable R1 Air fleece on the back and sides for exceptional mobility and breathability during high-output activities. It isn’t especially warm on its own and offers limited weather protection, so it shines as a breathable midlayer for cool, dry conditions rather than a standalone warmth piece.

The Nano-Air Light Hybrid Hoody is a lightweight, highly breathable insulated layer intended for high-output activities like running and uphill skinning. It excels in breathability and mobility as a layering piece, but isn’t very warm or weather-resistant as a standalone outer layer.

The Arc'teryx Atom Hoody for women is a soft, lightweight insulated jacket with a helmet-compatible hood. It excels in comfort and breathability and serves well as a versatile midlayer or standalone piece in milder cold, though it’s thin for very cold days and not the strongest wind shield.

The Arc’teryx Atom Hoody is a versatile synthetic midlayer that balances warmth, breathability, and mobility for backcountry and everyday wear. It excels in comfort and fit with stretchy side panels and soft fabric, but its warmth and weather protection aren’t top-tier, so it’s best as an active, all-rounder layer under a shell or for shoulder-season use.

The Arc'teryx Atom Hoody is a lightweight, breathable insulated mid-layer designed for high-output winter activities. It uses Coreloft Compact insulation with stretch fleece side panels for mobility and breathability, though it's not the warmest option and lacks a stash pocket; best as an active mid-layer rather than a standalone outer layer.

The Arc’teryx Atom AR Hoody for women is an exceptionally warm insulated jacket built for cold conditions, with heavy Coreloft insulation and a wind- and weather-resistant shell. It excels in warmth and comfort but is bulky and less breathable, with small hand pockets; best suited for long cold expeditions, alpine missions, and resort winter activities rather than high-output use.

The Atom AR Hoody is one of the warmest insulated jackets tested, built with dense Coreloft insulation to trap heat while still fitting well for layering. It excels as a warmth layer for cold days, skiing, or belay duties due to its comfortable fit and weather-sealing, but it's heavy and not highly breathable, and the price is steep for a non-waterproof shell.

The Fitz Roy Down Hoody is a midweight insulated jacket that balances warmth and weight for weight-conscious cold-weather activities like alpine climbing and ski touring. It offers sleeping-bag-like comfort with a soft shell and protective hood, but misses a two-way zipper and longer hem, and its 20D face fabric isn’t as durable or weather-resistant as some rivals, limiting use in extended winter conditions.

The Fitz Roy Hooded Down Jacket from Patagonia delivers exceptional warmth with 800-fill goose down and a long, layer-friendly cut that's ideal for cold, stationary moments in the mountains. It's heavy and bulky, designed as a belay or outer-layer to wear when you’re not actively moving, with ample pockets and a durable build, but it's less ideal for high-output activity.

The DAS Light Hoody is a lightweight synthetic insulated jacket with PlumaFill insulation that offers strong weather resistance and warmth for mountain adventures. It is packable, helmet-friendly with a storm-ready hood, and performs well for ski touring and cold-weather climbing, but it trades breathability for protection and comes at a premium price.

The DAS Light Hoody is a warm, weather-protective insulated jacket built around a wind- and water-resistant shell with 65 g PlumaFill insulation. It’s lightweight and packable with a generous hood and long coverage, making it a strong four-season choice for skiing, climbing, and outdoor adventures. Drawbacks include a fragile shell and limited breathability, and it doesn’t compress fully into its pocket as claimed.

Patagonia's DAS Light Hoody is a top-tier synthetic insulated jacket designed for alpine climbing, delivering excellent warmth-to-weight, weather protection, and durability in harsh mountain conditions. It features a helmet-compatible hood, two-way front zipper, and chest pocket, with 65g PlumaFill insulation and a durable Pertex Quantum Pro shell; however, breathability is limited and it comes at a high price, making it less suitable for casual wear or high-output activities.

The Stormshadow Parka is Patagonia’s premium Gore-Tex, 700-fill down insulated parka designed for very cold, stormy winters. It delivers top-tier warmth and weather protection with refined details and a luxurious feel, but it’s bulky and expensive, best suited for severe conditions rather than high-movement activity. In everyday wear, it remains extremely comfortable and durable.

The Arc'teryx Macai is an extremely warm ski jacket built with a Gore-Tex shell and down/synthetic insulation. It excels in warmth and weather protection, with high-quality construction and a sleek, comfortable fit, but it comes at a premium price and has limited ventilation and features for the price.

The Arc’teryx Macai is a premium insulated resort ski jacket built around a 3-layer Gore-Tex shell with lofty down and synthetic insulation for exceptional warmth and weather protection. It excels for cold, dry resort days and can double as casual winter wear, but its breathability is limited and it’s a high-priced option, making it less ideal for high-output activities or milder conditions.