What Fi wants from the perfect cosy down jacket

Alongside strong walking boots or outdoor shoes, a down jacket is always the first thing I reach for when I’m packing light for wild camping.

I bought my first down jacket on a truck camping trip to Innsbruck. It has lasted me over 10 years, has been worn in bed more times than I can remember, and is currently travelling New Zealand with my daughter. To my mind this makes it a great investment, although at the time it’s cost was very nearly beyond my budget.

With so many cheaper down jackets now on the market, it’s strange to think that in those days, they were a luxury piece of outdoor adventure kit. The down they contained wasn’t usually hydrophobic, and we outdoor writers wrote careful instructions about not relying on down jackets in the rain, but we didn’t write much about sustainability or responsibly sourced down.

How times have changed.

If you’re looking for a new down jacket today, you’ll have plenty of choice when it comes to price, style and fabrics, but all that marketing noise can make it hard to choose. Because my original jacket is busy backpacking, I’ve recently taken delivery of a new one. To help you get the best down jacket for your budget, I’ve made a list below of the details I would look for myself (my new jacket didn’t quite include all of these).

The best down jackets

Before you read my list of down jacket features, it’s worth remembering that my needs might not be the same as yours. I’m 58, 5’8″ and a size 16. I love hiking, wild camping and walking with my dog. I’m an outdoor instructor so need to be able to keep myself safe and warm (but also be prepared with kit to help other people).

Here’s what I look for in a down jacket (some things might surprise you):

1. Style

Surely not Fi? Shouldn’t function come before form when it comes to outdoor kit?

My answer to that would be a resounding, ‘Yes but no’. One of the best ways to make sure you have your gear with you when you need it is to like the way it looks. But jacket styling isn’t just about fabric and colour, it includes fit (I like a longer jacket and a warm bottom), pockets (inside and outside please) and additions like hoods. My favourite insulating jacket for rainy days isn’t a down one but I choose it because it doesn’t have a hood to stick out from below my waterproof jacket.

2. Fill power

This is where most down jacket review start but what is fill power? And why does it matter?

Before I explain fill power, it’s important to note that it’s only one of the factors that can improve the warmth of a down jacket. Fill weight (the total weight of the down) is also important and so is the windproofing of the outer fabric. Fill power is all about the warmth-related quality of the down. Down with a high fill power will loft (form air spaces) better and keep you warmer, but only if the jacket also has a high fill weight (the actual weight of the down in that jacket).

Most retailers also give a seasonal rating for down jackets to help you understand which one would be right for your needs. I love high fill power down because of its great packability/warmth ratio. In other words, the best down jackets squish down well but loft up even better.

3. Design details

Sometimes it pays to be fussy. Here are three design details you might not have thought of.

Cuff comfort – Sounds strange I know but if you’re wearing a jacket all day (and sometimes all night) it needs to be comfortable. My first down jacket had a soft edge stitched over the cuff, which meant it didn’t irritate me, even when I wore it underneath a waterproof. My new one scores in other ways, especially warmth, but doesn’t have the soft cuff fabric and isn’t as comfortable on my wrists.

Double zips – Call me fussy, but I prefer a jacket not to ride up when I sit down. The best way to achieve this is to choose a jacket with a double zip, which can be unzipped from the bottom leaving your back still covered by lovely warm down. This becomes super important when you’re sitting round a campfire on a chilly night but the double zip feature is harder to find on down jackets than it is on waterproof ones.

Zip pockets – Have you ever dropped your phone down the loo? I have more than once. It’s an expensive habit and I now prefer all my clothes to have at least one zip pocket that’s big enough for my phone (and any future phones). I also have a pocket-checking routine I use whenever I enter any bathroom.

4. Size

Big bottomed girls might rock the world but their jackets still need to fit.

Finding a well-fitting down jacket matters for two reasons. Firstly, you need a reasonable amount of contact with your torso to maximise the jacket’s warmth factor and secondly, on cold, wet days, you need to be able to wear your down jacket underneath a waterproof coat. If you’re a curvy shape or plus size, it can be difficult to find a down jacket that covers your bottom without being too baggy elsewhere, but such things do exist. Check out Vampire Outdoors and Everybody Outdoors for plus size ideas, advice and reviews.

5. Non-hydrophobic down

Water off a duck’s back? Hydrophobic down is clever but there are issues.

If you’re a duck, your down feathers will be coated in oils that keep it naturally hydrophobic. If you’re not, you won’t like the smell of these oils over time, which is why down is cleaned before it’s put into jackets. This cleaning creates a problem; if you get a down jacket properly wet, the down will clump together, losing its loft and its ability to insulate you. I can tell you from experience though that a decent waterproof coat will keep a down jacket dry and that a dampish down jacket can still keep you warm.

Hydrophobic down is treated with chemicals to give it more resistance to water but those chemicals are not natural or environmentally friendly.

My new jacket does use hydrophobic down because many now do. It also has an impressively water resistant outer but I still won’t be wearing it on its own in the rain. To my mind it’s better to be organised with my jacket systems than add chemicals that aren’t really going to make that much difference.

6. Ethically responsible down

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, there are some fantastic synthetic insulation options out there.

The story of a down jacket isn’t necessarily a fluffy one. Wearing a down jacket is a bit like eating a chicken, something not so nice has to happen before you can do it. But just like with chickens, there are ethical down producers and there are those who don’t care about the welfare of their animals.

The RDS (Responsible Down Standard) is a voluntary standard that is used both to encourage kinder animal practices and give better consumer information. Down that is produced under this standard will not have involved forced feeding or live plucking. Down that isn’t may be less kind.

Check out a brand’s sustainability pages if you can’t find the information you’re looking for. If sustainability is important to you, some brands offer down jackets that also use recycled down.

So should I buy the cheapest down jacket?

If you can find the best down jacket for you at a budget price then I would say, ‘Yes! Definitely buy it.’ You have some pointers above to help you make a good choice but you also need to think about other details such as water resistant outers, baffles and pack size. Good quality down jackets can be expensive but there are also some examples to suit the smaller budget. To help get you thinking, I’ve picked out down jackets in four different price brackets below but don’t choose before reading the details and thinking about which activities you’re likely to be using the jacket for.

1. Decathlon Forclaz Women’s Mountain Trekking Hooded Down Jacket £39.99 (800 fill power, RDS Certified feather & down, fill weight not given)
2. RAB Women’s Microlight Down Jacket £190 (700 fill power, hydrophobic recycled down, fill weight 130g size 12)
3. Adidas Women’s Terrex Xperior Climawarm+ Down Hooded Jacket £220 (700 fill power, hydrophobic down, fill weight not given)
4. Mountain Equipment Paiyu Women’s Jacket £300 (700 fill power, traceable RDS certified duck down, fill weight 269g size 12)