Backpacker Magazine – Online Exclusive

Apparel Guide: Jackets and Insulation Essentials

Stay warm with the Arc'teryx Kappa SV Hoody, Marmot Torrid, REI Ladro Hoodie, and Solstice Cool Ruler.

by: Annette McGivney

REI Ladro Hoodie
Women testers found this highly packable, lightweight fleece jacket the perfect take anywhere layer, whether it was on a day-hike in Arizona's Kachina Peaks Wilderness or a week-long backpacking trip in Utah's Grand Gulch. Made from Polartec Wind Pro hardface fleece, the Ladro sheds wind and light rain with its smooth exterior but the brushed interior insulates and feels like velvet against the skin. Testers reported staying warm when wearing the Ladro over a baselayer on mountain hikes in 40-degree F temps with icy winds gusting at 30 miles per hour. But they also said the jacket was breathable when humping a pack uphill. A snug-fitting hood with tall collar adds warmth and protects the chin, neck and head from chilly breezes. Fleece lined hand warmer pockets and a bottom drawcord hem boost the cozy factor. Flat lock stitching on shoulder seams prevent chafing under a pack and thumb loops keep the sleeves in place. The Ladro's smooth exterior along with a trim cut through the sleeves and torso make the jacket easy to layer under a shell.
$99; women's XS-XL; 17 oz. (w's M). (800) 426-4840; rei.com.

(Courtesy Photo)

Solstice Cool Ruler
After a winter of hard labor hiking, skiing and climbing in the Colorado Rockies, the Cool Ruler emerged a favorite among a dozen insulated jackets tested for its durability and high warmth to weight ratio. The hooded Primaloft puffy was comfortably layered under a shell during below freezing temps and worked well as an in-camp parka when conditions hovered just above freezing. Testers reported the fit was "fantastic" with tapered sleeves that allowed for layering but were not bulky and a snug fitting, cinchable hood that added significant warmth on cold nights in camp. A bottom hem draw cord also helped seal in warmth. Despite being repeatedly stuffed into a tiny wad at the bottom of a pack, the Cool Ruler's insulation stayed in like-new condition during five months of hard use. The 30-denier polyester rip-stop shell fabric also held up to bushwacking and abrasion against rocks but it did suffer a few pin-prick size holes, not surprisingly, from wayward campfire cinders.
$149; men's S-XXL; 1 lb. 4 oz. (m's L). (800) 878-5733; solsticeoutdoor.com.

Subscribe to Backpacker magazine
Sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter