Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Compressor PL Puffy Down Jacket
This midweight synthetic packs small and repels light rain and snow.
Best Midweight Synthetic
“Ideal for crummy shoulder-season weather,” said our tester after 15 days of hard use in Olympic National Park. The DWR-coated ripstop nylon repelled light rain and wet snow, and the Primaloft One insulation dried quickly.
The fit is almost ideal–perfect volume-wise for layering over or under–but testers wished for a slightly longer cut to protect hips from drafts. Warmth is perfect for camp lounging down to freezing temps. One tester summed it up: “For most of the year, down doesn’t make sense in the Northwest, so this bocce ball-size jacket has a permanent place in my pack.” $170; 15 oz.; men’s S-XXL; women’s XS-XL; mountainhardwear.com.