The 6 Best Insulated Hiking Jackets of Winter 2020
Stay warm and cozy with these perfect puffies and fleeces.
Insulated Jackets Reviews
Stay warm in the coldest, dampest, windiest conditions with expert advice from Backpacker’s insulated jacket gear reviews.
Deal of the Week: REI Co-op Kids' Traildreamer Insulated Jacket
This puffy will keep your little one toasty on the trail this winter.
Latest in Insulated Jackets Reviews
Mountain Equipment Xeros Jacket
Best-fitting women's insulated jacket
Sierra Designs Borrego Hybrid Jacket
Most breathable insulated jacket
Patagonia DAS Light Hoody
Best insulated jacket for weatherproofing
Montane Prism Ultra Pull-On
Lightest insulated jacket
Mammut Eigerjoch Pro IN Hooded Jacket
Warmest insulated jacket
The North Face Summit L3 50/50 Down Hoody
Editors' Choice Fall 2020 Winner: Breathable Puffy
Deal of the Week: Mountain Hardwear Super/DS Climb Down Hoody
Save on this warm, stretchy puffy.
The 6 Best Packable Puffies for Weightless Warmth
Banish worries about pack space and morning shivers on your next cool-weather trip with these lightweight insulated jackets.
Decathlon Trek 100 Down Hiking Jacket
Most affordable lightweight puffy
Black Diamond Approach Down
Most comfortable lightweight puffy
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer/2 Down Hoody
Most versatile lightweight puffy
Mammut Broad Peak Light IN Jacket
Most packable puffy
Western Mountaineering QuickFlash Jacket
Most durable lightweight puffy
Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka
Best all-around light insulated jacket
What Our Members Are Testing Now: Dark Peak NESSH Lightweight Down Jacket
This puffy excelled as an insulating layer during winter on the Great Plains.
What We’re Testing Now: Arc’teryx Atom LT Hoody
This breathable midlayer is a jacket for all seasons.
Deal of the Week: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer/2 Down Hoody
Save big on one of our favorite puffies.
The North Face Summit L3 Down Hoodie
Heat-hoarding jacket
Deal of the Week: Sierra Designs Tuolumne Sweater
This versatile, comfortable jacket is on sale starting at 68% off.
Sierra Designs Cold Canyon Fleece
Best value insulated jacket
Ortovox Piz Palu
Most comfortable
Mountain Hardwear Phantom Hoody
Lightest jacket
Dynafit FT Insulation Jacket
Best warmth-to-weight
Black Diamond Vision Parka
Most durable puffy jacket
Rab Verglas
Best weatherproofing
Outdoor Research Refuge Air Hooded Jacket
Most versatile jacket
Marmot West Rib Parka
Warmest jacket
Deal of the Week: The North Face Ventrix Hoodie
Get ready for fall adventures with a deal on this versatile insulating layer
What We're Testing Now: Mountain Hardwear Phantom Hoody
One of our favorite puffies gets a durability upgrade.
10 Must-Have Items in Our Ski Touring Kit
From eye protection to bibs to energy chews, we reach for these products again and again.
Sneak Peak: Marmot West Rib Parka
We thought we had seen every possible way to package down. This coat proved us wrong.
Gear of the Week: Mountain Hardwear Super/DS Stretchdown Hooded Jacket
Abrasion-resistance, moisture management and natural stretch carries this puffy to a top level.
Sierra Designs Tuolumne
Best value
Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown DS Hooded Jacket
Most comfortable
Outdoor Research Alpenice Hooded Jacket
Most versatile
Helly Hansen Odin Veor Jacket
Best ventilation
Arc’teryx Alpha IS Jacket
Best for winter sieges
Patagonia Hyper Puff Hoody
Loftiest synthetic
Outdoor Research Uberlayer Hooded Jacket
You can put this insulated jacket on in the morning and wear it all day long.
Brooks-Range Hybrid Wool Jacket
This hybrid jacket is a warm-yet-breathable technical layer that looks good enough for a night out.
Craghoppers CompressLite Packaway Jacket
This bargain puffy is a screaming deal.
The North Face Summit L6 Jacket
The warmest midlayer we tested kept us toasty on seven trips up Mt. Rainier.
Columbia Decompression Jacket
This ultralight down jacket gives you maximum warmth with minimal weight and bulk.
Berghaus VapourLight Hydroloft Reversible Race Smock
This half-zip jacket is the lightest synthetic midlayer we’ve ever tried.
Millet Hybrid Langtang
This jacket packs a lot of warmth into a pint glass-size package.
Black Diamond Access LT Hybrid Hoodie
The Black Diamond Access LT Hybrid Hoodie, a super-breathable, water-resistant puffy, ideal for high-exertion climbs, is now available in a women's version.
2015 Editors' Choice: Outdoor Research Deviator Hoody
Better pick a color you like, because you’ll never take this jacket off.
The Best Insulated Jackets for Winter
Get warmth without looking like a marshmallow. We rounded up the 9 best best insulated jackets for winter.
Marmot Megawatt
The down/synthetic hybrid construction provides deep-freeze warmth without sacrificing breathability.
Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket
It takes the place of a windshirt, a soft-shell, and a light puffy.
Sierra Designs DriDown Baffled Parka
Fluffy and full-cut, it’s like an upper-body sleeping bag, ideal for camp lounging.
Mountain Hardwear Super Compressor
It’s the toastiest synthetic belay jacket we’ve ever tested.
Outdoor Research Super Layer
Highly breathable construction makes this light puffy ideal for working hard in cold conditions.
The North Face DNP Jacket
This ultralight, packable synthetic jacket has climber-approved freedom of movement.
Columbia Diamond 890 Turbodown Hooded
A unique construction boosts insulation without adding ounces.
Helly Hansen Warm Flow FZ Hoodie
This thin fleece/wool jacket shined in the world’s toughest alpine conditions.
Gear Review: Arc'teryx Cerium LT
A movement-friendly puffy synthetic jacket from Arc'teryx.
The North Face Diez Pullover
Get serious warmth for the weight
Gear Review: MontBell Frost Smoke Jacket
An 850-fill jacket that packs down tiny!
Gear Bargain Hunting: Fleece
Check out Kristin Hostetter's author page.