Puffy Time!

Eight fluffy jackets for cold-weather pursuits

There's nothing better than feeling that first crispy bite of the cold season: Temps drop to the perfect sending range and tourists go back to their day jobs, meaning more routes for the rest of us. From the chill of fall through the frigidness of winter, while belaying at a windy crag or rappelling off a tall multipitch, proper insulation is key. Most of these puffies are best suited for rock climbing belays and frosty campsites, but several pieces would also work well for mountaineering and ice climbing. Twenty-five new-for-fall 2011 jackets went through our testers to reveal the best of the best in two categories: midlayers and belay parkas. Here are the eight that came out on top.

Midlayers

Simply Warm
STOIC HADRON
This 850-fill down pullover shined for being extremely simple and light, but still managed to keep our tester warm throughout fall in Colorado, including retrieving a cache at the Diamond in Rocky Mountain National Park in 30° temps. It’s a slim-profile jacket: great as a midlayer in combination with a shell. The elastic sleeve cuffs were a great touch (Stoic calls them “wrist gaiters”); our tester liked how these kept the sleeves back from your hands for climbing. “When you want to sink a hand jam,” he said,” this would certainly translate to better durability as well.” The stripped-down style (no hood, one large front kangaroo pocket, half buttons instead of zip) made this jacket highly packable and very light (8 oz.), as well as inexpensive. Plus, it was easy to get on and off, a problem with some pullovers. Available in men’s and women’s.

• $179

Testers’ Favorite
FEATHERED FRIENDS DAYBREAK HOODY
Three testers gave this jacket top marks for everything from weight (8.6 oz.) to warmth, saying, “It is extremely light—it just seems to float around you,” and “I was instantly warm when I put it on.” Perfect for moderate winter and fall conditions (it was worn in temps from 30°F to 60°F with complete comfort), this 900-fill down jacket would also stack up as a great midlayer thanks to a thinner profile. Plus, it’s not so puffy or techy that you stick out as “that” guy in a bar. Fit was versatile, too. Our short-torsoed, 6’1” male tester was happy with the fit, a common problem area for him, while our longtorsoed 5’5” female tester lauded the fit as well. “This jacket is a good length for me, and the sleeves are perfect,” she said. A deep and elastic-lined hood and unlined pockets made this jacket rise to the top for one tester. Even after constant smushing into a climbing pack and an initial washing, the Daybreak fully lofted back and kept all the down in its original place for a smooth, even texture. A sticky zipper for all testers was the one caveat, but it managed to hold up throughout testing. Men’s and women’s.

• $249
• featheredfriends.com
• Excellent warmth-to-weight ratio
• Good fit for a variety of body types