10 Best Packable Down Jackets in 2021

Last updated 04. January 2021

Finding the best packable down jacket can completely change your winter. Why? Because a packable down jacket is extremely light, so it isn’t inhibiting to your mobility while wearing it, and it is also very warm too, which means you can go skiing, play golf, or spend the whole day wearing it and you won’t get cold.

Another great feature of packable down jackets is that they can be folded into a compact size and then stowed in a carry pouch or carry bag. You can then keep this pouch in your suitcase or backpack without it taking up hardly any room at all.

There are so many packable down jackets on the market that it can be confusing to know which is the best packable down jacket for you, so read this list of the ten best, and then the buyers guide so you can make the right choice:

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1. Amazon Essentials Men’s Lightweight

Amazon Essentials Men's Lightweight Water-Resistant Puffer

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The Amazon Essentials series is great for offering affordable, high-quality products, and this washable, packable down jacket is a perfect example of this price and quality combination. It is very lightweight, so it won’t weigh down your hiking pack, and it is also warm too, which is thanks to the 100% polyester filling.

The shell is made from nylon and looks great. The stylish look is set off by the stand-up collar. It has a full zip through the middle, and the pockets are also zippered too. It has elasticated cuffs, which should help to keep any cold air creeping up the sleeves.

Pros:
+ Affordable price
+ Lightweight
+ Warm, polyester fill
+ Zippered pockets
+ Stand-up collar

Why We Liked It – It’s a great packable down jacket that comes at an affordable price, and as with all Amazon products, you’ll have it with you in no time at all after ordering.


2. Tommy Hilfiger Men’s Packable

Tommy Hilfiger Men's Packable Down Jacket

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Since Tommy Hilfiger set up his eponymous company back in 1985, it has been producing fashionable clothes, which also remain practical. This is the best packable down jacket that they make. It has an excellent polyamide shell that looks great. And inside you’ve got outstanding warmth thanks to the filling, which is a combination of 90% duck down, and also 10% feathers.

It comes with a bag for stowing it inside, which makes it even easier to pack. It has elasticated cuffs and a full zip down the middle. If you’re wanting a great looking packable down jacket, then this is the one for you.

Pros:
+ Very stylish
+ Extremely light
+ Outstanding warmth thanks to duck down and feather filling
+ Stowable bag
+ Elasticated cuffs

Why We Liked It – Like all Tommy Hilfiger clothes, it looks great, but the stowable bag makes it an excellent packable down jacket.


3. Wantdo Women’s Hooded

Wantdo Women's Hooded Packable Ultra Light

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The best packable jacket is always warm, lightweight, and easy to pack in your camping backpack, and this jacket for women is exactly that. It comes with a pouch for you to pack your jacket into. The insulation is provided by the 90% white duck down that it is filled with. The lightness of it is startling, as it only weighs between 220 and 320 grams, depending on the size you choose.

One of the reasons for the lightness is the 100% nylon the shell is made from. The shell has also been treated so that it is water repellent. And the coat has been designed to protect you against the wind too.

Pros:
+ Water repellent
+ Only weighs between 220 and 320 grams
+ Very warm
+ Wind protection
+ Includes pouch for stowing it inside

Why We Liked It – It’s really light, which is exactly what the best packable jacket should be, but the white duck down insulates it well too and makes it a warm coat to wear.


4. Wantdo Women’s Lightweight Packable

Wantdo Women's Lightweight Packable Down

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This is a beautiful down jacket. But besides looking great, it is very functional and has been designed to include numerous pockets, including a chest pocket and an inner pocket, as well as the standard two zippered pockets on the body, which are both incredibly deep.

Another nifty feature of this packable down coat is the that the inner pocket has a media port as part of it so that you can keep your smartphone in it and easily thread through your headphones cable. The attached hood will protect you from the wind and rain too, and you can always opt for a larger size if you want to fit a sweater or a fleece jacket underneath for colder days.

Pros:
+ Windproof
+ Water repellent
+ Media port
+ Multiple, deep pockets
+ Slim design

Why We Liked It – All the pockets on this coat make it stand out, and the media port makes it perfect for you if you like to go out-and-about while listening to music.


5. Amazon Essentials Men’s Lightweight

Amazon Essentials Men's Lightweight Water-Resistant Down

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If you’re searching for an affordable, water-resistant jacket for the cold, then this might be the best packable down jacket for you. It’s a very durable jacket that won’t get ripped or damaged easily, which you might worry about because of the excellent, low price. It is also very warm, even if you’re in freezing temperatures.

That’s because it has a 90% duck down and 10% feathers filling, which is also ideal if you prefer natural fillings to synthetic ones, which the previous Amazon Essentials packable down jacket on the list was. It can be packed into the carry bag that has a drawstring too.

Pros:
+ Great value-for-money
+ Perfect for freezing temperatures
+ Natural fibers for filling
+ Water-resistant
+ Includes a stowable bag

Why We Liked It – This packable down jacket has all the benefits of more expensive jackets but won’t require you to shell out all your savings to purchase it.


6. Columbia Mighty Lite Hooded Jacket

Columbia Mighty Lite Hooded Jacket

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If you were only to look at this jacket, then you would find it hard to believe that such a thin, lightweight jacket could be so warm, but Columbia’s Omni-heat thermal reflective heating lining means that you could easily wear this packable down jacket for skiing holidays and never get cold.

It is a feminine jacket, which is evident from the sleek design and the long silhouette that it offers. It has a hood, which is necessary for the cold, and another great feature is the cuffs, which have thumb holes in them, which is handy if you happen to forget your gloves, and give you added protection against the wind.

Pros:
+ Thumbholes in cuffs
+ Omni-heat lining
+ Hooded
+ Very feminine looking
+ Perfect for skiing

Why We Liked It – It offers great mobility thanks to its lightness, but it is also incredibly warm, and it is the best packable down jacket for women to wear while skiing.


7. Rokka&Rolla Boys’ Ultra Lightweight

Rokka&Rolla Boys' Ultra Lightweight Hooded Packable

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This packable down jacket is targeted at boys. And every boy would be glad for such a warm jacket when it comes to winter and they want to play outside. That warmth comes from a duck down and feather filling. But it is also quilted, which helps with trapping heat and provides added warmth.

It also has elastic cuffs that have thumb holes in them, which allows a boy to have their hands and fingers free but offers added warmth because it blocks any cold getting up the sleeves. It also has an on-seam zipper that will also stop any cold air penetrating the jacket.

Pros:
+ Ideal for boys
+ Quilted design for added warmth
+ Elastic cuffs with thumb holes
+ High-quality, durable materials
+ Lightweight

Why We Liked It – It’s the best packable down jacket that a boy could wish for as it will both keep them warm and the premium materials shouldn’t rip easily when snagged.


8. ZSHOW Men’s Winter Hooded Packable

ZSHOW Men's Winter Hooded Packable Down Jacket

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This packable down jacket for men offers excellent warmth retention due to the skin-friendly material that it is constructed from. If you are expecting to be dealing with the wind as well as cold, then this jacket is ideal, as it is windproof. And the hood will also keep your head warmer and protected from the wind in the winter too.

There’s ample space to store your belongings as there are four pockets inside the jacket. It comes with a pouch for you to pack the down jacket into, and the pouch will be the same color as the coat you have purchased. It comes in four different colors.

Pros:
+ Warm hood
+ Four color options
+ Windproof
+ Four pockets
+ Very durable material

Why We Liked It – It could be the very best packable down jacket in terms of warmth retention, which is created due to the skin-friendly material that it is constructed out of.


9. XPOSURZONE Women Packable

XPOSURZONE Women Packable Down Quilted

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This packable down jacket features a diamond quilting system which makes it look different to a standard quilted down jacket. Besides the shell – made from 70% nylon – looking very good, it also is water-resistant. The quilted design also helps with the packability of the jacket as it reduces its size, making it easier to fit in the pouch that comes with it.

The high collar will also keep you protected from the wind. The hem is elasticated which offers you even more protection against the wind and the cold. Its lightness makes it ideal for sports too.

Pros:
+ Diamond quilted design
+ Suited to sports
+ Very light
+ High collar
+ Stylish

Why We Liked It – It’s light to wear, offers supreme protection against all the elements you might encounter in winter, and it looks great too.


10. Amazon Essentials Women’s Lightweight

Amazon Essentials Women's Lightweight Water-Resistant

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This packable down jacket from Amazon Essentials has been designed specifically for women. To achieve this, they have used contoured seams, which then offers a better, figure-hugging fit. So, if you’re looking for a flattering winter down jacket, then this might be the one for you.

Of course, you get all the great features of a quality winter coat too, which means excellent warmth – offered by the 90% duck down and 10% feathers filling – and also water resistance. Like the other two Amazon Essentials packable down jackets on the list, it comes with a carry bag that the jacket can be easily packed into.

Pros:
+ Flattering design
+ Water-resistant
+ Includes carry pouch
+ Machine washable
+ Duck down filling

Why We Liked It – It’s an affordable, packable down jacket that looks great, and will offer you a flattering fit, regardless of your body shape.


Packable Down Jacket Buyers Guide

To make sure that you choose the best packable down jacket to keep you warm, dry, and comfortable throughout the coldest months, then consider this buyers’ guide and breakdown, which will tell you the most important features that you should look for when selecting your next packable down coat.

Warmth

To ensure that you choose the best packable down jacket, then you should check the quality of the down that is used. Ideally, a high-quality, white duck down should give you a lot of warmth, but it will usually be mixed with feathers. If you want supreme warmth then look for a packable down jacket that has at the very least 90% duck down in it, but preferably 100%.

The quilting of the jacket will also enhance the warmth, as it offers better retention of the heat, so if you want added warmth then choose a packable down jacket that is quilted.

You might also want to find a jacket that has more advanced technology for providing warmth, as exemplified by Columbia’s Omni-heat technology, which basically works through small, aluminum dots inside the jacket that they reflect the heat back onto the wearer of the jacket. So the heat that you radiate doesn’t escape the jacket, but it is instead sent back to you, meaning that you become even warmer.

Packability

All packable down jackets should be packable, of course, but how compact that the jacket can become will depend on each individual jacket. As most packable jackets come with a carry bag or carry pouch, then you should try to find out what size the bag or pouch is, as then this will tell you how small the jacket can become.

If there is no bag or pouch, then you are unlikely going to be able to pack the jacket into a very small size, which should be considered if you’re planning on keeping your packable down jacket in your rucksack or putting it inside your carry on.

Windproof

There are a number of elements of a packable down jacket that will make it windproof.

The first is an elasticated hem, which will tightly hug your body, and this will then form a seal that can stop from any draft or cold air coming under the jacket.

The second is an elasticated cuff. Often the best elasticated cuffs will also have a hole for you to slip your thumb through, which not only means that no air will get down the sleeve, but it will also provide your hands with added warmth, as well as leaving your fingers and thumb free, which isn’t the case with gloves.

The third element of a packable down jacket that will guard you against the wind is a hood or, in absence of a hood, then a high collar. A hood will give you far better windproofing, but it is more restrictive than a high collar. If you like both collars and hoods, then the best packable down jacket for you will feature a removable hood, so you can get the best of both worlds.

Water Repellent

The shell of the coat should have been treated so that it repels water. It is uncommon to find a packable down jacket that is completely waterproof, but finding one that repels water is important, just in case the rain or snow starts to fall before you have a chance to find shelter.

Can you wear packable down jackets for skiing?

Yes, you can. The beauty of a packable down jacket is that you get outstanding warmth from a very lightweight coat, and that means your arms are far more mobile. Not only can you wear a packable down jacket for skiing, but for a lot of outdoor sports that you might do in the cold, such as golf or hiking.

Expert Tip

If you are a woman, then make sure that you choose a packable down jacket that has a sleek design and contoured seams, so that you get a more flattering fit.

Did you know?

The famous Russian hat that you’ve seen countless times is called an Ushanka. If you’re considering going somewhere extremely cold, then perhaps an Ushanka might complete your packable down jacket outfit.

Conclusion

The best packable down jacket is lightweight, has a duck down filling, and it will also be both glasses of water-resistant and windproof. You also want to make sure the shell is made from durable, hard-wearing material so that it doesn’t rip each time it snags.

And make sure you buy a packable down jacket that comes with a carry bag or pouch, as it’s convenient and will make it easier to pack your carry bag in a suitcase or backpack.

Amazon Recommends:

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Amazon Essentials Men's Packable Lightweight Water-Resistant Puffer...
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