Best packable down jackets
Packable and warm pull in opposite directions. OutdoorGearLab scores both, which shows exactly what you give up for a jacket that fits in a pocket.
4 products ranked Updated
Our rankings are built from published testing by named outlets, not from our own lab. We earn a commission when you buy through our links, and it never changes the order.
The short answer
- 1 Eddie Bauer CirrusLite Down Hooded Jacket Best packable jacket for most people $149.00
- 2 Decathlon Simond MT100 Hooded Down Puffer Cheapest good one $80.00 (list $119)
- 3 Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hoody Lightest that is still practical $399.00
- 4 REI Co-op Magma 850 Down Hoodie Warmest that still packs well $259 list, per OutdoorGearLab
Prices checked 14 September 2026. They move constantly — the retailer's own page is the authority.
Eddie Bauer CirrusLite Down Hooded Jacket
4 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 73/100, packability 8/10, and their Budget Friendly Lightweight Warmth award , 2026
Packs down among the smallest in the test and is one of the most comfortable, for $149. OutdoorGearLab's reviewer layered it over or under other jackets as the weather changed, which is the right way to think about it: a travel and shoulder-season layer, not a winter coat. It is lightly built, so treat it gently.
Pros
- Packability 8/10
- Very comfortable
- $149
Cons
- Warmth 6.6/10, not for real winter on its own
- Not very durable
- Little adjustment
- Fill
- 650-fill-power down
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 73/100; packability 8.0, warmth 6.6, comfort 8.3; 650-fill down; one of the lightest and most packable they have worn; a tester favourite for comfort
- OutdoorGearLab: not a standalone winter jacket; less durable; minimal adjustability; StormRepel DWR not listed as PFAS-free
Decathlon Simond MT100 Hooded Down Puffer
3.5 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 68/100, packability 7.5/10, named one of their favourite high-value jackets , 2026
About the same packability and warmth as the Eddie Bauer at nearly half the price while Decathlon's sale runs. OutdoorGearLab calls it just warm enough for mild winters and very comfortable. It is a simple jacket with few features, and at $80 that is the right trade.
Pros
- Packability 7.5/10
- $80 on sale
- Comfortable
Cons
- Warmth 6.0/10
- Few features
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 68/100; packability 7.5, warmth 6.0; lightweight and just warm enough for mild winter climates; highly packable and very comfortable; a fraction of the price of similar jackets
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hoody
4 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 70/100, packability 9/10, and their Best for Ultralight Adventures , 2026
Nine ounces, and it disappears into its own pocket: packability 9 out of 10. OutdoorGearLab prefers it to the only lighter jacket in the test because it is more practical. What $399 buys is weight saved, not warmth, which scores the same as the $80 Decathlon. Worth it for backpackers counting grams, hard to justify for travel.
Pros
- About 9 oz, packability 9/10
- Packs into its own pocket
Cons
- $399 for the warmth of an $80 jacket
- No hood adjustment, two pockets
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 70/100; packability 9.0, warmth 6.0; about 9 oz in a men's medium; 800-fill down; packs into its own pocket; their go-to for backpacking and alpine climbing
- OutdoorGearLab: expensive; two pockets and no hood adjustment; the Black Diamond Deploy is about 2.5 oz lighter but costs much more
REI Co-op Magma 850 Down Hoodie
4 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 78/100, warmth 8.5 and packability 6/10, and their Best Value Upgrade , 2026
The jacket for someone who wants packable and properly warm: warmth 8.5, well above every other pick here, while still compressing reasonably. Its 850-fill down is what makes that possible. It will not fold into a pocket the way the Ghost Whisperer does. No photograph and a quoted price: REI's store refuses our requests, so the link is a search.
Pros
- Warmth 8.5/10, the warmest pick here
- 850-fill down with water-repellent treatment
Cons
- Packability only 6/10
- No photograph or verified price
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 78/100; warmth 8.5, packability 6.0, comfort 8.0; 850-fill goose down with water-repellent treatment; great warmth for its weight
- OutdoorGearLab: not warm enough for extreme cold; every tester loved wearing it
The trade-off, in numbers
OutdoorGearLab scores packability and warmth separately, and across 23 jackets they move in opposite directions. The most packable jacket in the test scored 10 for packing and 6 for warmth. The warmest scored 9.8 for warmth and 5 for packing. Decide which matters more before you buy.
What actually matters
Fill power. Higher numbers, 800 or 850, mean the same warmth from less down, so the jacket packs smaller. Lower numbers, 650, are cheaper and bulkier for the warmth.
How much down, which fill power does not tell you. Two 800-fill jackets can differ greatly in warmth.
Where you will wear it. A packable jacket is a layer for travel, cool evenings and under a shell. For standing at a bus stop in January, you want more down than any of these contain.
Damp. Down loses warmth when wet. A water-repellent shell and treated down help in drizzle, not in rain.
Where this comes from
We do not test jackets. Our source bought and wore 23 down jackets for months, and publishes separate scores for warmth and packability, which are the numbers quoted on each pick.
What we are leaving out
Heavy winter parkas, which our winter coat guide covers, and synthetic insulated jackets.
Where this comes from
We did not test these. These people did.
Every score on this page rests on the testing below. The ranking is ours; the measurements are not. How we research.
- OutdoorGearLab — 23 men's down jackets bought and worn for months, commuting and thru-hiking, scored separately on warmth, comfort, packability and weather resistance. Updated June 2026.
Questions people ask
Does keeping a down jacket compressed damage it?
Can I wash a down jacket?
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