Our Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody Review features one of the highest-performing synthetic jackets we’ve ever evaluated. It’s performance- and feature-to-weight ratio is extremely high and should be a top pick considered for ultralight backpacking.
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The Nunatak Skaha Apex is our highest rated windproof synthetic insulated jacket. Even though the jacket costs less than its closest competitors, it is custom-made in Utah. We highly recommend the Skaha Apex to anyone who wants the either the best fitting jacket or the highest warmth to weight ratio.
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The Patagonia DAS is our highest rated synthetic insulated winter-weight parka. Frequent revisions have created a stunningly effective jacket for expeditions that cross multiple climates and for overnight alpine climbs and backcountry trips where a wet down parka would force you to bail, or worse.  Despite a suite of expedition features, the premium insulation and light fabrics keep the DAS lightweight at only 22 oz. in men’s medium. This parka performs so well and is offered at such a reasonable price that we feel it’s the only warm synthetic insulated parka worth buying.
Patagonia discontinued the DAS parka in 2017. They worked with a supplier to develop a new proprietary insulation, HyperDAS, that is warmer for its weight and more durable than the two Primaloft insulations used in the DAS parka. The new jacket is called the HyperPuff.
We chose not to test the HyperPuff because three believable people (Colin Haley, Patagonia Ambassador; Casey Shaw, manager of advanced research and development; and Walker Furgeson, field testing manager) told us that the old DAS has (had) a higher warmth to weight ratio than the HyperPuff. The HyperPuff, however is more durable than the DAS. What happened was: a variety of small tweaks to the insulation, fabrics, and construction resulted in a jacket that was heavier than the prototypes. Colin still has a prototype and loves it.
That said, the HyperPuff continues to evolve and in its current (2018) iteration, its weight is now less than 19 oz and is lighter than the original DAS. Unfortunately, this version of the HyperPuff was not yet available when this review was conducted.
As we describe in our original DAS review below, we have found very few occasions to own a traditional synthetic insulated parka that weighs more than a pound. In most cases, a superior combination is an active insulation jacket paired with a lightweight windproof synthetic insulated jacket. (Our two highest rated active insulation jackets are the Patagonia Nano Air Light (for when every ounce counts) and the Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody (more versatile and more durable).)
If you’re interested in a toasty warm synthetic insulated parka with the highest warmth to weight ratio, we recommend the Nunatak Skaha Apex with 5.0 oz/yd (142g/m) insulation, and if you’re looking to save as much weight as possible while retaining a fully featured jacket with a full zipper, large handwarmer pockets, and large interior stash pockets, consider the Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody.
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The Patagonia DAS is our highest rated synthetic insulated parka. Frequent revisions have created a stunningly effective jacket for expeditions that cross multiple climates and for overnight alpine climbs and backcountry trips where a wet down parka would force you to bail, or worse.  Despite a suite of expedition features, the premium insulation and light fabrics keep the DAS lightweight at only 22 oz. in men’s medium. This parka performs so well and is offered at such a reasonable price that we feel it’s the only highly-insulated synthetic parka worth buying.
As we describe in detail below, synthetic insulated parkas (as opposed to less-insulated hooded jackets more suitable for layering or temperate weather) are only ideal for a small portion of winter activities. For the vast majority of multi-day trips, and almost all day trips, a down parka offers superior performance and is a better long-term value. However, if you do a lot of expeditions and/or committing alpine routes, we highly recommend the DAS.
The only synthetic parka we know of that’s better than the DAS is the $625 Arcteryx Dually Belay Parka, which is warmer and more durable (due to its 100% continuous filament insulation that’s laminated to the face fabric for added stability). Max used the Dually in 2014 and 2015. He also met with its designers and toured Arcteryx’s North Vancouver factory, where the parka is made. As much as we respect the Dually, we excluded it from this comparative evaluation because we feel its increased performance is not commensurate with the 2x+ price compared to the DAS!
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Luc used the DAS for a 150-mile ski and skate trip and a month-long ski mountaineering trip. After we finished testing, he bought a DAS for his annual Alaska ski mountaineering expeditions that dip from wet valleys to frigid, high elevation peaks. Max has used several versions of the DAS in the past. He took this version on a two-week climb-ski-packraft trip and for a handful of climbing and skiing day trips.
You can’t go wrong with a synthetic parka, but using it as your primary parka will cost a lot more than owning both down and synthetic and using the synthetic only when needed.
The three most important factors to consider when choosing between a down and synthetic parka are: humidity, trip duration, and sleep setup. Down parkas are best for nearly all day trips because they’re more durable and can dry out at night. Increasing trip duration and humidity increases the probability of needing synthetic insulation. Similarly, sleeping in a confined, poorly ventilated bivy tent for five days or making an unplanned, exposed bivy might warrant synthetic insulation. Expeditions that cross multiple climates, i.e. travel through rainy valleys and up to frigid, high peaks are one of the few times when a synthetic parka is definitely the best choice.
Patagonia built the DAS as a belay parka. However, both Max and his friend Chris (Chris previously led synthetic parka testing for another outdoor media publisher), both moderately experienced alpinists, almost never use a synthetic parka for technical climbing. Why not? Because down performs better for the vast majority of routes.
We see a lot of climbers and mountaineers wearing synthetic parkas when they’d be better served by the long-term value of a down insulation. For most climbers, we don’t think it’s worth buying a synthetic parka. The nature of climbing has changed significantly over the past couple of decades such that the probability of a parka becoming harmfully wet is vastly less. This is due to much lighter gear, heaps of pre-climb information, lightweight satellite communication devices, and better access. In most cases and places, people wait for a weather window and launch with a down parka.
We asked Colin Haley, a Patagonia Ambassador and cutting-edge alpinist, when he uses a synthetic parka. He said,
Whether I bring a down parka or a synthetic parka is dependent mostly on climate. Some places are simply much more humid than others. For example, March in the Cascades is much more humid than October in Nepal, so I’m more likely to carry a synthetic parka. Sometimes there can be a noticeable climatic difference across a very small distance. For example, in Patagonia, I always use synthetic parkas when climbing on the Torres (which are right against the South Patagonian Icecap) and down parkas when climbing in the ChaltĂ©n (Fitz Roy) Group, which is only a few kilometers further east, but much drier.
The DAS works fine in high alpine environments, where precipitation comes only as snow, but our tests show that the higher warmth to weight ratio and vastly better long-term durability of down parkas makes them a smarter choice there. In addition to the good selection of more weather resistant down parkas (Rab Neutrino Endurance, Feathered Friends Volant, Western Mountaineering Snojack, Crux Magma, etc.), we’re seeing a trend toward increasing down parka water resistance. Patagonia’s Grade VII Parka has welded baffles in key areas and Arcteryx’s Firebee AR parka uses a fully seam-taped Gore Thermium (more water resistant than Windstopper) fabric. We recommend a down parka with a durable, water-resistant fabric for all day trips and most multi-day trips in winter.
Patagonia aced the warmth to weight balance in the DAS. It uses 4.23 oz. (120g) PrimaLoft Silver Hi-Loft insulation and has an additional layer of 2.12 oz. (60g) PrimaLoft Gold in the torso. This is a smart combination that provides both durability (due to the continuous filament Hi-Loft) and good performance when wet (according to Primaloft, Gold’s wet clo value is 0.9 oz/yd while Hi-Loft’s is 0.6 oz.yd). The tiny fibers of Primaloft Gold also give the parka a soft, smooth hand.
With very warm mid layers underneath, the DAS is warm enough for a late June or July ascent of Denali. Down parkas, of course, work better on that mountain but the point is: this parka is pretty darn warm. Luc and Sarah compared the DAS and Patagonia’s Fitz Roy (down parka) on a week-long Nordic skating trip in Alaska’s Yukon Delta and found the DAS to be warmer. (The Fitz Roy doesn’t have enough down in the arms). Max and Eric compared the DAS and the Feathered Friends Hooded Helios on a 13-day climbing-ski mountaineering-packrafting trip in the Alaska Range and also found the DAS to be warmer. (Even after being extended an inch in 2014, the Hooded Helios is significantly shorter than the DAS; lacks a waist drawcord and has no interior drop-in pockets). Thus, we’re confident the DAS is warmer than most 18 oz. (510.29 g) down parkas. It is not as warm as down parkas that weigh a bit more than the DAS; we’ve found the Feathered Friends Volant (through extensive use) and Western Mountaineering Snojack (through trying it on once) to be warmer. We also expect the forthcoming Firebee AR and Grade VII to be warmer than the DAS.
The Montane Spitfire One, which weighs a whopping 31.4 oz. (890.18 g), is the warmest synthetic parka we tested in this review series.
The DAS has a 1.2 oz. (34.02 g) 20-denier Pertex Endurance PU coated ripstop nylon shell. This is sufficient for resisting light moisture. Primarily because it keeps the parka in the appropriate weight class, we think it’s a great fabric choice.
The Arcteryx Nuclei AR and Kappa Hoody use seam-taped Gore Thermium fabrics that are significantly more water resistant, and also warmer because the fabric traps a lot of air. The Montbell Thermawrap Guide’s fabric is also more water resistant than the DAS. It would be amazing, and considerably more expensive if Patagonia built the DAS with a lightweight seam-taped Gore Thermium fabric.
The DAS is not intended to be highly breathable.
Patagonia sacrifices some durability by using a 60g layer of Primaloft Gold insulation over the 120g layer of Silver Hi-Loft. This very fine microfiber insulation makes the jacket feel soft to the touch, increases its warmth when wet, and slightly increases the overall warmth to weight ratio. Unfortunately, it also significantly decreases durability. Over the long-term, the DAS would retain more loft if it were made exclusively from a continuous filament insulation.
Previous versions of the DAS had extra tough fabric on the arms and shoulders. We’re glad Patagonia did away with this. Our testing shows that most synthetic insulations degrade faster than their enclosing fabrics when used for multi-day, frequent compression activities. Thus, there’s no need for a tough fabric on the DAS. (We do, however, prefer tougher fabrics on high wear areas of down parkas because their insulation lasts much longer.) If you rip the DAS fabric, just cover it with some repair tape. No big deal.
We give the DAS 10 out of 10 points here because Patagonia did a splendid job with all of its features. Unlike the Arcteryx Kappa, the chest pocket is well insulated. The handwarmer pockets are well-insulated. The interior drop-in pockets are huge and set high, so they don’t sag beyond the hem when loaded with goodies and are made of stretchy mesh that allows you to see what’s in them. The hood is big and provides a lot of coverage for the neck and chin. The length is long enough to cover your butt. The two-way zipper lets you unzip to better use a belay device. Fantastic work, Patagonia.
Note for people with excessively long arms: The DAS’ sleeves may not be long enough for you. Max (6’1” with a +2” ape index) found them about 2” too short. Consider sizing up or going with a different brand if your arms are longer than Max’s. (Max didn’t find the length to be problematic because glove and mitten gauntlets covered the small gap between the hand and the sleeve).
Our men’s medium weighs 22.0 oz. (623 g).  This is surprisingly light for how warm the parka is. The included stuff sack, which we rarely use, weighs 0.2 oz. (5.6 g).
At $300 retail, and available for 40% off at Patagonia’s bi-annual sales, the DAS is a very good value. It’s at least twice as warm as their $300 Nano Air Hoody.
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This review is part of a comprehensive State of the Market survey of synthetic insulated jackets that has been ongoing for the past two years. Included in this survey:
The manufacturer provided a sample of this product to the author with no agreement, requirement, or obligation for media coverage of any kind. Some links are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, Backpacking Light gets a small commission on the sale. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support Backpacking Light’s efforts to publish authoritative and valuable information about lightweight backpacking gear and techniques, inspiring stories and film festivals, and remain an active member of the outdoor industry to promote and protect opportunities for public outdoor recreation.
Our Montane Spitfire One Review determined that this is one of the best value, very warm synthetic insulated parka for wet conditions.
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Arcteryx Nuclei FL Jacket Review: one of the best lightweight windproof synthetic insulated jackets on the planet. It weighs a mere 9.9 ounces.
In this Arcteryx Nuclei FL Jacket Review, we highly recommend the Nuclei FL for wet weather backpacking and overnight alpine rock climbing when there’s a good chance the jacket will accidentally or unavoidably get wet.
This was our highest rated lightweight windproof synthetic insulated jacket in our Spring 2016 comparative tests. However, Arcteryx discontinued the Nuclei FL in 2017 and several other manufacturers have since released superior products. We left our original review unchanged below in case you find this jacket on sale.
This Arc’teryx Nuclei FL Jacket review features the best lightweight synthetic insulated jacket we’ve tested. It weighs a mere 9.9 oz. (281g) in men’s medium, packs down to the size of an orange, and has a suite of refined features that make it our top choice for backpacking and three-season climbing. It also works well as a mid layer in frigid temperatures. We much prefer the Nuclei FL to the Rab Xenon X, the longstanding champion in this class, because it’s 20% lighter, similarly warm, has an adjustable hood that’s more comfortable for use with and without a helmet, has higher handwarmer pockets that lie above a hipbelt, and the waist drawcord tucks up and away from a harness. The Nuclei FL is a shining example of minimalist design. It wins our highest recommendation for an all-purpose lightweight synthetic insulated jacket.
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The Nuclei FL has 2.82 oz.(80g) of Coreloft insulation in the body and 2.12 oz.(60g) in the side panels and sleeves. Most lightweight jackets, including the Xenon, use 60g insulation throughout. Though this might lead one to believe the Nuclei is wholly warmer than 60g jackets, we found the Xenon’s arms to be slightly warmer than the Nuclei’s. Overall, we rate these jackets equivalent in warmth.
Unfortunately, the industry lacks a standardized method for measuring CLO values and some manufacturers don’t release their internal test results. Thus, unlike down, we don’t have reliable lab data to evaluate insulation performance. In our field tests, we found Coreloft to be slightly less warm for its weight compared to Primaloft Gold. Perhaps by 10%?
The Nuclei FL’s fabric does not have a water resistant PU coating or membrane such as Gore Windstopper. As with all similar fabrics, water saturates it quickly once the DWR coating wears off. Unlike highly breathable synthetic insulated jackets, the Nuclei FL’s fabrics are windproof. Thus, the jacket is great for stop-and-go activities like hiking and climbing, where you carry a waterproof shell that can go over the jacket if necessary.
The Nuclei FL is only breathable enough for use as an active mid layer if it’s very cold. For example, Mark and Janelle Smiley used it as an outer layer and under a hardshell for their successful third attempt of Denali’s Cassin Ridge.
Mark speaks highly of the Nuclei FL: “We were sponsored by Rab in 2012 and the Xenon was my favorite piece of theirs. The Nuclei is so much better. It’s the piece I have on or in the pack year round.”
Janelle says, “It is perfect, I don’t own fleece anymore because of its warmth and versatility. I have not worn it while ski touring in the Tetons, just at breaks or on the descent, or when a storm rolls in. I did wear it a bunch on the Cassin and on Middle Triple, and almost the whole climb of the North Face of Edith Cavell in October, so it works great in cold climates.”
The Smiley’s experience also supports our finding that the Nuclei FL is best for active use in cold weather. In most cases, and with most bodies, active insulation jackets like the Patagonia Nano Air Hoody and Arc’teryx Proton LT Hoody perform better in winter and are more versatile as midlayers. Ultimately, it comes down to how much heat you generate (some people are a lot sweatier than others) and what you’re doing (walking fast on a trail generates less heat than climbing a vertical face).
This jacket uses an ultralight 10D fabric that is not as tough as the Rab Xenon X’s 20D fabric. This is a good thing. We strongly believe that a very light fabric is the best type for the amount of insulation in a lightweight jacket like this. Here’s why: In testing other similar jackets for the long-term, primarily the original Rab Xenon (10D Pertex Quantum GL fabric), we found that the insulation wore out faster than the fabric. If the Nuclei FL’s fabric tears, wipe the area with alcohol and stick on some Tyvek tape. No big deal.
We don’t know if the Nuclei’s Coreloft is more durable than Primaloft Gold. Thicker fibers usually last longer than superfine fibers. Coreloft combines 1 and 3 denier fibers and Primaloft Gold might combine 0.5 denier and 4 denier fibers. (Primaloft won’t disclose the exact fiber size. They say their fibers are typically about 98% smaller than the diameter of a human hair.) The reality is that all highly compressible short staple synthetic insulations breakdown quickly. Try to use a synthetic insulated jacket only when you actually need their moisture management properties.
A continuous filament insulation would be more durable than Coreloft. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, we don’t know of any lightweight windproof jackets with continuous filament insulation. Both ZPacks and As Tucas say they intend to make one in the future.
The Nuclei FL has a trim, athletic cut. The same size Rab Xenon X is boxy and bulky and is a better choice for wearing lots of layers underneath or perhaps for people with stockier builds (you could also size up with the Nuclei FL).
Arc’teryx did a fantastic job with the Nuclei FL’s features. In comparison to the Rab Xenon, the hood (adjustable with one cinch at the rear) is far more comfortable with or without a helmet, the handwarmer pockets are set above a pack’s hipbelt instead of low by the waist, the waist drawcord stows inside the jacket so you don’t accidentally clip it when climbing with a harness (instead of the Xenon’s two easily clippable drawcord loops). Though these are minor features, they add up to a significantly more comfortable jacket. The Xenon’s only comfort advantage is its exterior chest pocket, which we very much appreciate, but would not trade for the Nuclei’s features.
The Nuclei FL is the lightest and most compact synthetic insulated jacket we tested. It weighs 9.9 oz. on our scale. This is extremely light–20% lighter than the Rab Xenon and LLBean Primaloft Packaway.
The Nuclei FL stuffs into an included sack with a clippable loop. We prefer this to the pocket-turn-stuff sack that the Xenon and many other jackets use because the dedicated stuff sack is much smaller and takes up less room on your harness. We’ve also found that, unless you’re always patient and careful, the zippers on pocket stuff sacks can catch and tear fabrics.
At $239 retail, this is a good value if you do a lot of wet weather backpacking or overnight alpine rock climbing and highly value the 2.4 oz. weight savings compared to its closest competitors.
The $159, 12.3 oz., LLBean Primaloft Packaway Hooded Jacket is the best value lightweight synthetic insulated jacket we know of.
We’d be remiss to not mention that down jackets are a vastly superior long-term value because they’re warmer for their weight and are many times more durable.
Hiking: This is our favorite synthetic insulated jacket for mild to moderately wet backpacking in warmer temperatures, where we occasionally wear it under a rain jacket. For soaking wet and colder (less than 50F) conditions, a high-loft hooded fleece performs better because it’s warmer when wet, more breathable, more comfortable when soaked, and dries faster.
Climbing: The Nuclei FL excels at warmer weather alpine and big wall rock climbing when there’s a decent chance of precipitation or when precipitation would force you to bail if a down jacket got wet.
Aerobic activities: This jacket and those similar to it are a poor choice for most highly active pursuits because the fabrics are insufficiently breathable. Windproof jackets work well when you’re moving, and it’s frigid. Some people that don’t sweat much can wear them when charging hard. But not many. Max soaked the jacket with sweat when ski touring. Luc found it far too warm. Fleece and active insulation jackets are ideal for use as a mid-layer for aerobic pursuits in cold conditions.
A comprehensive Synthetic Insulated Jacket State of the Market Report will be released on March 25, 2018. When that report is published, we’ll update this review with a comparison summary of this product with other notable products in the review.
This review is part of a comprehensive State of the Market survey of synthetic insulated jackets that has been ongoing for the past two years. Included in this survey:
The manufacturer provided a sample of this product to the author with no agreement, requirement, or obligation for media coverage of any kind. Some links are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, Backpacking Light gets a small commission on the sale. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support Backpacking Light’s efforts to publish authoritative and valuable information about lightweight backpacking gear and techniques, inspiring stories and film festivals, and remain an active member of the outdoor industry to promote and protect opportunities for public outdoor recreation.
Our Arcteryx Nuclei AR Review found that this jacket has impressive water resistance and, thus, is the best belay jacket for alpinists.
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This Patagonia Nano Air Light Review features one of the highest performing hoodies on the market, especially for active use in cool conditions. This one’s a fleece-killer.
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Our Arcteryx Proton LT Hoody Review found that the Proton LT’s durability, features, and warmth make it an ideal winter activewear choice.
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Our Black Diamond Heat Treat Hoody Review determined that the jacket is an all-purpose winter jacket for around town and some winter sports.
Black Diamond discontinued this jacket. We’ve left our original review unchanged below in case you find this jacket on sale. In addition, we hope the information provided here is useful in the context of today’s broad offering of synthetic insulated jackets.
UPDATE: As of March 2018, this jacket can be found in inventory and on sale up to 50% off at Amazon, Moosejaw, and Outdoor Gear Exchange. At 25-50% off, it could be a very good buy for an all-purpose winter insulated jacket.
The Heat Treat is an all-purpose winter jacket for around town and some winter sports. It is a midweight winter parka with a durable fabric. Due to the lower warmth to weight ratio, the jacket is better suited to resort skiing than lightweight climbing and backcountry applications. We have two other small complaints about its design: (1) the hood’s ineffective closure lets in lots of cold air around the sides of the face; and (2) in order to provide a unique look, the main zipper’s interlocking area is half that of standard parka zippers. This bothered Max when he first used BD apparel in summer 2013, but it wasn’t until winter 2014 that his Stance Belay Parka zipper broke (by the neck, where the zipper curves). Though the Heat Treat’s zipper didn’t break during our test period, and one person in BD’s warranty department said they don’t see this often, we wish BD would use standard issue, tough zippers.
The Heat Treat’s main competitor is the $400 Arcteryx Kappa Hoody, which uses even more durable 70D and 80D Windstopper fabrics, has more insulation, and better features such as a four-point adjustable hood, a chest pocket, and two larger drop-in stash pockets. The $300 Patagonia DAS is our favorite synthetic insulated parka.
Max used this for a five-day January backpacking trip in Utah canyon country (temperatures in the upper teens) and would have been happier with a warmer jacket. The vast majority of the Heat Treat’s weight comes from the fabric. We don’t recommend this jacket for overnight trips or activities that benefit from a high warmth to weight ratio. As we mentioned earlier, the hood is ineffective at sealing the face area. Luc removed this jacket from consideration based on this reason alone.
We love Windstopper! Unlike the other Windstopper jackets tested here, the Heat Treat will not be updated for fall 2016 with a Gore Thermium membrane. Using Thermium would increase the weather resistance by taping the seams, which would boost performance for most winter activities. Even so, the existing design provides ample weather resistance for most applications.
Less insulation facilitates use for mobile, aerobic applications in very cold weather. But this is not a highly breathable jacket. Our favorite highly breathable jacket currently on the market is the Patagonia Nano Air Hoody. BD will be releasing a similar model, the First Light Hoody, this fall.
The Heat Treat uses a 50D fabric that’s likely many times (it hard to quantify this without a lab) more durable than the sub 14 oz. (397g) jackets we tested. For this reason, we recommend the Heat Treat primarily for day trips and specifically for resort skiing, where daily use requires little compression (unlike climbing and overnight backcountry trips where the jacket is largely used at rest) and puts lots of wear on the fabric (because it’s used in motion).
As we mentioned above, the Heat Treat’s zipper prioritizes aesthetics over durability. Though we didn’t break the zipper during our test period, the identical zipper on Max’s Stance Belay Parka broke in 2015. The photo below shows it’s half as thick as the standard parka zipper.
We mentioned the hood already. Black Diamond could improve the handwarmer pockets by moving them higher up, so they’re not covered by a backpack’s hip belt. There’s also a fleece lining against the chin area that’s detrimental in winter because moisture from your breath can turn the fleece into an uncomfortable, icy sheet. (For this reason, very few winter parkas, down or synthetic, have this feature).
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20.4 oz. (578.33g) is heavy for overnight trips. The much warmer Patagonia DAS weighs 22 oz. (623.69g) but is too warm to serve as a versatile resort skiing jacket.
The Heat Treat Hoody performs poorly for overnight backcountry trips but might be great for resort skiing.
A comprehensive Synthetic Insulated Jacket State of the Market Report will be released on March 25, 2018. When that report is published, we’ll update this review with a comparison summary of this product with other notable products in the review.
This review is part of a comprehensive State of the Market survey of synthetic insulated jackets that has been ongoing for the past two years. Included in this survey:
The manufacturer provided a sample of this product to the author with no agreement, requirement, or obligation for media coverage of any kind.  Some links are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, Backpacking Light gets a small commission on the sale. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support Backpacking Light’s efforts to publish authoritative and valuable information about lightweight backpacking gear and techniques, inspiring stories and film festivals, and remain an active member of the outdoor industry to promote and protect opportunities for public outdoor recreation.
This LLBean Primaloft Packaway Hooded Review concludes that this jacket offers excellent performance for a very good price.
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This Rab Nimbus review summarizes the jacket’s performance and compares it to others in its class while using it on a number of mountaineering and trekking expeditions in Alaska and other parts of North America.
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The Patagonia Nano Air Hoody was released in July 2014 and was the best performing all-purpose active insulation jacket at that time. Does it hold up to the current crop of insulated jackets?
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This Outdoor Research Uberlayer Review features an active insulation jacket that weighs about four ounces more than similar jackets but does not make up for the extra weight with added comfort, durability, warmth, or lower cost. The Uberlayer performed reasonably well in our tests.
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Our Montbell Thermawrap Guide Review found this great value synthetic insulated parka has a reliable ultralight waterproof shell fabric.
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The Rab Xenon X used to be the best all-purpose lightweight synthetic insulated jacket on the market. Over the last seven years, the author has used the Xenon and Xenon X for some fantastic outdoor adventures: a 35-day traverse of Alaska’s Brooks Range, climbing Denali, Half Dome, and El Cap, and other things. Though the Xenon X performs above average in our tests, a variety of other jackets now offer superior performance.
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This Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody Review features a jacket with high levels of durability and inclement weather resistance, but a mediocre warmth:weight ratio.
Update March 6, 2018 – A preliminary review of the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody was originally published here in November 2016. That review has been replaced by this more up-to-date version, which is based on extensive field use.
The Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody is a high-loft synthetic insulated hooded jacket with a highly water-resistant, seam-taped outer shell. Its highly durable fabric makes it a good choice for resort skiing, use around town, and working outside in cold weather. Due to its lower overall warmth and low warmth to weight ratio, other jackets and parkas perform better for human-powered outdoor activities when saving weight and/or being toasty warm.
We tested the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody in mild winter conditions at temperatures above 10 deg F (-12 deg C). Our activities included done-in-a-day trips (alpine and ice climbing, ski touring, and resort skiing) and one overnight trip to a remote cabin in Alaska’s Chugach Mountain Range.
Both testers (myself and Luc) are 6 ft (1.8 m) tall and weigh 150-160 lb (68-73 kg).
I used the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody for winter ice and mixed climbing. I found it to be too light (not warm enough)Â to be a versatile parka for multi-day trips. A warmer parka would be a better choice for multi-day trips because a user needs to stay warm while stationary for longer periods of time.
Luc found the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody warm enough for day trips and resort skiing simply because he was moving continuously. When donning the jacket at short breaks, the light insulation was plenty to stave off a chill.
Like all windproof synthetic insulated parkas we tested, the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody is intended to be used as an insulating layer for stationary activities (e.g., around town, sledding, general winter use) or low output activities like resort skiing. The low air permeable fabrics make it too hot for high output activities unless it’s frigid (perhaps below 0 deg F / -18 deg C). To increase the versatility of the jacket, we wish Arc’teryx would increase the amount of insulation from 140 gsm to 180-200 gsm so it could be warm enough for overnight trips in winter.
The Gore Windstopper (which will change to Gore Thermium, which is more water resistant, in the fall) outer shell is highly water resistant and seam-taped. As a result, this is one of the most storm-resistant insulated jackets we’ve tested. The Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody is virtually impervious to wind, rain, and snow.
The highly weather-resistant shell fabric limits breathability of the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody. Thus, the jacket is suitable as an active layer only in extremely cold conditions.
The Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody is the toughest synthetic insulated jacket we’ve tested. Its 70 denier main fabric and 80 denier reinforcements are burly! This fabric weight seems excessive for most lightweight hiking, climbing, and skiing applications. That said, it offers a level of durability that will protect the shell in some situations that may be of interest to the backcountry traveler. For example, the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody should hold up well when thrashing through thick brush, hauling a load of firewood back to camp, or scrambling and scraping against mountain rock.
The Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody does not have a minimalist feature set. It offers five pockets (two handwarmer pockets set high above a waist belt, two large inside stash pockets, and a chest pocket). In addition, a large (helmet-compatible) four-point adjustable hood and a roomy “expedition” fit allow for layering over any reasonable multi-layer clothing system.
Our only complaint with the features is the chest pocket. We felt that it should be insulated better so it can keep electronics, sunscreen, and other small essentials warm in cold temperatures.
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Our men’s medium Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody weighed 25.4 oz. (720 g), which is 3.4 oz (96 g) more than the Patagonia DAS. The Patagonia DAS is also quite weatherproof, but uses a lighter shell fabric and more insulation.
The Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody is a durable and weather-resistant synthetic insulated parka. We hoped that this jacket would be warmer for its weight – perhaps the most important performance metric for those of us interested in keeping our pack weight down on multi-day trips. But Arc’teryx spends the weight of this jacket on a durable shell fabric, instead. As such, we find the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody best suited for done-in-a-day winter activities (e.g., resort skiing comes to mind).
Many other synthetic insulated parkas in the same weight class are much warmer for their weight and perhaps better suited for multi-day trips where weight is an important consideration. However, impeccable construction quality and a highly weather-resistant and durable shell set the Arc’teryx apart from this crowded apparel genre – but only slightly. So we rate it “Above Average” – conceding that if durability and weather resistance are higher priorities than warmth or weight for you, you may very well consider the Arc’teryx Kappa Hoody to be among the best in its class.
This review is part of a comprehensive State of the Market survey of synthetic insulated jackets that has been ongoing for the past two years. Included in this survey:
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