Hooded vs. hoodless puffies

[Katherine .]

My next significant gear purchase is going to be a down puffy jacket. Current synthetic one weights 20 oz.

Deliberating on hooded or not. If not, i would get a separate hood (e.g. EE or Zpacks) for use w/my quilt.

I like the attached hood for in camp. I don't like the attached hood for sleeping — seems like a separate hood would gave a better range of movement.

I'm also very particular about stuff around my neck. (i.e. can't tolerate turtlenecks). I've tried on a patagonia one both ways, and was still undecided (though concluded their overall fit isn't best for me).

Personal experiences and preferences, and why?

[Max Dilthey]

My head is difficult.

I have never -repeat, never- found an appropriate neck on a turtleneck or 1/4-zip fleece or the like. If I zip it up all the way, I'm uncomfortable, period. Closest I get is an Ibex 1/4 zip, FWIW.

I also can't ever find a hat that fits. My head is just a hair too big for everything. My local tailor added an inch of stretchy headband to my favorite cycling cap, and that's now my only hat.

That being said, I've found the Arcteryx SV to be a perfect insulating piece for me because of the hood. I get a nice, warm head covering that isn't too small around my ears, and it comes up high enough in the front that it covers my chin and mouth, keeping my neck from feeling strangled. I've tried the alternative hoodless + hat combo, and I'm never as comfy, but I can (and do) fall asleep in the Atom SV.

For comfort, it's A+

Now, I also feel like sleeping bag logic applies here. A continuous insulating piece from the top of your head to your butt is going to be warmer, since there's a chance for warm air to stay trapped in the hood, the neck, the chest, etc. Logically, hoodless is warmer, and I believe it to be so.

[Andrew U]

We need more information. Where do you normally hike, time of year, nighttime lows, etc. If it doesn't get too cold you could just use a hood-less puffy and regular hat.

I personally don't like hood-less insulation. The hood is just too good at minimizing drafts versus a hood-less insulation piece with a separate hat. More simple and more effective = win.

Buying a puffy as well as a separate puffy balaclava for sleeping seems very unnecessary and expensive. Also, if you are particularly annoyed by things around your neck, a puffy balaclava seems like a bad idea, regardless of any improvements in turning with your head while trying to sleep.

[Katherine .]

primarily in the Pacific Northwest, jun-sept. Some desert trips earlier.

In general I feel OK about trips that get down to freezing at night, but rather avoid any colder. Sometimes use a tarp & bivy, sometimes hammock.

I'm a girl, I get cold easily. Have a 20 degree EE quilt.

Max – thanks for the arc tyrex recommendation. I'll see if I can find one to try on. Have a feeling the answer is going to be: just find the right fit on a hooded.

fyi, current synthetic is a Golite Coal (vintage!) The hood can snap off, but the whole neck interface makes me gag.

[Max Dilthey]

I think down is good too, and probably warmer for the weight than the Atom SV. I just prefer synthetics because I like redundancy in keeping warm on winter cycling trips. The unexpected wet coat haunts me…

Funny: The Arcteryx hood probably fits because my head is the size of a climbing helmet…

[Katherine .]

I bought the Coal when I still lived on the East Coast and was doing conventional weight trips in the Catskills in the early 00s. I'm more open to down since moving West.

[Dena Kelley]

All I can say is for myself I've wanted a hood on every insulating piece I own, and the ones that don't have one I find myself missing the hood. I doubt I'll ever buy a puffy without a hood again.

[kevperro .]

There is something to be said for modular systems. You typically add weight but gain flexibility and I see the hooded vs. hoodless in the same light.

In the end, I think it comes down to how/where/when you plan to use the piece. My puffy is camp gear and a way to extend my sleeping system. I don't need it to perform while I'm exerting myself. It needs to be light, compact and warm for 3-season use. It needs to layer under my hard shell and it needs to function comfortably as part of a sleep system.

For that situation I prefer my hooded puffy. I use it in combination with a synthetic quilt so the condensation point inside the sleep system is in the synthetic quilt.

[Steven Paris]

Katherine,

I'm in Portland, too, and have an idea to run by you to try on some down jackets. Set up your PM (MY BPL –> My Account –> Change My Forum Profile) and I'll send you a message.

[Anonymous]

"I personally don't like hood-less insulation. The hood is just too good at minimizing drafts versus a hood-less insulation piece with a separate hat."

"All I can say is for myself I've wanted a hood on every insulating piece I own, and the ones that don't have one I find myself missing the hood. I doubt I'll ever buy a puffy without a hood again."

+1 to both. It's more efficient warmth per weight, which can be an important factor if it's really cold out or you run cold and/or don't like the cold.

I usually like modular systems, but this is one of the few cases where i don't. If it's cold enough, i will bring a thinnish and light weight balaclava too. There use to be these nice Costco jackets that were a great deal for the price, but they didn't have hoods, so i said nope, don't need it.

[Jesse Anderson]

I'm going to be the dissenting opinion on this one. I don't like hoods in general except on my rainwear (who likes ice water running down the back of their neck?) When I'm on the move it might be cold enough I need my puffy but my head gets so warm I might remove my knit hat under my shell's hood.
I tend to start shedding layers from the top down. neck gaitor first, then hat, then unzip/remove jacket or insulation. You can drop a hood but then you have a ball of fluff on the beck of your neck (assuming you're wearing a pack) I guess I just like the finer temperature control of a modular system. Of all the times I've gotten cold sleeping, I can say I ever felt like my neck was cold or even my head. Good insulating layers and my alpaca hat and I'm good (except for my feet, but that's why down booties are on my dream list).
To me, hoods just seem rather cumbersome in use and I've never wished I had one when it got chilly.

[Paul Huber]

I have many goose down parkas, some with hoods and some without. I find I always resort to the hooded ones, I am a cold person and the hood seems to keep me warmer than a hoodless parka and hat/hats.

[David Ure]

I find hoods generally restrictive so don't have them on my insulated jackets. When I get to camp I put on a hooded wind breaker anyway as your down insulation does little to inhibit heat loss through convection. I much prefer a separate beanie.

[DGoggins]

My hiking partner prefers hooded, but I prefer nonhooded with a beanie.

I prefer the modular system….especially when on multi day trips where the weather is variable. I use a quilt, so usually always need some form of headwear unless its quite warm, but some nights I definitely don't need my jacket on with my quilt, and some nights I do.

[hwc 1954]

For around town, I have hoodless Marmot Zeus down sweater/jacket. I generally wear it with a Power Stretch beanie.

For hiking, I have an ultra light 900 fill Marmot Quasar hoody. If it's cold/windy enough to put on a down jacket hiking, it's cold enough to want the hoody that draws up tight around my face.

[Mercedes Clemens]

I'm a gal & sleep cold too. I started hoodless with a GoLite down jacket (5.5 oz). My thought was a modular system would be the most flexible, but I found I often needed to adjust my hat during the night & my fleece neck gaiter didn't block drafts quite as much as I wanted, so I didn't sleep as well. (My sleeping bag doesn't have a hood).

When I found a prior year's model hooded Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer jacket on sale, I grabbed it. It weighs only 1.5 oz more, but I was able to ditch my neck gaiter so the whole system weighs less; I find it more comfortable and there are fewer pieces to keep track of (and potentially lose!).

The nice thing about a hooded jacket is you don't need to wear the hood, but it's always there if you do need it.

[Mike M]

Dena said "All I can say is for myself I've wanted a hood on every insulating piece I own, and the ones that don't have one I find myself missing the hood. I doubt I'll ever buy a puffy without a hood again."

Couldn't agree more- I've owned several insulated hoodless pieces, they've ALL been replaced with hooded ones- the efficiency of a hood far "outweighs" the very minor gain in additional weight

[Mike W]

I don't like a hood on my puffy, i prefer a separate (fleece) cap. Having the extra puff ball at the back of my neck when not worn is annoying to me. I much prefer to be able to get rid of my cap when not requied. My sleeing bag has a hood so a down hood on my jacket for sleeping is not required.

[Matt Dirksen]

Over the past 6 months, I have enjoyed using a very lightweight down vest (Luke's Ultralight) with separate down sleeves. I used to own a hooded down jacket but found it to be overkill most of the time.

I can always add a hood to my system if I ever think I'll need it. Either way, a beanie does the trick most of the time.

But for most of my activities during the year, I prefer the "separates" approach, since it offers more versatility than would a single garment. And like some others have mentioned, I, too got annoyed with the hood of my old down jacket getting stuck inside of my rainjacket hood.

[Katherine .]

so far this thread reflects the exact mix of my sentiments!

[Jake S]

I have separates (vest+sleeves+hood). The only real issue is cost. If you really feel like you need something to block drafts, you can put your rain jacket/poncho on over the top of the insulating layer.

It's all a system.

[Trill Daddy]

Honestly, I don't find the utility of a hoodless puffy, unless you are layering it with a helmet (like skiing) or want to take it into the city.
Even then, ALL of my puffies have hoods.

[Andy F]

I don't see any need for a hood if you only do trips down to freezing. Just a warm hat would be fine. My hat for down to freezing is just a thin fleece cap.

I do winter trips much colder than freezing, and I don't use a hooded insulated jacket. I use fleece and wool hats and acrylic or fleece balaclavas. My only hoods are on my rain jacket and cotton winter anorak (aka softshell).

[Mark Cashmere]

Lot of factors here (as is typical) — personal experience is that I have moved towards a hood on my puffy layer and like it. That being said, I am a sleeping bag sleeper and don't need to consider it as part of my sleep system. Would think that if I did (as yourself) and was ok with considering a two-piece puffy system for around camp (as you are), then going hoodless on your puffy and accentuating with a puffy hood would appear to be the most logical option in your case for flexibility and weight.

Second to that, I have little natural head insulation :), so a hood of some sort if I was a quilt user would be mandatory. I would probably just wear my hooded puffy, but I don't think I have the same neck sensitivities that your indicate. Possibly though, I would forgo the insulated hood and just don the wool beanie that I typically carry.

HTH

[Sonnie NewHiker]

I am in much the same position as you were last year. Sleeping with a quilt, prefer good range of motion in sleeping system, don't like things around my neck, sleep cold, but not going out in terrible winter temps.

I am so curious about what you bought, and how it worked out (or didn't) for you!

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