Hooded vs. hoodless puffies

[Katherine .]

Sorry Sonnie — I haven't pulled the trigger yet — am debating other points, and budget issues — but am pretty much thinking hooded.

Though at some point I'd like to try vest + hood and compare how that works.

[Sonnie NewHiker]

Hmmm… hood plus vest. I didn't even consider that yet.

I am leaning towards no hood, and if money were not a concern, I really like this MLD balaclava. (It doesn't win any points for style, but if I am cold enough to want it, I don't think I'll care–even around camp :) )

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=220
(1.6 – 2.2 oz)

They did a really good job on their site off selling the idea of a synthetic versus down balaclava–which is influencing my decision about no hood on a down jacket. And it looks quite long, so it seems like it would cover your neck enough to not have air penetrating, unlike a jacket/hat combo. And then no hood to have flapping around, feeling constrained with, catching rain and snow, being worried about doubling up and tripling up on hoods from all other layers. And it's a separate piece for washing.

Might be *too* warm though. Who knows without trying it.

[Jeff Sims]

It really depends on the expected temp of the trip. My 3 season puffy does not have a hood. My winter Down coat does. I do carry with me a Zpacks Balaclava and I roll it up to make a beanie around camp on cool nights.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Hoods for sure on any decently warm puffy (>4oz down). For summer weight insulating layers it doesn't matter as much. I still like them but I can use either.

[Mike M]

Dan said "Hoods for sure on any decently warm puffy (>4oz down). For summer weight insulating layers it doesn't matter as much. I still like them but I can use either."

^ I'd have to fully agree w/ this assessment; for as small as a weight penalty as it is, seems like a easy decision

in addition to backpacking, my puffies go w/ me on day hikes-if caught out for an unexpected night- I think I would be damn glad it had a hood :)

[Stephen M]

I go out of my way to make sure all Puffy my
items have hoods (even for summer use), the one exception are vests.

The way I see if if I have a hood it's one less hat I can loose.

[George F]

I like hoods. As a construction worker I live 3/4 of the year in a hooded sweatshirt and am sipping coffee and wearing my Melanzana hoodie right now. That said, when I got back from my thru hike I gave my hooded puffy to my wife and went hood-less. Go figure. If it is cold enough that I am wearing my puffy while moving I like a lighter cap and don't like having the hood bunched around my neck. Around camp I can always throw on my down hood that goes with my quilt. But that is me. If your are even asking I would probably go with a hood, there are lots of benefits to that design.

[Marko Botsaris]

Seems like the hood/hood-less hat dichotomy is another knife vs scissors type thing with people here over the years – almost everyone seems to have a strong opinion on what is best, and usually the logic on both sides of why they are right is sound.

One thing I have found about hood vs no hood is that seems to be much warmer than an equivalent weight jacket and hat. I have always thought that this must be due to the recycling of the hot air rising under the jacket from the lower body. Maybe less of it escapes though the neck. But maybe I am just justifying after the fact. Does anyone else get this feeling?

FWIW I'm another person that finds thing around my neck bothersome all out of proportion to what should be the case. If the collar touches my neck in a certain way after a while I want to claw at it. I'm fairly sure I would never be able to work a job that required me to wear a suit all day. But I find it is a very sharp transition and if it feels fine 5 minutes after I put it on I will be good forever.

I have a decade old Golite Cole (synthetic jacket) that had a snap on hood. I don't recall seeing many other jackets like this. I'm sure the big commercial company would just prefer we buy one of both. (*sigh*) Mission accomplished. :-(

[Kate Magill]

For summer trips, I prefer modular and usually bring a light down vest. For the other 3 seasons–if it's going to get down to freezing at night, say–I bring a hooded puffy. I prefer overkill to being chilly, and find I use the hood a lot around camp–over a beanie or buff. It's especially nice in the morning–I have a hard time getting out of a warm bed, and find the attached hood eases the transition. You could probably achieve the same effect with a hoodless jacket and a down balaclava, but I use my hoodie around town, too, and I just can't imagine myself rocking a puffy balaclava as part of my everyday winter wear…

[Ken Larson]

What are people feeling concerning DOWN vs. SYNTHETIC BALACLAVA'S hoods?
Such as GO HERE

[David Ure]

"imagine myself rocking a puffy balaclava as part of my everyday winter wear…"

Funny, I live in an area that is consistently -20C on average in the winter with spells to -35C. All I see are non hooded down jackets with fleece or wool beanies. It might be that those folks actually do things active outside in those temps and a hood is very restrictive on an insulated jacket.

Try putting your hood on and turn your head (not your body). What happens?

[Tim Skidmore]

My warm wet weather synthetic puffy has a hood to compensate for the lesser insulating value and because I'm less likely to wear a toque.
My cold dry weather down puffy is hoodless. I wear Canadian Armed Forces issue heavy wool toque, a merino wool buff and if needed I pull the hood from my wind shirt that I wear under my puffy up over my toque and buff.
I find it easier to regulate my temperature adjusting the toque and buff, that being said it wouldn't really bother me to have a hood on my down puff either.

In the end again it comes down to trying both and seeing if the hood bothers you. You can buy cheap second hand ones to try or buy from a store with a good return policy.

[Steve K]

I like hoods so much that in the spring and fall I wear a hooded base layer! It is simpler and easier than finding a place to put away a hat and lets me thermo regulate efficiently. In the winter I combine a hat with a hooded jacket and that does great for me.

Like some others I found that any jacket without a hood has lost favor to jackets with hoods. If I could go back I'd never have bought any jackets without hoods. Where do you fervent hat users put your hats if they get too hot? With a hood it just goes into the useless space behind your head.

[Valerie E]

For me, it's temperature-specific. For warmer "coolness", I have a hoodless MH Ghost Whisperer, which, supplemented with a thin fleece hat, is fine.

For colder conditions (down to freezing, or even below), I have a hooded FF Ellia jacket (~ 5oz fill) — but I still wear the fleece hat under the hood.

For whatever reason, I can't sleep in a hood (help — strangling — choke, cough!), but sleeping in a hat is just fine.

[David Ure]

"Where do you fervent hat users put your hats if they get too hot?"

What We Canadians like to call a pocket.

[Gerry B.]

Although I have both, unless it is really cold, teens or less, I usually like hoodless for a puffy. Having said that, I always have a R1 or Cap4 hoody with me. My issue is with cold rain when I don't want an attached insulated hood that can get wet despite the rain jacket hood. I find that a fleece hoody, and perhaps a hooded wind jacket are a good combination with a hoodless insulation layer and if necessary a rain jacket.

[Edward Jursek]

Dave U – You Canadians and your "pockets." How European. We Americans don't need no stink'n pockets. I go hoodless, with a Nunatak Skaha jacket for winter and vest for shoulder season. Both pieces were deals on the Gear Swap Forum, so price and opportunity drove the purchase as much as hood vs. hoodless. For summer and shoulder season, I have no need for a hood at all. Who does? You would have to have the metabolism of a lizard to need a down hood in summer or shoulder season. For winter, I also picked up a Nunatak balaclava on Gear Swap for both sleeping and extra warmth around camp.

[Justin Baker]

I find that a hood adds a lot of warmth for the weight. It doesn't matter what temperature it is. Even on something as light as like a cap 4. If I throw it on for an extended snack break, I might put the hood on a few minutes later when I cool down more. Lots of warmth. Two temperature options. I overheat and cool down easy so lots of micro adjustment is important for me. I have a layering system for my head just like the rest of my body.

Below freezing sitting around camp I got like a base layer hood, mid layer hood, windshirt hood, puffy hood, rain jacket hood, and then I also have a beanie and buff over my face.

[Katherine .]

"I have a decade old Golite Cole (synthetic jacket) that had a snap on hood. I don't recall seeing many other jackets like this."

Marko — That's what I have! It does not owe me anything. On a recent day hike I had forgot a hat. But I did take the Coal. Realized partway through when I was missing the hat that I could just unsnap the hood and wear the hood without the rest of the jacket.

[Mike M]

I wish the mid-weight to heavier weight down parkas had this as an option, would let me use the hood w/ my winter quilt w/o bringing a stand alone hood

[Katherine .]

The Coal is heavy compared to say a Ghost Whisperer. But now I'm also re-evaluating down v. syn.

Could it be that I already have what I need? Because I love it when that happens

[Buck Nelson]

I have both. Hooded puffies are clearly warmer. Ask the Inuit. :)

Like most gear choices, personal preferences should ultimately rule.

[David Ure]

Take off, that's because the Inuit don't have toques….Eh…

[monkey]

I love hoods generally but for weight serving purposes decided to go with hoodless down jacket and separate hood to complement the quilt. My main reason was sleeping in warmer weather, when wearing jacket under the quilt is too hot, and not wearing hood is too cold.

[jscott]

For a couple of ounces I have a super warm hood on my puffy that makes a ton of difference in terms of warmth. Of course I prefer a hood! Same as I do on my rain shell. Some posters have commented on 'saving weight' by eliminating a hood from their puffy, but then always have a second layer with a hood…or a hat…pennywise, pound foolish. Get a real puffy with a hood, leave the back-up behind. Down is always warmer and lighter than the alternatives. edit: oops, Monkey, I just read your post. Actually, your thinking is spot on; I apologize if my post seems condescending…I always need a hat with ear covering when I sleep no matter what, but I rarely wear a down jacket to bed. so, I agree with your scenario.

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