Down Jacket

A great down jacket is a game-changing piece of gear: light-as-air white fluff encased in a shell of lightweight nylon. The best down jackets keep you warm without weighing you down. But serious issues can arise when delicate stitching at the baffles and too-thin shells make these jackets prone to tearing. When left untreated, water can negate all of the down’s insulating properties. I tested 17 options from Marmot, Patagonia, Cotopaxi, Eddie Bauer, Outdoor Research and more — the ones I have included here are the best down jackets.

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