Finest Puffer Jacket (2026): Patagonia, Arc’teryx, REI

Mountain {Hardware}’s Ghost Whisperer UL hoodie has been a preferred choose amongst ultralight backpackers because it was launched a number of years in the past. It stays the very best puffer jacket for anybody attempting to shave each final ounce off their pack weight. It weighs simply 6.7 ounces for a males’s medium (7.3 ounces for the lads’s giant I examined), packs right down to a tiny little factor (stuffing into its personal pocket), and the 1,000-fill-power goose down presents among the finest warmth-to-weight ratios in the marketplace. The very light-weight shell materials is a mixture of 5D and 7D ripstop nylon, which is a little more fragile than heavier jackets, nevertheless it has held up effectively up to now in my testing. I can safely say that the Ghost Whisper UL is the whole lot I ever wished in an ultralight down puffer after which some.

What units it aside from another very good puffers on the market are the little particulars. First there’s the 1.9 ounces of 1,000-fill-power down, which is as excessive a fill energy as you may discover in a jacket of this class, that means you are getting the utmost heat and loft you could for the least quantity of weight. My solely caveat for this jacket could be, in case you are the kind of one who will get chilly simply, you may want one thing with a bit extra fill. The traditional Ghost Whisperer Down Hoody (not the ultralight) has 3 ounces of 800 fill energy and is barely hotter in most situations, the trade-off being it is heavier as effectively (about 9 ounces for a males’s medium). Additionally try the Katabatic Gear puffer under, which is significantly hotter. I don’t get chilly simply, and I’ve discovered the Ghost Whisperer UL works effectively for me as a heat layer to throw on in camp at excessive elevation is summer time, a mid-layer for mountain climbing in chilly situations, and a mid-layer beneath the Rab Glaceon Professional in excessive chilly.

Different particulars that make the Ghost Whisperer UL our prime choose for ultralight mountain climbing embody two very good zippered hand pockets with a very good quantity of house to stash little stuff like a three-season hat and a few gloves, together with an adjustable drawstring on the waist to maintain drafts out. I additionally love how small this factor packs down, effectively beneath the scale of a 1L bottle (see picture). It packs into its personal left pocket with a reversible zipper, though it’s going to stuff down even smaller if you happen to get a separate stuff sack.

My solely gripe about this jacket is that there is not any drawstrings. The hood, cuffs, and waist hem are all elastic. This works effective for the cuffs and hood, however I want there have been a drawstring for the waist. For that reason, if I’m anticipating temps under 40, I convey a heavier puffer. The remainder of the time, that is what you may discover in my backpack. Observe that I discovered the match to be just a little small. In response to the match information on the Mountain {Hardware} web site, I’m proper between medium and enormous. I attempted each and located the big match a lot better.