Down jackets

Hi everyone. I want to add a down jacket to my hiking kit and need to decide between one with a hood or without. The hood has obvious benefits in keeping you nice and warm. But that said, will it be comfortable to wear it underneath a rain jacket when you don’t use the hood? Thanks.

Hi Izak

I like jackets with a hood but ones without is a bit better for “smart casual” wear. My rain jacket has a hood designed for helmets (not really ideal as it is very big) so hood doesn’t bother too much underneath it.

Hans

hey Izak! I love the hoodie on my down jacket - if its cold enough to wear the jacket it normally is cold enough to require the hoodie. I have worn it under a rain jacket with the hoodie off; and since the rain jacket had plenty of volume it was all good. Suggest you take your rain jacket along and go and fit the downie; see how it feels in the different configurations.

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Thanks Hans, but "smart casual doesn’t really concern me:smiley: In your opinion, will you say a hooded jacket is better then a hoodless jacket with a beanie?

Thanks Willem. That was my plan to fit the down jacket with my rain jacket. In your opinion will you say a hooded jacket is much better than a hoodless jacket with a beanie?

depends on the level of cold. in moderate cold (> 5 Celsius) i often wear a normal insulated jacket with beanie. in severe cold I prefer the hoodie - no possibility of the cold finding gaps down your neck. a drawstring hoodie gives a nice tight fit; not only around your head but also along the sides of your face and under your chin. in zub-zero temps that does make a difference. one can always however start by combo-upping with a hoodless jacket, beanie and polar buff / fleece scarf - definitely more versatile. i dig the hooded jacket however; less weight and less hassle.

@IzakGreyling,

My down jacket doesn’t have a hoody, and I promised myself that my next one will have a hoody. Invariably it gets cold in the mountains, and a hoody just keep the cold air off your neck. I normally have to use a neckscarf and beany for warmth, underneath my outershell (which does have a hoody), but the cold mountain air generally still gets in. And you have to search for the stuff in your backpack - hopefully you didn’t forget it at home. A hooded jacket takes care of the above in an easy and quick manner.

At the end of the day it’s about personal preference, so find a system that works for you.

My down jacket doesn’t have a hoodie, and I wish it did. I’m planning to replace mine with one that does have a hoodie. If you prefer a jacket without a hoodie, then there’s nothing wrong with that. If you are going to venture into the real cold, then the hoodie will keep you warmer. Try on some different jackets and see what is most comfortable.

a hoodie really comes into its own when there’s wind - best way to keep the wind-chill at bay.