How to choose an insulated jacket for hiking or trekking

A padded jacket is almost indispensable in winter, but also for your mountain outings.

In the 3-layer system, the padded jacket is sometimes considered as a second layer, the one that offers good thermal insulation, but it is very often used as a third layer on top of a technical t-shirt and a fleece for example. If adopting the 4-layer system, in extreme conditions, the padded jacket is worn as a 3rd layer, over a technical T-shirt and fleece, and under a hiking jacket.

The padded jacket has several features that make it very attractive. A padded jacket is a lightweight, compact garment which also has excellent thermal properties. Both these aspects are particularly valued by hikers who often look for lightweight equipment as well as trekkers who favour compact garments which they can easily fit in their backpacks. In the rest of this article, we'll see that there are various models of padded jackets: synthetic or down padding, with or with hoods, and with or without sleeves.

For a comfortable hike, it’s important to choose the right clothing and the padded jacket is ideal. Its versatility makes it a good choice for those looking for a warm, light and practical garment for all occasions.

For your trekking adventures, it’s advisable to adopt the 3 or 4 layer system. For the second layer, a padded jacket is an ideal choice, as it is light, space-saving and offers an optimal source of warmth.

For your mountaineering trips, padded jackets are an ideal choice thanks to their features. There are models adapted to extreme climatic conditions or models specific to the activity meaning for example: you can wear a helmet under the hood, a double zip for the harness or offer great freedom of movement.

The filling power of a down jacket is measured in cuin.
Cuin (cubic inches per ounce) represent the thermal insulation capacity of down by trapping a certain volume of air.
The higher the cuin, the better the insulation and thermal performance of the down jacket.

However, this information comes with a qualifier. It's important not to focus exclusively on the CUIN number if you're looking for a warm padded jacket. The weight of the wadding is also important. You can find this information in the product's Technical Data Sheet.

To compare two similarly sized jackets, padded with natural wadding, it's useful to multiply the weight of the wadding by the number of cuin. The down padded jacket with the highest figure is the warmest. For example, let's compare a Medium down padded jacket with a wadding weight of 130 g and fill power of 800 CUIN to a similar jacket with a wadding weight of 180 g and 660 CUIN fill power. (130 x 800 = 104 000 and 180 x 660 = 118 800). In this example, the second padded jacket will keep you warmer or provide better thermal insulation at lower temperatures.

Some of them are equipped with a special storage bag, in which the padded jacket can be carefully folded and stored.

Other models can be stored directly in their own pocket. This feature saves space and makes it easier to carry in a backpack.

Kids’ down jackets are indispensable companions for keeping little ones warm during the cold seasons.