Comparative review: A reliable ally in winter mountains and backcountry. We compared the active synthetic insulation jackets that are OK to keep them on while you're on

Synthetic insulation is a prime example of a mid-layer that is essential for winter mountain climbing. Among these, the Active Insulation Jacket, a recently developed "cold weather jacket that lets you move" that uses highly breathable and quick-drying padding, is now an essential item not only for winter mountain climbing, but also for backcountry skiing and other areas where it is difficult to put on and take off

As has been featured on this site several times, recently each manufacturer has been coming out with their own unique padding, and the breathability, heat retention, and weather resistance of jackets change depending on various factors such as the combination with the outer material, the thickness and weight of the padding, so the spread of padding shows no signs of slowing down

This time, I picked out five models of the latest active synthetic insulation that caught my eye and conducted a comparative test

About the activated synthetic insulations compared this time

The theme of this comparison is "cold weather clothing that can be worn continuously while on the move in winter." It is required to combine warmth with breathability and quick-drying properties, making it good for both standing still and moving about. The criteria for selection are synthetic insulation jackets that use synthetic fiber padding materials with high breathability, quick-drying, and heat retention properties. We chose items that are 100% synthetic (hybrid models with down were not selected), and also have the concept of combining cold weather protection and sweat management functions as a winter mid-layer

• Arc'teryx Proton LT Hoody (Filling: Coreloft™ Compact)
• Montane Hydrogen Direct Jacket (filling: POLARTEC® Alpha® Direct)
• Mont-bell UL Thermawrap Parka (Filling: Stretch Exceloft)
• Mountain Hardwear Core Strata Hooded Jacket (Filled with PrimaLoft Gold Active)
• Patagonia Nano Air Hoody (Filling: FullRange 100% Polyester)

Test environment and evaluation criteria

I tried out five different items while backcountry (snowboarding) in Hokkaido

I wore it while backcountry (snowboarding) in the winter mountains of Hokkaido from December 2019 to January 2020. I also used it for everyday use and early morning runs. I sweat a lot, by the way. I wore a base layer with synthetic insulation. I wore a hard shell when the wind was strong, but I basically wore two layers: a base layer and synthetic insulation

• Heat retention: The heat retention capacity of this category is a little lower than that of conventional synthetic fiber padding. However, we evaluate how well it retains heat while still ensuring ease of movement, resistance to stuffiness, and lightness
• Comfort: feel to the touch, silhouette and cutting reduces stress on wearing, fit of the sleeves, hem, and hood. No matter how heat retention is, if it doesn't feel comfortable, I wouldn't want to wear it every day.
• Ease of movement: It's not just a simple cold weather garment, but it's also designed to be worn for active activities, so we value its high level of comfort even when moving
• Resistance to stuffiness: When you plan to wear clothing while on the move, it's important that it reduces stuffiness and discomfort even when you sweat, and that it dries quickly. Ideally, it's best to have clothing that can constantly regulate the temperature inside the clothing to an appropriate level in all situations, whether you're standing still, moving, or even when wet
• Weather resistance: How much protection is there against the outside temperature and the environment? It is mainly wind resistance and water repellent. Of course, these are often in a trade-off relationship with breathability, and some models deliberately abandon this function, so it is true that it is not possible to say that it is not a problem because there is none.
• Weight: Lightness is of course justice when climbing harshly. The recent synthetic fiber padding is getting lighter and lighter.
• Functionality: The parts that relate to the shape and ease of adjustment of the hood, the number, position, size of the pockets, functions, and ease of use are specialized for the activities they expect, and are designed in a generic way, making them important elements that bring out the concept and personality of each model. It's not simply good to have more features, but too few will make it difficult to use.

Test results and spec comparison table

If you find it difficult to see the table because it is lightweight for smartphones, click here

comprehensive evaluation	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆
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Item name	Montane Hydrogen Direct Jacket	Arc'teryx Proton LT Hoody	Mountain Hardwear Core Strata Hooded Jacket	Patagonia Nano Air Hoody	Mont-Bell UL Thermawrap Parka
This is ◎	Excellent breathability Warmth from the moment you put it on Comfort that approaches fleece Full of functions	Weather Resistant Thermal insulation Outer durability stylish	Thermal insulation A perfect fit with no wasted space Packable design for easy storage	Excellent breathability Stretchability Comfortable Packable design for easy storage	weight Reasonable pricing Excellent stretch for ease of movement
This is △	Weighs over 400g Weather Resistant	Zipper slippage price	Weatherproof and windproof Too tight neck design	Thermal insulation Weather Resistant Pocket placement price	Thermal insulation Smooth to the touch Fit Poor functionality
Thermal insulation	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★☆☆☆☆	★★★☆☆
Comfort	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★☆☆☆
Ease of movement	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆
Not easily stuffy	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★☆☆
Weather Resistant	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆
weight	★☆☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★
Functionality	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★☆☆☆	★☆☆☆☆
Specs
Filling material	POLARTEC® Alpha® Direct	Coreloft™ Compact	PrimaLoft Gold Active	full range	EXCELOFT® [Polyester]
Outer material	PERTEX QUANTUM AIR	Fortius™ Air 20 Dope Permeair™ 20	PERTEX QUANTAM AIR	1.5-oz 30-denier 100% nylon ripstop with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish	12-denier Ballistic Airlite® nylon ripstop with an ultra-durable water-repellent finish
Actual weight (g)	425(M)	394(M)	370(M)	351(M)	268(L)
pocket	Left and right hand pockets Chest pocket	Left and right hand pockets Chest pocket	Left and right hand pockets Chest pocket	Chest (left and right) pockets Left and right hand pockets	Left and right hand pockets Chest pocket

Impressions of each model

No matter how hard you work in the cold of midwinter,
the Montane Hydrogen Direct Jacket

This is ◎

• Excellent breathability
• Warmth from the moment you put it on
• Comfort that approaches fleece

This is △

• Weighs over 400g
• Weather Resistant

MONTAINE is a fast and light British brand. Its popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, but it's still a brand known only to a select few. Its quality is undeniable. It received the highest overall rating of the five items in this review

It has moderate wind resistance and the padding keeps you warm, while its breathability allows sweat to escape from the inside

The first thing that surprised me was how well it wicked away sweat. It was top-class among the five models, and I didn't feel any discomfort from stuffiness even when hiking uphill or breaking through snow. I'd heard good things about the POLARTEC Alpha Direct padding material, and I was interested in it, but it was so popular that I was skeptical when I went to test it in the field, and I was completely blown away. I sweat a lot, but the feeling of sweat wicking directly away, rather than building up and then wicking away while I was active, was so addictive that I never wanted to let it go again. The perfect combination of the POLARTEC Alpha Direct padding material and the PERTEX QUANTUM AIR outer material provides a perfect balance of breathability and moderate wind resistance, so it's no exaggeration to say that overheating is a thing of the past

It feels like fleece and keeps you warm as soon as you put it on

Furthermore, when you look inside, the exposed padding feels as soft as fleece, providing an unparalleled comfort that makes you want to rub your cheek against it, and you can feel the warmth from the moment you put it on. The fit to the body is excellent and dead space is minimized, so when you start to sweat, the moisture is released as if it was waiting for it to. This system maintains warmth at all times, but doesn't get too warm even when you move, maintaining a truly luxurious state

The zipper handle is long, making it easy to operate even with gloves on, and other small details are excellent

It also boasts excellent functionality, with zippers and a drawcord at the hem that are easy to operate even with gloves on, tight-fitting sleeves for increased warmth, and a zipper located behind the main zipper to prevent wind from getting in. Overall, I can confidently say that this is an item that can be worn all the time, whether you're active or at rest, without having to take it off or on depending on the situation

On the other hand, in terms of weight, it's the only one of the five items to weigh over 400g. It's understandable, as the padding is 120g/m², which enhances its heat retention, but for those who want to shave even 1g off the weight, there's still plenty of room to choose another item. Storage isn't great either. It's not packable, and there's no included storage bag, so if you were to put it in your backpack, it would take up a lot of space. Well, since it's an item you'll wear all the time and won't need to store, I don't think storage is something you need to worry about too much

The Arc'teryx Proton LT Hoody offers carefully calculated warmth and quick drying.

This is ◎

• Weather Resistant
• Thermal insulation
• Outer durability
• stylish

This is △

• Zippers that are difficult to operate
• price

Arc'teryx's proprietary Coreloft™ Compact offers high breathability and excellent warmth, allowing you to stay comfortable throughout your time on the move and at rest. By increasing the amount of padding by 20g compared to the 60g/m² standard for lightweight insulation jackets, with 80g/m² in the body and 60g/m² in the hood, the jacket efficiently retains warmth and has a streamlined design. The outer fabric is made of the highly durable Fortius™ Air 20 face fabric, successfully achieving the durability that lightweight insulation jackets often sacrifice in exchange for breathability

As always, the three-dimensional cut is comfortable, combining style with ease of movement

Touching the outer fabric, you can immediately tell it's a sturdy fabric. Of the five models, it had the best windproof performance, but it still wasn't able to completely block out the wind on windy days. Also, when it snowed, the DWR (durable water repellent) finish performed admirably, repelling water surprisingly well. While insulation jackets tend to focus on the padding material, when it came to the Proton LT Hoody, I couldn't help but be surprised by the quality of the outer fabric

With its strong wind resistance and water-repellent properties, it works quite well as an outer layer

Looking at the finer details, the drawcord on the hood can be operated with one hand, allowing you to quickly respond to sudden changes in weather. Furthermore, the adjustable drawcord at the hem has excellent hold and doesn't loosen even during intense exercise, and it doesn't rub against your backpack and ride up

The fit, including the hood, is excellent

On the downside, the main zipper uses a No Slip Zip™, but it doesn't slide smoothly and I found it stressful to open and close. This is probably a matter of personal preference

The high heat retention and durability come at the expense of weight, with the actual weight being a little heavy at 394g. Well, I didn't mind, as it's understandable considering the high level of performance. In a sense, even with the latest technology, the balance here may be reaching its limit

The Mountain Hardwear Core Strata Hooded Jacket offers a perfect balance of warmth, breathability, and comfort.

This is ◎

• Thermal insulation
• A perfect fit with no wasted space
• Packable design for easy storage

This is △

• Weatherproof and windproof
• Too tight neck design

The Core Strata Jacket seems to be a favorite among many, and it's no wonder. It's a truly outstanding item, offering ease of movement, excellent breathability, warmth, and packability. The Primaloft Gold Active padding ensures breathability while retaining heat. While it doesn't wick away sweat as quickly as the POLARTEC Alpha Direct, it didn't feel uncomfortable even during heavy sweating, such as hiking. The fact that this level of warmth can be achieved with a padding volume of 60g/m², half the amount of MONTANE, shows just how superior the thermal insulation of this material is. The overall volume feels large considering the amount of padding

This time, it was head and shoulders above the rest in terms of heat retention per weight. Primaloft is a true leader

The outer layer is made of the same PERTEX QUANTAM AIR as the MONTANE mentioned above, so it offers a good balance of breathability and moderate wind protection. However, in strong winds it will still let through, so in the harsh winter months we recommend wearing a hard shell and using it only as a mid-layer

The three-dimensional cut of the silhouette means that movement isn't restricted even during intense exercise, and I didn't feel any stress when hiking uphill. The overall fit is tight, preventing heat from escaping through the hem and sleeves, and the fit is excellent, but the neck is too tight, so I can't hide my chin inside the collar, leaving it exposed, which is a negative point

The tightness in the chin area was a shock, especially considering the high level of the other elements

In terms of functionality, the hem can be adjusted by simply pulling the drawcord on the right side of the hem, which is very convenient. The packable design, which can be stored in the chest pocket, is a welcome and highly rated feature, considering the volume of the jacket

The Mont-Bell UL Thermawrap Parka is lightweight, warm, and easy to move in, thanks to its unique padding.

This is ◎

• Reasonable pricing
• Excellent stretch for ease of movement

This is △

• Excellent heat retention during the coldest seasons
• Smooth to the touch
• Fit
• Poor functionality

The only Japanese brand featured this time is our proud Montbell. When it comes to synthetic insulation jackets, the brand's U.L. Thermawrap series is the best. In terms of price and specs, it offers the best value for money out of the five models. For this reason, we're sure many readers already own one

The first thing to note is its light weight, weighing just 268g. While other models weigh over 400g, the fact that it has managed to maintain this light weight is something I'd be proud to show off to foreigners. It was so light that I almost forgot I was wearing it while on the move, making it stress-free. What's more, the padding material is made with Stretch Exceloft, a proprietary Montbell product that excels in heat retention and stretch. The padding material itself is stretchy, and the outer shell material is also highly stretchable, so there's no reason why it would be difficult to move. I never felt restricted in movement, even when raising my arms or making large movements

It's extremely easy to move in and stress-free, but the cylindrical silhouette still has that distinct Montbell feel

To be honest, the heat retention was average. It wasn't too cold, but it wasn't particularly warm either. However, considering the thinness of the padding, I think it proves that the EXCELOFT's specifications are comparable to the other four models

Next is breathability. It was comfortable and didn't get stuffy when doing a certain amount of exercise, like hiking up, but when the amount of exercise suddenly increased, like when breaking through snow, the ventilation couldn't keep up and it became saturated. It felt like trapped steam was escaping gradually rather than escaping directly. There were times when it got so hot I had to open the front zipper. I suspect that the breathability is probably due in no small part to the thinness of the padding rather than the quality of the padding material. This has a negative impact on the warmth

In terms of functionality, the hem can be adjusted by simply pulling the drawcords located inside the left and right pockets, which was very convenient. The sleeves are not tight, so they tend to ride up or down, which is a negative point. The overall fit is also not great. The fabric is also quite smooth, which makes it less comfortable to wear. Considering the price, even Montbell couldn't afford to be so extravagant, but I wish they had put a little more effort into the functionality

Even if the assumption is that it will be layered, I would like to know why the cuffs are left open

Although it is not packable, it comes with a stuff sack so it can be stored compactly. It doesn't take up much space in your backpack, so it's a great idea to carry it as a spare

Its compactness is obvious at a glance, and its heat retention per weight is undoubtedly the best

Even when you think about it from each point of view, this is an item with excellent value for money. It can be used as a mid-layer in winter, as an outer layer in spring and autumn, and can even be kept in your backpack in summer to deal with sudden changes in the weather. It is an item that will definitely be useful all year round

The pioneer of active insulation remains as comfortable as ever:
the Patagonia Nano Air Hoody

This is ◎

• Excellent breathability and stretch
• Comfortable
• Packable design for easy storage

This is △

• Not recommended for winter insulation
• Weather Resistant
• Pocket placement
• price

Patagonia offers several synthetic insulation jackets, but the Nano Air Hoody is one of the most well-designed for active wear. It's certainly easy to move in, highly stretchable, lightweight, and incredibly breathable. I wanted to go on and say, "There's absolutely no stress on movement," but unfortunately, when I raised my arms or made large movements, I felt like movement was restricted from my shoulders to my sides. The fabric itself is very good, with a soft texture and four-way stretch, but the cutting pattern may still have room for improvement

The feel and comfort were perfect, but for some reason I felt a slight tightness when raising my arms

Furthermore, although it is likely for the purpose of reducing weight, I found it frustrating that there was no drawcord, making it impossible to adjust the hem. I understand that the hem is elastic, but I still find types without a drawcord inconvenient. They often ride up and I have to manually push them back down

Another drawback is that the left chest pocket is located higher up than the other four models, which means it interferes with the chest strap of the backpack. It's frustrating to have to remove the chest strap every time you want to open the pocket zipper

The position of the pockets may vary from person to person, but I would have preferred them to be a little lower

In terms of breathability, it's comparable to the aforementioned POLARTEC Alpha Direct, but when it comes to balancing it with warmth, the POLARTEC Alpha Direct wins. This is purely a comparative opinion, and when viewed on its own, the breathability of this item is excellent. In exchange, I felt that it sacrificed a significant amount of warmth. Since it's not primarily designed for warmth, I wouldn't recommend it for winter mountain climbing in the coldest seasons. It was just too cold. If you want warmth, I recommend choosing the Micro Puff Hoody or Macro Puff Hoody from the same brand. It's the most expensive of the five items, but I felt the specs weren't quite up to par for the price

Although we have mentioned a few negative points, there is no doubt that it will perform to its full potential in the hard activities of spring and autumn

summary

After testing five items, I realized once again that the most important factor influencing the performance of activated synthetic insulation is the padding material. I believe this test highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of each padding material. While breathability, mobility, and lightness have become standard, there were differences in warmth and weather resistance between models. In this test, the Montane Hydrogen Direct Jacket was the best overall, but depending on your intended use and the season, there may be other models that are best suited to your needs. I hope this comparison test will be helpful in making your selection

   

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