Ever since climbing Mount Io in the Yatsugatake Mountains in winter, I've been completely captivated by snowy mountains. I also climb mountains in winter with a tent on my back, but it goes without saying that mountainous areas are extremely cold in the dead of winter, and I really felt that when I camped in a tent in the Southern Alps in January. In the freezing cold environment, I had no choice but to wait for morning to come in my sleeping bag.
The necessity of downwear: experiencing the extreme cold of minus 20 degrees Celsius in the Southern Alps
Camping in a tent in the frigid Southern Alps was an even harsher environment than I could have imagined.
When hiking in snowy mountains during the harsh winter, a highly insulating sleeping bag and warm clothing are essential. In snowy mountains, where there is a risk of hypothermia and frostbite, it goes without saying that you should bring appropriate equipment for the environment, even if it means bringing extra weight. However, I wanted to keep my gear as light as possible, so I thought about what the best solution would be to ensure insulation while also making my gear compact and lightweight.
Generally, clothing with high thermal insulation is filled with synthetic fibers and down, but down is overwhelmingly superior when prioritizing warmth and portability because it provides high thermal insulation and is also compact. That's when I turned my attention to downwear, which I thought could solve the problems I was facing due to its high thermal insulation and portability.
I researched a number of outdoor brands to find lightweight, compact, yet warm models, tried each one on, and then chose the one that suited my style. I ended up purchasing the Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak .
In this article, I'll share the process of carefully selecting and narrowing down my choices before purchasing, as well as the Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak . I hope this article will be helpful for those who, like me, are looking for lightweight yet warm down wear, or for those who have experienced the harsh cold.
table of contents
Market Research: Top 10 Lightweight Down Jackets
Downwear is a winter staple, not just for outdoor activities. Manufacturers offer a lineup ranging from models designed for Eskimo and polar activities to lightweight models that are unnoticeable when worn under a jacket. However, when it came to choosing downwear, I carefully selected models on the market that weighed less than 400g, focusing on weight, heat retention, and compactness. Here, I'll introduce the 10 high-spec, compact down jackets I selected as candidates, along with the reasons for my selection.
1. Black Diamond "Deploy Down 0.5 Pullover Hoodie" 148g (M size) - ¥66,990
This is by far the lightest jacket we looked at. It's a high-spec model made with 4D nylon ultralight ripstop fabric and filled with 1000FP goose down. This pullover jacket is incredibly lightweight and pocket-free, making it a truly unique piece of clothing.
2. Highland Design “Superlight Down Jacket” 250 g・￥33,000
This down jacket is from Hikers Depot, a pioneering UL hiking shop in Mitaka. It's filled with 100g of UDD-processed 810FP goose down, and is the only hoodless down jacket among our choices. By pairing it with the brand's separately sold Down Hood, we expect it to be versatile enough to handle a wide range of situations and occasions.
3. Rab "Mythic Alpine Jacket" 313g, ¥51,700
This model is made of 10D Pertex® Quantum and filled with 900FP European goose down. It features a full zip and pockets on both sides for maximum usability. Its contoured cut ensures excellent warmth.
4. Mont-Bell "US EX Light Down Anorak" 215g, ¥35,000
This Montbell overseas model is made with 7-denier Ballistic Airlite® nylon ripstop and filled with 900FP EX down. This half-zip anorak-style jacket prioritizes lightness over comfort. It also offers excellent value for money considering the quality and weight of the down.
5. NORRONA "Lingen Down 850 Hood" 382g, ¥68,200
Made from ultra-thin 10-denier recycled polyester fabric, this jacket is filled with 150g of 850FP down, providing a perfect balance of warmth and functionality.
6. ARC'TERYX "Cerium Hoody Men's" 338g, ¥68,200
This down jacket from Arc'teryx is the Rolls-Royce of the outdoor world (in my opinion). It's more suited to everyday use around town than mountain climbing. However, it's packed with 850FP down, so it's extremely warm.
7. Mont-Bell "Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka" 236g, ¥41,800
This is the top model in Montbell's lightweight down series. It's filled with 1000FP down and has basic features like pockets, yet is surprisingly light.
8. Rab "Mythic G Jacket" 277g, ¥63,800
It uses the finest 1000FP goose down and features TILT (Thermo-Ion Lining Technology) in an ultra-thin 7D fabric for enhanced heat retention.
9. Goldwin "1000 Fill Power Sputtering Hooded Down Jacket" Approx. 202g, ¥71,500
By using 1000FP down, the jacket has high heat retention even with a small amount of down, and by applying titanium sputtering processing to the fabric, radiant heat is also utilized to enhance heat retention.
10. TETON BROS "Bering Inner Hoody" 249 g (M size) - ¥49,500
This basic design piece can be used as both an outer layer and an inner layer, with 100g of Allied 850 fill power water-repellent down filling.
Narrow down and compare: Comparing three lightweight, warm down jackets
From the 10 models above, we have carefully selected and compared three models that can be used safely in bad weather, with particular emphasis on their lightness, ease of setup, weather resistance, and affordability.
| Item name | Montbell: US EX Light Down Anorak | Black Diamond Deploy Down 0.5 Pullover Hoodie | Rab: Mythic G Jacket |
|---|---|---|---|
| image |  |
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| weight | 215g | 148g (medium size) | 277g |
| Down quality | 900FP EX Down | 1000 fill power goose down (95% down, 5% feather) | 1000FP RDS Certified European Goose Down |
| Amount enclosed | private | private | 127g Size M |
| Fabric material | 7D Ballistic Airlite® nylon ripstop | 4D Nylon Ultra Light Ripstop (100% nylon, 17g/m²) |
|
| Reference price | ¥35,000 | ￥66,990 | ￥63,800 |
| This is my favorite |
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| This is unfortunate |
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| Outdoor Gearzine Rating | |||
| Heat retention | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Compact | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| weight | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Functionality | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Practicality | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Cost Performance | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
The deciding factor in purchasing the Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak
I narrowed it down from 10 candidates to 3, tried them on, and after thorough consideration, chose the Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak .
If warmth is a priority, choosing a down jacket with a lot of padding is the easiest and most foolproof choice, but as I wanted to keep the weight as light as possible, my challenge was to find a down jacket that had a good balance of warmth and portability. The Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak is lightweight at 215g, but is packed with 900FP down (the amount of down filled is not disclosed), making it a well-balanced down jacket.
Based on my experience in snowy mountains during the harsh winter, I have never worn downwear while on the move, even in environments as cold as -15°C to -20°C. Even if I feel cold when I first start walking, it only lasts for a short time, and I soon start to sweat, so I don't need downwear for active wear. The Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak is an anorak type, making it more difficult to put on and take off than a full-zip type, but I only need down when I'm stationary, not while on the move. Since it's intended to be worn at the tent site or during breaks, the difficulty of putting on an anorak type wasn't a problem for me.
And while it's not directly related to performance, price was also a deciding factor. Compared to the other candidates, it offers top-class warmth and portability, but I chose the Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak . From here, the Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak in mountainous areas such as the Northern Alps.
Main Features of the Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak
The Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak is an anorak-type downwear model sold overseas that has been designed as simply as possible and has the necessary functions added.
The jacket is made with 900FP high-quality EX down insulation and 7D ultra-thin shell material Ballistic Airlite, making it excellent in warmth, light weight and compactness. It also has a large front pocket that can be accessed from both sides, and a half-zip that extends to the chest, making it easy to put on and take off even while wearing a hat. The hood is large enough to fit a helmet, and the Velcro at the back can be adjusted to fit in any situation.
The Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak (hereafter referred to as the US Anorak) measures approximately 12 x 20 cm when packed into the included stuff sack and weighs only 215 g, making it extremely lightweight and easy to carry as a thermal garment, but can also be used as active wear in harsh environments .
Favorite points
- Lightweight and compact
- It's warm because it's filled with down.
- No cold spots due to the anorak
- Large adjustable hood and hand warmers are also included.
Points that interest me
- Anorak type jackets are harder to put on and take off than full-zip types.
Impressions used
Test environment
[Period] October to November
[Temperature] -8℃ to 10℃
[Mountain Range] Northern Alps
[Weather] Sunny, strong winds
[Activity] Mountain climbing
Lightweight and compact at 215g, yet warm thanks to the down filling.
Comparison with 1L bottle
In terms of "lightness," the Black Diamond Deploy Down 0.5 Pullover Hoodie (148g, size M) was by far the lightest, but when I tried it on, it felt thin and I felt it was more of a model for active wear. It uses 1000FP down, which is higher quality than the US Anorak the US Anorak had more down inside (the amount of down in both models is not disclosed, so this is just a personal impression from trying it on). When I actually put it on, I could feel the solid down filling and how fluffy it was. I could feel the high heat retention.
The US Anorak isn't the lightest, but it's still quite light at 215g. It's made with high-quality 900FP supple down and an ultra-thin 7D fabric, and the fact that it has a half-zip rather than a full-zip makes it one of the lightest down jackets in its class.
Actual measurements for XL size. Weight including storage bag (6.2g)
Experience the heat retention of Mt. Hakuba Yari in the Northern Alps at minus 6°C in autumn
The fabric is a shell material, so it blocks out the wind and provides sufficient warmth even when worn alone, but the US Anorak Simply adding the US Anorak to your layering while you're out and about
the US Anorak I felt its warmth from the moment I put it on , and I was able to fully experience its true capabilities on Mount Hakuba Yari-ga-take in the Northern Alps in late autumn. It was the end of October, before the snow had even fallen, but the temperature was minus 6°C. With the strong wind, the temperature felt even colder, but it was only because I was wearing the US Anorak
At the summit of Mt. Hakuba Yarigatake, I was able to wait for the sunrise in the cold thanks to my US anorak.
No cold spots caused by an anorak. The stomach area is neat and not bulky.
While anorak-type clothing has the disadvantage of being more difficult to put on and take off than full-zip types, padded clothing such as down clothing has the advantage of not having cold spots.
Many full-zip down jackets are designed to prevent cold spots by having a tube on the back of the zipper, but the US anorak is particularly good at keeping the stomach area warm, which is where you want to keep warm.
The anorak type has no obstructions around the stomach area. The zipper makes it easy to put on and take off.
On snowy mountains, you will need to wear many layers of clothing. Many of these layers have zippers, which can feel bulky around the stomach when sitting or fastening the waist belt of a backpack. However, the US anorak which does not have a zipper around the stomach, this feeling of bulkiness around the stomach is reduced.
Anorak types have the disadvantage of being more difficult to put on and take off than full-zip types, but the US anorak has a zipper that goes all the way up to the stomach, so I was able to put it on easily without having to take off my hat, etc. Also, for people like me who think of it not as a layer but simply as a warm layer for when I'm stuck, the difficulty of putting it on and taking it off won't be a problem.
Large adjustable hood and hand warmers are also included.
The US Anorak has a simple structure without any unnecessary features, but it has all the features I wanted. First of all, the pockets. The pockets can be accessed from both sides and are connected, which is very useful when camping.
You can store small items like a headlamp, gloves, and lip balm in it, and accessing them from both sides makes it stress-free. The large pockets are convenient and can be used to store pre-cooked instant rice with hot water to keep you warm. As someone who is not very organized and tends to make the inside of my tent a mess, these pockets have helped me lose things less often.
The inside of the pocket is connected, making it a large pocket.
The hood is large enough to be worn even with a helmet, and there is an adjustable Velcro fastener at the back so you can adjust it to fit your helmet, cap, or other occasion. By pulling the cords on both sides of the chin, you can tighten the hood around your face, preventing cold air from getting into your head.
Summary: Lightweight, warm, and excellent value for money down
The Montbell US EX Light Down Anorak is a down garment that strikes a good balance between warmth and portability. It's light and warm, and also offers excellent cost performance, making it an excellent choice for the budget.
If you want to keep warm while sleeping, it would be more effective to upgrade the specifications of your sleeping bag. It has too much heat retention to be incorporated into layering, and being an anorak type, it is difficult to put on and take off, so it is not an item that everyone will find easy to use, but it is recommended for people who spend a lot of time outdoors, enjoying magnificent scenery or taking photos.
Written by: Yosuke.C
People who act with just one backpack with the motto of "as light as possible" so that they don't get inconvenient.
From spring to autumn, I chase after char deep in the mountains and go fishing in the mountain stream. We walked the mountains in search of spectacular views that cannot be seen from the ground. Camping to be healed by the bonfire. Snowboarding is a floating mountain with a mountain of silver.
A freelance writer who has been enjoying the outdoors for over 20 years and enjoying the outdoors in his own way all year round. Based on my experience writing articles for more than dozens of outdoor web media, I will be sharing my own experiences and tools that I have been using.
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