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Down Insulated Vests

The best down insulated vests, reviewed and curated by the Trailspace community. Stores' prices and availability are updated daily.

Recent Down Insulated Vest Reviews

rated 5 of 5 stars
The North Face Nuptse Vest

So many different sizes, very confusing. When I ordered this vest I did some research for size. The US, the European, and Asia sizes all are different. I didn’t mind to invest in a good vest, but wanted a good fit. I take XL size T shirt which is XXL Asia. Finally I chose the North Face chart for decision, here I was between size « L » and «  XL « Scared to be tight in L size, I chose XL. Bit anxious. Got my vest today and quickly try for size. First impression, nice and light. The fit is… Full review

rated 4 of 5 stars
Eddie Bauer Downlight StormDown Vest

A good 800 fill goose down vest with DriDown DWR treatment. I first bought an Eddie Bauer First Ascent light down jacket five years ago and have been very happy with it. I've used it for hunting, skiing (a lot), and winter backcountry hiking as well as around town (see my avatar). I decided I needed a vest that would be warmer than my 300 weight fleece vest so I bought the EB First Ascent mainly because I wanted DWR on all my down garments going forward and I trust First Ascent quality. This vest… Full review

rated 3.5 of 5 stars
REI Down Vest

The is a good quality down vest that is available at a very reasonable price that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone looking to pick up a down vest to put in their pack. I have been very focused on reducing the base weight of my pack and one area that I made a lot of changes to was what insulating layers I would bring for my summer hikes in the Sierras. My upper layer of clothes now consists of a base wicking shirt, a pullover lightweight fleece, a wind shirt, a down vest (the subject of… Full review

rated 4 of 5 stars
MontBell Superior Down Vest

Great for layering! Montbell’s UL Down Vest is a great addition to a layering system that will help keep you warm while weighing about the same as your average t-shirt. It is not the top of the class, but for the price, weight savings, and effectiveness, I say it is a good choice. I have had my vest for over 2 years now. It went with me on the first 1,000 miles of the AT and on several overnight and weekend trips locally. If I am not wearing it I have it rolled up and in the stuff sack that was… Full review

rated 2.5 of 5 stars
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Vest

Sure, this vest only weighs 5 oz, but what are you really getting? I only paid 1/5 the price at a closeout sale, but it only weighs 4oz less than the down jacket I picked up at Walmart for $19.98 (1/12th the price)! Cut the sleeves out and there you are. The quality of this vest isn't THAT much better than the cheap Walmart jacket either. And they are both made in China. Though the retail price on this vest is $245!! Ridiculous in my opinion. I love my MH rain jacket, but I'm not very impressed… Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Patagonia Down Sweater Vest

This is a great vest for everyday use, but is also durable enough to use in many outdoor activities. Made from light and fluffy 800 fill down, this vest keeps your core warm and can pack down smaller than a softball. Because Patagonia makes gear that's out of my price range, I either have to save up some money for a while to get what I want, or I have to wait for things to go on sale (or sometimes both). At $179 MSRP, this vest was way out of my price range until last year when my local gear shop… Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
The North Face Nuptse Vest

More than enough for anything short of Arctic conditions, this vest has far more utility than I hoped for. This was a clearance item, an impulse buy, and a dam'd good one. I have never bought a down vest in 50+ years of backpacking, so this is a new experience for me. This thing was very warm when I tried it on in the store. Seriously, I have never warmed up so fast from a single piece of clothing (the small store (<1500' sq) was very cold as the AC was on full blast). Between this and my Marmot… Full review

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
MontBell Alpine Light Down Vest

Well fitting super light core insulator. This vest is 800 fill with a lighter ripstop shell with dwr finish. It has  two internal dump pockets, (great for gloves or something you want to keep warm or dry out) and two fleece lined zippered hand pockets (down on the outside of the hands when inserted.) It has a drawstring hem with cord locks and a 3 inch fleece lined collar. I got a medium and the fit is snug (5.10  175 lbs) but the larger arm holes alow lighter layering underneath without restriction. Full review

rated 3.5 of 5 stars
Eddie Bauer First Ascent Downlight Vest

Eddie Bauer's First Ascent has slowly but surely over the last 2 years built itself a quality line of outerwear that competes very nicely with Patagonia, Marmot, and Mountain Hardwear. Although it may not achieve the cool status of The North Face and doubt you will see young people on High School and College Campuses sporting their gear. But I think in terms of quality and price point it competes very nicely with the above brands.  Speaking of quality gear I'm reviewing their Downlight Vest which… Full review

Other Types of Vests

Find more vests reviewed in these related categories:

Synthetic Insulated Vests

Fleece Vests

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