Patagonia Hi-Loft Down Sweater

Summary

It's Patagonia. It's down. It's lightweight. What else is there to say?

I bought this through CampSaver.com on sale for $110 bucks. Living in Los Angeles, I understand this jacket is a little bit of an overkill. However, on a recent trip to Chicago where temperatures dropped to the 30s this jacket made me feel like I was in the land of swimming pools and movie stars, although I was walking around in the windy Midwest.  

I would say that this jacket is a must-have for backpacking, due to the great warmth-to-weight ratio, as it is very light and very compressible. At night, I put this jacket in my sleeping bag stuff sack to use as a pillow.. which is VERY comfy.

I would've preferred a slimmer cut for a medium (as I am 6' 150 lbs) but this is mainly an aesthetics issue more than anything else. However, because of the roomy feel, layering is very easy for any clothing worn underneath.  Furthermore, on the topic of aesthetics, the Paintbrush Red option is more of an orange color than red. Once again, this is an aesthetics issue versus a performance issue.  

Performance wise, I really have no qualms with this jacket as it is very warm and blocks wind quite well. However, at full price ($250?), I would have a difficult time purchasing this jacket. As with many of you, I am a bargain hunter. However, if this jacket can be had on discount for around $100, this jacket is a must buy!