L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 Down Hooded Jacket Assessment

Backside Line

The L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 Down Hooded Jacket is a particularly light-weight jacket that packs all the heat of thicker down jackets however with not one of the weight. We love how packable it’s, and rapidly stood out to us as one of many greatest males’s winter jackets. Whereas it will not be heat sufficient for the coldest winter days, it’s versatile sufficient for three-season use and cardio winter adventures.

Weighing in at one pound, the Ultralight 850 is the lightest jacket in our lineup. Additionally it is one of the compressible. With a reversible left pocket, the jacket packs all the way down to the scale of a Nalgene water bottle. We love this characteristic for becoming into tight backpack areas and even throwing in a working vest.

Whereas extraordinarily light-weight, we discovered that the Ultralight 850 does include some concessions, it isn’t as heat as different jackets we examined and is greatest suited to three-season use or cardio winter actions. We additionally discovered the down to begin shedding its loft in areas of excessive contact like below backpack straps and below the arms and elbows. Regardless of these small misgivings, the Ultralight 850 is the gram counter’s dream jacket and isn’t going to weigh you down in your subsequent winter outing.

How We Examined

When transferring quick and light-weight on chilly winter days, we introduced alongside the L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 Down Jacket to check its efficiency. Whether or not cross-country snowboarding, winter path working, or snowshoeing, the Ultralight 850 was totally examined to seek out out each element of its chilly climate skills.

Heat

The L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 comes geared up with 850-fill down to offer heat in most winter circumstances. Throughout a hike in single digits within the alpine of the Chugach, we liked sporting this jacket whereas powering uphill and on quick breaks. Nice for cardio actions and fast pauses in between, we rapidly turned chilly in it whereas in chilly on longer outings. It’s clear that this jacket lacks the heat of others we reviewed for true winter temperatures.

Nevertheless, this barely decrease heat makes it a flexible three-season choice. Utilized in single digits, to above freezing, the Ultralight 850 is heat sufficient for many winter temps, whereas snug sufficient for spring and fall circumstances. We’ll maintain reaching for the Ultralight 850 on milder winter days or when elevated physique warmth might help maintain us heat.

Climate Resistance

With an outer shell of Pertex Quantum, the Ultralight 850 can stand up to temporary publicity to moisture however is just not our high choose for days out within the rain or snow. The shell material has the appear and feel of conventional down jackets: skinny and barely shiny. It’s sufficient for a quick sprinkle or mist, however we discovered that even publicity to snow was sufficient to moist it by way of.

Nevertheless, we have been impressed with the climate resistance of the Downtek water-repellent insulation. On a day within the mountains the place areas of the shell turned soaked by way of, the down didn’t clump or ball up. The weather-resistant remedy of the down is a wonderful backup to maintain the insulation from soaking by way of as rapidly and compromising insulation.

Consolation & Performance

The Ultralight 850 is marketed with a barely fitted reduce that’s greatest with a midweight layer. Throughout our testing, each with and with out a midlayer on, we discovered this to be correct and the jacket is most snug with a layer between you and the jacket. For each heat and on-the-skin consolation, we advise pairing this jacket together with your favourite fleece or artificial layer. 

As talked about beforehand, this jacket works nice as a three-season performer for these of us who dwell in colder climates the place breaking out a down jacket in the course of summer time is just not unusual. The marginally fitted reduce and hip size make this a well styled jacket at dwelling on each the path and on the town. Mild sufficient for backcountry use, however modern sufficient for city, this jacket blends each worlds. Via-hikers, ultralight geeks, or these simply on the lookout for a lightweight and heat jacket will love the Ultralight 850.

Options

To maintain its weight so low, the Ultralight 850 is mild on options, however nicely designed within the ones it has. We have been notably impressed by the power of the jacket to zip into its left pocket. Compressing all the way down to roughly the scale of two giant oranges, we crammed the Ultralight into tight areas in our backpack with no drawback.

Even with out velcro cuff tighteners, the elastic saved the jacket safe round our wrists with out letting any moisture or chilly in. The hood is tightened by two tensioners on both aspect, and the hem snugs down securely across the waist. Whereas not boasting an enormous variety of options, those discovered on the Ultralight 850 are well-appointed and support on this jacket’s light-weight efficiency.

Ought to You Purchase the L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 Down Hooded Jacket?

Should you’re the kind of hiker who prioritizes weight above all else, then it’s arduous to discover a lighter winter jacket than the Ultralight 850. At one pound, it has an impressively low weight, whereas nonetheless having the ability to deal with reasonably chilly temperatures.

Although this jacket lacks the heat for the coldest days, it’s versatile sufficient for three-season use. After sporting this jacket a number of instances with a pack upwards of forty kilos, we did discover that it misplaced loft by way of the shoulders, hips, and different high-contact areas.

Whereas this won’t be probably the most bomb-proof jacket in the marketplace, it features excellently as an ultralight puffy jacket. So whether or not you’re on the lookout for an insulating layer for a thru-hike, a rapidly deployed puffy after a cross-country ski, or one thing mild and purposeful sufficient for an all-around jacket, the Ultralight 850 is bound to have you ever coated in your subsequent journey.

What Different Winter Jackets Ought to You Take into account?

Try our full information to the perfect winter jackets for males or examine different particular suggestions we predict are proper in the event you’re within the Ultralight 850.

Patagonia DAS Parka Assessment: If the Ultralight 850 left you wishing for extra moist climate heat, the DAS Parka’s artificial insulation is bound to do the trick.

Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Parka Assessment: Even hotter than the Ultralight 850, the Stretchdown Parka is light-weight and sturdy for adventures in colder climate.

REI Stormhenge Assessment: Whereas barely heavier, the Stormhenge offers the heat of down, however with the absolutely waterproof shell that the Ultralight 850 lacks.