One New Year’s trip to Savannah, Georgia, I learned the hard way how quickly the wrong jacket can ruin a perfectly good getaway. I now live in sunny Southern California and own next to no cold-weather gear, so when I started planning last year for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Iceland, I knew I needed a solid puffer jacket I could count on to pull its weight without weighing me down.
I’d long admired my friend Jake’s Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody. It’s so sleek, warm, and unmistakably well made, I almost bought one myself—until the $329 price tag sent me back to the drawing board. Instead, I ordered a slew of puffer jackets from Amazon to test, and ultimately settled on a pair of $56 hooded puffer jackets by Outdoor Ventures. I knew they would be good enough for at least a couple trips, but little did I know, they’d become some of the most reliable pieces of clothing in my closet.
Outdoor Ventures Lightweight Full-Zip Puffer Jacket With Hood
From the first wear on a test drive in Alaska, I was pleasantly surprised. This lightweight puffer jacket has that cozy, cushioned feel you want from a puffer, that’s warm without Michelin Man bulk, soft without feeling flimsy, and wind-resistant without being stiff. It’s filled with a down alternative, not natural down with sharp quills that poke through the shell and never seem to stop shedding. It evenly traps warmth without icky, sweaty hotspots, and it’s so lightweight, I’d often forget I was wearing it until a sharp gust would remind me just how chilly I’d be without it.
Iceland was the real test, and it easily passed. Even with cold dry wind, skittish weather, and long days outdoors in icy temps, our Outdoor Ventures jackets held up beautifully, cutting the wind and shrugging off drizzles and sea spray while staying breathable without constant unzipping and rezipping.Â
The fit is athletic and streamlined but also comfortable, with just enough room to layer underneath without feeling boxy. The side pockets are deep, zippered, and perfect for metro cards, extra cash, spare gloves, and rechargeable hand warmers, while an inside chest pocket easily holds wallets and phones. The zipper garage at the neck keeps cold hardware off your skin. And the roomy hood cinches tight with toggle closures to really pack in the heat.
And then there’s its impressive water resistance: When spray from the stunning Dynjandi waterfall had the shell completely drenched from our climb to the top, inside we stayed dry and toasty warm. Water didn’t soak into the filling or slip in through the seams, and it had mostly dried by the time we’d hiked back down. As a bonus, there weren’t even watermarks on the fabric. It looked good as new after a damp, muddy hike.
What really sold me initially has since been proven on numerous trips, and that’s how low-profile and travel-friendly this packable puffer jacket is. For big trips, I’ve vacuum-packed it flat in carry-on luggage for one-bag air travel. On side quests, the jacket rolls down small into its own stuff sack and slides into a tote or backpack, taking up no more room than a sweater might.Â
Fast forward 18 months and scores of trips later, and this jacket still looks and feels as good as new. There’s no sagging, no lost warmth, no busted zippers, no leaky seams. Even after machine laundering, there’s no bunched-up filling or shabbiness. I’ve since reached for it for trips to England, France, and the Azores, and every time I snuggle into my black puffer jacket, I think about how close I came to spending hundreds more.
Patagonia is awesome, don’t get me wrong—I’ve carried my 15-year-old Black Hole Maximum Legal Carry-On more places than I can count—but this Outdoor Ventures puffer has proven that you don’t need to splurge to stay warm, comfortable, and put-together, especially when you’re logging miles in places you’ve dreamed of seeing your whole life. It didn’t just save space in my suitcase. It quite literally saved my back, my budget, and spared me from more than a few dream-crushingly cold travel days.
For a solid, affordable coat for winter or for cold-weather destinations on your travel schedule, snag the Outdoor Ventures Puffer Jacket now, in 21 colors, sizes 0 through 26, and cuts for both women and men. Then read on for other puffer jackets REAL SIMPLE loves from Columbia, Quince, Lands’ End, and The North Face.
Columbia Amaze Puff Hooded Jacket
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Columbia
Quince Responsible Down Puffer Jacket
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Quince
REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket
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Real Simple
Quince Responsible Down Long Puffer Jacket
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Quince
Lands’ End Max 600 Down Puffer Jacket
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REI Co-op
The North Face Aconcagua Parka
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The North Face