How To Choose A Down Jacket

We stock a huge range of down jacket. If you've never owned a down jacket before then this can look intimidating, so we've created our own Facewest Warmth rating to help you choose the right jacket.

To get started pick the rating that matches the coldest, stillest conditions you'll wear the jacket in, then narrow down by weight, hood and weather protection. Every down jacket in our down range carries a rating from 1 to 5, 5 being the most insulated jackets and 1 being the least insulated.

At this stage you should have already decided that down insulation is more suitable for you over synthetic insulation. If you are more likely to encounter cold and damp environments then you should look at our synthetic jackets instead. Down gives more warmth for its weight and packed size than any other insulation, which is why it's the first choice for cold, dry days, belays and mountain trips. This guide explains what each rating means, which activities it suits, and which jackets in the range sit where.

The Facewest Warmth Rating

Our Warmth Rating is a 1–5 scale that tells you how much warmth a jacket delivers overall, not just how good its down is. Fill power alone can mislead: a 1000 fill power jacket with very little down can be cooler than a 700 fill power jacket packed with it. The rating rolls up fill power, the amount of down, the shell fabric and the cut into one number you can compare across brands.

Rating	Facewest label	What it means in practice
1	Midlayers & 2 Season use	A light warmth layer for spring and autumn, or under a shell when you're moving.
2	3 Season Belay & Hiking	Light, packable down for cool days, summer alpine belays and stops on hill walks.
3	Winter Hiking & Everyday	The all-rounder: proper UK winter warmth for walking, travel and daily wear.
4	Winter Alpine & Mountaineering	Serious warmth for winter climbing, Scottish belays and alpine routes, usually with a helmet-compatible hood.
5	Polar & High Altitude	Maximum warmth for expeditions, high peaks and polar cold.

Some jackets span two ratings, for example 2–3 or 3–4. That means they sit at the top of one band and the bottom of the next, so they'll stretch across both uses depending on how you layer.

Two rules of thumb when choosing a rating:

• The less you move, the higher you go. Standing around on a cold belay or waiting for your mates at a col needs much more insulation than walking uphill at the same temperature.
• Layering counts. A rating 3 jacket over a fleece and base layer can cover many rating 4 days; a rating 4 jacket worn on an active walk will overheat fast.

Type 2 fun in a type 4 down jacket!

 

Which rating for what you do

Most people buying their first down jacket for the UK want a rating 3; climbers and winter mountaineers want a 4; ultralight hikers and layering fans want a 1 or 2.

What you'll do	Rating	Type of jacket to look for
Layering under a shell while moving, spring and autumn walks	1–2	Down vest or light, hoodless jacket
Summer alpine, 3-season hill walking, cold camps in milder months	2	Ultralight hoody that packs into its own pocket
UK winter walking, dog walks, commuting, travel, everyday cold	3	Midweight jacket or hoody, often with a windproof or tougher shell
Winter climbing, Scottish belays, alpine routes, ski touring stops	4	Belay jacket: high loft, helmet-compatible hood, two-way zip, weather-resistant shell
Expeditions, high altitude, polar trips, very cold static use	5	Expedition jacket or parka with maximum fill and a fully protective hood

Active use (ratings 1–2)

If you'll be moving, you need less insulation than you think. Light down hoodies and vests pack small, add warmth under a waterproof, and come out at lunch stops. Down doesn't breathe as well as synthetic or fleece, so take it off for hard uphill sections.

Everyday and winter walking (rating 3)

This is the widest band and where most of the range sits. Look at the shell: windproof fabrics such as Gore Windstopper add a lot of real-world warmth in British wind, and tougher face fabrics stand up better to daily wear and rucksack straps.

Belay and mountaineering (rating 4)

A belay jacket goes on over everything else when you stop. Buy it a size that fits over your shell and layers, with a hood that fits over a helmet and a two-way zip so you can clip in to your harness.

Expedition (rating 5)

For sustained, extreme cold where you can't afford to be cold. These are heavy and bulky by design, so they're the wrong choice for anything a rating 4 can cover.

Other things to weigh up

Once you know your rating, these details decide which jacket in that band is right for you.

• Fill power (FP). How much the down lofts per ounce. Higher FP (800–1000) gives more warmth for less weight and a smaller pack size, but needs lighter, less durable shell fabrics. 700–750 FP jackets are heavier but tougher and usually better value.
• Down ratio. Shown as 90:10 or 80:20 (down to feather). More down means better insulation for the weight.
• Shell fabric. Light ripstop fabrics save weight; windproof shells (Windstopper, Pertex, Drilite Loft) block wind chill; waterproof shells suit skiing and wet snow but are harder to layer.
• Down in the wet. Down loses its warmth when soaked. Most jackets in the range use hydrophobic down and a DWR finish to shrug off showers, but in sustained UK rain wear a waterproof over it or consider a synthetic jacket.
• Hood or no hood. A hood adds a lot of warmth for little weight. Belay and mountaineering jackets need a helmet-compatible hood; for travel and everyday use, a close-fitting hood or none is neater.
• Jacket, hoody or vest. Vests keep your core warm with free arms for scrambling and layering; hoodies give the most warmth for the weight.
• Fit. Active and everyday jackets fit closer to layer under a shell; belay jackets are cut roomier to go over everything. If in doubt between sizes, think about what you'll wear underneath.
• Responsible down. Look for RDS (Responsible Down Standard) or recycled down, used across much of the range.

Quick checklist

1. Pick your rating from the coldest, least active conditions you'll face.
2. Choose the style: vest, jacket or hoody; belay cut if it goes over your shell.
3. Check the shell: light for packability, windproof for UK hills, waterproof for snow sports.
4. Compare weight and fill power within your rating to balance packability, durability and price.
5. Get the fit right for the layers you'll wear underneath.

Still unsure between two ratings? Go for the jacket that spans both (a 2–3 or 3–4), or choose the lower rating and add a fleece on colder days.

Looking after your down jacket

• Store it loose on a hanger, not compressed in its stuff sack.
• Wash only when needed, with a specialist down wash, and follow the care label.
• Tumble dry on low with dryer balls to restore loft, making sure it's fully dry.
• Reproof the shell with a DWR treatment when water stops beading.