Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hooded Jacket

Built for long alpine hikes and backpacking trips, the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer is the lightest full-featured down jacket around—and the recipient of such awards as GearJunkie’s “Top Gear Pick,” National Geographic Adventure’s “Gear of the Year,” and Gear Institute’s “Best in Class.” Weighing in at 7 ounces and great for layering, it’s designed to resist moisture, maintain warmth, and compress to the size of a softball into its own pocket when not in use. For extra warmth in the same style, opt for the hooded version. For a core-warming option, pick up the vest.

The Q.Shield 800-fill insulation features down fibers infused with a permanent water repellency to protect loft, and its low-profile quilt pattern creates heat-trapping down channels for extra warmth. Soft “butter jersey” cuffs seal off cold and moisture, while a single interior toggle hem allows for easy adjustment on the fly and a built-in secure loop serves as a handy carabiner attachment to harness when stuffed.

The Ghost Whisperer’s fabric is one of a kind; after all, there’s only one mill in the world that can weave it. Developed in collaboration with speed alpinist Ueli Steck as part of Mountain Hardwear’s project to reinvent apparel for climbers and ultrafast alpinists, the super-tight weave uses single 7D and 10D yarns rather than pairs of strands, and is naturally downproof, windproof, and water-repellant.