The Sierra Designs DriDown Hoody is a light weight, compressible, waterproof down filled hoody designed for those who want plenty of warmth without a weight penalty.
About the hoodie
The hoddie is built from a light weight 20D ripstop, with a protective water/ wind protective membrane on top. It’s filled with 800 fill DriDown, to provide lots of loft (warmth) and resist wetting out when the weather turns. 
It’s baffled horizontally to distribute the DriDown  throughout the hoodie, while holding the insulation in place. A convertable hood folds down to create nice thick neck collar while not in use, and wind sealed thumb holes offer a little extra protection for your hands when the temperatures unexpectedly drop.
A couple pockets allow for organization, and a snag free zipper helps prevent hang ups while working with the hoody.
The hoodie weighs 12 oz, and comes in a variety of sizes and colors. Retails for $199.
What I liked
Despite being so light weight, the jacket provides excellent warmth while still moderating your body heat. I was able to stay warm, without becoming sweaty or clammy while working around camp. The jacket feels great on the skin, and is comfortable to wear for hours on end.
The garment does a great job at blocking wind, with a rating of 0 CFM of air permeability. This allowed me to camp atop 6200 foot peaks with the wind in my face in the 30’s without getting a chill. I was completely comfortable.
The thumb holes allow uses to quickly and easily adjust for fluctuating temperatures and working conditions. A quick tuck and I was able to cook without worrying about scorching my jacket or getting jambalaya on my fabric. Another quick tuck and my hands were warming up after dinner.
The jacket, even if it gets damp or wet, stays light and fluffy thanks to external waterproofing and internal water resistance built into the DriDown. This is great in Tennessee where wet air and humidity will often flatten out unprotected down jackets. A soggy, humidity dripping tent rained on testers throughout the night, but the jacket never lost its loft. I stuffed the jacket into my pillow at night to add extra loft and cushioning, and breathing onto the jacket all night seemed to have no effect at all. It went straight back to work the next morning, shielding me from the gushing cloud we were camping inside.
The hood tucks on tight across the head, without feeling like it’s trying to cinch your face off. It’s light weight, and thick enough to provide beanie free protection, without being so thick that your head will start to sweat when you warm up.
Elastic around the waist allows for a snug, comfortable fit, blocking gusts of winds and eliminating heat loss. Zippers work great, never causing me a snag or hang up. Starting the zipper is quick and effortless.
The jacket packs up small when not in use.
What I didn’t like
If you find yourself doing vigorous hiking, you’ll end up heating up very quickly in this jacket. This is typical for any down jacket. While light hiking works fine, if you start to sweat you may start to feel clammy as you’ll moisten the nylon on the inside of the jacket.
Overall
This jacket fulfills every desire I’ve ever had for a jacket. It’s light weight, warm, comfortable, packs down tiny, and regulates my body heat without making me sweat under typical conditions. The hood and thumb holes provide extra insurance when mother natures decides to test your mettle with dramatic temperature fluctuations, and the DriDown combined with a water resistant membrane helps shed off light stray showers.
It looks great, and feels even better. If you’re looking for a technical jacket that provides ample warmth, this is certainly one to look into.
The highest of recommendations
Thanks to the manufacturer for providing this product. For full disclosure, see our about me page.
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