When it comes to warm trekking clothes, don’t just think about the daytime trekking in the nice sunshine and warm weather. You also need to think about the night-time at high altitude, when you are sitting/lying still and when it is most cold. If it’s your first time in the Himalayas, remember that this is high altitude and it gets colder than below. On my first Himalaya trek, I was shivering all night at 4700 meters – and that was summer time in a big sleeping bag! So here I’ll write my recommendations based on experience. I’ll look at 3 kinds of trekking jackets:
(1) Down jackets
(2) Hard shell trekking jackets
(3) Soft shell trekking jackets
Evening/Nighttime : The Down Jacket
For cold and windy trekking afternoons and evenings, and for trekking in wind/snow conditions, a good down jacket is really a no-brainer. They are super light-weight and have the best insulation - the ultimate warmth to weight ratio. And they are just damn comfortable to slip into! It sucks being cold when you are trying to have a good time, doesn’t it?
How do you choose a good down jacket?
(1) Decide if you want a down jacket with a hood or not. They come both with fixed hoods, detachable hoods and collar-only. I go without a hood altogether, just a separate cap, but for dedicated winter / snow / tough-weather trekking, a hood is a really good thing – most of your body’s heat loss comes from your head!
(2) Make sure the quality is ok. The stitchings are important. Cheap, fake (Chinese) down jackets just breaks open when rubbing against your backpack and when in general use. It will last you throughout your trek alright, but you’ll need a new one next year. A good down jacket is worth the money.
(3) All proper down jackets are graded by their fill power. Typically a number in the 5-800 range. What’s fill power? It tells you how many cubic-inches an ounce (28g) of down can fill. The higher the number, the better the warmth-to-weight ratio will be.
(4) Fill material. For a down jacket – guess what - it’s down! Goose down or duck down. But there’s also some feathers in it, and perhaps synthetic fibres. Try getting at least a 9-to-1 ratio of down-to-feathers. And avoid the fake rubbish filled with feathers. It’s heavy!
North Face, Helly Hansen, Marmot and Arc'teryx makes some of the best down jackets. Admittedly, you pay a bit extra for the logo. (To be honest, an attraction to some of us!) But more importantly, you are sure to get an amazing and very reliable down jacket! Here are some good options:
| Men's down jacket North Face 700 cu in No hood | Men's down jacket Helly Hansen 700 cu in Detachable hood | Women's down jacket North Face 700 cu in No hood | Women's down jacket Mountain Hardwear 650 cu in Detachable hood |
Daytime : The Trekking Jacket
Daytime trekking in the Himalayas is usually not cold, the weather mostly being quite comfortable. And while your down jacket is needed for evening/nighttime and rest periods, you don’t want to be wearing it while trekking in daytime – unless you’re in a blizzard at 6000 meters or so! Sorry to say it, but you’re probably going to need another trekking jacket for daytime. In winter season you’ll need your daytime jacket from about 2-3000 meters (6,600-10,000 ft) and up, in summer season you won’t need it before passing the 4000 meters (13,000 ft) mark.
What should you look for when choose a trekking jacket?
• It’s primarily for stopping wind.
• Secondary for keeping out rain.
• Should also be breathable (good ventilation) for your body sweat to escape.
• And give a bit of insulation to keep you warm enough when needed.
• Get one that’s durable.
• Preferably being lightweight.
Ok, now the perfect daytime trekking jacket doesn’t exist. But you can get some pretty good ones still. The traditional way to go around it, I suppose, is wearing some sort of windbreaker / rain jacket on the outside, and a warm fleece jacket / sweater on the inside. That’s usually referred to as a hard shell jacket. Using the newest generation of Gore-Tex® or eVent® clothing allows for some breathability, so you won’t get soaking wet from your own body perspiration.
Gore-Tex® was a giant revolution in hard shell design, and with “pit zips” (zippers that runs under the armpits of a jacket) you can now get some very good hard shell trekking jackets. If the weather gets nasty, there's really no substitute for a hard shell trekking jacket. But hard shells tend to be a bit stiff and make hiss-hiss sounds when moving around. And although they are labeled "breathable", don't expect to walk around completely dry when you are on a hard, uphill trek. But you'll dry up faster after it's done. And if you want to walk in real rain, you'll want to bring one. Here are some of the best hard shell jackets and wind-stopper fleece jackets:
| Men's trekking jacket Arc'teryx Gore-Tex | Women's trekking jacket Arc'teryx Gore-Tex | Men's fleece jacket North Face | Women's fleece jacket North Face |
Click to check out all the details...
But for a typical Himalaya trek outside the rain season, I would recommend going with a soft shell jacket. It is more breathable than the Gore-Tex® / eVent® options and also more comfortable to wear during a no-rain / light-rain daytime trek. And when you have a pack on your bag and are going up, breathability is a big issue. You’ll sweat! The soft shells are also more versatile jackets that are good to use for non-trekking activities in a wide range of temperatures and conditions. A couple of good options here, all highly breathable, wind- and water resistant and all have been awarded top honours...:
| Men's soft shell Nylon, 30 oz / 840 g Marmot | Women's soft shell Nylon, 29 oz / 800 g Marmot | Men's soft shell Hooded, 20 oz / 575 g Arc'teryx | Women's soft shell Hooded, 19 oz / 530 g Arc'teryx |
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