Mountain Hardwear Women’s Super/DS Stretchdown™ Hooded Jacket

This winter, I am wearing the Women’s Super/DS Stretchdown Hooded Jacket. I feel I’ve come full circle. Let me explain.

As a little kid, I would layer up my jeans and sweats, pull on a knit cap with a pompom on top, and zip up whatever hand-me-down coat I had before heading outside to play in the wet snow. As a teen, I minimized my look (and comfort, no doubt) in exchange for a bit more style. Those were cold years. Since then, I’ve gone through a number of winter jacket iterations.

Now that I’ve hit the mid-century mark, I feel that warmth beats looks. Thankfully I get warmth and looks with the Mountain Hardwear Women’s Super/DS Stretchdown Hooded Jacket.

The Stretchdown incorporates pockets of down insulation within a single stretch fabric. The single stretch fabric seems to be the key to a comfortable, non-constricting fit. The jacket runs true-to-size, which for me is a comfy medium. I love that it has a sleek look and fit but doesn’t feel tight in the slightest bit. The stretch of the fabric allows me to move around, twist, and lift my arms with plenty of give. 

The Women’s Super/DS jacket is the layer you really want. Wear it over your base layer or under a waterproof shell for peak winter performance. It never feels (or looks) bulky like some down-filled jackets do. As warm as it is, this jacket is thin and weighs only 15 oz. It’s so huggable you can even ball it up inside of its hood to use it as a soft warm pillow. Better yet, after a day of hiking you can stuff it into a travel pillowcase, slide into your sleeping bag, and enjoy a perfectly comfortable night of sleep.

A jacket of this quality and design does not come cheap. As comfortable as the Super/DS Stretchdown is, at $275.00 it is out of many people’s comfort zone. But if you are looking for warm, lightweight, perfect-fitting jacket for your winter escapades, this might just be worth a hard look.

$275.00

Sizes: XS – XL

Colors: Warm Ash, Dunes, Blurple, Raw Clay, Icelandic, Black