You Should Buy: Decathlon Down Jacket

The best outdoor deal going, it competes with jackets 4x the price.

The days of George Costanza’s massive Goretex puffy jacket are over. These days, you can get a really warm jacket that is fairly slim, and I’ve found one I can easily recommend to just about anyone - the Decathlon “Hiking Down Jacket – MT 100.”

It is available in both men’s and women’s versions and comes in several colours. This year it’s asphalt blue, dark ivy green, and dark sepia for the men’s and asphlat blue, lemon yellow and deep chocolate truffle forthe women’s.

What It Does Well

1. This jacket is afforable. It’s $80CAD. I’ll compare it to some competition later on, but just know that it’s hard to beat this price with this feature set.

2. It’s warm. It is rated for -5°C while doing intense activity and 5°C for light activity. If you layer with it, it can be worn in just about any weather. I’ve worn it in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 10°C. It’s filled with 85% down and 15% feathers, for a fill rating of 800.

3. It’s small, and it packs up into its pocket. You can easily throw this in your hiking pack or duffel bag. It only weighs 430g.

4. It’s versatile. It’s labelled as a hiking jacket, but it’s perfectly fine for casual wear as well.

5. It has a fantastic hood, two hand-warmer pockets, and a hem cinch.

Downsides

1. It’s not waterproof; it is “water repellent.” That said, I’ve gotten soaked by rain and wet snow, and the moisture never made it through the jacket. I wouldn’t rely on it for extended periods of rain, but it works in a pinch no problem.
   
   From Decathlon:
   ”Water repellency (not to be confused with waterproofing)

   A fabric’s water repellency is its ability to make water run off its surface without being absorbed. This prevents the fabric from absorbing water and keeps it lightweight and warm. The fabric in this down jacket is water-repellent, although we recommend you wear a waterproof jacket over top in the rain. The fabric is made water-repellent by treating its outer surface, but the treatment can deteriorate with use. We recommend restoring it after each wash.”
   

2. Unlike Patagonia and North Face with their lifetime warranties, Decathlon’s warranty is only 2 years. This is better than a typical one-year warranty, so it’s not all bad. Just something to consider if it’s a jacket you want to wear a lot and keep for a long time. Then again, it’s so much cheaper than most of the competition, it’s worth the gamble.

3. Sizing is a bit of an issue. I take a medium in just about everything (though I recently realized I am supposed to be a Small in SAXX). But with this jacket, I ended up buying a large. The medium was just a bit too tight, and left no room for layering. Heck, it was even a bit tight just wearing a thick plaid shirt underneath. The large allows me to wear a t-shirt/long-sleeved shirt and a thin hoodie (like my Patagonia R1 Air) underneath. With that combo, I’ve walked outside in blisteringly cold, windy weather at -30°C with wind chill. In the end, this isn’t necessarily a downside, but I would suggest heading to a Decathlon store to try it out if possible. If not, I would definitely size up if you’re looking to layer.

The Competition

1. Patagonia’s Nano Puff Hoody costs $349CAD. Over 4x the price. It has an internal chest pocket, which the Decathlon lacks, and a lifetime warranty including free repairs (even if you rip it).

2. The North Face Summit Series Breithorn Hoodie is $383CAD. It is essentially the same as the Patagonia, just more shiny and with a different overall design.

3. The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer/2™ Hoody is $396CAD. It’s fantastic, but it’s damn expensive!

4. The Outdoor Research Helium Down Hoodie is $425CAD. It has a waterproof section on the hood and shoulders, and features a front chest pocket, an adjustable hood, and an interior stash pocket.

5. The Mountain Warehouse Canyon II jacket is $110CAD, but can often be had for $55CAD on sale. It doesn’t have a temperature rating and the warranty is only 12months and does not include repairs. It also feels much cheaper. This is the only comparable product, price-wise and you’re much better off with the Decathlon.

6. Even an Amazon Essentials version is still $71!

Conclusion

This is hands-down the best deal in outdoor clothing right now. You can wear it most of the year, from layering during the coldest parts of the winter to having it in your bag/pack for chilly nights in the spring and summer, to wearing it without layering most of the fall. For $80, it’s a no-brainer, essential piece of clothing and gear.

If you don’t believe me, here’s YouTube outdoor enthusiast Dan Becker’s take: