Even the most benign autumn days mean frigid mornings, sultry afternoons, and evenings fending off bone cracking cold at camp. It’s a season of riddles requiring a layer that can keep you cozy on cross-country rambles, stow neatly for uphill slogs, and be easily accessible for s’mores and stargazing sessions. Ideally, it will also be capable of resisting moisture so a little water won’t thwart your insulation.
On Performance and Design…
L.L. Bean’s answer to this enigmatic riddle? The Ultralight 850 Down Sweater. Virtually weightless and remarkably warm, this down puffy is so light and low-profile that it wears like a cozy sweater. Available for men and women, this jackets premium 850 Down offers the best properties of nature’s best insulator: warmth, breathability and compressibility.
Unlike similar down sweaters, L.L. Bean utilizes 850 DownTek™ down, treated to repel 33% more moisture and dry 66% faster than untreated down. That means you can wear it and stay warm in a wider variety of climates and conditions. When Mother Nature decides to get downright nasty, the slender silhouette of the jacket layers perfectly under a hard shell for ultimate protection from the elements.
At a meager 10 ounces the jacket is already impossibly light, which is great whether your adventure is a weekend getaway or a thru-hike on the Tahoe Rim Trail. When stuffed down into its own pocket, the Ultralight 850 Down Sweater minimizes the volume used in your pack saving you valuable space and weight. In other words, it’s one more reason you’ll have no excuse to ever leave it behind.
From Sierra summits to alpine lakes and errands around town, the performance of this jacket has presented our editors with plenty to rave about. Temperature rated for or 30° to -20° (with that low end assuming moderate activity and appropriate layers), this jacket has been nothing short of the perfect companion for autumn adventure.
Yet it’s the meticulous design elements that embody so many of the reasons we admire the L.L. Bean brand. Narrowly quilted channels of down provide a sleeker, more streamlined appearance than most down options. Silky soft to the touch, the windproof outer shell features a durable treatment that also allows it to shun misty mornings and light rain. And it doesn’t hurt that in our humble opinion, the gunmetal grey with pops of orange make this lightweight down jacket one of the sharpest looking options around.
Notes from the Field…
Life is full of choices, and some can spark intense debate. When it comes to staying warm, outdoor enthusiasts are frequently divided into two camps: people who prefer value and those who error on the side of brand loyalty no matter the cost. And herein lies the true beauty of L.L. Bean.
Our experience with L.L. Bean continually assures us that we’re never settling on quality or craftsmanship. Retailing at $179 ($189 for tall offerings) the Ultralight 850 Down Sweater rings in at $100 less than similar offerings from other national brands. However, for those who haven’t tried L.L. Bean, we’re confident that the combination of value and quality matched by a lifetime guarantee will have you considering a switch to your brand allegiance.
Bottom Line….
The L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 Down Sweater gives you the gift of warmth without the weight, bolstered by DownTek™ down resulting in one jacket that deserves to be part of all your cool weather adventures.
*Gumption Gear Review received a product sample of the item featured in this review from L.L. Bean at no cost, and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The item featured was provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.