The North Face Summit Series Breithorn Hooded Down Jacket review: warmth without the weight for alpine adventures

The North Face Summit Series Breithorn Hooded Down Jacket: first impressions 

The Breithorn is a mountain range – and peak – in the Alps straddling Italy and Switzerland where adventures call for light, warm and technical gear. This down jacket checks all those boxes with a superior warmth-to-weight ratio, thoughtful technical details and some sustainable features to keep you on the move in alpine zones.

Insulated with 800 fill power responsibly sourced goose down, this jacket is built to offer powerful protection as a cozy mid layer in harsh environments. While that lofty down holds your body heat close, details like elasticated wrist gaiters keep out a chill and work with any pair of gloves, and an adjustable hood helps keep you warm even without a beanie hat.

Despite lofty warmth, the slim fit of this jacket and underarm gussets make it viable for energetic expeditions where you don't want your movements restricted. There are two zipped hand warming pockets plus two inner pockets that are large enough to hold a map. When you're not wearing it, you can pack it down inside its own pocket for safe and easy transport.

We're always pleased to see an effort being made for a planet-friendly design, and in this case that means recycled materials, responsible down and PFC-free DWR which helps this jacket perform in damp conditions. That said, the slim fit may not work for curvier bodies, and this is a pricey piece of kit. It's a high performer, but you'll want to be sure you' can justify the expense.

The North Face Summit Series Breithorn Hooded Down Jacket: in the field 

I first got to test out this jacket in the terrain that inspired it – the Alps between Italy and Switzerland. Though it was only November, at over 11,300 feet we experienced whiteout conditions on a glacier trek and I needed full mountaineering kit. I wore this with a hardshell over the top and fleece underneath and since then, I've been wearing it for some extremely cold hikes in the UK.

Here's how it performed:

Sizing, fit and comfort

I tested a Small which is my usual size and I'd say it fits true to size. It is, however, designed for technical climbing and is meant to be worn as a mid layer, so I think it's important to stress that it has quite a slim fit compared to some down jackets. That makes it perfect for climbing and for layering, but I'm not totally sure how well it would work for those with curvier physiques or broader shoulders.

For me, it's really comfortable and cozy, thanks to such soft shell fabric and the design which makes movement easy. I can zip it all the way up with no chafing and easily raise my arms over my head, bend and stretch.

Warmth, breathability and protection

With 800 fill power down, this jacket really is quite toasty, and it's one of those ones that when worn with a shell is practically guaranteed to keep you comfortable. I experience some pretty challenging, cold and snowy conditions in the Alps, but with this jacket (and the rest of my layers) I was actually quite happy. The only part of me that got cold were my hands and that's because I kept removing my gloves to take photos.

I really love the stretchy wrist gaiters, because they keep a draft out and they make it easy to wear this jacket with any gloves. My only complaint about them is that they're hard to push up if I want to check my GPS watch.

Also, the hood is helmet-compatible, which is my experience can mean it's huge, but this one is surprisingly snug even when I don't cinch it, which actually means I hike without a hat if I want to.

As for breathability, it's a little hard to say because I have only worn this jacket when it's really, really cold out since that's what it's built for. For that reason, I've never struggled with getting overly sweaty and can't say whether I would if it were milder out.

It's nice that the jacket is treated with DWR for some wet weather protection, though like I keep saying I've only worn this as a mid layer with a waterproof jacket over the top so I haven't got to test that out besides the obligatory "lab test" of spraying it with water to see it bead.

Weight and storage

This is a pretty light down jacket, made all the more surprising by how warm it is. The only one I know of that's lighter is the Columbia Arctic Crest Down Hooded Jacket. If I were taking another trip where I needed mountaineering equipment, I wouldn't think twice about packing this.

I love that it has loads of great pockets, including two inner pockets big enough for maps, and a chest pocket with a hidden pocket inside it that I've used for hotel room keys. It all means that I can easily access my phone and other gear while wearing a backpack.

The North Face Summit Series Breithorn Hooded Down Jacket: the bottom line

This jacket is a seriously high-performing technical down jacket. If you're going into higher alpine zones and need protection, it's an excellent layer for warmth and climbing. That said, it is eye-wateringly expensive and if you really only need a down jacket for more casual hiking and camping in cold weather, you could get away with the Columbia Arctic Crest Down Hooded Jacket or Rab Infinity Microlight Down Jacket which are both warm, but a bit cheaper.

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