Best Hiking Jacket Brands: These 9 Are Our Favorites

Best Hiking Jacket Brands: These Are Our Favorites

Hiking, also called trekking, is an activity practiced by many people, both athletes at a professional level and beginners.

You probably know that this activity needs you to have adequate gear because often it is practiced by walking on impervious paths and on high peaks.

Depending on the type of weather, you’ll need the right type of clothing and in particular the right type of jacket.

You’ll need a breathable jacket in summer, an insulated one in winter, and a waterproof one when it’s raining.

So today we will talk about jackets again with this selection of 9 of our favorite hiking jacket brands, so you’ll know where to get your jacket from the next time you’re planning to go hiking.

Ok, let’s get right into it!

Contents:

1. Arc’teryx

Arcteryx official website jackets
Arc’teryx official website: jackets

We will start with Arc’teryx a hiking, mountaineering, and outdoor clothing and gear brand from North Vancouver, Canada founded in 1991. They have also other offices around the world, such as those in Tokyo, Munich, Shanghai.

The connection with China is evident because the company is in fact part of Anta, a sportswear Chinese company.

Read also: 8 Quality Brands like Arcteryx: Our Top Picks

The particular name of Arc’teryx was chosen because it recalls that of the first bird of the dinosaur era: Archaeopteryx. In fact, the company logo represents the fossil of this ancestor of birds.

Arc’teryx makes high-quality clothing and uses Bluesign® certified products. The company is also very attentive to sustainability and respect for the environment and produces very long-lasting trekking clothes that are perfect for adapting to any type of performance.

Another characteristic of the company is that it repairs clothing rather than throwing them away. Among the most used materials are Nylon, Polyester, Wool, Down, etc.

As for the technologies used for the jackets and also for the other garments, the company uses Gore-Tex, which allows it to design very resistant and waterproof jackets, but at the same time also breathable.

One of Arc’teryx’s jackets that can withstand harsh temperatures, waterproof, and comfortable to wear is the Macai jacket. You can use it for winter hiking and other snow sports and activities.

Don’t miss: Why is Arc’teryx so Expensive? Are Their Jackets Worth the Price?

Arc'teryx Presents - Who We Are: A Design Company

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2. Helly Hansen

Helly Hansen was founded in 1877 and produces outdoor equipment and clothes for sailing, skiing, hiking, etc. Its founder was Helly Juell Hansen, a famous sea captain who wanted to make equipment for sailors to protect them from the harsh weather conditions.

After all these years, however, the company has transformed, to become specialized in sportswear not only for sailing but also for the mountains.

You might also like: Helly Hansen vs Arc’teryx Jackets: Which Brand is Better?

Today the company is based in Oslo, Norway. The brand has become very famous for its equipment and in particular for its jackets and other garments, made with advanced technologies. One of these, born in 1980, is called Helly Tech® and allows the brand to make clothes that are breathable, but at the same time waterproof.

Tested by Mountains

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In 2012, H2Flow technology was introduced for jackets, which helps regulate body temperature during demanding activities. The most used materials by the company are nylon, wool, fleece, polyester, and the brand has a great focus on sustainability.

A very resistant to cold temperatures, practical, with an elegant but also simple design, is their Elevation Infinity Shell Jacket.

Read also: 9 Norwegian Clothing and Jacket Brands You Should Know

3. Patagonia

Why Waste It? | Powder Bowl

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The Patagonia company was founded by Yvon Chouinard, a famous mountaineer, in 1973 and its headquarters are in California, precisely in Ventura. However, the business started in 1957 thanks to the founder, when he started selling trekking equipment.

Don’t miss: 10 Outdoor Brands Like Patagonia That You’ll Definitely Love

Over the years, the creator also managed to expand the company, which became increasingly famous. Today the brand is very popular in the outdoor market and is known for its quality and for using recycled materials and focusing on environmental protection.

Among these materials, there are recycled pieces of fishing nets, recycled wool, cotton, and polyester. The latter, along with nylon, is widely used for jackets, characterized by high resistance, elasticity, but also for their particular use along with the Gore-Tex technology, thus guaranteeing various levels of waterproofness.

Must read: Why Is Patagonia So Expensive? Are Their Jackets Worth The Price?

A very popular jacket by Patagonia is the Torrentshell jacket which is very versatile, water-resistant, suitable for different types of activities and is a good option for rainy conditions. It comes in many versions for men and women and different layer configurations.

Patagonia® W's Torrentshell 3L Jacket

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4. 66° North

The 66°North company was founded in 1926 in Iceland and today it’s an important brand in the outdoor clothing market. Initially, it was specialized only in the sale of fishing equipment and in particular for fishermen in the North Atlantic area, hence the company name.

You might also like: 7 Icelandic Clothing Brands for your Outdoor Adventures

Around 1960 the company expanded its production and today it is very famous for its characteristic durable and waterproof gear, but also very practical, comfortable, and elastic.

66°North - About us

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Among the most particular jackets of the brand, there is the Skaftafell shell which is versatile and it uses the Gore-Tex® Infinium technology to guarantee water resistance.

5. Columbia

Columbia official website jackets
Columbia official website: jackets

Columbia was founded in 1938 and it is based in Portland, Oregon. At first, it was a company specializing in the production of hats, but then it has become increasingly famous, becoming a well-known brand for sportswear, outdoor gear, and also for hiking gear.

Its production has increased over the years and its jackets are of high quality, with many of them being waterproof and at the same time breathable. Many jackets also have interchangeable parts.

Read also: 9 Outdoor Brands like Columbia that We Love and Why

Many of these jackets insulate very well from the cold thanks to highly insulating materials such as TurboDown and Omni-Heat Reflective technology, which help maintain an optimal level of warmth.

As for fabric technologies, we can mention the innovative OutDry, which is a particular type of waterproof material that allows the jacket to also be breathable. Another technology of the brand is Omni-Tech.

Columbia has both affordable and expensive jackets in its products’ line, but in general, it is perceived as a brand with very accessible prices by customers.

One of their jackets for cold-weather hiking is the Delta Ridge Down Jacket, ideal also for other types of outdoor activities.

Men's Delta Ridge™ Down Jacket

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6. Jack Wolfskin

Jack Wolfskin is a very famous brand in the outdoor clothing industry, particularly in Europe and Asia, and its head office is located in Idstein, Germany. It was founded in 1981 and its production includes not only equipment for trekking, but also for mountaineering and for many mountain sports.

One of the characteristics of this company is its attention to the environment and sustainability.

Read next: Jack Wolfskin vs Columbia: Which Brand is Better?

Among the insulating materials used for the jackets and other products, we can find the RDS (responsible down standard) certified down, Microguard synthetic insulation, and Fibercloud (also synthetic).

DISCOVER LOCAL TRAILS WITH US | WOLFTRAIL I JACK WOLFSKIN

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One of the main technologies that the brand has developed is Texapore, which is used to make waterproof, breathable, and windproof jackets that are resistant to harsh conditions.

Stormy Point is one of the jackets that best represents all the typical characteristics of this brand and that you can choose for your next hiking adventure.

Don’t miss: 8 German Clothing and Jacket Brands for Outdoor Activities

7. Fjällräven

fjallraven logo on the kanken backpack
Fjällräven logo on the Kånken backpack

Fjällräven means “Arctic Fox” in Swedish and is a company specializing in the production of equipment for hiking and mountaineering, but also casual clothing. It was founded in 1960 by Åke Nordin, but it was not until 1983 that it also began to have its own listing on the stock exchange.

Initially famous for the production of backpacks, today it produces both equipment and clothes and has also become famous for its jackets. These are long-lasting and very resistant.

Must read: Why Is Fjällräven So Expensive and Popular? Are Their Jackets and Backpacks Worth It?

One of the main materials used to make these jackets is the G-1000, which is versatile, breathable, durable, and allows you to regulate your body temperature.

All Fjällräven’s jackets are very warm, with the most resistant to cold temperatures being the winter parkas, but also the down jackets, which are insulated with duck or goose down.

Fjällräven Eco Shell - How It Works

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Also very famous are the jackets with the Eco-Shell material, which is sustainable, resistant, light, and made of recycled polyester.

For hiking, you can check out their Bergtagen Jacket, very light but also water-resistant and full of comfort.

You might also like: 10 Fjällräven Jackets Reviewed: A Swedish Brand For Your Outdoor Adventures

8. Mammut

Mammut official website jackets
Mammut official website: jackets

Mammut is a Swiss company born thanks to Kaspar Tanner in 1862 in Dintikon but initially, it only produced climbing ropes. Only after years has it also become a manufacturer of clothing for hiking and mountaineering and is now a famous brand.

Don’t miss: Mammut vs Arc’teryx: A Comparison

As for the jackets, all are famous for their characteristic protection from bad weather and bitter cold, but not only. Many of them are in fact also very resistant, waterproof, and durable thanks to the Gore-Tex technology with which they are produced.

An example of the brand’s resistant and waterproof jackets is this 3L Hardshell Hooded Jacket.

9. The North Face

FUTURELIGHT: Made to Defy | The North Face

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The North Face was founded in 1966 by Douglas Tompkins in California, and the company logo represents a rock formation, Half Dome, that is part of Yosemite National Park and which is considered one of the most difficult to climb.

Today the brand is a famous sportswear manufacturer that increased in popularity in the 90s when the brand’s garments were also worn by various celebrities.

Read also: 10 Outdoor Brands Like The North Face that You’ll Love

The jackets of this company are very famous not only for their resistance and their insulating features but also for their technologies. Among these, we can mention the FUTURELIGHT™ membrane, which makes the jacket waterproof, but at the same time breathable.

Another technology used for the same purposes is Gore-Tex®, but there are also others, such as WindWall, DryVent fabric technology, and Thermoball synthetic insulation. A widely used natural insulation is Goose down which, in addition to keeping the heat, is very light and therefore guarantees freedom of movement.

A very resistant, waterproof, and warm jacket from this brand is the Carto Triclimate, a 3-in-1 jacket for women.

Read next: The North Face vs Jack Wolfskin: Which Brand is Better?

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