Our testers have ripped (or loosened) more than a few jacket and pant seams during the course of their outdoor adventures. Not infrequently, these rips happen during body-contorting activities such as climbing, scrambling and ski-touring. Simply put: Their jackets or pants didn’t stretch with them.

Warmth Mobility Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown onlocation Felix Rioux hoody — Mountain Hardwear Women’s Stretchdown Hoody in action. Photo: Mountain Hardwear

Mountain Hardwear’s Stretchdown solves the problem of adventurers feeling constricted by jackets and pants that don’t move whenever and wherever they move.

Stretchdown weaves pockets of down insulation from a single stretch fabric, giving you a lot more freedom to move.

Warmth Mobility Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown man standing — Men’s Stretchdown Light Pullover and Pant. Photo: Mountain Hardwear

The material blend (Durable Stretch Woven 87% Nylon, 13% Elastane) comes together with the highest quality goose down insulation in an ultra-engineered construction to combine warmth and movement for the full range of winter activities. From trailhead to summit, over bases or under a waterproof shell: this layer is made to mobilize.

The new Stretchdown Hoody, available in women’s and men’s, will serve as a standalone jacket or a layering piece under a roomy shell. (Other Stretchdown options include a Parka, Jacket, Light Jacket, Light Pullover and Pant.) One issue our testers pointed out was the Stretchdown’s relative lack of ultra-packability—it is lightweight, but doesn’t compress into its own pocket (like Mountain Hardwear’s Ghost Whisperer UL Jacket, for example).

Warmth-Mobility-Mountain-Hardwear-Ghost-Whisperer-UL-woman-standing — Women’s Ghost Whisperer UL Jacket with Women’s Stretchdown Pant.

However it should be pointed out that no jacket or pant can be everything to all users. For example, these highly compressible pieces may not offer the stretch features of the Stretchdown. And in some cases, ultra-compressible pieces can be more delicate and do not stand up as well to heavy-duty usage. Though not a bombproof shell, the Stretchdown outer fabric is durable and will stand up to scuff after scuff.

Warmth Mobility Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown woman with rope climber — Women’s Stretchdown Light Pullover and Stretchdown Pant. Photo: Mountain Hardwear

Stretchdown Hoody Features:

Exclusive stretch-woven fabric delivers incredible durable stretch
700-fill RDS-certified down
One secure zip chest pocket
Two zipper hand pockets
Ful zipper at center front
Insulation is bluesign® approved
17.7 oz / 501 g.

Pair with the new Stretchdown Pant (available in women’s and men’s). Our favourite feature (other than the stretch and warmth) is the integrated belt that allows you to make easy one-handed micro-adjustments to the waist.

Stretchdown Pant Features:

Exclusive stretch-woven fabric delivers incredible durable stretch
700-fill RDS-certified down
Two hand pockets
Integrated webbed belt
Insulation is bluesign® approved
9 oz / 256 g.

Ethical Insulation

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Not only is this down exceptionally warm and sleek (not bulky), it is RDS certified (and supplied by ALLIED Feather + Down). The Responsible Down Standard organization certifies products that contain feathers and down from certified farms and ensures that the feathers derive from geese and ducks raised in compliance with the principles and criteria of animal welfare. The ALLIED Feather + Down insulation is also bluesign® approved—bluesign® is a third-party approval system that provides safer and more sustainable environments for people to work in and everyone to live in.

99/100

Total Score iLegend

The best

Check out the full lineup of Stretchdown here.