Mountain Hardware’s Ghost Whisperer UL Hoody has been a popular choice among ultralight backpackers since it was introduced a few years ago. This remains the best puffer jacket for anyone trying to shed every last ounce from their pack weight. It weighs only 6.7 ounces for the men’s medium (7.3 ounces for the men’s large I tested), it packs down into a tiny thing (stuffs into your pocket), and the 1,000-fill-power goose down offers one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios on the market. The very lightweight shell material is a blend of 5D and 7D ripstop nylon, which is a little more delicate than heavier jackets, but it’s held up well so far in my testing. I can safely say that the Ghost Whisper UL is everything I ever wanted in an ultralight down puffer and then some.
What sets this apart from some other really nice puffers are the little details. First up is 1.9 ounces of 1,000-fill-power down, which is as high a fill power as you’ll find in a jacket in this category, meaning you’re getting maximum warmth and height for minimal weight. My only caveat to this jacket would be that if you’re the type of person who gets cold easily, you may want something with a little more filling. The classic Ghost Whisperer Down Hoodie (not ultralight) has 3 ounces of 800 fill power and is a little warm in most scenarios, the trade-off being it’s also heavier (about 9 ounces for a men’s medium). Also check out the Katabatic Gear Puffer below, which is pretty hot. I don’t get cold easily, and I’ve found that the Ghost Whisperer UL works well for me as a warm layer to wear camping at high altitude in the summer, a mid layer for hiking in cold conditions, and a mid layer under the Rab Gleason Pro in extreme cold.
Other details that make the Ghost Whisperer UL our top pick for ultralight hiking include two very nice zippered hand pockets, which have a good amount of space to hold small items like a three-season hat and some gloves, as well as an adjustable waistband at the waist to keep drafts out. I also love how small this thing packs up, less than the size of a 1 liter bottle (see photo). It packs into its left pocket with a reversible zipper, although it’ll be even smaller if you get a separate stuff sack.
My only complaint about this jacket is that it has no cord. Hood, cuffs and waist hem are all elastic. It works fine for the cuffs and hood, but I wish there was a waistband for the waist. For this reason, if I expect the temperature to be below 40, I bring a heavy puffer. The rest of the time, this is what you’ll find in my backpack. Note that I found the fit to be a little small. According to the fit guide on the Mountain Hardware website, I’m right in the middle between medium and large. I tried both and found the larger fit to be better.
| specification | |
|---|---|
| fill power down | 1,000 |
| fill weight | 1.9 ounces. |
| weight | 6.7 ounces. |
