Puffy---with hood or not?

[gbolt]

I always advocated for puffy jackets with a hood, and both of my current down jackets are hooded. That would normally be my only really warm head covering -- I'd carry a light fleece beanie in cold weather for hiking, and count on my puffy hood in camp, and my sleeping bag hood when sleeping.

So, now I mostly use a quilt for sleeping, and I own a separate insulated hood. I can use the hood around camp when it's cold, as well as when sleeping, making the hood on the puffy jacket redundant. I'm not going to get rid of my parkas any time soon, but when they need replacement in a few years, I'll go the hoodless route.

Well stated! Hood or no hood is dependent on overall gear and sleep system. Again, as a Hammocker and quilt user, I go the separate hood camp!

[Starvin Marvin]

For me, it depends on the temp. Down to around 25*F, I use a lightweight down jacket, no hood. For temps below that, I'll use a warmer down jacket with a hood. The colder it is, the more beneficial the hood becomes.

The down jackets are used for stops and in camp, never while hiking.

Usually I'll lay them unzipped on top of me, inside the sleeping bag or quilt, to: add extra warmth, fill in any gaps, seal off the neck opening, have pre-warmed and ready for when I get up, and to make micro adjustments during the night, without having to introduce outside cold air.

If you're worried about the rain, use synthetic. A fleece with a rain jacket would be a safer option.

[ScareBear]

FWIW, I prefer no hood for any number of reasons. For me, down hoods for anything but sub-0 temps is too freaking hot. And, sweating profusely in a down hood isn't recommended...

If I need a hood to sleep, I have plenty of different weight balaclavas to get the job done and my bags that are 30 degrees and colder have a hood. Not that I EVER use the bag's hood for anything but a pillow....claustrophobia...it's a thing....

Plus, hood-less is 20 percent cheaper...just sayin....

[TrappedInsideACube]

I have a hooded puffy, hooded fleece, and a hooded rain jacket. I also carry a beanie. I hate being cold.

[The_John_Muir_Way]

I have one with a hood and one without. I use the one without more often. When Im really concerned with being cold I wear the one with the hood but sometimes the hood gets tangled in tree branches and bushes.

[mml373]

I'm looking at down puffy jackets. A hooded one would be warmer, but when raining, seems the hood would get wet even under my rain jacket hood. Which do you have? Hooded or not.

I just ordered a puffer jacket without hood. I've come to dislike "hoodies" I have because the hoods are always tugged one direction or the other with a pack and become an aggravation. Other folks' mileage may vary. I have a separate pullover hood/cap I'll wear if my head is cold, and rain gear if needed.

[Desertdave]

No hood, I use a light beanie and my gortex rain shell has a hood. Ultra light fleece w/ low t-neck, silk base layer, bases covered.

[bret]

Get the hood. Better to have and not need than not have and need and weighs nothing. I also like fleece hats, but hood is better when cold and windy.

[DownEaster]

Get the hood. Better to have and not need than not have and need and weighs nothing.

Got to disagree here. Unless you've got one of the hoods that rolls up and snaps in place to become a collar, it's going to get in the way and catch on branches, get covered in sap and other vegetable gunk, and generally be the reason you'll need to wash your jacket.

[Drybones]

Get the hood, I have three without a hood and would trade all three for one with a hood, you don't have to use the hood if it's raining, but you won't have the down jacket on anyway if you are walking...no matter how cold.

[DownEaster]

... but you won't have the down jacket on anyway if you are walking...no matter how cold.

For me, this is a(nother) reason to have a synthetic puffy jacket rather than down. I want the option to wear everything to keep my core warm in case of extreme cold, without worrying that the jacket would become a dangerous liability should it get wet.

[Calvin N]

I vote hood. It's better to have when it gets cold.

[TTT]

I vote hood. If a bear grabs you by the neck the first thing it gets is a mouthful of feathers

[Dogwood]

Get the hood. Better to have and not need than not have and need and weighs nothing. I also like fleece hats, but hood is better when cold and windy.

I observe quite a few with hood/head covering redundancy. First off if it's raining, as the OP stated, it's not extremely cold IMO. WHY have a puffy with a hood under such a scenario, even if it's a thinner wt synthetic, when the rain jacket, poncho, etc you're carrying - and assuming employing - has a hood? Under such a scenario a merino or possum down beanie and the rain jacket hood is more versatile and employable.

Some will say what about stops and in camp. Under such a cold(?) rain scenario why make long repeated warmth robbing stops if you're appropriately layered and thermoregulating? Once in camp there's an above avg likely hood you're not wandering around camp excessively in the rain. You're in your shelter which has a warming affect where it's assumed one changes into dry(ish) clothes and conserving heat wearing the beanie. AND, if need be there's a good chance you have in your kit a sleeping bag with a hood;get in it!

Dry colder winter weather and possibly amended approach to hiking little different scenario. But that was not the given scenario in relation to hood or not.

[George]

for a wind shirt, synthetic puffy or down jacket I always prefer a hood - plenty of heat loss from the neck that a separate hat does not prevent - and the hood is attached so no searching / misplacing

[Dogwood]

These decisions - like hood or not - depend on conditions, how one approaches layering, how one approaches hiking, what else is in one's kit,...hence different answers possibly all equally individually valid.

[DownEaster]

for a wind shirt, synthetic puffy or down jacket I always prefer a hood - plenty of heat loss from the neck that a separate hat does not prevent - and the hood is attached so no searching / misplacing

If the combination of beanie and puffy jacket collar doesn't keep your neck warm enough, a merino wool buff will certainly do the job. But when you don't want the hood, you're still stuck with it. (There are some puffy jackets where the hood rolls and snaps to become the collar. If you've got a puffy jacket with such an excellent design I have no complaints. However, this feature is uncommon.)

[Dogwood]

for a wind shirt, synthetic puffy or down jacket I always prefer a hood - plenty of heat loss from the neck that a separate hat does not prevent - and the hood is attached so no searching / misplacing

I get that scenario and point but the OP said it's raining. I assume you're not wearing just a wind shirt over a hooded puffy in extended or heavy rain? Never misplaced a beanie or had to search for it as, especially under the scenario given in rain and cool/cold weather, it's nearby in a side pocket or in a rain jacket pocket or already being worn. That would/could be a prime piece under rainy cold weather. And IF the conditions change to dry/dryer and warmer I'm not stuck with a just a hood on a puffy. Again, if conditions change the scenario different story. A beanie and hooded rain piece is more versatile as a backpacker on the move than a hooded puffy when it's raining.

There are several hooded wind shirts as well for when it's not raining if a wind shirt is a favored layering piece if you do want to block wind and gain some warmth to the neck area. Additionally a neck area is a location where various other pieces of gear can be used to gain coverage.

[Dogwood]

I have a hooded puffy, hooded fleece, and a hooded rain jacket. I also carry a beanie. I hate being cold.

QUESTION??? Have you ever - or how often - worn all three hooded pieces and the beanie together in the rainon the move as a backpacker? If so please name those three hooded pieces and the beanie? Yes, that is a challenge I'm calling you out on but I also want to hear your reply as I may be missing something you're doing because I'm not seeing it happening with any regularity unless all those pieces are very light wt temp wise, you have a very breathable system, hike real slow not generating heat, do a much better job at thermoregulating than myself when I thought I did an above job, or you're venting somehow(kilt, rain skirt maybe...)...

[David Miller]

I have a Zpacks sleeping bag with no hood so on a cold night I enjoy the extra worth a hood provides over a hat that always seems to get rubbed off during the night. I have never hiking with a Puffy except during hunting season in mid winter. When things get ugly cold the hood provides more warmth to weight than a hat as it stops the draft around your neck.