Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Puffy jacket - hood or no hood?

My puffy is used only when stopped- lunch, glassing, at camp, etc- I definitely want a hood on this piece. If you're day hunting, you're puffy is also often your first line of defense on an unexpected night out.

I like hoods on all my layers, but next to a rain jacket, a puffy is next piece that it has to be there.

always hoods on my jackets i worked outside climbing poles all my working life and now retired when fishing ,hunting, outside for anything i always have a hooded jacket either on or next to me even in the summer , my wife now does too.

Put me in the hood camp. A jacket without a hood is fairly useless. Can't say I've ever been constrained or bothered not wearing the hood when available. When I sit in the cold, I'll wear 2 hoods if I have them...... nothing I like more than sitting in the wind and having it blow against my neck for 4-5 hours.

No hood on a puffy jacket. When the weather suggests I need a hood, out comes a balaclava. I have light weight ones and my favorite is made of merino wool.

For starters if your considering a puffy. You need a hood. Prove me wrong. Nothing beats the bill of a ball cap for better vision. when it's that cold your packing down jackets why would a hoodie be considered? The couple ounces are totally worth it. Nothing to lose by not going with a hood. We all know you'll have a stocking cap too.

Are you saying the backward ballcap crowd and millenial beanie-babies could possibly see better?.....

25 degrees, 50 mph wind, side of a mountain.... I'll take the hood on both the puffy and the outer layer.

Guess I'm saying my old azz needs a bill IN THE FRONT to see better even if its a jeep hat. Looked at Mountain Hardware puffys tonight. Again a hood? Hell yes it weights nothing but provides alot of warmth. Dose this answer your question?

It depends on the puffy jacket. I like a hood, but like it better if it’s removable. I had a Kifaru Lost Park pullover and the hood was very bulky. It was great that it was removable.

Been there. Harsh. Hoody good.

Amen. I have both, and when it's cold enough for me to think extra, that hood comes in handy.
I was no hood at first, then I broke down and went with a hood. I stay lots warmer.
They are both good. I still use them both, depending on the hunt or whatever I'm doing.

If you already have a jacket w/out a hood there are decent down balaclavas on Amazon, these are also excellent for use in a sleeping bag.


mike r

I have an old down puffy with thin nylon/poly hood hidden in the collar. Basically the shell material with no fill. It's real handy when I need it over a cap or beanie in the wind, but no added bulk.

I like to have one for those times when it is really cold and or windy.

I already mentioned on this thread that I prefer a balaclava and one of the reasons is the hood can easily snag on something. Moving thru timber on horseback I dang near got pulled out of the saddle twice. Followed up on a wounded deer in a thicket the hood snagged so bad I took the jacket off and continued on.

The brush took mine off......

You be lookin' good getting drinks at the tavern with that puffy.

Hood all day

I have 552 lb of ultralight...gear.