Engearment

Kate Agathon

The re-engineered Stellar Equipment Ultralight Down Hood 2.0  is the lightest, warmest, and most luxurious down hoody that I have worn in recent memory.

I first wore it to Copper Mountain (elevation 9,695 feet) for a meet and greet with the U.S. ski team.

That late afternoon was incredibly cold, with a blizzard coming in, frigid temperatures in the teens, and an insane wind chill that made it feel MUCH colder than it was.

As the wind whipped the chairs on the Super Bee chairlift behind me, I couldn’t help but notice that I wasn’t freezing. In any other situation with any other down jacket, that would not be the case.

I was impressed.

How could such a light  jacket (99 grams!) provide so much warmth? In this case, details matter.

Warmth-to-Weight

Stellar Equipment is serious about warmth. The most notable thing about the Stellar Equipment Ultralight Down Hood 2.0 is its warmth-to-wait ratio.

Filled with premium 850 fill power European goose down, it is 15 percent warmer than the previous model and will keep you warm, even when temperatures drop to 14F.

What makes the down fill even more remarkable is that the hydrophobic down is proprietary, plasma-treated, and water-repellent. In other words, it maintains its insulation capability even when wet. Pretty impressive, right?

But wait! There’s more!

The eco-friendly down is also PFC-free, RDS-certified, Bluesign®-certified, allergen-free, 100 percent recyclable and completely source-track verifiable.

Highly Compressible

When it first arrived, I thought it was a mistake. The packaging was so small. How could something so warm and designed for alpine recreation be so small?

Let me provide some context.

Only one other time in my life have I owned a down jacket with so much fill: twelve years ago, I had an Eddie Bauer/First Ascent series jacket that I only wore on the coldest days in the backcountry.

I loved how warm it was, but it was huge. Like an oversized Eskimo parka. Do you recall the infamous Seinfeld (1989) Gore-Tex episode when George Costanza wears a puffy jacket with baffling so large, he continually knocks over anything near his jacket? That was the 850 down jacket I had. Despite the warmth it provided, it was so cumbersome that it didn’t get much use.

In comparison, the Stellar Equipment Ultralight Down Hood 2.0 provided the same amount of warmth but was so much smaller in comparison! Highly compressible, it packs into its own stow pocket.

On the website, the jacket appears cumbersome, but I assure you it most definitely is not.

Features

Developed for demanding alpine recreationists, this season’s redesigned Stellar Equipment Ultralight Down Hood 2.0 embodies what the company describes as “the purest incarnation of our design philosophy.”

The result of a seven years product cycle, the newest iteration features an improved fit, updated design, and upgraded technical details for increased usability and improved durability.

Specifically, updates to its overall design include a slightly longer length, a straighter cut, and enlarged pockets.

The down baffles have been redesigned for improved insulation, and the hem and hood adjustment have been completely overhauled and re-engineered. Meanwhile, the Japanese ultralight ripstop fabric is light, durable, and 100 percent recycled.

The jacket features the Stellar logo along the front and a subtle “S” on the back of the hood.

Finally, the cleverly designed internal elastic cuffs that were developed for the Guide Expedition Down Parka were incorporated into this newest version of the Ultralight Down Hood 2.0.

Built for Cold

In addition to the 850 FP platinum down, among its distinctive features are the elastic cord in the hood and waist, elasticized cuffs, and three pockets.

My favorite feature was the internal elasticized cuffs. No cold air crept in, and they can accommodate a wide array of winter glove styles.

Furthermore, I liked how the elastic cord in the hood and waist allowed for a more customized fit and protection from the elements.

Worn alone or underneath an outer layer, the Stellar Equipment Ultralight Down Hood 2.0 is designed to withstand the coldest of winter conditions. It is part of the Stellar System, the company’s line of premium technical layering products for demanding on-mountain activities.

About the Brand

Stellar Equipment is a Swedish company that uses sustainable materials to create high performance technical outerwear for outdoor enthusiasts. While they are lesser known in the United States, they are extremely popular in Europe and noted for their innovative designs and overall quality. After wearing it in a variety of settings, I can see why Europeans are such fans of the brand.

Overall Thoughts

This is hands down my favorite down hoody.

I live in a mountain town where the unofficial uniform is a hooded down jacket. This one stands out, and I’m constantly being approached about it. I like the overall look and especially how the true red color just pops.

In the mountains, weather changes quickly and I need an insulating layer that is always at the ready.  Clearly designed for winter life at high altitude, the Stellar Equipment Ultralight Down Hood 2.0 provides unparalleled warmth.

It is available in six colors and sizes XS to XL.

Engearment Owner Sean Sewell is also a big fan of the Stellar Ultralight Down Hood 2.0 –

Kate Agathon

Dr. Of Stoke

Freelance writer, bicyclist, outdoor recreation enthusiast, social justice advocate, and mom to her furbaby, Sansa.

A Colorado native, Kate considers the outdoors her mother ship. She brings her passion for bicycling, the environment, and issues of diversity to her writing. Her primary outdoor recreation activities are mountain biking, road biking, nordic skiing, alpine skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and peak bagging Colorado’s 14ers.

 

Kate earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Colorado State University and later an MSEd and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University. In addition to her education, Kate’s background serving on the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and experience working for non-profits and bicycle sales well position her to bring depth and understanding to the complex changes currently taking place in the outdoor recreation industry.