Norrøna Women's trollveggen warm3 Vest 26/27

Women's trollveggen warm3 vest. Norrøna's warmest synthetic weight, core coverage, no sleeves to bunch up under a shell.

Synthetic over down whenever the cold is wet. Down is warmer per ounce and packs smaller, and none of that helps once it's soaked through — it flattens and stops working until it dries, which in a Vermont March means it doesn't dry. Synthetic keeps insulating damp, and that reliability is what you're buying.

The cost is weight and bulk. It won't compress the way the down800 vest does and it's heavier for the same warmth. If your days are cold and dry, or if you're carrying it far, the down piece is the better tool.

Vest rather than full jacket because arms under a shell get bulky fast, and your core is where the warmth actually matters. Sized to layer under outerwear.