The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer is a truly ultralight down jacket with 800 fill RDS (Responsible Down Standard) certified goose down in a 90/10 down/feather ratio. Its exterior is 10D x 10D 100% recycled ripstop nylon with a DWR finish. It's a standard fitting jacket of average length with a small drop hem. It weighs a scant 6.9 ounces and packs into its own pocket.
The Ghost Whisperer has some stiff competition in this metric, and as a thin, lightweight contender, it simply can't match the warmth of most other models. Insulated with 800-fill goose down, this jacket is only 90% down-filled (the other 10% are feathers, which don't hold as much loft or warmth). It's also one of the thinnest jackets in our lineup, with very narrow baffles (read: more seams), both of which contribute to its less impressive warmth. It's not without merit here, though, and we enjoy wearing it as a standalone layer on milder sunny winter days or colder days during moderate exercise. That being said, we haven't yet encountered a better option for highly packable warmth for high-output activities like running, hiking, and cross-country skiing.
The Ghost offers reasonable adjustability as well. A single hem bungee helps to close the bottom of the jacket — though it's one of the thinnest, flimsiest hem bungee cords we've tested. The cuffs are lined with elastic inside, and though they're not particularly tight against your wrists, they do help over a pair of gloves. The hood has an elastic rim and is decently adaptable. We were able to wear it over a thicker beanie with a pom, though it was a bit tighter than we preferred. It also comfortably accommodates a helmet, as many climbers will appreciate.
The Ghost Whisperer has a good fit that doesn't restrict mobility and slightly above-average comfort. It's a touch on the plasticky-feeling side of things, but not so much that we don't want to wear it over bare arms for summer alpine missions. It has an average length and fit, and it's easy to toss on over warm base layers on a cold day. Similarly, it's great to layer under a shell if the temperature or conditions dictate added protection. The fit feels flattering without restricting movement and feels more like a hoody than the technical jacket it is.
Despite being an ultralight jacket intended for backcountry pursuits where counting ounces matters, the Ghost Whisperer lacks any extra mobility features like raglan arms or twisting sleeve baffles. When we put our arms out in front of us or straight overhead, it easily leaves our bums and wrists exposed to the cold air. If you're a big fan of the well-placed chest pocket, the Ghost also leaves that behind in favor of saving a little extra weight by eliminating another zipper. It has just two zippered hand pockets for basic use.
Here is the shining glory of the Ghost Whisperer. The size large we tested weighs just 8.3 ounces, which is incredibly light for a down jacket--nearly half the weight of most jackets in this lineup. It feels like wearing a vest of air, keeping you light and nimble on whatever mission you undertake.
For most mountain backpacking trips or fall climbing trips, the warmth provided by this ultralight jacket is adequate and can be worth saving yourself the additional weight of a warmer option. But if you need a truly warm lightweight jacket, the Ghost Whisperer offers an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio that's best suited to mild weather.
The Ghost packs pretty easily into its own pocket. It becomes a narrow, compact package with a fabric carabiner loop on one end of the zipper for you to clip it to your backpack or harness. It packs down amazingly small, ending in an oblong bundle that's about the same size as a 16-ounce can. We're impressed by how compressible it truly is — an absolute joy for anyone keeping track of how much their backcountry kit weighs.
Though the 10D x 10D recycled ripstop nylon exterior of the Ghost Whisperer is one of the thinnest of any jacket we tested, it's still treated with a DWR finish. During our testing, this effectively beaded light precipitation and stopped it from soaking into the seams. It stood up to hours of snowfall while ice climbing without wetting out, and we also appreciate the strategic synthetic insulation in the first two wrist baffles and hood. We're not totally convinced how well this ultra-thin material will withstand years of packing, carrying, unpacking, and wearing, but it did just fine during our testing.
The adjustability of the hem helps to block wind from entering the jacket. The elastic-rimmed hood does a pretty good job of keeping our heads reasonably warm without having to adjust it while we're on the go. However, the cuffs are a bit loose, easily letting breezes up our sleeves, and the thin insulation in narrow baffles with sewn-through construction just isn't built to withstand serious cold. The first baffle of the cuffs is made from synthetic insulation rather than down, this fares much better when wet and is appreciated by those who may get damp sleeves when ice climbing, shoveling snow, or washing up.
As a thinner jacket, the Ghost Whisperer offers better breathability than most. Despite having no additional features to aid in breathability, it's one of the few jackets we can happily keep wearing while doing some strenuous winter adventuring. It's thinner than most and easy to expel excess heat by unzipping partway. We found that we could comfortably keep it on while winter trail running, which is a rare find in down jackets.
Interestingly, because the Ghost Whisperer is so thin, we can also functionally push the elastic-lined cuffs partway up our forearms to offer a little venting relief, though we couldn't always get them to stay up through all our exertions.
The Ghost Whisperer is our top choice when it comes to ultralight missions where every ounce counts. It's easy to layer when the weather gets colder but is still a decent standalone option for mild climates or light and fast activities. If you need something more substantial where you live, having to constantly layer up the Ghost will probably get old quickly. But if you need the lightest option that still provides the warmth of down, or a warm jacket for winter cardio, the Ghost Whisperer is the one we'd recommend.
The Ghost Whisperer is a great addition to a versatile cold weather layering kit. If you like to layer but want a little more warmth, consider the Arc'teryx Cerium, which weighs just a few ounces more but is far warmer. If you're just searching for a mild to moderate weather layer that does well across the board and won't break the bank, the Rab Microlight Alpine is an affordable option we greatly enjoy wearing.
