Wantdo Packable Down Hoody - Women's Review

The Wantdo Packable Down Hoody doesn't do anything particularly outstanding, but it works well enough for its small price tag for those looking for a down jacket for occasional use or mild winter weather. It has a 20-denier nylon and taffeta exterior with waterproof coating, responsibly-sourced 90/10 down and feathers, although it doesn't note the exact fill power. It weighs in at a featherweight 8.8 ounces, and packs into an included stuff sack. It's available in a wide range of sizes and an array of colors for your tastes.

Warmth

The Wantdo wouldn't be the first jacket we reached for if we were looking for superior warmth. It does okay considering that the exact fill power of the down is not specified. It's also on the thinner end of the spectrum of down jackets we tested, but has decent loft for the overall weight. It does perform pretty well on moderate cold days, and even during winter storms. The hood has decent coverage and a fairly protective chin guard, with or without a beanie. We wouldn't really want to wear this jacket for technical missions, but it can fit over a climbing helmet, although with a bit of movement restriction.

There's a few factors that detract from the overall warmth of the Wantdo, aside from its relatively slim loft. Likely to save weight and manufacturing costs, it doesn't have any adjustability points, leaving the bottom hem especially susceptible to drafts. To be fair, Wantdo only claims that the jacket only works well down into the 20 degrees Fahrenheit range, which we would agree with from our testing, especially if you're not doing something active. It'll keep you sufficiently warm in mild to moderate cold conditions, but you'll need something more for sub-zero days--at the very least, a thick layer underneath, which this jacket can accommodate.

Comfort

Compared to other budget down jackets, the Wantdo has a better fit for athletic and curvy body types, and doesn't restrict movement. If you're slim, you may want to consider sizing down so you're not swimming in it. It doesn't have the classic problem of the too-narrow shoulders, and feels fine to move in, even without specific features. It's a boxy fit overall and could use some streamlining to make it look less square, but this trait also makes it easier to layer underneath than slim-fitting jackets. If it had even just slight tapering at the waist, it would make it significantly more flattering, but we still like the low-key shape overall for the utility.

The exterior material feels almost like it has a very thin rubbery layer (likely due to the waterproof coating) and it's not the most comfortable to wear on bare skin. It's fairly low profile, and can easily be layered beneath a shell jacket. This down jacket comes in one of the widest size ranges we've seen in testing, from XS to 3XL, accommodating many different body types, which is a bonus. However, our biggest issue with the Wantdo is the sleeves--which unfortunately come up short. If you do anything aside from just keep your arms at your sides, the sleeves ride up 1-2", exposing your wrists to wind and cold, even if you're wearing gloves. The elastic around the wrists is loose, and essentially does nothing to keep the sleeves in place.

Packability

The Wantdo is built with portability front of mind, and shines as a down layer for casual travel to cold environments. It weighs in at a modest 8.8 ounces and packs into an included drawstring stuff sack. It's almost too easy to pack: The drawstring sack has a bit too much extra space left over, and it could pack even smaller if the bag was sized appropriately.

We generally prefer if a down jacket can pack into its own pocket so that you don't have to bring along an extra item to compress it, but that being said, the Wantdo is made to travel, and does so quite well. Time will tell if feathers begin to escape with years of use and compression, but within our several month long testing period, it didn't show signs of wear from being repeatedly packed down and bounced back to loft quite well.

Weather Resistance

For water resistance, the Wantdo performed better than expected. It does have a waterproof coating that proved effective, and it repelled water longer and more effectively than more costly technical jackets in shower tests and real storms. Even fairly wet precipitation like sleet or rain will bead off of the Wantdo for quite a while.

Similarly, the exterior nylon taffeta blend actually does quite well for blocking wind. While, once again, the jacket suffers for its lack of adjustability, the material itself does the job. We noticed wind sneaking in through the hem, the sides of the hood if not wearing a beanie and the unfortunately short sleeves.

Breathability

The same qualities that make the Wantdo good at blocking wind and water make it not breathe as well as you would expect for a jacket of such a low weight. it seems like the waterproof coating is also on the interior, which notably traps perspiration and doesn't allow for good airflow. Unless it's below zero or we're not working that hard, we have to take it off relatively quickly compared to other jackets of a similar loft.

However, it does have some redeeming qualities for breathability, and mostly due to its relatively low loft and the ability to push up the sleeves, it's comfortable to keep on for moderate pace activities. The shape of the Wantdo facilitates airflow, and the wrists allow heat to escape.

Should You Buy the Wantdo Packable Down Hoody?

With the price tag, there are not many reasons why not to buy the Wantdo, especially for a backup jacket, a down jacket for work or travel, or if you don't plan to use it frequently. It does decently well at blocking out inclement weather and precipitation, it's size inclusive, and for the most part, does what it's supposed to do. For most people in consistent cold winter climates though, your money would be better spent going towards something warmer. If you need a decent all-around down layer for less money than most, though, the Wantdo will tick those boxes.

What Other Down Jackets Should You Consider?

For a similar price to the Wantdo but a slimmer fit and more fashion-forward look, check out the Lock and Love down jacket. You'll have to jump up a bit in price range to get more warmth, though. The Columbia Lay D III is a highly protective and virtually waterproof down layer for around town with a removable fur hood that will give you more warmth compared to the Wantdo without completely breaking the bank, but it isn't packable. We also love the Rab Microlight Alpine for protection from most conditions, and while it's a lot pricier, it'll also last longer and is warmer.