Black Diamond Men’s Approach Down Hoody Review

Living the winter life out West it seems like you can never have too many puffy coats. While I’ve noticed that most of my friends prefer to layer with mid-layers and shells while skiing, I almost always gravitate towards a puffy.

There is just something so comfortable about having this kind of coat on my body. I’m a puffy girl through and through, and the Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody has quickly become one of my favorites.

Fit and Feel

I have broad shoulders, and I tend to sweat a lot in my armpits. I also like my jackets to fit on the big side. That is why the Men’s Medium slim fit version of the Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody has been the perfect size for me. It has extra room to make it easy to layer under. Because it is so lightweight, it has been easy to wear as an underneath layer. I have worn it both of these ways backcountry skiing, in the resort, and cross-country skiing.

Additionally, I have longer arms and am always really bothered when a jacket’s arm length isn’t on the long side. Luckily, I have no problem with that when it comes to this Black Diamond Puffy, I also really like the longer body length. (the bottom falls well below my hips, which is perfect)

Features

This Black Diamond Down Jacket is stuffed with premium 800-fill RDS certified goose down. Because it is so light and compacts down so small, I have had no problem throwing it in my backpack while touring as a backup dry layer. The jacket also can pack down into its hand pocket with a carabiner clip loop.

Having a hood is an essential feature I look for in any jacket, and I love the hood on this jacket. It even has an easily adjustable elastic cinch drawcord in the back that can fit the hood around a ski or climbing helmet. This was especially nice for the many times I wore this jacket while strong winds were blowing over Teton pass when boot packing up Mt. Glory.

The Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody has three zippered pockets- 2 regular zippered hand pockets on the side and one zippered chest pocket. The chest pocket has been my go-to for my Chapstick and sometimes my phone. The other pockets are plenty roomy for snacks, extra lighter-weight gloves, etc.

Black Diamond Men’s Approach Down Hoody Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Lightweight and easy to layer under
• Longer arm length and body
• Stuffed with premium 800-fill goose down

Cons:

• Jacket may not be breathable for some
• Expensive compared to other puffy jackets

Overall Impressions

Though I have used the Men’s Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody ($360.00) so far for the early winter season, I can see how it would be perfect for summer climbing and backpacking. It is impressively warm for how light it is.

I love the shiny black color because it is super flattering and looks great with everything. You might especially appreciate this color if you’re like me and enjoy rocking a good cheetah print buff. I am really looking forward to wearing this jacket all year round.

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3. Mountain Hardwear Women’s Boundary Ridge Jacket Review