Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down review: a fuss-free women’s down jacket with good eco credentials

With great comfort and warmth and timeless looks, the Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down is a wear-anywhere, packable jacket

Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down
(Image: © Fjällräven)

Advnture Verdict

Warm, just about packable and with great looks and fit, Fjällräven’s Expedition Pack Down is a no-nonsense down jacket that also ticks the eco-friendly boxes.

Pros

  • +

    Warm

  • +

    Comfortable

  • +

    Smart retro-inspired looks

Cons

  • -

    Doesn’t pack down as small as other packable designs

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First impressions

Most of Fjällräven’s down jacket offerings are huge coats designed for Arctic conditions – the Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down model is far more slim, packable and versatile. Swedish brand Fjällräven’s motto is ‘functional, durable, timeless’, three adjectives that fit this jacket well.

There are also good eco credentials here – the down used is ethically sourced and the outer material is fully recycled. While the Expedition doesn’t pack as small as some other jackets on test, you can squash it to the size of a large pencil case, so it’s still easily transportable in your backpack.

If weight and size are at an absolute premium for you, you might want to pick a more pocketable jacket, but otherwise we reckon the Expedition is a great middleweight but packable down. We also love the retro looks of the jacket, which are inspired by Fjällräven’s first down coats, designed in the 1970s. Colorways range from sunshine-bright yellow or red to more toned-down navy or black.

Specifications

RRP: £269 (UK) / $373 (US) / €310 (EU)
Fill: 700 fill power goose down
Sizes: XXS–XL
Weight: 435g / 15.3oz
Colors: Navy / Dandelion / True Red / UN Blue / Black

In the field

We tested out the Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down jacket while hiking in the Dolomites in both sun and snow, and really rated its reliable warmth and great fit, which makes it comfortable to wear mile after mile.

Many of the women’s down jackets we have tested out are cut far too slim to work well for layering, but the Expedition has a lovely boxy fit that allows for layers over and underneath, but doesn’t allow heat to escape – perfect.

The waistband is easy to adjust with a cord hidden inside the pocket, and we also like the adjustable hood, which is warm and flattering, and the handy inner pocket for stashing your phone.

Sian Lewis

An award-winning travel and outdoors journalist, presenter and blogger, Sian regularly writes for The Independent, Evening Standard, BBC Countryfile, Coast, Outdoor Enthusiast and Sunday Times Travel. Life as a hiking, camping, wild-swimming adventure-writer has taken her around the world, exploring Bolivian jungles, kayaking in Greenland, diving with turtles in Australia, climbing mountains in Africa and, in Thailand, learning the hard way that peeing on a jellyfish sting doesn’t help. Her blog, thegirloutdoors.co.uk, champions accessible adventures.