This is the lightest down jacket we have tested. The Medium weighs 7.5 ounces on our scale. The next lightest jacket we tested is the Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody where the Medium weighed in at 9.6 ounces. (It should be noted that the Ghost Whisperer Medium is a fair bit bigger than the Ultralight Down Hoody).
We have been wearing this with our favorite lightweight rain jacket, the Outdoor Research Helium II. Their combined weight is 13.9 ounces! We believe this combo is about as warm as you can be with the most wind and rain protection for under a pound.
Warmth
This jacket is incredibly warm for its weight. It is probably one of the warmest sub-half-pound layers currently made. It feels like you are just wearing warm air. I wear this over a t-shirt on 40-degree mornings and am plenty warm as long as there is no wind. One tester slept in the jacket at fifteen degrees while wearing only a lightweight baselayer and inside the Katabatic Gear Palisade down sleeping bag (30 degree rating).
The jacket uses 850 fill down, which is about as good as it gets. To get higher quality down you generally have to seek out a small company and make a custom order like Nunatak. The down quality, along with the super light shell material, is what makes this jacket so warm despite its incredibly light weight. They have an extra big baffle on the back just below the neck in the shape of the Mountain Hardwear logo (a nut). Not really important for performance, but a cool little touch.
Weight
Even before we put it on a scale, we could tell this was one of the lightest layers out there. We have had over a dozen people wear this and they all have the same reaction when they put it on, "Wow, it doesn't weigh anything!" We thought we had tried a lot of light jackets, but this one really takes it to the next level. Many of our testers take the Ghost Whisperer as their only insulating layer for fast and light summer trips.
Packed Size
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket (left) packs just a little smaller than the Patagonia Ultralight Down (hoody Right). However, the Ghost Whisperer packs into its own pocket whereas the Patagonia requires you to keep track of a small stuff sac
Credit: Chris McNamara
The jacket packs into its own pocket. Thank you! We always find it annoying when companies require you to keep track of a separate stuff sack (which invariable gets lost after a few months).
Max Neale on the Evolution Traverse (bottom center) in the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket.
Credit: Matt Wilhelm
There is no cinch on the hood. We understand this is probably to save weight and the jacket's light weight is one of the main reasons we love it. And even without hood adjustment, the hood is designed in a way that mainly keeps light winds at bay. But when an arctic blast rips through, you definitely wish there was a way to cinch down the hood. There is also no way to cinch the cuffs. This is standard on jackets like this. Overall, this jacket is best paired with a really light shell and gloves if you are in any type of cold wind.
Colors and Style
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket worn under the Outdoor Research Helium 2. This is one of the lightest (and brightest!) down jacket/rain jacket combos.
Credit: Chris McNamara
So far all the colors we have seen, except for gray, are very bold: neon orange or yellow with equally bright zippers of different colors. Some people will love these bold colors. Others will want something more muted. One tester loves the super bright orange (and feels very visible and safe when crossing the street or riding a bike). But his wife won't let him wear the jacket around her in public.
Pockets
There are two small handwarmer pockets just big enough to get your hands in. You can't store much. There is no chest pocket either inside or outside.
Water Resistance
There is a DWR coating that repels water in a very light drizzle.
Durability
After four months of extensive use the jacket seems to be holding up well. The logo, which was laminated to the chest, came off in the wash. This could be a good thing if you don't like logos.
We can't really assess long-term durability yet. Check back soon for a full hands-on review. In the meantime, see the other down jackets we have fully tested in our Down Jacket Review.
Other Versions
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer - Women's
