Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded - Women's Review

The Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded down jacket has 800-fill hydrophobic goose down, and an exterior of 20D giant-ripstop nylon with a DWR finish. It features a shorter torso with a loose, boxy cut and a straight hem. It weighs 11.5 ounces and stuffs into its interior pocket.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Fuego features 800-fill, water-resistant down packed into a 20D nylon shell. The large, loose baffles maintain plenty of air within, keeping this jacket warm and cozy in mild to moderate conditions. It lacks a drop hem to keep your bottom warm on exceptionally cold or stormy days, but has dually adjustable hem cords that can be cinched tight in a stiff breeze. The cuffs and hood both feature soft elastic rims that are very comfortable, but can't be adjusted. We like wearing this coat around town and hanging all day at the campsite, where we don't have to move too much but can nestle into the cozy puffiness of the Fuego.

Comfort

With a loose, boxy fit, the Fuego is easy to layer over bulky fleeces. Its shorter torso and wide design make it less enjoyable to wear under a protective shell, but it is possible. It lacks any mobility-specific features and often exposed our wrists and torsos as we reached for things, and wouldn't be great for dynamic activities like ice climbing or ski touring. The Fuego has four total pockets, which is more than many of the others we tested. Both hand pockets are zippered, as is the internal stuff compartment (which doubles as a pocket while worn). Behind that internal pouch is an open-top slip pocket. The hem is dually adjustable, cinching completely closed all the way around.

Portability

The Fuego came in well under its advertised weight of 14 ounces, as the size S we tested weighed just 11.3 ounces. Once again, this is just below the average weight for jackets we tested — impressive for its warmth. It also feels lightweight, as the whole jacket is comprised of wide baffles with plenty of loft, giving it an airy impression.

While many other down jackets we tested come with a small stuff sack for traveling, the Cotopaxi Fuego stuffs into an internal zippered pocket. The pocket into which it stuffs is quite tall with a narrow top, resulting in what feels like a small wrestling match as we attempted to fit the puffy baffles through the narrow zipper while simultaneously expanding the pocket enough to actually fit the whole jacket inside — which it barely manages. We often zipped up the fabric of the coat as we tried to seal the compressed package — not a great sign for the material's longevity. However, once it was fully contained, the resulting dense bundle is an easy size to stick in a backpack.

Weather Resistance

Both the down filling and the exterior nylon fabric of the Fuego have water-resistant treatments. During our water testing, the fabric beaded water on its surface, but after just 10 minutes, a light misting had soaked through the seams of the baffling. After sitting for 30 minutes, we were easily able to feel the moisture seeping through to the inside of the coat. If having a highly water-resistant down jacket is important to you, we wouldn't recommend the Fuego.

Breathability

The robust, DWR-treated nylon exterior cuts down on breathability, and with how puffy the Fuego is, it's not our favorite to wear during high-output activities that may lead to sweating. Its fit is rather loose, which facilitates airflow, but the materials and thickness of the jacket don't make it our first choice for winter exertions. However, we wouldn't hesitate to take this lightweight down jacket along for more moderate excursions, like a winter hike.

Should You Buy the Cotopaxi Fuego?

The Cotopaxi Fuego is a comfortable, cozy down jacket that's great for sitting around and appreciating the outdoors in warmth. Its boxy shape and shorter torso give it a retro fit that's easy to layer over thick garments as the temperatures drop. If you're after a technical, performance jacket to take on your next expedition, this simplistic jacket is likely to disappoint. But if you want a cozy and stylish coat to rock around town or on chilly evenings around the campfire, the Fuego is a solid, budget-friendly pick.

What Other Down Jackets Should You Consider?

If you love the idea of a warm down jacket but need more technical features, the Arc'teryx Cerium may be more up your alley. Alternatively, if sticking to this price point is important, the Rab Microlight Alpine is in a similar price range but weighs less and provides more precipitation protection than the Fuego. But for cool, dry, chill mornings spent sipping a hot beverage and basking in your surroundings, we enjoy the feel and look of the Cotopaxi Fuego.