Perfect Puffer For Euro Travels

Viewing the Northern Lights would be on most ardent adventurers' bucket lists…certainly it was a focal point for Zach and Kaitlan Bostock from @justzachandkaitlan who recently headed to Europe on an enviable travel adventure. Braving icy cold temps, they needed the right gear to make this experience as enjoyable as it should be, so read on to get their review of our Peak 700 down jackets.

Peak 700 Down Jacket

The weather in Tromsø is pretty unforgiving, even when it offers up 'good' conditions for viewing the Northern Lights. You want your layering system sorted, and part of that is a quality mid layer for ensuring warmth. We opted for a down jacket, and there were a number of factors it would need to possess: light in weight but warm enough, hood for extra head coverage, packable when we were in transit etc. We both chose the Peak 700 down jackets to do the job.

Field Test

We were both wearing the Peak 700 down jackets. As we are backpacking through Europe over the next couple of months it was important to us when choosing a down jacket that they were lightweight and could be packed down ensuring they don't take up too much room or weight allowance in our bags. The Peak ticked all these boxes. We also like that they can easily be rolled up into the hood or chest pocket for easy packing into day packs in case it gets cold while we are out and about.

Being a slightly windy night and -7°C we noticed that they didn't let too much wind through helping to keep us toastie inside. While we didn't have a fire while viewing the Northern Lights we still had our puffy jackets to keep us nice and warm. Having previously used down jackets without a hood I can tell you it sure was a game changer. Pop a beanie on and your hood on top and it's sure to keep that brain freeze away. One other feature that we love whether it is viewing the Northern Lights or walking around town is the fleece lined pockets. They do not go unnoticed in the sub-zero conditions and your fingers will thank you.

When picking the best jacket to bring on our trip we wanted to make sure that it was going to last us long term, be warm and packable. The down insulation ticks all these boxes. And lastly, the DWR finish means that water doesn't get through easily. Although I wouldn't recommend trying it. We found that if it does let the water through it dries quickly and puffs up again real nice once popped in the dryer.

We loved the snug scuba hood, fleece-lined pockets and lightweight warmth of the Peak jackets for our Northern Lights adventure. (Images courtesy of Zach & Kaitlan Bostock)

Photo Credits

All imagery supplied by Zach & Kaitlan Bostock

• Instagram @justzachandkaitlan
• YouTube @justzachandkaitlan