Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket Review

The Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket is a lightweight, 800-fill-power goose down jacket designed for backpackers seeking warmth, packability, and durability. Weighing just 14 ounces, it offers excellent insulation. For the price, it's a reliable, sustainable choice for cold-weather hikes.

Product Overview

Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket

Price: $295.00

See on REI

KEY SPECS

• Material: Ripstop nylon
• Insulation: 800-fill-power goose down
• Weight: 14 ounces
• Pocket configuration: two external zippered hand pockets

Its design includes exterior zippered pockets for secure storage, an interior pocket for device warmth, and a compressible form that doubles as a pillow. While the jacket's non-adjustable hood and down maintenance can be drawbacks, its affordability and ethical production make it a solid investment. For the price, it's a reliable, sustainable choice for cold-weather hikes.

To see reviews on other ultralight down jackets, check out our Best Down Jackets for Thru-Hiking post.

Similar Products: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer, Patagonia Down Sweater, Feathered Friends EOS

Performance Test Results

How I Tested:

The Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket is one of my favorite pieces of gear I carried with me on my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in the 2024 hiking season. As a late May start, I used the jacket on desert nights, Sierra stops and nearly all of Oregon and Washington as the weather got colder up north. 

I carried the jacket with me for roughly 2,000 miles. If not being used to keep my core warm, it doubled as a pillow, making it well worth the 14 ounces. 

One of my favorite features of the jacket is when not in wearing use, you can easily stuff the jacket into the internal zippered pocket and create a compressed piece of gear to fit in with the rest of your kit. When not wearing on cold nights, the packed jacket is a perfect pillow, creating one less piece of gear to carry. 

Warmth

My main source of warmth when walking the trail was the Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket. Paired with a waterproof rain jacket to keep the down completely dry and further lock in the heat my body was producing, this piece of gear really proved itself worthy.

As a late-season hiker, I was hesitant to carry this with me in the early days of my hike (who needs a down jacket in the Mojave, anyways?) but, the high packability and low weight made it a no-brainer for chilly breaks in the shade and nights of cowboy camping under the stars instead of pitching a tent. Desert nights can get surprisingly cold, but the Fuego kept me warm.

Weight

Sure, 14 ounces may seem like a lot when several down jackets on the market flaunt a single digit at the weigh-in. However, for the price, a couple of extra ounces with a warm fill weight are worth considering at purchase.

When wearing, the weight is not noticed. When packed, it can double as a pillow ( I dropped my inflatable pillow as soon as mile 77), so I never considered anything else. When packed, it can be as small as a liter nalgene bottle, but pliable and able to pack down even smaller. When not inside itself in the pocket, I found it super easy to push down in the holes of my pack to maximize space!

Design

One of my favorite features of Cotopaxi products, including the Fuego, is the loud, unique colors. I sported a monochrome blue pattern titled “Deep Ocean Stripes.” In the world of backpacking where a lot of gear looks similar to that of your trail family, it's nice to have a bit of uniqueness within your kit.

The zipped exterior pockets are a great feature for the security of frequently lost items, like phones, earbuds, wallets and more. The interior pocket is also great for keeping devices like phones or battery packs closer to body heat so they don’t drain as quickly.

Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket: A standout design with unique colors and secure storage for your essentials.

The hood is a great feature for keeping your ears and head warm on extra chilly days was greatly appreciated. However, if I could change just one thing about this item, I wish the elastic binding around it had adjustable cords like it does on the waist. It creates difficulty when adjusting and keeping it situated, especially when hiking. As mentioned, my preference is to have an adjustable string to help better secure it.

The exterior ripstop nylon is perfectly comfortable. When hiking through overgrowth or other rugged terrain, I would take extra caution to hold my arms in close as to not snag the fabric. I did have a small tear, but Cotopaxi was happy to send me a patch to keep the down (and warmth) in. Thankfully, the body heat generated on the move had me peeling layers off quickly and I rarely hiked in the jacket. 

Upkeep

The issue of using down gear to stay warm is the upkeep. After four months on trail, the Fuego certainly has a unique odor to it. Cotopaxi recommends a pre-rinse, low temp wash, secondary wash and thorough dry to ensure its maximum recovery and full potential when back on the trail.

Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket: Follow the care instructions for lasting warmth and performance.

Price

$295 is, comparatively, a pretty fair price for down jackets. With all of its features, (and the ability to snag a deal now and then) I find it fairly priced and worth the expense.

Worth the investment for warmth, features, and durability – Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket

Final Thoughts

When the time comes to buy another down jacket (though this one is still in great shape and only needs a good cleaning after four months on trail) I’ll certainly put the Fuego back in the running. I appreciate the mission of Cotopaxi, focusing on ethical and sustainable production while fighting poverty gives me a clearer conscience when swiping my card. Annual Impact Reports offer transparency in a world of fast fashion and extreme overconsumption. Plus, the colors are fun and make spotting your pals on the side of a mountain much easier!

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