KUHL Spyfire Hoody - Women's Review

The Kuhl Spyfire is a midweight down jacket with RDS (Responsible Down Standard) certified 800 fill down and a 20D Microtex nylon exterior. It has a tapered waist and wider hips than most, with an exaggerated drop hem. It weighs 14.0 ounces and does not pack into its own pocket or have an included stuff sack.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Spyfire comes with good quality 800-fill goose down. It's on the thinner side of down jackets we tested, but still offers decent warmth. An extra layer of fabric covers the front baffles on the outside to help prevent the wind from cutting through the seams. Dual hood bungees, a volume adjustment bungee on the back, and a small brim make this hood protective and warm. The Spyfire is thin enough to easily add a shell over the top, which comes in handy in inclement weather, as the jacket itself has no cinch around the hem to keep cold air from rushing up and chilling your core. For truly cold weather, this jacket works better as part of a layering system rather than a stand-alone piece.

Comfort

Kuhl makes this jacket with a “women's fit”, which translates to a highly tapered waist and wider hips. If you're someone with a curvy build, the Spyfire may be just the right fit for you, but we weren't universally fans of the flaring waist. A large drop hem helps to keep your booty warm, even though you can't tighten the jacket around the bottom at all. Small armpit gussets add some mobility to the jacket's range of motion, and elastic cuffs help stop the long sleeves from falling over our hands while walking. In addition to the typical three pockets found on most down jackets (two hand pockets and one chest pocket), the Spyfire has a small zippered pocket on the upper portion of the left sleeve. While Kuhl emphasizes reflective trim as a part of this jacket, all of these reflective bits are inside the pockets, meaning you have to leave them unzipped and unhindered by your chilly hands for the reflective stripes to show. The metal toggles on the hood give it a decidedly fashionable appearance. In practice, they work well enough but can be a bit awkward as they are heavy, floppy, and require two hands to adjust.

Portability

The size Small Spyfire weighs 14 ounces, which is on the heavy side of jackets we tested, despite being one of the thinner models. It clearly isn't designed with portability in mind, as it's covered with heavy toggles and thick materials better suited to hanging in your closet or around town wear than being packed in your backpack for a long outdoor mission. It also doesn't stuff into any of its pockets, nor does it come with a stuff sack, as most others in our lineup do.

Weather Resistance

The Spyfire isn't our favorite jacket to brave windy days. The adjustable hood helps, but the cinching system bunches the sides of the hood, leaving large channels through the folds of the fabric for air to rush in. The cuffs are a bit loose for good hand protection as well. Yet the most challenging aspect of wearing the Spyfire on a windy day is the bottom hem that cannot adjust. We appreciate that the front baffles have an added layer to block the wind, but it turns into a moot point when all that cold air comes up the front of this bell-bottomed jacket. Treated with Microtex, the 20D nylon exterior of the Spyfire does a decent job of beading water in light precipitation. The shoulders have a slightly different exterior material that doesn't repel water for nearly as long — an unfortunate design choice for anyone caught out in inclement weather.

Breathability

Wearing the Spyfire is a tad on the plasticky-feeling side of things, but not terribly so. It's a pretty thin jacket, and the open bottom (depending on how it fits you) facilitates airflow. It's one of the few coats we tested that has any focused breathability features. The armpit gussets are a stretchy fabric without insulation that help both with movement and with venting excess heat.

Should You Buy the Kuhl Spyfire?

The Spyfire is a decidedly non-technical down jacket. It has a certain style that many other down jackets lack, making it a better choice for those who don't want winter to be synonymous with bulky and unfashionable. It's a better fit for wider-hipped and curvier ladies and is well-suited to moderating body temperature in mild to moderate climates or fall weather. If you like the look and the flared hips of the Spyfire, it's a decent jacket that's enjoyable to wear around town.

What Other Down Jackets Should You Consider?

If you like this price point but want a jacket with a little better functionality and protection, check out the comfortable and affordable Rab Microlight Alpine. For anyone who finds themselves wanting a little more wind protection from their jacket and perhaps some added warmth for everyday pursuits, the Rab Neutrino Pro and Feathered Friends Eos are warm jackets we adore. But if you like the fit and fashion of this casual jacket, the mild-weather Spyfire is a decent choice.