I used to have a Kuiu Spindrift that I liked until it was more holes than fabric.  My son has stolen my Eddie Bauer hooded down jacket and so I am looking for a new lightweight insulated jacket.  I was thinking about the Patagonia Micropuff or the Arc'teryx Atom but am really liking the looks of the EE Torrid Apex.  Anyone here have one that they have used? Any reviews?  I have watched plenty of the YouTube reviews but figured I would ask here.

How lightweight and how insulated? I have an EMS Feather Pack hooded down jacket that weighs about 15oz, but it also has 5.5oz 800FP hydrophobic down as opposed to the 2-3oz everyone else seems to use. By itself over a merino base layer I’d say it’s warm down to around 30 on the windy mountaintops where I camp. I’m thinking of giving the Sierra Designs Whitney a try this year, too. It’s lighter than the EMS and has a few features the EMS doesn’t.

i like the Kifaru puffy jacket, and the current military level 7 offerings.

Neither are inexpensive,  but relatively light (both Climashield,  or similar). And tbh, kind of match- I wear the military pants with the kifaru top if I'm outside, immobile, below zero.

For really light, I have a down jacket from First Ascent- real thin but good as a top layer.  With a t-shirt and sweatshirt,  it's good to about zero (once the weather changes and I acclimate).  Without a sweatshirt, it's ok to about the 30s.

Honestly,  I'd look at any 800 fill down thin jacket from EMS, REI, LL BEAN or Eddie Bauer as similar.

Climashield fan here as well (USGI lvl 7 and Helikon-Tex)

not needed quilting to keep the insulation in place seems to both save weight and increase comfort

Beyond has some stuff on sale that might work for you

8.5 oz for the EE torrid
16oz for the sitka kelvin aerolite
13oz for the arcteryx atom lt

Definitely want sub 1lb
The Torrid uses Climashield Apex




I like the kifaru puffy except for the Cordura section on the front.  

My sleep system is down and has been for years.  Having used a down jacket for trips the last two summers I am wanting to go back to synthetics.  I usually wind up in the rain at something and while I haven't gotten into issues yet I could have been more comfortable.

I have the EE Torrid and the Atom LT. Both great jackets with different applications. The Torrid is best for backpacking. Super lightweight and warm. Looks like a garbage bag on you though. Wouldn’t wear it around town. Also, very thin shell material.
The Atom is very nice looking. Not as warm and light as the Torrid but more water resistant, though neither one is very water resistant.
In a nutshell, I’d get the Torrid for backpacking and the Atom for most other activities.

Can't speak to the EE jacket, but I've had a couple of Atom LTs.  The Atom LT holds up well to wear, the shell fabric and stitching, that is; the insulation will get trashed through use with pack straps, harnesses, etc,

The pockets on the Atom jackets are set rather high to remain accessible when wearing a climbing harness.  This means the pockets suck for casual use.  Something to think about if you like using your jacket pockets as hand holsters.

Having a properly fitting jacket is crucial to layering, and the Arcteryx, Montbell, et al, jackets generally provide a good fit.  The Atom jackets are a bit sloppy in their fit, but I've found they still work well enough when a down jacket goes over the top of them.