Mammut’s Aconcagua Light is a mid-layer that is designed to be worn under a shell since it has minimal bulk, flat seams and no hood. The full-length zip qualifies it as a jacket yet its lightweight, comfortable and stretchable material makes it feel more like a super warm base layer. The Aconcagua Light provides superior breathability and active moisture-wicking properties along with thumb loops, underarm gussets and a chest zipper pocket for storage of smaller items. This technical mid-layer gets its name from the 6,962-meter peak in the Andes where high-performance apparel is a must—but this doesn’t mean this mid-layer is confined to the mountains as it wears well just about anywhere.

Price: $219CAN / $169US
Weight: Men’s - 340g / 12oz;
Women’s - 221g / 7.8oz
Insulation: 85% Polyamide|15% Spandex
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL, XXL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - Black, golden, Highway, Iguana, Scooter, Wing teal; Women’s - Black, Bright White, Dragon Fruit, Highway, Sapphire
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Ski touring is all about stop and go, between transitions from climbing to skiing and mandatory rest breaks and lunch you can easily get cold when not moving and too hot when you overexert. Cotopaxi’s Monte Hybrid Jacket is designed to ditch excess heat when you’re moving and keep you warm and comfortable when you’re at a standstill. By using lightweight Polartec Alpha active insulation, the Monte Hybrid keeps you warm but breathes when you need it. The active insulation is ideally suited to high-output activities in cold weather like snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, and winter trail running. The 100% recycled polyester shell is soft and also breathable while the recycled polyester stretch fleece in the sleeves and side panels further improves moisture management while optimising freedom of movement. 

Price: $240CAN / $180US
Weight: Men’s - 357g / 12.6oz;
Women’s - 320g / 11.3oz
Insulation: 105g Polartec Alpha Active Insulation
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL, XXL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Colours: Men’s - Admiral, Graphite; Women’s 
Available: Men’s and Women’s

As the name suggests, Dynafit’s Speed Insulation Hooded Jacket is made to keep you warm while on the go. This lightweight, well-insulated jacket uses a combination of PrimaLoft Silver Active and Clo insulation with the majority of the shell fabric being Dynashell Ultra Light Coated Miniripstop 28. These combine to provide a warm comfy feel which breathes well and does not impede range of motion. With the outer fabric being water and wind-resistant, you can also wear the Speed Insulation Hooded Jacket as an outer layer. With reflective details, a hood visor to improve the field of view and internal stretch bands located at the waist and sleeves to keep cold drafts out, the Speed Insulation Hooded Jacket has plenty of features. Built for speed in the mountains while keeping you warm but not overheating is what this Mid Layer is all about.

Price: $342CAN / $259.95US
Weight: Men’s - 336g / 11.8oz;
Women’s - 291g / 10.2oz
Insulation: Dynafit Performing Insulation 80 / Primaloft Silver Active Insulation 100g
Sizes: Men’s - XS, S, M, L;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L
Colours: Men’s -  Black, Blue;
Women’s - Blue, Pink
Warranty: A two-year warranty against material and manufacturing defects
Available: Men’s and Women’s

While not as warm as the other mid-layers tested, the Rab Alpha Flux still provides a surprising amount of warmth given its lightweight minimal design. This is due to the use of Polartec Alpha Direct 90 insulation in the main body and outer arms of the jacket. Body mapping places Alpha Direct Insulation where it’s needed most and less insulated, more breathable, abrasion-resistant, lightweight nylon everywhere else. This provides an unparalleled range of motion in a slim fitting jacket for high output activities like ski touring and mountaineering. The addition of Polygiene odour control treatment ensures freshness over multi-day adventures while the full front zip allows you to wear it as a mid or outer layer depending on the activity and weather conditions.

Price: $225CAN / $180US
Weight: Men’s - 315g / 11.1oz;
Women’s - 265g / 9.3oz
Insulation: Polartec Alpha Direct 90 insulation
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL, XXL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - Beluga, Dark Horizon, Ink; Women’s - Beluga, Eggplant
Warranty: Usable lifetime of the product for the original owner.
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Marmot’s Novus Hoody is a Mid Layer that can easily be worm as an outer layer thanks to its super warm 40-gram Thermal R Active Insulation and lightweight stretch shell fabric and breathable air exchange lining. These combine to keep you incredibly warm even on windy summit ridges and are also designed to breath so that overheating is kept to a minimum. Its generous cut provides plenty or range of movement for aerobic activities and it still packs down fairly small when not needed. The Novus Hoody’s features include a hood, handwarmer pockets and an internal zippered Napoleon style pocket that does double duty as a stuff sack. With impressive warmth, breathability and mobility, Marmot’s Novus Hoody is an asset on any backcountry adventure.

Price: $250CAN / $200US
Weight: 397g / 14oz
Insulation: 40 gram Thermal R Active Insulation
Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
Colours: Black, Moroccan Blue, Steel Onyx
Warranty: Marmot warrants every product they make to be free of manufacturer defects.
Available: Men’s

Outdoor Research uses VerticalX Air Insulation in their new Refuge Air Hooded Jacket, this proprietary technology offers a high warmth-to-weight ratio, effective breathability in active situations, and impressive loft retention over time. This insulation is combined with ActiveTemp which is a thermo-regulating treatment on the interior lining that keeps you cool, dry, and comfortable during high-exertion activities. The Refuge Air Hooded Jacket’s exterior Pertex Quantum Air fabric is water-resistant, rugged and stands up to harsh climates while still being lightweight and compact, so compact in fact that it can compress down into its own pocket. The Refuge Air Hooded Jacket is a warm yet breathable layer ideal for active mountain pursuits including backcountry skiing.

Price: $300CAN / $229US
Weight: Men’s - 477g / 16.8oz;
Women’s - 424g / 15oz
Insulation: VerticalX Air 100% polyester 75D, 75 g/m2
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - Black, Sapphire, samba; Women’s - Black, Teaberry, Wave Blue
Warranty: Infinite Guarantee throughout the lifetime of the product
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Patagonia’s Nano Air Hoody is one of their most popular jackets and a category leader in the Mid Layer market. It’s no wonder as the Nano Air Hoody is designed to be worn for the entirety of any aerobic, start-stop adventure. The 100% polyester (87% recycled) shell and lining fabrics provide a generous mechanical stretch and exceptional breathability along with abrasion resistance. On the inside, the 60g FullRange insulation (40% recycled)  keeps you warm and moves with you so as to not inhibit range of motion. The hidden handwarmer pockets and low profile Napoleon pocket keeps weight to a minimum and adds to the Nano Air Hoody’s sleek stylish design. In addition to its impressive warmth to breathability ratio and built-in stretch, the Nano Air is also Fair Trade Certified sewn and uses fabric that is Bluesign certified.

Price: $375CAN / $299US
Weight: Men’s - 346g / 12.2oz;
Women’s - 298g / 10.2oz
Insulation: 60g FullRange 100% polyester (40% recycled) with 4-way stretch.
Sizes: Men’s - XS, M, L, XL, XXL;
Women’s - XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - Blakan Blue, Forge Grey, Fire, Black, Cave Grey; Women’s - Black, Craft Pink, Cobalt Blue, Light Balsamic
Warranty: Ironclad Guarantee, everything they make is guaranteed.
Available: Men’s and Women’s

The ideal companion to Helly Hansen’s Odin backcountry apparel is their Lifa Loft Stretch Hooded Insulator Jacket. Built for high-intensity activities that demand a high range of motion, comfort and breathability, the Lifa Loft Stretch Hooded Insulator Jacket is also soft and comfy to wear since it moves with you no matter the activity. The air-permeable lining combined with stretch LIFALOFT insulation is the ideal combination for regulating temperature during stop and go activity. The built-in Life Pocket is a unique Helly Hansen innovation that increases the life of your electronic devices (specifically your cell phone) by placing additional LIFALOFT insulation on both sides of the chest pocket. Once you use this feature you’ll wonder how you ever played in the cold without it.

The Lifa Loft Stretch Hooded Insulator Jacket works as a mid-layer under your shell on cold inclement days in the mountains or as its own layer when the weather permits.

Price: $350CAN / $280US
Weight: Men’s - 420g / 14.8oz;
Women’s - 340g / 12oz
Insulation: Stretch LIFALOFT insulation by PrimaLoft
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL, XXL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Colours: Men’s  - Navy, Charcoal, North Sea Blue; Women’s - Navy, Charcoal
Available: Men’s and Women’s

The First Light Stretch Hoody is Black Diamond’s most breathable insulation piece and is ideal for start-stop activities like backcountry skiing. The baffled body is insulated with migration-resistant Primaloft Silver Insulation Active for impressive warmth with a durable Schoeller face fabric. Not only does the First Light breathe efficiently it also (as the name implies) stretches with your every move during intense high-output activities. This is thanks in part to the stretchy Schoeller face fabric but also to the incorporated underarm gussets which provide added range of motion. Features include an adjustable, climbing-helmet-compatible hood, single-adjust hem, two concealed-zip hand pockets and an external Napoleon pocket on the chest. 

Price: $319CAN / $259US
Weight: Men’s - 475g / 16.7oz;
Women’s - 402g / 14oz
Insulation: PrimaLoft Silver Insulation Active
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - Anthracite, Black, Midnight, Red Oxide, Walnut/Black, Kingfisher/Black; Women’s - Black, Night Sky, Spruce, Bordeaux, Wild Rose
Warranty: 100% satisfaction, they’ll repair, replace or refund it. No charge. No fine print. No debate. Guaranteed.
Available: Men’s and Women’s

The Arc'teryx Proton LT is a self-regulating mid-layer that uses the companies breathable synthetic insulation which is called Coreloft. It is lightweight (hence the LT in the jacket’s name), breathable and yet surprisingly durable. The air-permeable fabrics and insulation mean that excess heat and moisture can pass through, making the Arc'teryx Proton LT ideal for high output activities while the insulated hood provides additional warmth on colder days. Arc'teryx used Fortius Air 20 face fabric on the Proton LT because it is reportedly over 60 times more durable in abrasion tests than industry-standard fabrics. This hard wearing durability means the Proton LT can take whatever you throw at it. 

Price: $350CAN / $$299US
Weight: Men’s - 375g / 13.2oz;
Women’s - 320g / 11.3oz
Insulation: Coreloft Compact 60
Sizes: Men’s - XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - Labyrinth, Black, Utopia, Lliad, Sambal, Neptune; Women’s - Lampyre, Sunhaven, Black, Lliad, Dimma
Available: Men’s and Women’s