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Duck hunters chase birds in humid swamps of the south, frigid prairies of the north and everywhere in between. While the terrain and subspecies are all different, the one thing duck hunters in all four flyways have in common is that the more brutal the weather, the better the hunting. Having the best duck hunting jacket for the conditions is key.
You need to stay warm and dry for hours on end if you want to shoot a limit on the best migration days. You also need to be able to move freely to set decoys and blinds without a bulky jacket slowing you down. And, most importantly, you need to be able to mount your gun swiftly. The following jackets will get the job done no matter where or when you hunt.
- Best Overall: Sitka Hudson Jacket
- Best for Cold Weather: Browning 3-in-1 Parka
- Best for Mid Season: Drake ¼ Zip Refuge Eqwader Jacket
- Best for Field Hunting: Carhartt Insulated Active Jac
- Best Puffy: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2
- Best Rain Jacket: Kuiu Yukon
- Best Old School: Avery Heritage Waterfowl Sweater
How We Chose the Best Duck Hunting Jackets
I’ve hunted ducks all over the continent with a variety of diehard waterfowlers who all use slightly different gear. Through those experiences, I got to see which duck hunting jackets perform, and which ones fail. I also surveyed other Outdoor Life editors who have field tested top jackets. We made our final picks based on wind and waterproofness, warmth, comfort and fit, price, and overall design. There are a lot of jackets that will work just fine for everyday duck hunts, but these are the true standouts.
Best Duck Hunting Jackets: Reviews & Recommendations
Best All Around: Sitka Hudson Jacket
Key Features
- Weight: 42 ounces
- Gore Optifade concealment waterfowl marsh camo
- Three-layer Gore-Tex stretch technology
- PrimaLoft insulation
- Bellowed shell pockets and zippered tuck-away pockets
- Water-sealing gasket cuffs
- Drawcord hem
Pros
- Wind and waterproof
- Great mobility
- Gasket cuffs protect from wet sleeves
Cons
- May need to size up
- Finicky front zipper
The Hudson is a hard-core shell that’s adept at keeping out the elements while allowing a full range of motion. Special Gore-Tex stretch material is incorporated into panels behind the shoulders for a quick and agile shotgun mount. It was plenty breathable while I was in motion, but sealed against wind and ice. A major perk is the gasket sealing cuffs that keep water out while placing decoys in case your gloves fail or you have to reach farther than anticipated. The insulation is thin and body mapped to increase flexibility and breathability so the Hudson doesn’t provide much warmth on its own besides protecting against cold splashes and breeze. This means you’ll want some serious mid-layers and maybe a puffy underneath. This jacket fits more snugly than a shell should and you may want to size up to avoid compressing underlayers and leaving no room for warm air to sit.
The pockets on the Hudson provide ample storage. There are two open pockets on the chest to warm up your hands, two bellowed shell pockets that fit a full box of shells but lay flat when empty, and two zippered tuck-away call pockets on the exterior. There is also an interior zipper pocket over the left chest. I would have appreciated two additional open pockets behind the bellowed shell pockets at the waist for another place to keep my hands warm. Sitka’s Hudson is a performance layer with a women’s fit that will keep you warm and dry to stay dialed on your next waterfowl hunt. —Ashley Thess
Best for Cold Weather: Browning 3-in-1 Parka
Key Features
- Sizes: XL, S, M, L, 2XL, 3XL
- 80 grams of PrimaLoft insulation
- Three-layer water/windproof fabric
- Pit zips
- Hooded
- Removable liner jacket
- MSRP: $229.99
Pros
- Plenty of pockets
- Taped seams
- Good range of motion
Cons
- Needs additional layers for warmth below freezing
I wore the Wicked Wing 3-in-1 Parka on an eastern Colorado hunt with lows in the single digits and highs in the 30s. Paired with the Wicked Wing Bibs, Sitka Ambient hoody, and a merino base layer, I was comfortable throughout three days of hunting. I never shivered and stayed warm from the first bird through my limit. One of the keys to keeping warm was not sweating while setting up the blind and a huge spread of decoys. During the pre-dawn work, I unzipped the jacket, opened the pit zips, and then zipped up during the hunt. On the second day of the hunt, we hunted a field for geese in the afternoon. That’s where I got my first taste of the eastern Colorado wind, but it never got through the outer layer. Another feature I liked is the jacket never impeded shouldering the shotgun or doing anything active.
You’ll be disappointed in the warmth if you use the Wicked Wing 3-in-1 Parka as your primary insulator. It needs help from a good base and mid-layer—quality bibs help too. I recommend using the Parka an insulated, weather-proof shell. Another great use for this parka is in conjunction with a heated vest.
Best for Mid Season: Drake ¼ Zip Refuge Eqwader Jacket
Key Features
- Waterproof and windproof Refuge HSTM fabric on upper body and arms
- Two Magnattach call-and-whistle pockets
- Offered in a variety of camo patterns
- Taped seams
Pros
- Comfortable
- Waterproof
- Light and sleek
Cons
- Not super warm
- No hood
This pull-over jacket is ideal for those mid-season days when it’s chilly in the morning and then warm by midday. The top half is waterproof and windproof so you stay comfortable while running in the boat or setting decoys. The bottom half is breathable polyester material so you don’t sweat to death in your waders while picking up the spread. It has a thoughtful chest pocket that’s magnetized for holding your calls. This is nice even when you have your calls on a lanyard because it keeps them from getting tangled or from getting in the way when you bend over.
Drake says this is the best selling wading garment of all time. I’m not sure about that, but I do know that this is a surprisingly versatile jacket that will keep you hunting comfortably through a good part of the season.
Best for Field Hunting: Carhartt Insulated Active Jac
Key Features
- Heavyweight, 12-ounce 100 percent ring-spun washed cotton duck
- 80g 3M Thinsulate
- Elbow pleats
- Knit cuffs to keep out the cold
- Triple-stitched main seams
Pros
- Durable
- Affordable
- Versatile
Cons
- Not very waterproof
Field hunting can feel a lot like work. You’ve got to haul around endless bags of decoys, mess with trailers that are always getting flat tires, and then pack it all up again at the end of the day. So it makes sense that a lot of hunting guides who run field shoots don’t wear fancy camo, they opt for workwear. The Carhartt Insulated Active Jac will stand up to all the hard labor a field hunt requires and it will keep you warm enough to stay in the field until the birds fly. Since you’re hunting out of a blind on field hunts, highly detailed camo is not needed, and the traditional Carhartt brown will work just fine.
This is not the most windproof or waterproof jacket in the list, so if you’re planning on hunting arctic conditions, consider a parka-style hunting coat. But for everything else this classic Carhartt jacket will get the job done.
Best Puffy Jacket: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2
Key Features
- 800 fill power RDS-certified down
- Nylon ripstop shell with durable water resistant finish
- Drawcord hem
- Two zip hand pockets
Pros
- Excellent warmth for weight
- Synthetic insulation at the cuffs helps prevent wetting out
Cons
- Expensive
Sitting still for hours waiting for the ducks to come can get pretty dang cold. Fortunately for you, the birds you’re after already came up with the perfect insulation layer: down. Duck down (or goose down) are the tiny feathers closest to the bird’s body that have wispy filaments that form pockets to trap hot air. They are such a powerful insulator that synthetic alternatives haven’t yet been able to match it.
While the traditional puffer jacket of yore is a bulky marshmallow affair that probably isn’t going to fit under one of the duck jackets on this list, newer models that use higher-grade down provide a ton of additional warmth without a lot of bulk. My favorite of these is Mountain Hardwear’s Ghost Whisperer 2, which pairs 800 fill power down (the sweet spot between less insulative lower grades and the extreme price point of 1000fp down) with a streamlined, no-frills design. And if you run especially cold, there is always the option to add the Ghost Whisperer 2 pants which will keep you toasty beneath your duck hunting waders even on the most brutally cold days. —Laura Lancaster
Best Rain Jacket: Kuiu Yukon
Key Features
- Articulated elbows for better mobility
- Adjustable drawcord
- Hook and Loop rubberized wrist closures
- Zippered hand pockets (2)
- Zippered chest pocket (2)
- Fully seam taped
Pros
- Waterproof and windproof
- Excellent all-around rain jacket
- Lots of high-end features
Cons
- Pricey
I’ve worn Kuiu rain gear on wood duck hunts near home in Minnesota and on mountain goat hunts in Alaska. It has always held up to the elements. The Yukon jacket is Kuiu’s most heavy duty rain coat. It was designed for guides and hunters who plan to wear their rain gear all day. Duck hunters are just as tough on their gear as any sheep guide, so you want a serious piece of equipment to keep you dry when you’re hunting on a wet, windy day with temps hovering in the 40s. You won’t do much better than the Kuiu Yukon.
This jacket has a three-layer construction and utilizes 4-way stretch primeflex polyester, plus a dermizax NX waterproof membrane. This jacket is overbuilt (in a good way) featuring pit zips, reinforced elbows, and rubberized cuffs designed to keep water out. The Valo camo pattern works just fine in the duck marsh.
Best Old School: Avery Heritage Waterfowl Sweater
Key Features
- 8-ounce waxed cotton outer layer
- Polyester softshell fleece underneath
- Fleece lined side pockets and upper chest pockets
- Rib knit cuffs
Pros
- Excellent warmth for weight
- Synthetic insulation at the cuffs helps prevent wetting out
Cons
- Pricey
- Stiff
Quite simply, this is a windproof polyester fleece that’s overlaid in 8-ounce olive drab waxed cotton. This pullover jacket (or sweater) is made for those duck hunters who care about style and performance. If you’re nostalgic for the good old days when men smoked pipes in the blind, drank fine bourbon in camp, and never even missed ducks, then the Avery Heritage Waterfowl Sweater is for you. It will allow you to relive those good old days without freezing your ass off.
FAQs
Yes, at least in most cases. The only time you won’t need a waterproof jacket is if you’re field hunting on a clear day. Otherwise you want a water-resistant jacket at a minimum, but waterproof is better. Even if it’s not raining, you’ll get splashed while setting decoys, running in the boat, or when the dog comes back to the blind after a retrieve and shakes off right next to you. Wear a waterproof jacket. Stay dry and comfortable.
Ask your hunting buddies what they’ll be wearing and try to copy that as closely as possible. If you’re going out by yourself for the first time, remember this: Layers are key. You’ll get warm setting up and cold sitting around waiting. So add or subtract layers as you go. Whatever you wear beneath your waders (if you’re wearing waders) should be moisture-wicking. Your outer layer on top should be waterproof or water resistant. If you’re used to being outdoors hiking or backpacking but haven’t done much hunting, err on the side of dressing warmer. You’re going to be doing a lot of sitting and waiting.
It’s only too cold to duck hunt if it’s unsafe to be out there. The main danger in duck hunting is getting wet in frigid temps. Duck hunters die almost every year from hypothermia when they go overboard on cold days. However, if you dress appropriately and stay (safely) out of the water, you can duck hunt in almost any conditions. Consider safety for the dogs as well. Even the hardiest duck dogs can succumb to hypothermia if their owners send them out irresponsibly.
Why Trust Outdoor Life?
Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. We have more than a century-long history of evaluating products, and we’re now bringing that expertise to online reviews. Our editors are experienced outdoorsmen and women, and most importantly, we’re trained journalists. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product works—or doesn’t.
Advertising does not influence our gear reviews and it never will. While we always focus our coverage on standout products—because we want our readers to be aware of the latest and greatest gear—we also cover the flaws and quirks of any given product.
Final Thoughts on Duck Hunting Jackets
I was once on a sea duck hunt in Maine where the guide rigged two layout boats next to each other. I sat comfortably in one boat, and my partner (who had on inferior gear) began to shiver in the other. Just as the ducks started flying my partner caught a bad chill from the wind and the waves that were spilling into his layout and had to be picked up by our tender boat. I toughed it out and shot my ducks (eiders, longtails, and bufflehead) as they cruised over the surf into my spread. The takeaway? Duck hunting is hard, and if you don’t have the right gear for the gnarly conditions that often make for the best gunning, well, then you might as well just stay home. Buying one (or two) of the best duck hunting jackets is a good start.
- Best Overall: Sitka Hudson Jacket
- Best for Cold Weather: Browning 3-in-1 Parka
- Best for Mid Season: Drake ¼ Zip Refuge Eqwader Jacket
- Best for Field Hunting: Carhartt Insulated Active Jac
- Best Puffy: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2
- Best Rain Jacket: Kuiu Yukon
- Best Old School: Avery Heritage Waterfowl Sweater