MACPAC HALO VS UBER LIGHT: WHAT’S THE BEST?

Having worked at Macpac for over two years, two of the most popular down jackets Macpac sells are the Halo and Uber light.

But what one should you choose?

This post will compare the differences: Macpac Halo vs Uber Light (the non-hooded jackets for simplicity), using words that you can understand.

Speaking of words you can understand, if you’re looking for a “Macpac puffer jacket”, it’s most likely the Halo jacket you’re looking for. The Uber Light is also a puffer style jacket, but not as puffy.

Both jackets are sold at Macpac year round with new colours available each year in addition to black.

Note: You can message me on Whatsapp (+64 20 4170 2764) if you’re still unsure of which jacket is best suited for your situation.

I’d suggest bringing up both the Halo and Uber Light screens while you’re reading this post.

For New Zealand: Halo jackets and the Uber Lights.

For Australia: Halo jackets and the Uber Lights.

MACPAC HALO VS UBER JACKETS: THE BASIC STATS

*The weights are for a Mens medium jacket.

TOTAL WEIGHT

• Uber Light: 240 grams
• Halo: 540 grams

FILL WEIGHT (a.k.a. how much down is in the jackets)

This is how much actual down is in the jacket, which plays the biggest role in warmth. As you can see the halo has a lot more ducks in it.

• Uber Light: 73 grams
• Halo: 205 grams

FILL TYPE & POWER

These are the number people tend to focus too much on when they’re browsing in stores. Yes, the numbers are influential once you get down to the nitty gritty, but when looking at the Macpac Uber Light vs Halo jackets side by side, the fill power above is going to have the biggest sway in terms of warmth.

• Uber Light: 90/10 RDS Duck Down with 650 Fill Power
• Halo: 80/20 RDS Duck Down with 600 Fill Power

MAIN & LINING FABRIC

• Uber Light: 100% Nylon
• Halo: 100% Recycled Nylon — bluesign® approved

COATING/FINISH

• Uber Light: WR (C6)
• Halo: PFC-free WR

COMMON SCENARIOS & QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JACKETS

Is the Macpac Halo or Uber Light best for hiking?

Annoyingly, the answer for most questions is going to be ‘it depends’ with lots of variables involved. But for most people I lean towards the Uber Light jacket. Most people tend to hike in the summer/warm months where it’s not going to be cold cold overnight. And the Uber Light jacket packs down a lot smaller, and weights a lot less making it a much more practical jacket for hiking in New Zealand.

Is the Macpac Uber Light or Halo best for winter?

For most people, provided it’s for walking around town, maybe shorter day hikes, the Halo is going to be the best jacket for most people. Unless you’re living somewhere where the temperatures don’t drop into the single digits often.

What one should I get for summer?

The Uber Light is going to be the best option for most people. It’s a great item to pop on to keep any kind of chill that pops up. The fact the Uber packs up so much smaller which is great if you’re not planning to wear it most of the time, but want to bring a jacket with you while out and about.

Are there any Uber Light and Halo jacket alternatives to consider?

Yes, there is. For the Uber Light, there’s a synthetic equivalent but of course the warmth is going to be different. It’s a great option for vegans and still packs down quite small. I’ve review on the synthetic Uber Light here.

There’s also the Macpac Mercury Jacket available for men. It’s essentially a jacket that fits in the middle of the Uber Light and Macpac Jacket in terms of warmth and size.

For females, the Narvi coat and jacket are popular options also (both made of down).

Are there hooded options?

Yes, there are hooded options for both men and women.

Are they waterproof?

No. This is a fairly common question that comes up in store. Because they have seams throughout the jacket, adn the outter fabric is nylon, the jacket has no water resistance/proofness. And as soon as the down gets wet, you’ll start feeling the cold as the down will clump up.

Are down jackets vegan?

No. As both of these jackets are made from duck down.

What I do like is each jacket has a unique tracking number where you can learn about the origins of where the down comes from at TrackMyDown.com. I found it quite interesting to look up a few of the numbers!

Which one is cheaper?

The Uber Light is the cheaper option as it contains a lot less duck down.

Are Macpac Halo and Uber Light jackets ever on sale?

Yes, they’re almost always on sale. Macpac members (free to join as a member), get 20% off the full price but they’re often discounted by more and can be 50% off. I’d wait until they’re at least 30% off, and if you can wait until they’re 50% off.

Alternatively, you can get Macpac clearance sales of both jackets almost always. You might not find the products online, but they come out with new colours each year, so if you see a clearance colour online but your size isn’t available, you might be able to order it in store in your size.

The clearance items are a little more than 50% off in most cases. So if you’re looking for the cheapest Macpac jacket, then buy one on clearance (they’re just the colours from the previous season). You can find them all here:

NZ Online: Halo clearance and Uber Light clearance

AU Online: Halo clearance and Uber Light clearance

How do I know what size is best for me?

Both the Macpac Halo and Uber Lights are true to size based on my experience and customer feedback. You can feel confident in buying your regular size online. If you do buy them online and it’s not the right fit, it’s super easy to exchange your jacket for the correct size.

If the jacket is too big, you’ll quickly feel it. A good way to know if the jacket is too small is if you wear it, and the zips on the pockets look like they’re stretched when unzipped.

Do these come with a stuff sack?

The Uber Light comes with a stuff sack that’s easy to use. The Halo Jacket stuffs into the internal pocket. It’s not quite as easy as the Uber Light, but at least I won’t lose it!

Are there Halo and Uber Jackets for kids?

There’s both an Uber and Halo for kids. Again the halo is the warmer and more traditional ‘puffer jacket’ option.

What are the temperature ratings for the Uber Light and Halo Jacket?

There’s no standard temperature ratings for down jackets as there are too many variables to make a test standardised.

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If you’ve been weighting up the decision of Macpac Halo vs Uber Light, I hope this post has made the decision slightly easier for you.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m happy for you to message me on Whatsapp (+64 20 4170 2764) if you’ve got questions about your particular situation and what’s the best option. I can give you my two cents 🙂

Chur.