Outdoor Research may call this artful, 700-fill down layer a sweater, but think of it as the most user-friendly jacket you've ever encountered. The poly shell has been finished with a durable water repellent to stymie wind and rain, the insulation keeps things warm and easily compressible—small enough to fit inside its one-liter stuff sack (try that with fleece!)—and stretch openings to the tricot-lined pockets keep the digits warm when the climate turns nasty. $159; www.orgear.com