I’ve got a down-filled 3-in-1 for really cold times, but I’m looking for a lightweight to midweight insulated jacket for travel to cooler climes as well as use around town on cold-but-not-horrible days. It should be light and packable for travel, and mildly rain- and wind-resistant for versatility.

The problem with (ok, my problem with) most jackets in this class is that they look like quilts, with rows of sewn pockets of insulation. For example, the well-regarded Patagonia Nano-puff (I’m hosting my own pictures and give permission for hotlinking):

That’s the style nowadays, and it makes a lot of practical sense for stabilizing the insulation, but I just don’t dig it. Then I found the Atom LT and AR from Arcteryx:

There’s the sleek look I’m going for. Do these models have any competitors that maintain the non-quilted look? Any thoughts as to LT vs AR for current owners (e.g. do you ever wish the LT was warmer or the AR were less warm)? I like the zippered pockets and ostensibly more durable face fabric of the AR but wonder if it might be overkill in warmth.

I’ll be visiting an Arcteryx store in Seattle next week so I hope to be able to try these on to compare them, but I always appreciate the insights and suggestions from forumites here.

TIA!