How to select a down jacket

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A beginner guideline to choose a down jacket that keeps you warm and comfortable in the wild

A high -quality down jacket is no longer reserved for outdoor. Politicians, pop stars and even princesses were depicted in a "puffa". Of course, a down jacket only really comes into its own when it is used and tested in the great outdoors.

It can be confusing to understand what needs to be considered before you choose a down jacket. In order to make the decision easier, we have put together a simple guide to select the jacket that is most suitable for you.

what is below?

down are the natural insulating layer of geese and ducks that help keep your body warm at temperatures around freezing. It is usually white or gray and looks like small piles of flowers. These clusters form millions of tiny air bags that are heated by our body heat and kept in place by the down.

Atlas & Boots Peter on the Arctic Circle Path in Greenland

Despite considerable investments in synthetic insulation, people still have to get the insulating power of down, which still have the best heat weight ratio of the world.

ethical view

When choosing a down jacket, remember that geese and ducks are victims of trade. We therefore recommend that you decide for "traceable down" or "certified down from responsible origin", which means that the manufacturers can trace the origin of their down and the crop practices of those who deliver them.

Daune or synthetic?

Choosing a down jacket compared to synthetic insulation has several advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of down

  • best heat weight ratio.
  • longer durable: Daune retains its building (or fluffiness) for years longer than synthetic material.
  • compresses better.

disadvantages of down

  • When wetness, it loses its insulation.
  • less durable. Most synthetic jackets survive one or two hard scratches; Daune also swells out of the smallest crack.
  • more expensive (but durable).
  • animals are used for their down.

Choose a down jacket when it is cold but dry (or if you can keep your jacket dry in wet weather) and if low weight and volume are important.

Choose synthetic insulation if you are exposed to wet conditions and if performance and relaxation are more important than weight and mass.

goose mood or duck down?

In general, goose is a higher heat weight ratio and can be packed smaller than duckown. Goose is usually more expensive.

so atlas & boots Peter at the summit of Aconcagua in his Skyline Jacket by Mountain Equipment

However, high -quality duckowners can offer better insulation than inferior goose -moods, so it is important to consider the quality - or "building power" - of their down.

down filler

The quality of down is measured by the filling power. This is the number of cubic inches that take a ounce down in an air -conditioned test cylinder. The more volume that takes the down, the better the heat weight ratio.

in general:

  • 650 Fillpower are considered high quality
  • 750-850 Fillpower are considered in the upper quality class
  • 900+ Fillpower is the best quality

NOTE: There are two main methods for measuring the building power, and the "US" method gives a slightly higher value than the "EU" method for the same down quality. A Fillpower of 800+ using the EU method corresponds approximately to a Fillpower of 850+ using the US method.

weight

When choosing a down jacket, keep in mind that a higher building power is not automatically warmer. For example, 8 50-filling daunas can be as warm as 12 ounces 650 filling daunes. What has the former is a better heat weight ratio. It is also more compressible because it contains less down.

waterproofing

In the event of a violent downpour, the average down jacket completely loses its building power. It gets wet and heavy and takes a long time to dry completely.

"hydrophobic" down are down down, which were coated with DWR (durable water repellent). The idea is that hydrophobic down water reject water as effectively as synthetic insulation. This is up to debate, but if you travel in a wet area, it is advisable to choose a down jacket that has a DWR treatment, at least on the upper material. If the budget allows it, also choose hydrophobic down.

construction

The individual isolation sections in your jacket are

chambers. They distribute the down evenly and prevent them from gathering on the ground. The chamber construction of your jacket can affect performance.

sewn vs. Kastenwand-Leitlechen

sewn -in chambers keep the insulation evenly distributed. These jackets are cheaper because they are easier to produce and use less material. However, you can lead to a certain heat loss along the seams.

baffle box reduces the heat loss fair use Box reduces the heat loss

chamber wall chambers allow the down to expand to their maximum loft. They also reduce heat loss in sewn areas. These jackets are more expensive because they are more complex in production and use more material.

Width VS narrow guide sheets

Width chambers are the warmest option because they contain more down and fewer seams through which heat can escape. However, they are more voluminous and do not layer as good or do not compress them as much as narrow sound walls. If heat is more important than agility, choose wide sound walls. If a narrow fit and active use are in the foreground, choose narrow chambers.

material

down can escape through the smallest cracks, so their top of the jacket must be robust and abrasion -resistant. However, if it is too heavy, this affects the heat weight ratio of the jacket. Nylon is ideal because it is durable but easy. A DWR coating is ideal to protect your down when you get into a drizzle.

characteristics

When choosing a down jacket, take the following features.

Bags:

  • Handwarm bags: Are they high enough to sit over the hip belt of a backpack?
  • internal or external breast pockets: interior pockets are usually better insulated and are useful to protect the battery of your phone in cold weather.
  • interior pocket: These large inner pockets with open opening above are ideal for storing gloves, hats, batteries or everything you want to keep warm.

Remember when you choose a hood more volume Gives Everst/Shutterstock A hood provides warmth, but also for volume

hood: A hood provides heat, but also additional volume. If you use a down jacket as a middle class under a waterproof coat, you should perhaps choose a down jacket without a hood.

cord trains: Saum and hooded cords are useful to close tired gaps. For hoods, we prefer a single cord strain that contracts on the back of the head, which is less picky than double cord trains on the side of the face and more adjustable than elastic versions.

stackable/clip bar: Many down jackets are delivered with their own pack sack or compressed in their own pocket. We prefer the latter because pack sacks are slightly lost. Some down jackets have a clip -on carabiner loop that is useful when climbing because it can simply be hung in a belt.

intended use

When choosing a down jacket, it is of course worth taking into account the intended use. Below we make some suggestions.

alpine climbing: In order to avoid the bowl on rocks, you should wear it as a middle class under a more durable hardshell. The North Face Summit L3 Down Hoodie and the Arc’teryx Cerium LT Hoody are excellent options.

climbing: The Rab Microlight Alpine is a good jacket for climbing.

skiing: Use down down as a middle class under an outer shell. Choose Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hooded, the Rei Co-OP Magma 850 or the Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody. The Rab Microlight Alpine is also a good option.

wet weather: Daune is not ideal for wet weather, but the Columbia Outdry ex gold does a good job. The disadvantage is that it is not very compressible and therefore not ideal for extensive excursions into the wilderness.

mountaineering: When climbing mountaineering, a down jacket can serve as part of your layer system. The award-winning Mountain Equipment Skyline Jacket offers excellent heat weight ratio.

main picture: Everst/Shutterstock 
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