Men's and Women's Down Jackets
Down jackets for use during cold weather activities offer high performance without sacrificing high style. The type of down, outer fabric, jacket design and construction are all factors that will affect the quality, warmth and ultimately, the price, of men's and women's down jackets.
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Down is the undercoating of waterfowl (tiny hairs beneath its feathers), and for its exceptionally lightweight provides the greatest amount of insulation. The best quality down for apparel comes from European white geese living in cold habitats.
Several factors should be considered before making your selection of a down jacket:
Materials:
The outer fabric of the jacket (the shell) should be breathable and lightweight, water repellent, and so tightly woven that no down can escape (look for a fabric with a high thread count). The inner fabric of the jacket doesn't need to be as durable as the exterior, but it too must be down proof and breathable, able to wick moisture away from your body.The fill power of your down is a measure of its quality. A higher fill power means stronger, larger down clusters, which offer better insulation. Look for your down jacket to have a fill power between 500 and 800-plus (expensive and rare!). Goose down is the preferred fill for active wear since its warmth-to-weight ratio is higher than other types of down. Check the manufacturer's label for the percentage and type of down fill – regulations vary as to what can be claimed as "100 percent down fill." Certification standards may allow manufacturers to make that claim even when a portion of the fill includes a small portion of goose or duck feathers, which are heavier than down and offer little warmth.
Construction:
There are basically two construction methods in making a down jacket: "Sewn through" is a quilted jacket, a common method of construction; "baffle box" construction is usually the most expensive method."Sewn through" means the outer shell is sewn directly to the inner lining in a quilted fashion, trapping the down fill in each pocket. A sewn-through jacket is easier to produce and a lighter weight than the baffle box method, making it less costly. For other than extreme frigid conditions, a "sewn through" down jacket filled with a high fill power, quality down will keep you snug and warm throughout the day.
"Baffle box" construction, however, offers greater insulation capacity, since a layer of fabric boxes is sewn between the inner and outer layer, allowing the down fill within each compartment to achieve and maintain greater loft. This construction method requires more fabric and more time to construct, and as a result is usually a more expensive item.
Design :
Consider your intended use and look for a down jacket designed to meet those requirements. Are you looking more for a fun fashion jacket to keep you warm from the parking lot to your office? There's no need to invest in a high-tech mountaineering-strength jacket to get you through a city block or two. Assess your needs and buy a jacket that is designed to do what you want. If your budget restricts your purchase, dispense with the bells and whistles and buy a basic jacket that reflects quality construction and components.Learning what you want and what to look for will make your choice a lot easier, so stay warm and have fun!
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