Gear Articles tagged ‘puffy jackets’

Separating Fact From Fluff, Part II: Down Fill Explained

By: Andy Anderson | February 10th, 2010
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BCTC08_Logan-Yurt_410Despite often being mistaken for feathers, down is really the soft clusters underneath a goose’s feathers that insulate them in cold weather (who would have thought?). The lofted down filaments overlap and create small air pockets that trap warmth or body heat.

Wherever you find a down garment, you’ll usually find a fill number (such as 650-fill down or 800-fill down). Often mistaken for QUANTITY values, the fill rating actually indicates the QUALITY of the down within that jacket, sleeping bag, or what-have-you. Read More …

Separate Fact From Fluff, Part I: Down vs. Synthetic

By: Andy Anderson | February 9th, 2010
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Puffy Jackets - Down vs Synthetic

Let’s face it, whether you’re heading out to brush snow off the car or freezing your ass off in base camp, nothing beats the packable warmth of a puffy jacket. But all warmth is not created equal, and there’s a big difference between the box-store special you had when you were six and the plethora of ultralight compressible puffies available today. In Part I of this series, we’ve outlined the major differences between down and synthetic fills, which apply to jackets, sleeping bags, and other insulated gear. Read More …