Hollow fiber, down, synthetic padding... Now I know what is the best insulation for a jacket. What is warmer: down or padding polyester?

The women's clothing store offers down jackets, short coats and coats with different insulation, so you can't help but wonder what filling to choose for a winter down jacket so as not to freeze in the cold? Important indicator The ability of a down jacket to retain heat is the filler. The durability of the product and the preservation of its original properties even after a couple of seasons of wear depend on the quality and properties of the insulation.

On sale you can find one- or two-layer fashionable down jackets of different styles. For the Russian winter, two-layer jackets are more suitable, but for European and southern regions a single-layer jacket is quite suitable; it can withstand temperatures down to minus 12 degrees, and there it doesn’t get any lower.

Before we start choosing a down jacket for the winter, in accordance with, let's look at its filling and study the entire list of candidates for filling a winter jacket. So, manufacturers choose artificial synthetic fibers and natural materials as fillers.

Natural ones have been a priority for a long time, as they retain heat well, but they require complex care and the creation of special conditions for washing. New-fangled synthetic ones are slightly inferior in heat-protective properties and some even surpass natural insulation materials. The main advantages of synthetic insulation include ease of maintenance and hypoallergenicity.

Each type of filler has its own characteristics and features. Do you want to figure out which filler is the best? Let's study the qualities and properties of each of them.

What is the best filling for a down jacket: types and descriptions of materials

Consider all natural fillers

Pooh. It can be duck, swan, or eider down. A jacket stuffed with it proper care will last more than 10 years. Thanks to this filling, jackets stuffed with down got their name “down jacket”. Advantages of the material: high heat-saving ability, lightness, softness and durability.

As for the disadvantages, we include the high cost of the final product (although it is formed not only due to the filler, but also depends on the covering fabric, style and brand). To care for and wash a down-based down jacket, you need: special conditions. Sensitive people also notice the appearance allergic reactions while wearing.

Among all downs, the most expensive and warmest is eider fluff. It is used to insulate products for women living in harsh climates. Jackets with eider down are suitable for country outings and long walks in the fresh air.

Goose and duck down the most common option. Lately it has often been mixed with synthetic fibers to reduce the cost. In principle, this has little effect on the heat-saving capabilities of products. And judging by the reviews, women's down jackets with duck and goose down mixed with artificial fibers are easier to wash and retain their properties after being manipulated in a washing machine.

Feather+down. Quite a common filling for women's down jackets and coats. The feather, on the one hand, reduces the cost of the product, and on the other hand, creates a certain basis for volume. On personal experience I will say that a down jacket with a feather can be washed at home.

For information: P uh is usually denoted on the manufacturer’s labels with the word “down". Inscription "feather" means mixed type feather with down. Word "Intelligentdown" indicates that a combination of down and synthetic fill is used. If you want to know how to choose a good women's down jacket based on the filling, you will have to learn these characteristics by heart. In addition to these inscriptions, the label may contain the designation “Cotton" or "polyester". This means that cotton wool, batting or padding polyester was used for filling.

The label also indicates the ratio of down to feather content (fraction on the label). 70/30 or 80/20. Usually the first number is the percentage of the pen. Check the percentage before buying a down jacket. Normal is 70-80%. It is with this level of fluff that the product will be adapted to harsh climates and cold winters.

Looking ahead a little, I’ll tell you how to determine how to determine whether padding polyester or down is in a down jacket. To do this, squeeze the filler through the fabric with two fingers and rub it between your fingers. With synthetic padding polyester, holofiber and other artificial filler, you will hear a squeaking sound and it will seem to slide between your fingers. Down does not make such a sound, but if the filling is created in a combination of down and feather, then between your fingers you will feel thin feather rods; they are quite noticeable to the touch.

Wool. This is a natural material for filling jackets. They are called down jackets conventionally, since they do not contain down. A winter jacket or short coat stuffed with wool retains heat perfectly and is inexpensive. Sheep or camel wool is often used for filling.

Disadvantages: the final product is heavy and shrinks when washed. Also causes allergic reactions. Recently, manufacturers have been using a mixture of filling down jackets, using wool and synthetic fibers. Thanks to this combination, such jackets can be easily washed at home in automatic washing machines.

Artificial fillers: advantages and disadvantages for down jackets

Sintepon . Popular and most cheap material for down jackets and coats. Recently, it has been replaced by modern types of fillers and is rarely used for stuffing clothes. Advantages:

• retains heat well;
• is not a hydroscopic material;
• dries quickly after getting wet;
• Washable in automatic washing machines.

Disadvantages: it loses volume after the first wash, and after several washes it clumps, with the exception of quilted products.

Isosoft . Excellent material for filling down jackets. This is a European membrane insulation from the manufacturer Libeltex.

Advantages of Isosoft:

• has low weight;
• repels moisture well and does not absorb it;
• even thin layer retains heat excellently;
• products filled with isosoft can be washed in a washing machine;
• A down jacket with isosoft dries quickly and does not lose its original appearance during long-term wear.

The disadvantage is the high cost.

Holofiber. Artificial insulation made from synthetic spiral fibers. It is used as insulation for women's and children's clothing. According to reviews from owners of holofiber down jackets, this is a real find for the cold Russian winter.

The following advantages of this material are noted:

• a light weight;
• does not come off when washing;
• inexpensive and accessible;
• bulk material;
• hypoallergenic.

It is believed that holofiber does not allow air to pass through well, but if it is used in conjunction with the fabric covering of a down jacket, this disadvantage disappears.

Thinsulate . The insulation is made of highly siliconized polyester fiber, twisted in a spiral. There is air around the fibers. It is also called artificial swan down. The thickness of the fibers is 60 times less than the thickness of a human hair. It has a high ability to retain heat. To achieve identical characteristics, a thickness of 10 times less is required compared to conventional fillers. Initially, Thinsulate was developed by order of NASA for clothing for astronauts and polar explorers. Currently, this insulation is considered the warmest and thinnest of the fillers for down jackets.

Advantages of Thinsulate:

• low weight with large volumes;
• has increased thermal insulation properties;
• does not form into lumps when worn;
• tolerates washing well, does not deform or clump after prolonged use;
• environmentally friendly hypoallergenic material;
• does not absorb odors;
• does not shrink after getting wet;
• dries quickly.

Disadvantages: can cause overheating of the body, is expensive and accumulates static electricity.

Sintepooh. This is a fluffy bulky mass made of synthetic fibers with a hollow structure. It consists of white springy fibers, intertwined, they form a dense structure. There are several types of synthetic fluff, including siliconized fluff. Twisted polyester fibers are additionally treated with silicone emulsion. This allows them not to cling to each other and maintain volume for a long time.

The characteristics of the insulation are as close as possible to down.

Advantages of synthetic fluff:

• environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic,
• the material does not absorb odors and does not accumulate dust;
• high wear resistance, it does not collapse;
• antibacterial, synthetic fibers do not contain microorganisms and fungi;
• breathability, provides ventilation
• resistant to deformation, the original shape returns after compression or stretching;
• water resistance, fibers quickly evaporate moisture after getting wet, but even when wet they retain their heat-insulating properties;
• tolerates washing well, does not shrink;
• In terms of care, synthetic down jackets are machine washable.

So, if we compare fillers for down jackets, which is better, we can note the following: if you are looking for a light and warm down jacket, then your choice is synthetic down or Thinsulate filler. For allergy sufferers, it is also better to choose synthetic insulation; they do not cause allergic reactions and do not contribute to the proliferation of microorganisms. The combination of feather + down is recommended to all adherents of natural insulation; they have the best performance characteristics than 100 down or feather. If the label indicates the proportion: 80% down in a combination of 20% feather, you will not freeze in a down jacket even in extreme weather conditions.

Recently, more and more often on clothing tags opposite the word “filler” you can find the following phrase: spray-bonded cotton wool. Many of my friends and blog readers ask what kind of filler this is, how it behaves in winter, and how to care for it.

Spray-bonded cotton wool is an environmentally friendly, safe material. On the label of a down jacket or jacket it is designated as: spray bonded wadding. It is made from natural cotton and cotton wool. This is a soft, wear-resistant and breathable material. By technical properties This filler is close to bio-fluff. It has high quality thermal insulation, does not cause allergies, does not rot or corrode, does not crumple, and is breathable. Be sure that the spray-bonded cotton wool filler will not harbor microorganisms, moths or other insects. Spray-bonded cotton wool will not crawl out through the seams and roll into lumps. It will help you withstand the harshest frosts.

I hope I answered the question, what is the best filling for a down jacket and now you know for winter.

Which jacket is better to buy? Should you give preference to a down jacket or buy outerwear with synthetic insulation? Each option has its pros and cons.

Buyers have many requirements for a winter jacket; it must be warm, light and comfortable. But most people don’t know which filler to give preference to. Each manufacturer praises its products, talks in detail about its advantages, while remaining silent about its disadvantages. However, it should be noted that high-quality men's jackets Regardless of the insulation, they will be comfortable and durable.

Advantages and disadvantages of down jackets

In fact, it is impossible to say that any option is better. You just need to choose outerwear in accordance with your lifestyle and financial capabilities. Winter jackets down jackets are suitable for men who, due to the nature of their work, are forced to spend a lot of time outdoors. They are often warmer than synthetic winterizers, but they are also much more expensive.

In addition, down jackets are often not down jackets at all; the manufacturer adds bird feathers to the insulation, which significantly reduces the heat-saving properties. It is quite easy to distinguish such a jacket from a real one; next to the word down there will be the prefix feather. With a down/feather ratio of 80 to 20, the outerwear will be quite warm, but if there is less down, the jacket will be cold and suitable only for cool autumn.

It is more difficult to care for a down jacket; at the end of the season it is advisable to dry clean it. After washing in a washing machine, the down may form clumps. It is quite difficult to return the jacket to its previous condition. Therefore, if you are willing to put up with the high price and difficulty of care for the sake of additional comfort, then a down jacket is your choice. The main thing to remember is that you can’t skimp on the quality of jackets; cheap fabric is not dense enough and after a couple of months the fluff can creep in and the jacket looks sloppy.

A down jacket from a famous brand will look perfect for many years and will last much longer than any synthetic padding jacket. Therefore, if you do not like to change outerwear every season or two, then feel free to buy a down jacket. And even if you like to buy a lot of things, no one forbids having two, three or even four jackets with natural insulation in your closet.

Jackets with padding polyester insulation

In the case of padding polyester, everything is much simpler. The insulation tolerates numerous washes well and retains its properties for many years. But it is important to remember that synthetic padding can also be different. This insulation can be warm and light, or it can be completely useless, and the jacket will be blown through. Much depends on the manufacturer, e.g. Fred Perry jackets It is produced with insulation, which is as close in properties as possible to down, but does not have the disadvantages of natural filler.

A padded jacket is suitable for an active person who moves a lot and does not have to spend a lot of time in the cold. All other things being equal, such clothes retain heat worse than a down jacket. But often, insulation is enough to make a person feel comfortable. Its price is lower, but it will wear out much faster. After three or four seasons you will need to buy a new jacket.

But for many, this can even be a plus, because the monotony gets boring; having bought an inexpensive model, you can safely exchange it for another. And it’s not a pity, and not a lot of money was spent. And the style changes, you want to change your wardrobe, and enjoy purchasing new clothes. And in the case of branded products, there will definitely be joy from new things.

Activewear

Separately, it is worth noting jackets for active recreation. Not only the choice of filler, but also its quality is of great importance. Professional athletes mainly choose down, but its content must be at least 90 to 10 in relation to feather. Such clothing remains light, warm and does not restrict movement. If you prefer synthetic winterizer, then it is important that the fabric is dense. A membrane that allows you to use a minimum of insulation, creating the effect of a thermos, is perfect. A person is not hot in a warm room and not cold outside when sub-zero temperature. The combination of well-chosen fabric ensures comfort regardless of the weather. And the weight turns out to be no more than that of a high-quality down jacket.

Video.
Because now it's very Cold winter, I suggest watching a video about how not to freeze in winter.

Beneath the most modern, bright, stylish, and sometimes bizarre appearance of down jackets lies technology comparable in age to dinosaurs. “Even the latest scientific developments in the field of synthetic insulation have not been able to surpass natural down in terms of heat capacity. It’s lightweight, super warm, and if you care for it properly, the down jacket will last for many years.”- this is what fans of natural products think.

“Synthetic insulation is much more convenient to use, never gets wet, is easy to wash and dry, and is cheaper than good down, because in principle we don’t consider bad down.”- this is what supporters of synthetic materials think. Let's figure it out - when is it better to buy a down jacket, and when is it better to buy a warm synthetic jacket?

Down creates the highest possible thermal insulation among all insulation materials known today. It has the most favorable ratio of retained heat to its own specific gravity, has the highest compression properties, and is ideal for people with increased body weight. The most valuable thing is the durability of good down products.

However, down jackets require careful attention. Thorough and at the same time gentle washing and drying, spacious closet space for storage in the summer. You also need to be careful not to tear the fabric, because even through very small holes, down can literally seep through, reducing the warmth of the down jacket and definitely not decorating appearance product and its owner.

Pooh has absorption property - the ability to absorb water vapor. This quality, on the one hand, serves as an indisputable advantage. It is convenient to move in down jackets, since excess moisture is quickly transported from the surface of the jacket into the layer of down insulation, and then gradually evaporates. A person feels comfortable both during movements and during stops - clothes are dry. In light of this feature of down, it is worth paying attention to the need to periodically clean a warm product, even if it seems that the jacket does not seem very dirty.

On the other hand, there is also a negative effect - excess moisture (sorption) is the main Achilles heel of fluff: when downs get wet, they stick together, lose their volume and ability to hold a large amount of air inside their impeccable natural structure, which sharply and permanently reduces the thermal capacity of a down jacket. Many leading manufacturers have found a solution to this problem by turning down into a hydrophobic (that is, non-absorbent) material.

Hydrophobic (waterproof) down

In order for the down to continue to retain heat even when wet, some leading manufacturing companies cover the down with a special water-repellent (hydrophobic) impregnation, similar to that used to treat the outer material of the membranes of The North Face, Marmot, Sivera, Baon, RedFox, etc.).

This work takes place at the molecular level. There are two features of this procedure:

1. down becomes more expensive.
2. The waterproof impregnation is washed off after several washes, although it is worth noting that the jacket can often withstand quite a lot of cleanings - up to 30, depending on different manufacturers. Also, some special cleaning/impregnating agents for down can maintain and restore the hydrophobicity of natural insulation.

Companies give names to their waterproof down, for example: Sierra Designs DriDown, Mountain Hardwear Q.Shield Down, Marmot Down Defender, manufacturer of down impregnation DownTek (can be used in sewing down jackets of different brands), also manufacturer of impregnation Nikwax Down Proof (this impregnation is used in ) and others.

Advantages of hydrophobic down

• Stays dry for a long time:
  + able to absorb moisture less than regular down (up to 30%)
  + dries faster than untreated down (up to 60%)
  + retains significantly more air volume after exposure to moisture than regular down
• Down can be safely washed
  + impregnated down retains its waterproof properties during long washes
  + best result achieved by using specialized impregnations for washing down (Grangers, Nikwax and the like)
• Hydrophobic down retains lightness and bounce
  + hydrophobic impregnation does not reduce the FP of fluff
  + impregnation does not add weight to the raw material
• Waterproof down - a completely natural product
  + proper impregnation does not contain pesticides and other materials harmful to humans and nature.

Fill Power (elasticity) of down

The most valuable property of any insulation is to trap and hold as much air as possible.

When a bird is cold, it fluffs up its feathers, adding air inside its downy layer. This allows the bird to retain more air in its plumage, retaining more of the heat produced by its body, that is, to keep warm.

Each fluff contains up to two million tiny “threads”, which allow them to hold a large amount of air. The more mature the down, the more northern the bird, the better the assembly and processing of the down, the more elastic the down, the more heat such raw material will retain.

The elasticity of FP (Fill Power) down is checked in a simple procedure. A strictly defined amount of fluff (weight and volume) is placed in a cylindrical container. It is subjected to compression under the weight of the load for a sufficiently long time, after which the load is removed. The volume that down will occupy after deformation is the Fill Power index of its elasticity.

• 1000 FP means that the fluff has 100% restored its volume, that is, it is ideal fluff (which, of course, does not happen in nature)
• 800 – 950 FP speaks of the exclusively high quality of the down. Women's ones with such down, even with a very small amount of it, will keep you warm perfectly.
  

  The thermal capacity of a thin down jacket with 800 FP will be equal to the thermal capacity of a heavier and thicker down jacket with 600 FP, which is quite difficult to believe without knowing the principles of operation of down insulation.

• 550 – 700 FP Marks high quality down.
• 400 - 500 FP indicates down of medium quality.
• Everything, that below 400 FP– signals low-quality raw materials.

For comparison, here is a photo showing the difference in volume occupied by synthetic (Thinsulate) and down insulation of the same weight (1 ounce = 28.35 grams).

Synthetic insulation

Synthetic insulation is a decisive answer to the problem of down getting wet.

Such insulation continues to retain its volume and retain the original amount of air even when wet. The trade-off of using synthetics is that they are heavier, less compressible, and wear out faster than down.

Experts say that clothes with good synthetic insulation will last 5-10 years, and clothes with high-quality down will last more than 10, provided they are properly cared for.

Clothing with synthetic filling does an excellent job of removing excess moisture and heat from the human body during intense movements, while simultaneously retaining warmth during stops when it is most needed. Such jackets and trousers serve as an ideal second insulating layer in.

Among the advantages, one can also note easier repair of a torn or punctured one - synthetics usually do not “crawl out” through holes in the fabric as quickly as its competitor - down.

Synthetic insulation is a whole family of modern materials with a special structure aimed at retaining the maximum possible amount of air inside the material. Such insulation is created from polyester (polyester) fibers.

The loose and elastic structure of the synthetic fabric is in some ways similar to the fur of northern animals, in some ways it is like fluff, and in some ways it is modeled by man himself. This insulation consists of a combination of long and short artificial fibers, which come in different thicknesses (from micro to nano) and density (hollow and regular threads). The fibers are also given different shape(spiral twist, tortuosity different diameters and etc). They undergo treatment - antistatic, silicone, etc. All these combinations with synthetic fibers are made in order to obtain lightweight material with many air cavities. The material must be resistant to deformation, not afraid of water and serve for a long time.

The main synthetic insulation materials presented on the global clothing and travel equipment market:

PrimaLoft was created for a military patent, and then turned into a separate commercial brand, the most recognizable in the global outdoor products market. Primaloft produces several varieties of synthetic insulation, which are used by other clothing and equipment manufacturers to make warm jackets and sleeping bags. PrimaLoft is the first synthetic insulation manufacturer to be approved by the stringent bluesign standard, the environmental health and safety standard for textile production.

Primaloft produces three main lines of insulation - Gold (gold), Silver (silver) and Black (black). Each line is divided into several subtypes of insulation. PrimaLoft Gold– premium series of synthetic insulation. It also contains mixed insulation materials PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Down Blend ultrafine fibers Primaloft 30% + goose down 70% and PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Merino Wool Blend fibers Primaloft + merino wool fibers. Hybrid materials make it possible to obtain unique insulation materials, combining the advantages of both materials.

Series PrimaLoft Silver– the most frequently used, price-optimized. It also contains hybrid materials, but with a smaller percentage of natural materials. Series PrimaLoft Black made from completely recycled materials.

PrimaLoft Thermoball- a special development by Primaloft in collaboration with The North Face. Only used in The North Face products. The fundamental difference from other Primaloft products is the spherical structure of the insulation fibers, which is as close as possible to the texture of natural fluff.

According to the creators, this structure makes it possible to increase the thermal capacity of jackets by 10%. There is no official confirmation of this yet, but, in any case, this development shows that synthetic insulation is increasingly approaching the thermal and weight characteristics of natural down. It is possible that one day synthetics will become the winner in this difficult competition.

Shelter (Sh, Shelter)– Russian synthetic insulation for clothing, produced on the Primaloft production line. Developed and constantly improved by our scientists. It has good heat capacity and weight characteristics, confirmed by certificates. It is successfully used in, revered in construction and in the production of warm bedding and toys.

Synthetic insulation Thinsulate– development of a large American company 3M™. One of the leaders in the global textile industry. The insulation is light, soft, holds its shape well, dries quickly, does not absorb odors, and most importantly, is able to effectively conserve heat. It is considered artificial swan down. Thinsulate fibers are heavily treated with silicone liquid, which explains its serious resistance to moisture and high comfort use.

Thinsulate has several modifications, different thicknesses, comes with one-sided or double-sided non-woven padding.

Thinsulate is recognized as the lightest and most heat-intensive of synthetic insulation, although it is difficult to say this unequivocally due to the lack of uniform tests and standards. Used in clothing for active recreation and extreme sports, for extremely cold areas of the Earth.

Initially, the insulation was designed for astronauts by order of NASA, then it was slightly adapted for wide consumption and is successfully produced in large volumes.

These are the most famous synthetic insulation materials; in addition to them, there are quite a lot of materials from other brands - Sintepon, Holofiber, Fibertek, Isosoft, Thermolite, Climashield, Sintepuh, etc. also big brands often release their own lines artificial insulation, for example, Marmot Thermal R, KEEN.WARM, etc.

Comparison of the properties of down and synthetic insulation

The main properties of down and synthetic insulation, which are important when choosing winter pants and trousers. A clear answer to the question: "Which is better - synthetic or down?" no, it all depends on the conditions under which the clothing is used.

Outer fabric of jackets

To be prepared for any weather changes - from cold to rain, you should pay special attention to the outer fabric of autumn-winter clothes. The most practical are membrane fabrics that protect a person and the insulation from getting wet both from the outside (from rain and wet snow) and from the inside (from excess moisture during sweating), and wind. These men's ones are reliable and comfortable in the slushiest weather. Membrane fabrics also make the outer fabric more durable, which is also important in ordinary life and in sports.

Properties of membranes using the example of Gore-Tex - the “gold standard of the 21st century”

What do the indicators of waterproofness and breathability of membranes indicate?

Most often, clothing manufacturers indicate two characteristics of the membrane: waterproof/breathability. For example, 15,000 (mm) / 10,000 (g/m2/24h). A similar entry is 15K / 10K, where “K” means the prefix “kilo”, thousands.

The indicators are obtained during an experiment conducted either by the clothing manufacturer itself or by an independent laboratory. There is no single global requirement for standardization of these indicators. As a rule, you can completely trust the stated figures either based on the brand’s reputation, or on the experience of trusted people, or on your own.

For rate waterproof fabrics use water column test. A tall cylinder with a diameter of 1” inch is placed on the fabric, which corresponds to 2 cm 54 mm. Water is gradually poured into this cylinder. The height of the water column at which moisture begins to flow through the material will be equal to the water resistance value of the fabric being tested. The higher the water column, the more water-resistant your jacket is.

Fabric with a water resistance rating of 5,000 mm will save you in light rain or wet snow. With figures from 10,000 mm and above, you can count on comfort in heavy rain. Indicators of 20,000 mm and more are considered suitable for extreme sports (mountaineering, expeditions, professional skiing). As the level of water resistance increases, the cost of equipment also increases.

With measurement breathability or vapor permeability the situation is a little more confusing, since there are several testing options, several standards. Most often, breathability is indicated in units of “g/m2/24h” (the number of grams of water vapor that can pass through square meter tissue within 24 hours), and then the larger the value, the better. Sometimes breathability is indicated on the RET scale, which reflects the fabric's resistance to the process of evaporation of water through it. In this case, the smaller the RET, the better.

A good warm jacket is the optimal selection of outer material, lining, insulation, and accessories. Design is also extremely important functional features, quality of tailoring.

Choose carefully so that you can happily wear the item for several seasons and
Don’t waste extra time and money on new purchases!

The cold weather is approaching, smart birds fly south for warmth, some of the animals hibernate, despite their thick fur, and we take out winter clothes from the depths of the closet. And sometimes we understand that it has gone out of fashion - oh horror, “they don’t wear this anymore”! The old thing is sent back to its place, since, of course, it’s a pity to throw it away - suddenly it will come in handy, and we are faced with a serious question - what will we have to buy now, since now in stores there is a huge selection of outer winter clothing, for every taste and budget.
Down jackets, jackets, coats, fur coats... Ideally, you would buy everything, but you usually only have enough money for one thing. A fur coat, of course, is the most expensive option and far from the most convenient and profitable. Fur is expensive nowadays, but its quality leaves much to be desired. You quietly wrinkle the hem of an expensive fur coat in a store - and it rustles, leaves hairs on the palm of your hand, and the fur “breaks.” And it may turn out that after spending a considerable amount (and some people save for winter clothes for a long time, denying themselves many things), you will buy something that will become unusable in one season. Many women who own fur coats complain that after a year the product begins to unravel at the seams, the fur becomes somehow sparse, and where would you go with a torn and even bald fur coat? Again, the cost of the atelier... In public transport, wearing a fur coat is uncomfortable, and passengers will start wiping themselves on it (maybe accidentally, but it’s still a pity). You can’t actively walk with your child... It turns out that a fur coat is needed only for beauty - to wear it several times during the winter, and even then you need to look for a quality one and pay a lot of money for it.
do not require investments from several salaries. The purchase of such a jacket will also not entail groans and fainting from the amazed husband who learned about the true cost of the purchased item (such as an expensive fur coat), and besides, such winter clothing is no less impressive. Genuine leather has always been valued and looked expensive and status, besides, it “breathes” and does not create a greenhouse effect for a spacesuit (as in winter clothes made from artificial materials), hypoallergenic. The fur lining gives incredible warmth, and it is difficult to freeze even in the most severe frost. The fur trim of the hood or fur collar also warms the face, giving the product beauty, style and chic. much simpler than a fur coat - mostly high-quality products are now sold (which, unfortunately, cannot be said about furs), and chic jackets are in great demand among customers, especially since their price is much lower than the cost of even the most seedy fur coat.
Down jackets. If you choose, then only leather ones, with beautiful fur trim - they are now selling very beautiful ones. They are also very warm, because the skin itself is warm material, and the filling made of down and feathers of waterfowl (mostly, of course, down) will not allow either frost or cold wind to penetrate. – the clothes are practical and at the same time chic. They do not swell and do not make their owner look like balloon, but, on the contrary, they beautifully fit the figure. Light and warm, pleasant to the touch, fashionable and effective, and at the same time wear-resistant, they can become any woman’s favorite item in her winter wardrobe.

Very soon the vast expanses of our Motherland will be covered with snow and biting frost will come, but we still have a little time left to choose and purchase the best option for protection from the cold. What is the warmest, lightest, most beautiful and practical item of winter wardrobe today? Everyone knows the answer, or almost everyone, is it a down jacket or just down jacket.

Today all the counters are littered with down jackets: from clothing markets to the windows of expensive boutiques. Buyers can choose from huge assortment down jackets for every taste, color and budget, of any manufacturer and design. But there is a huge difference between a real down jacket that will keep you warm and comfortable all winter, and that “bag of feathers” that is often blatantly sold to us under the guise of a down jacket. So, so that you don’t become a “miracle in feathers” and waste your hard-earned money, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our guide, where we will try to briefly but succinctly analyze all the aspects of choosing and purchasing a truly high-quality and practical down jacket.

So, a down jacket is an item outerwear, a jacket or coat designed to be worn during the cold season. To protect the body from the effects of low temperatures, only natural down and feathers of waterfowl are used as a heat-insulating filler (eider down and the down of geese raised in low temperatures in northern countries and the Siberian part of the Russian Federation are especially valued). The surface of the down jacket is made of light, durable and breathable fabric (membrane), the seams must be taped for better tightness and thermal insulation. To distribute the down evenly throughout the volume of the jacket, it is placed in special down bags, separated from each other by sealed seams. The design of down jackets should provide maximum protection against heat loss from the human body. Some down jackets can provide heat retention even in frosts down to -85 C°. The first down jackets appeared in the 16th century in Norway and were filled with eider down, but it is officially believed that the patent for the modern classic down jacket (parka) was received in 1940 by Eddie Bauer, an American designer and founder of the eponymous Eddie Bauer casual clothing brand.

The main advantages of down jackets include excellent thermal insulation properties with low weight, ensuring air exchange without heat loss due to the properties of membrane fabrics, versatility and practicality, durability with proper care, all kinds of designs.

Perhaps the only drawback of down products is that they are quite high price. But we must not forget that optimal time The “life” of down is designed for a period of 7 to 10 years, and with proper care for it, even twenty. Synthetics will last you only 3-5 years. It follows that down is more than twice as durable as synthetics, which is why it costs more.

Some of our sellers and buyers mistakenly believe that a down jacket is a general name and that this can be called any jacket with insulation that is similar in design. It's a delusion. Which, by the way, is used by not entirely clean businessmen. Down jackets use only natural down; any synthetic analog turns the down jacket in a regular jacket with insulation.

A real down jacket will become an indispensable winter item for you and will delight you for many years, but in order to choose the “right” down jacket you need to know the fundamental points. We tried to collect the main practical tips and really hope that they will help you choose and purchase the perfect down jacket.

1. Pooh(down), the most important thing in a down jacket. The principle of thermal protection of down is simple - it creates an air layer between the body and the external environment. Air is a poor conductor of heat and the air layer itself created by down is the main heat insulator. And how well the material holds this very layer is an indicator of the quality of this insulation. It is well known that the down of waterfowl (primarily goose down) is an unsurpassed material as thermal insulation: it is light, airy and perfectly retains a large amount of air inside. But all the same. It can be large, small, caked, airy, rotten, etc. and so on. and the properties of a particular batch of fluff depend on these parameters. There are many parameters, but when it comes to thermal insulation properties, to evaluate them, an elasticity indicator such as Fill Power is used all over the world, which reflects the ability of fluff to recover after compression - this is main indicator quality of fluff. The elasticity is determined as follows: take 1 ounce of fluff, compress it, remove the weight and determine to what size the fluff has recovered. In a good down jacket, the Fill Power value should be at least 550; its best indicators reach up to 950 units.

• up to 400 – poor quality fluff.
• 400 – 450 – medium quality down.
• 500-750 – excellent quality down.
• 750 and above - exclusive quality down.

The point of using goose down with a high Fill Power is as follows: the thermal insulator in clothing is essentially an insulating air layer of the same thickness, called loft. Down with different Fill Power can create the same loft at different weights. So, for example, using 550 insulation requires 40%-50% more weight than using 800 down to create the same amount of insulation. The Fill Power indicator is a generally accepted indicator of the quality of down filling and for any high-quality down jacket this indicator is indicated on the tag or label, so when choosing a down jacket, pay first attention to this indicator.

Down jackets use down mixed with feathers, the “golden proportion” is considered 80% down (down) and 20% feather (feather), in down jackets for extreme conditions this ratio can be 90% down and 10% feather. In the description it is indicated through a fraction, for example - 80/20. A larger percentage of feathers indicates a low quality down jacket and such a down jacket will not warm you in cold weather, and the hard feather rods will come out, piercing the fabric.

2. Down jacket weight, speaks about the quality of the filler and the product as a whole. After all, another clear advantage of down as insulation for winter clothing is its lightness. For example, a regular men's down jacket 550 Fill Power weighs less than 1 kg, and an extreme jacket from The North Face, a model called Supernatural, with a Fill Power rating of 950 weighs only 370 g (!) and is designed for high-altitude climbing. In addition, natural down is so soft that it allows you to move freely without restricting your movements. The use of membrane fabrics and various elements can significantly increase the weight of a down jacket.

3. Material the outside and lining must be waterproof, because down is highly hygroscopic and it easily accumulates moisture and requires quick drying. If this is not done, it may simply deteriorate. Also, the material must be durable and downproof. At the same time, it must have breathable properties, i.e. provide air exchange without heat loss. Modern membrane materials have all these properties; this is a type of fabric that, due to its special structure, has water-repellent or windproof properties and at the same time allows water vapor to pass through it. Manufacturers of such fabrics call them differently, but they have the same principle, the most famous membrane is Gore-Tex.

Synthetic materials with special impregnations are also used, which provide all the qualities necessary for down jackets. In the description, fabrics with water-repellent impregnations are designated as DWR (Durable Water Repellent).

Fabrics are very popular among manufacturers Ripstop with a special reinforcing structure due to the weaving of nylon threads into the thickness of the main fabric. While remaining light, the strength of such fabric is comparable to the strength of parachute fabric.

4. Design down jacket, very important condition when choosing the present, quality product. It is the design that allows the down to be distributed as efficiently as possible and ensures an optimal warmth/weight ratio. In most down jackets, the inner and outer fabric of the down jacket are simply sewn together to form sections, and each section is filled with down. A huge disadvantage of such down jackets is the cold seams between the sections, through which a huge amount of heat is lost. Such down jackets are called single-layer and they will warm you only in frosts down to -10 -15 C°. The size of the down sections (packages) plays a big role; their size should not exceed 20 cm, otherwise the down will simply pile up at the bottom of the package and all the qualities of the down jacket will be reduced to zero. If you want to buy a down jacket for severe frosts, then you should take into account some of the features of their tailoring. These down jackets are called two-layer, due to the fact that the upper part of the down jacket is practically separated from the down lining, and at the joints it is stitched through an intermediate tape - a “warm” seam. A design is also used when the down bags themselves have two layers - outer and inner, and they are offset relative to each other and overlap the outer seams. Such down jackets are capable of retaining heat in extreme frosts down to -30 to -70°C.

The main zipper on the down jacket should have double-sided fabric protection to prevent heat loss. At chin level, the zipper should be protected with a fleece insert. Zippers on pockets should also have external protection. To keep your neck warm and your wrists from freezing, a real down jacket should have warm collars and cuffs made of materials such as Polartec or knitted fabric.

5. Temperature rating. When choosing a down jacket for yourself, ask yourself: at what lowest temperature will I wear it, how much time will I spend outside, how will I get to work or school? After all, for residents of central Russia and residents of Siberia, Mother Nature has prepared completely different conditions for the winter period of the year. To make it easier to choose down jackets based on the outside temperature, some manufacturers of down jackets (and other winter clothing and footwear) use a so-called temperature rating. This value is usually indicated in the description of the down jacket on the labels, and shows that the manufacturer guarantees comfortable conditions at a given temperature below zero.

But not all manufacturers provide such data. To roughly determine this indicator, you can use the link to the Fill Power value. Clothes containing down Fill Down 550 or Fill Down 600 Designed primarily for daily use at temperatures down to -25 C°, this down is already of excellent quality and creates a good degree of insulation. Down jackets Fill Down 700 have a lighter product weight and are comfortable down to -25 -30 C°. Exclusive down Fill Down 800- allows you to achieve a very high heat/weight ratio and is used to lighten clothing and achieve the highest degree of comfort in frosts down to -35 C° and below.

6. Style Down products are no different in variety. For men, it is preferable to choose classic parkas (parka) and voluminous bomber jackets (puffer, bulk); for women, along with unisex parkas and women's jackets, elongated down coats (coat) are very popular. For people living and working in extremely low temperatures, as well as for travelers and hunters and fishermen, down suits are sewn, consisting of a jacket and pants sewn together. The choice of down jacket style must be approached with all responsibility, since, first of all, a down jacket is intended for protection from the cold, and not for walking on the catwalk. Remember that a down jacket for frosts of -15 C° and below must cover your lower back and have a hood, so the best option is a classic down parka with a hood. Otherwise, diseases of the genitourinary system and kidneys are guaranteed. When choosing a down jacket for children, also take into account the degree of protection of the child’s body; only you are responsible for the child’s health.

If in winter you prefer to travel by car, then you need to take into account that down jackets are quite bulky, and driving in long women's down coats is problematic.

A distinctive feature of the parka jacket is the fur trim of the hood. Some manufacturers only use natural fur- coyote, red and silver fox, raccoon, while others are content with artificial analogues due to the rhetoric of animal protection societies. The fur trim has not so much a decorative function as a purely practical one - protecting the face from the frosty wind. Pay attention to the parkas of the Eskimos and their fur hoods - these tough guys know a lot about winter clothes.

Before purchasing, carefully measure your dimensions and compare with the size chart ( size chart) specific brand. Also pay attention to the fit of the item in the product description. fit - regular(fits true to size) slim(skin-tight), relaxed relaxed(loose fit, runs up a size or more).

7. Selecting a manufacturing company quality clothes with the use of down is of paramount importance. We advise you to give preference only to well-known and trusted clothing manufacturers with rich history in the field of production of down jackets, focusing on the development and production of down jackets for low temperature conditions, with good reviews about product quality. Companies committed to using natural and safe materials, but not lagging behind the development and application innovative approaches in production, with wide range and reasonable prices.

Of course, today almost everyone famous brand has down products in its collection, but these clothes are not very suitable for use in our conditions and have a more decorative, design role. From hundreds of manufacturers, we invite you to choose from time-tested and harsh winter conditions: Canada Goose, Pajar, Bask, Bogner, Joutsen, Hally Hansen, Peak Performance, Fjällräven, The North Face, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Columbia, Jack Wolfskin, Lands"End, LLBean, Eddie Bauer, Cabela's, Woolrich, Parajumpers, Moncler, Haglofs, Halti, Rossignol. As can be seen from this list, most of the companies represented are from northern and Scandinavian countries, where they know what real frost is.

8. Price of a down jacket, ranges from $120 for a simple down jacket, to $1000 and up for luxury brand down jackets. An adequate price for a good down jacket from a famous foreign brand will be the amount of $200-600 depending on the materials used and subject to purchase on well-known online sites in the USA and Europe. Of course, the same down jackets can be found in Russian retail, but then the prices will have to be increased by 2-3 times. And at all kinds of sales and seasonal discounts, an excellent down jacket can be purchased at huge discounts for only $100-250, not to mention eBay.com and Amazon.com with their truly amazing opportunities to grab wonderful things at ridiculous prices.

Well, buying down jackets for $1000 or more from fashion couturiers, for whom appearance is of paramount importance over the main property of a down jacket, is a purely individual matter. The main part of the price tag here is the fee for a high-profile brand. Often, such down jackets are simply categorically not suitable for use in harsh climates, since they are created by designers from France and Italy, where the climate is much milder.

Here we will not consider Chinese-Turkish consumer goods priced at $50-100 with a Moncler and Canada Goose look, offered by the wagons on the Chinese sites Aliexpress.com and Taobao. It is foolish to imagine getting real goose down for such a price; at best it will be chicken, at worst it will be cotton wool. After all, down raw materials undergo special processing: they are cleared of fat and dust, undergo veterinary and radiation control, are treated with special antibacterial and water-repellent agents, and only after this are they allowed to be produced into down clothing, and it is simply impossible to imagine that for all those millions of down jackets that are littered with our markets and shops, there was so much goose down!

9. Where to buy a real down jacket? There are 2 answers to this question: in the nearest shopping center or in a foreign online store. We advise you to direct your gaze towards the second option, because there are at least 6 huge positive points when buying a down jacket abroad:

• Adequate prices due to very strong competition (similar down jackets in our stores are offered at a price one and a half to two times higher, and the price for the luxury segment reaches simply cosmic values, there is no need to pay our sellers rent and staff salaries, there are no fees for customs registration and fees, no VAT). Plus honest discounts up to 30-70%!
• It is not always possible to buy a product in a company store or from an official dealer of a particular brand. We don’t have many of them yet, and those that exist are mainly located in large cities. It's much easier to do this online. On the website of each brand you will find a list of brand stores and official dealers, incl. and on the Internet.
• Confidence in the authenticity of the product (the ability to purchase goods directly from the manufacturer, and large foreign online stores value their reputation very much and will never sell you a fake, which cannot be said about our businessmen, who even in a respectable shopping center can easily sell Chinese Woolrich, Moncler or even Canada Goose for $1000.
• A huge selection of manufacturers, models and sizes is available to you to choose from without having to leave your home.
• There is always the opportunity to find reviews and feedback about the product from ordinary buyers.
• The product can be returned or exchanged without any problems (without going through the 7 circles of hell)

Perhaps the only sensible manufacturer of down jackets in Russia is the Bask company, whose down jackets can be purchased in the Bask.ru online store. In any case, Russian Bask down jackets are worth paying attention to.

Important Note: If a large foreign online store offers you to choose a regional site, for example in Russia, then be sure to compare prices before choosing. Many foreign stores believe that only millionaires live in the Russian Federation and significantly increase the price tag. The images show two women's down jackets for the winter 13/14 season from the official Moncler online store, offers for Russia and Germany (the price tag is the same for the rest of Europe). No comments needed.

Screenshot from Moncler.com

Where to buy down jackets online

In the official online stores of manufacturers. But here a “surprise” may await you, because... Not all such stores accept payments from residents of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and offer international delivery, and at an affordable price.

• Bogner (Germany)
• Fjällräven (Sweden)
• Hally Hansen (Norway)
• Haglöfs (Finland)
• Halti (Finland)
• Jack Wolfskin (Germany)
• Moncler (France)
• vest– sleeveless down vest

Insulation(goose down, duck down, 550-850 Fill, 80/20, 90/10, 60/40) – insulation (goose, duck down, down elasticity value, down-to-feather ratio in %).

Body liner(Lining) - lining material.

Shell– fabric, the top covering of a down jacket, both natural and synthetic fabrics or a mixture thereof.

• membrane- multilayer membrane fabric, has a high density and weight, can have different brand names - Gore-Tex, HyVent, etc.
• DWR treated/covering - coating of the upper fabric with a waterproof compound.
• ripstop- fabrics with a special reinforcing weaving structure.

Windproof(block wind) - windproof.

Waterproof- waterproof.

Hood- hood.

Cuffs(soft, rib-knit inner) – cuffs (inside with a soft, knitted insert).

Detachable(hood, ruff, skirt, fur) – removable part (hood, collar, skirt, fur).

Adjustable(hood, gaiter/throat, cuffs, cord waist&hem) – adjustable/contractible parts (hood, neck, cuffs, drawstring for tightening the waist and bottom hem).

Fur(natural/genuine or faux) – fur (natural or artificial) as a finishing element.

Zipper(external, internal, two-way) – zipper lock (outside, inside, both ways), prefer YKK locks.

VELCRO closure – Velcro

Pockets(external, internal, security, hand warmer, dual entry, zip-off) – pockets (external, internal, secret, for warming hands, with double access, with a zipper)

Fit(regular, slim, relaxed) – fit, cut (regular, tight, loose fit - usually runs too big).

Bulky– voluminous, baggy.

Overal length– total length of the down jacket.

Weight(light, medium, heavy) - weight (light, medium, heavy).

Wash(machine or hand) – washing (machine or hand).

High-quality down jackets can last for dozens of seasons if they are properly cared for. No extraordinary care conditions are required, just try not to let the down in the down jacket get wet, and if this happens, dry it as quickly as possible. The down jacket should be stored flat on hangers. Read the care labels carefully!

Pay special attention to the washing process. We'll give you some practical tips for washing in the washing machine.

1. For washing, set the softest and most delicate program.
2. Be sure to fasten all zippers and buttons
3. Use special liquid detergents for down jackets
4. A washing temperature of 30 degrees Celsius is quite sufficient
5. Turn on the extra rinse mode for better rinsing of the powder.
6. Minimum spin speed: when wet, some down jackets become very heavy and the machine simply cannot cope with the spin cycle. In this case, you must press it manually.
7. Place 3-4 tennis balls in the washing machine drum.
8. The down jacket is dried flat in warm and sunny weather on the balcony or bathroom
9. During the drying process, periodically fluff the down jacket, straightening the down.
10. After completely dry You can put the down jacket again in the washing machine along with 3-4 tennis balls and turn on the spin mode (without washing and without rinsing). A centrifuge with balls should beat the filler a little more and make the clothes more voluminous.