Posted by Have you ever caught yourself wondering what the labels and figures in descriptions of down fill jackets really mean? In the actual sense, they are indicative of the level of insulation and quality of warmth a jacket can provide at its best. But if you don’t know how to read them, you’d probably still be clueless about it.
There a number of things that manufacturers will let you know as regards the insulation and warmth of their jackets which may include the down type, ratio of feather-down and the down’s fill power. In this guide, we will show you all you need to know about those figures and help you in your decision to get the best down jacket for yourself.
| Name | Features | Fill Power | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spyder Pelmo | Superior DWR Coating | 550 | PRICING |
| Marmot Tullus Hoody | Provides Athletic Fit | 600 | PRICING |
| Marmot Azos | Front Zipper With Wind Flap Behind | 700 | PRICING |
| Triple F.A.T. Goose Reizen | DWR Coating | 750 | PRICING |
| Marmot Quasar Nova | 20D Woven Fabric | 800 | PRICING |
| Columbia Heatzone 1000 TurboDown | Stretchable In 4-ways | 900 | PRICING |
What is Down, Fill Power, Fill Weight?
When you think about down, you can as well picture a bird’s plumage in your mind. A bird’s plumage is that fluffy, fleece-like, soft undercoat you will see beneath the thick feathers at the below part of the bird’s belly. Many of the down types available today are gotten chiefly from geese and ducks, and irrespective of which of them the plumage comes from, the more grown the bird is, the larger one can expect its plumage to be. This leads to a higher loft and a greater down fill power rating.
The loft of a down item is indicative of the item’s fill power. Fill power further describes the durability and quality of the down. You achieve the highest level of loft when there is maximum expansion on the down clusters. Thus, the fill power rating is determined by from the down through some specific measurements and instruments. The fill power rating of a jacket can vary from 300 – 900 and beyond. Many products developed from down are characterized by down ratings of 400-500 which is often considered of low quality. But at not lesser than 550 fill power rating, quality of the jacket (or even any product) is guaranteed.
As opposed to fill power which is volume based, fill weight is of course a measure of weight. Essentially, fill power is indicative of the quality of a jacket while fill weight tells about quantity. A jacket of 12 ounces of down weight implies it was made with 12 ounces of down.
Down to Feather Ratio
The down to feather ratio is the quantity of down the jacket has on the inside, to the quantity of feathers. The larger the number of down present over the feather in the jacket, the warmer the jacket. For high quality down jackets, they should come with down to feather ratio of at least 80 to 20. 90 to 10 is fairly okay, and a down to feather ratio of 70 to 30 is best for temperatures that usually all above 4-5 0C
We have rounded up the best down fill jackets you will find at different fill power values and temperature ranges.
FILL POWER 550
1. Spyder Pelmo Down Jacket
The Spyder company is the official supplier of down fill jackets to the Canadian and United States Alpine Ski teams and their Pelmo Down Jacket is a masterpiece. It is arguably one of the best jackets you will find out there and the reasons are not farfetched.
The Spyder Pelmo jacket is a 550-fill power down, designed with 100 percent polyester, a fabric quality which makes the jacket to be waterproof and sufficiently breathable. It lends to the toughness and the overall durability of the jacket. More so, it is lightweight and can keep you warm all day long. The cuffs of this incredible jacket are made of elastic material so as to ensure tight fit and prevent trapped eat from fizzling out.
One of the concerns of many users when it comes to buying jackets is whether it is machine washable or not. The good thing about this Pelmo down jacket is that the quality is not compromised when you machine wash it. Interestingly, it features a Spyder DWR coating which penetrates deeply into the jacket’s fabric such that it develops billion conglomerates of micropores. The formed pores are very small so much that no water droplet can find its way through into the fabric, hence the fabric’s water-resistant ability. However, the micropores are sufficiently large enough to allow for passage of interior moisture content for moderate breathability. These work altogether to ensure you are kept as comfortable and dry as possible while you are outside.
The trims are customized with the jacket coming with front zippers characterized by reverse coil middle. The zipper comes with spring fastened pull for seamless usage. The jackets come with hand pockets which are zippered for keeping your hands warm or securing your valuables.
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FILL POWER 600
2. Marmot Tullus Hoody Winter Jacket
With the Marmo Men’s Tullus jacket, the weather gets all the more fitting and warmer. This incredible men’s jacket is a 600-fill power type and is designed with features that separate it from all others of the same 600- fill power grade out there. It handles cold like it’s got the weather right in the fist. With its superior fill power down, it ensures greater durability, warmth and reduced weight. It is made of 100-percent high cire nylon material and features a plain weave for better performance.
Whether the weather is damp or outrightly chilly, you can depend on the Marmot men’s Tullus to get you through. It features a superior down defender which is resistant to moisture and can keep you warm and dry in wet situations. The down defender does well in cutting out the possibility of clumping while preserving the loft and ensuring maximum comfort.
The protection offered by the jacket is top notch with the attached hood. The hood comes with elastic hem and bindings so it can be stretched for added facial coverage. The pockets double as a handwarmer for warmth and are zippered for safekeeping your small valuables. With the elastic hems and cuffs, a secured fit is guaranteed to keep out the cold air.
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FILL POWER 700
3. Marmot Azos Down Jackaet
This is another down jacket from Marmot which delivers a high-performance insulation and keeps you warm all day long. It is a 700-fill power jacket which is a favorite to many because of its ultralight weight. It is one of the best 700 fill power jackets you can find yourself in the cold with.
With its down defender, it sure delivers on its promise. The down defender has been optimized for the cold, damp days and does not compromise on warmth or comfort. The jacket itself is easily packable and comes with features like elastic-bound hems and cuffs which ensures the jacket fits tightly at the edges without leaving space for cold to get through. Trapping heat inside is what this jacket is good at and its fluffiness makes comfort all the more available.
It comes with hand pockets which keeps your hand extra warm. The great thing about the pockets is that they are zippered, thus making it safe to keep your stuffs like keys, phone, gloves and lots more. The jacket comes with front zipper designed to keep out cold with the wind flap at the back of the zip. The wind flap makes sure the warmth inside is well trapped and no cold wind makes its way through.
It was recommended to machine wash with a front loader type and cold water. No ironing, drying cleaning or bleaching is allowed for the jacket and softeners are not advised as well.
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FILL POWER 750
4. Triple F.A.T. Goose Reizen Mens Puffer Down Jacket
With the Triple F.A.T., stepping out in the cold has never been made easier. This incredible down jacket is just what you need on when you have got to dash into the trails or hike up a cold mountain. Outdoor lovers will particularly love this jacket due to its cold combating features such as 750 fill power, elastic binding hood, and elastic hems and cuffs.
Talking about the jacket breathability, the outer shell is designed with a deluxe dual-layer fabric that comes laminated and very fluffy to feel. With this external shell, the jacket offers superior breathability and ultra-light weight. The compressibility is also enhanced. It comes with a down to feather ratio of 90-10 which makes it really great when it comes to insulation and warmth. The warmth to weight ratio too is very fantastic. The jacket comes with a true to size fit as it offers the best fit which is neither overly loose or too tight.
It features an elastic binding hood with a lot of down to keep cold out from getting to your head. The elastic bindings allow you to stretch the hood’s coverage to reach your facial parts.
The Triple F.A.T features an eco-friendly Durable Water Repellant (DWR) coating that is free of fluoride and formaldehyde. This is a really huge addition in its functionality as it serves as a selective window for breathability and waterproofing. The DWR coating technology provides a fabric with billions of micropore which is small enough to prevent water or moisture entry but large enough to allow sufficient breathability.
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FILL POWER 800
5. Marmot Quasar Nova Jacket
By now you should have figured out that Marmot are a big player in the wear industry and their Men’s Quasar Nova jacket is another companion to help get through the cold. It is designed with 20D baffle fabric material that has been carefully woven to ensure the jacket stays long lasting over years of use.
Being an 800-fill power down jacket, it is just right for the near extreme kind of cold weather condition. Its down is derived exquisitely from goose though that doesn’t make it any superior to those made from ducks. It comes with hand pockets that will keep your hands toasty dry and they are zippered. In addition to the hand pockets, it comes with a chest pocket which is zippered and will hold your small valuables.
The jacket wouldn’t make you look big or awkwardly large, it layers on your body just perfectly. The cuffs of the jacket are made elastic so they can fit firmly on you and keep cold out. The front zipper is well improved to prevent passage of cold air through it. More so, the neck collar is extended up so it can shut the neck-head region tight an ensure warmth around it.
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FILL POWER 900
6. Columbia Heatzone 1000 TurboDown Hooded Jacket
To cap things up is the Columbia Heatzone TurboDown jacket, a work of art that is certain to blow you away. With such incredible features such as hood, elastane fabric material, drawcords and lots more, it is the perfect jacket to go for when the cold gets to the harshest point. It is made of a combination of 87 percent nylon and 13 percent elastane material which provides a blend of durability, elasticity, breathability and waterproof, all in one piece.
Still on its fabric buildup, it is designed with 100 percent nylon ripstop, 100-percent nylon omni heat reflective ten-Denier Ripstop and 2 Layer Cyberstretch MP which can stretch in four directions. The insulation is top notch with its water resistant 900 fill power and down made from goose; it is certain to keep you warm in the toughest cold weather.
It comes with a front zipper closure which can close/open in dual directions for seamless usage. It features a helmet-friendly hood which will can keep your heard warm and it is also waterproof. You will find the ski pass pocket useful if you are the type that enjoy skiing. More so, the hand pockets of the jacket are really warm to feel plus they are zippered. The hem is adjustable with drawcord for tightened customized fit. You can easily compress down the jacket thus making it easy to store away.
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Conclusion
Stepping out in the cold may be a challenge especially when the temperature takes a deep downward plunge into the negatives. During such weathers, you want to be kept dry as much as possible and comfortably warm as you do your daily stuff. So, whether the cold gets too harsh or fairly good, it determines the choice of fill power down jacket to go for and we have got them all reviewed here. You need not comb through pages searching again, look no further as the best to go for is just waiting on this list to be picked. Now, make your choice and step out with the confidence that you have got the cold handled.
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