how to buy a technical jacket

8/20/2019 How to Buy a Technical Jacket

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HOW TO BUY A TECHNICAL JACKET

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Don’t let inclement weather thwart your outdoor plans.

Today’s technical jackets are a product of decades of innovation and boast technologies that will keep you comfort-

able in the face of the worst Mother Nature throws your

direction. Whether you’re gearing up to bag peaks or

camp out with the family, the topics in this guide will help

you learn how to choose the best technical jacket to suit

your needs.

TYPE: Technical Jackets come in varying levels of insula-

tion, breathability, and weather resistance. Pick yours

based on your level of activity, where you’ll be using it,

and how cold you get.

HARDSHELLS: Hardshell jackets, made of two– or

three-layer fabric are made to be weather resistant;

they’re typically the most waterproof and breathable

option. Just an outer layer, they are designed to be worn

S H O P T H E C L Y M B . C O M

CIRQ Raven 700 Down Parka

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with multiple layers underneath if the going gets cold.

Hardshells provide protection from wind, snow, and rain.

INSULATED: Insulated jackets feature warming layers typi-

cally made from either down or synthetic filling, or fleece

lining. They usually have a hardshell outer face, but that

can vary and impact the price of the jacket. Insulated jack-

ets are inherently warmer, so they’re a good bet if you run

cold, or plan to travel somewhere the temperatures are

low. Beefier than shells, they can inhibit layering. Many come with removable inner layers.

PUFFY JACKETS: A puffy jacket is an insulated jacket filled

with synthetic insulation or down. In dry, cold climates

puffies can make for good outer layers, but they’re often

best used as midlayers because they’re insulating, but not

always wind or waterproof.

A NOTE ON DOWN: Still considered by many to be the best

insulating material available, high-end down is warm,

light and extremely compressible. For many years, the

only negative associated with down was that it lost

most of its insulating properties when wet. This is still

the case with standard down, which must be kept dry

to work properly.

With the advent of DriDown, this material became

much more versatile and resistant to moisture.

Hydrophobic treatments have created a type of down

that dries quickly and maintains loft even when damp.

These treatments are not a cure-all and down should

still be kept dry if possible.

Down is rated by fill power. An entire article can be

devoted to the types and qualities of down, but the

short version is this: the higher the number, the

lighter, more efficient, more compressible, warmer

per ounce, and more expensive a down jacket will be.

Frank Kvietok, the Director of Advanced Develop-

ment at American Rec (makers of Sierra Designs Dri-

Down) explained the advances in hydrophobic

down technology.

“Basically think of DriDown as a down with a Durable

Water Repellant on it. You have not made the fabric

waterproof, but the fibers are waterproof. It doesn’t

turn a down jacket into a raincoat. It makes the down

itself highly water repellent.”

SOFTSHELLS: Softshell fabric is lighter and stretchier than

hardshell fabric. It’s typically more breathable, and less

waterproof. Softshell jackets are good in dry climates, or

for skiers who have high aerobic output and need a

breathable outer layer.

LAYERING: Layering depends on personal preference and

weather conditions, but a three-layer system, with base,

mid, and top shell layers, is a time-tested standard that

can be easily adjusted for conditions. Look for a jacket

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that accommodates a range of layering systems under-

neath, so you can adjust your setup to the temperature.

WATERPROOF: Waterproofing either comes from a mem-

brane in the fabric, like GORE-TEX® Pro Shell, or from a

coating that’s applied to the outside of the fabric. A fabric’s

water resistance is measured in millimeters of water it will

hold before it leaks, so a pant that’s rated 20k waterproof

was tested to hold 20,000 mm of water over one square

inch of fabric without leaking.

BREATHABILITY: The level of breathability you need depends

on your level of activity. Breathability comes from the fab-

ric, and is usually inversely related to waterproofing,

although some fabrics, like Polartec NeoShell, are built to

be both. Breathability is measured by how many grams of

water get pulled through the fabric in 24 hours. For

instance fabrics rated as 20k waterproof, pulled

20,000 grams.

WINDPROOF: A jacket’s resistance to wind comes from its

outer layer. Some fabrics, like GORE-TEX® Windstopper

have a membrane laminated into them, which makes the

garment windproof. Others are tightly woven, so air

doesn’t pass through. Some jackets will be treated with a

windproof coating, but that can wear off after use and

washes. Often softshells, which aren’t waterproof, are

still windproof.

HOOD: Jackets that have hoods come with attached, detach-

able or stowaway hoods, which roll up into the collar.

Attached hoods are the least bulky. Climbers, bicycle com-muters, and skiiers/snowboarders should for a hood that’s

helmet compatible, so you can still use it when it

gets stormy.

SEAMS: Any seam or zipper is essentially a hole in your

jacket and a way for moisture to get in. If the weather’s

going to get particularly ugly, you’ll want to have a jacket

with sealed seams. There are three main ways that seams

are sealed: fully taped, where waterproof material is

sealed over the edges of the seams; critically taped, which

is similar, but taped only over the seams that are exposed

to the most moisture; and welded, where instead of a

seam the edges of the two fabrics are bonded together.

Welded seams are the lightest and most waterproof, but

also the most expensive.

BACK LENGTH: Your jacket should be a little longer in back,

so it doesn’t gap when you crunch up into an athletic

stance. The extra length will keep snow and rain out, too.

FIT: Look for a jacket that’s roomy enough that you can

layer under it, but not so baggy that you loose insulating

value. If you’ll be using it for skiing or winter hiking, make

sure the sleeves are long enough that they won’t gap

around your gloves, and think about how your cuffs will

integrate with your gloves. Do you have gauntlet style

gloves that go over your cuffs, or slimmer cut ones that

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go under?

VENTING: Jacket ventilation comes from underarm zippers

(pit zips) or patches of highly breathable material under

the armpits, which allow you to dump heat from the

sweatiest part of your torso. Two-way pit zips, which zip

from both the top and bottom, are convenient, especially

when you’re wearing a pack. Some jackets also feature

large pockets over the chest that double as vents.

R E L A T E D A R T I C L E S


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