5 REASONS WHY A DOWN JACKET SHOULD BE IN EVERY TRAVELER'S WARDROBE
The equation is simple: as mountain experience grows, so do the needs and requirements for equipment. After all, the appetite increases with eating - if you catch the outdoor bug, you constantly want to hike higher, faster, or farther. The right gear definitely makes it easier. Among the equipment of every tourist, sooner or later, you will find a down jacket. Why?
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN FROM THIS POST?
- Why is it worth having a down jacket?
- When can a down jacket come in handy?
IN BRIEF
In terms of thermal insulation, no jacket can match a down jacket. However, that's just the beginning of its advantages: down jackets are also known for their incredible lightness and compressibility, allowing them to be folded into a small package. The best brands of down jackets are also renowned for their exceptional durability - with proper care, they can last for several seasons.
1. EXCELLENT THERMAL INSULATION - THE GREATEST ADVANTAGE OF DOWN JACKETS
When we say "down jacket," we mean outerwear insulated with natural duck or goose down. This type of filling provides excellent thermal insulation properties, effectively protecting against the cold. Or rather, not just "effectively," but the most effectively. Despite the constant development of the outdoor industry, which presents new clothing and equipment innovations, it has not yet created a synthetic insulation that could match natural down in terms of thermal insulation. Mother nature simply created perfect insulation.
Duck and goose down provide such effective insulation against the cold thanks to their structure. They have an irregular, three-dimensional shape, resembling a snowflake or a fluffy dandelion. Between the curves of a single down cluster, air can freely accumulate - and it is this air that acts as an insulator, creating a barrier against the cold. Down clothing does not generate heat itself (no jacket does), but it retains the warmth produced by our bodies and isolates us from the surrounding cold. It does this really well - in combination with other properly selected layers of clothing, it can provide thermal comfort even in arctic conditions.
2. LIGHTNESS
Excellent thermal insulation is just the beginning of the advantages that down jackets can boast of. Natural down is also an incredibly lightweight insulator - it weighs as much as a feather! In everyday city use, this may not be of great significance, but during a long, tiring hike, every gram we carry on ourselves will be noticeable.
This remarkable lightness is also a plus when packing the jacket into a backpack - just in case the weather on the trail surprises us with cold. It's well known that during a longer trek, especially in the mountains, you need to be prepared for various eventualities and carry many things with you, so the backpack can be heavy and packed to the brim. A down jacket takes up little space (about the size of a thermos cup) and does not significantly increase the weight of the luggage.
3. EXCELLENT COMPRESSION OF DOWN JACKETS
Another important feature that goes hand in hand with the lightness of natural down is its ability to compress. Due to the fact that the chambers of a down jacket are filled not only with insulation but primarily with air, a down jacket can be compressed into a small package. Natural down is very resilient, so packing does not harm the jacket - when unpacked, it looks just as good and provides the same properties.
This compressibility, combined with its lightness, means that a down jacket can be carried with you at all times - some models compress so well that they fit in... a pocket!
4. DOWN JACKET - FOR ALL "JUST IN CASE" SITUATIONS
All the advantages of down jackets described above contribute to another one: versatility. You can wear a down jacket both as outerwear and as an additional thermal layer under a hardshell. It will work all year round. You can wear it in the city and in the mountains, take it on vacation (it won't take up more space in your luggage than a few pairs of socks), or wear it on a bike ride on a cooler summer evening. It's worth having it in your backpack, just in case you venture into the field and expect it to cool down. It will provide greater thermal comfort than a sweatshirt and will be less cumbersome to transport.
5. DOWN JACKET - A LONG-LASTING PURCHASE
A high-quality down jacket insulated with top-quality down and finished with attention to detail is a long-lasting investment. Natural insulation can maintain its exceptional properties for a long time - it's not surprising that people in the industry use down clothing for even several seasons. Of course, the key to such durability is proper care. Washing and drying down is not as difficult as popular opinions suggest, as we wrote in the article How to Wash a Down Jacket Without Damaging It - Step by Step Guide. There's really nothing to be afraid of!
DOWN JACKETS VARY
Of course, not every down jacket will provide equally impressive properties. Down jackets can differ in many parameters: the type and resilience of the down, the ratio of down to feathers, the construction of the chambers in which the insulation is enclosed, or the quality of the outer fabric. The combination of all these elements determines, among other things, the level of thermal comfort they can guarantee.
If you are looking for a down jacket that will not disappoint you even on extremely cold days and at the same time will be amazingly lightweight and occupy little space in your backpack, visit pajaksport.pl. Outdoor is our life - we know exactly what you need and we will be happy to help you choose the right jacket.
Photo source: pajaksport.pl