North face primaloft

The ThermoBall fits comfortably under a pack, in this case the paint-splattered pack that I use for day hikes and painting blazes on the trail I maintain.

The December sun was about to drop over the horizon, and the air temperature was dropping even faster—but I was enjoying the skate-skiing around Bear Basin, in the quiet ponderosa pine forest outside McCall, Idaho, too much to head for the car just yet. I knew I could wring out the last minutes of daylight and stay warm, despite my base layer being quite sweaty, thanks to the hybrid design and unique insulation in the ThermoBall Active Jacket. I wore it on winter days for highly aerobic skate-skiing and while backcountry skiing, in temperatures ranging from the low 20s Fahrenheit to around freezing. This hybrid jacket weds three different types of fabric and insulation. Its torso front and back is filled with PrimaLoft ThermoBall synthetic insulation , which consists of small, round fiber clusters that—unlike typical continuous-filament synthetic insulation—trap heat in air pockets to mimic the warmth and compressibility of fill power down feathers; but like synthetics, it also retains warmth when wet. The sleeves, top and back of the shoulders, and side panels consist of a water-repellent, ripstop nylon shell with a DWR durable, water-repellent treatment to shed light precipitation.

North face primaloft

The Orion has been discontinued. If you're looking for something new, check out the best 3-season synthetic sleeping bags for I was looking for a sleeping bag comparable to the weight and compressibility of down, but with the ability to retain insulation when wet. Living in the Pacific Northwest or NorthWet as some call it I was worried about buying an expensive down bag and getting it wet, so I felt like synthetic would be a better choice for a climate known for rain. I found this sleeping bag on Backpacker. I had never heard of Climashield before I found this bag and it's actually some really impressive stuff, at least according to Climashield and the U. I learned that Climashield, like Primaloft, was developed for the military for an alternative to down, which wasn't preforming well in the field. In fact Climashield is still the insulation of choice for the U. S military. Now I can't confirm any claims about it being the "most compressible, warmest, softest, most durable, water resistant and hypoallergenic insulation", but I can say that it works pretty darn well. This bag has it all. It's light and packs down really small. As a matter of fact it compresses smaller then my hiking partner's Big Agnes Lost Ranger 15 down bag. It actually leaves enough space in my backpack's sleeping-bag compartment, that I can put other items in with it. At 2 pounds 5 ounces it's not the lightest sleeping bag on the market.

Synthetic fibre 3.

I remember vividly my first experience with down: a North Face vest that was big, burly, and warm as all hell. It was pretty much like wearing a sleeping bag over my pre-pubescent torso, and it was not much good for layering. I wore it constantly and was content in my puffy, scrawny little world. Mid-layers have come a long way. In terms of maintaining heat, there is no more important layer than the mid. When you move past fleece and wool, your two major choices are down and synthetic.

When it comes to insulation, most ultralighters head straight for down jackets and sleeping bags —and for good reason. But comparing the many synthetic insulation options out there is no easy task. Luckily, there are ways to test and compare synthetic insulation. Things are going to get a bit wonky and technical from here, but if you want to know which synthetic jacket to bring on your next chilly, wet long hike read on. It all starts with something called CLO. CLO is a value used by textile manufacturers to attempt to answer a simple question: How warm is an article of clothing? If you were to be totally naked, that would be a CLO value of 0. If your clothing leaves you perfectly comfortable and warm, the CLO value would be 1.

North face primaloft

What's the best insulated jacket to suit my needs? Our comprehensive buying advice is here to help you answer this question. While all the synthetic insulated jackets covered in our review offer an alternative to lofty goose down, some are designed for breathability, while others are tooled for maximum warmth. This article will help you identify which type of jacket is best for your intended use and explain how and why these insulators can help you have a warmer, more enjoyable outdoor experience. The first thing to consider when purchasing a new jacket is whether you want synthetic insulation or goose down. The answer should mostly depend on your intended use. Good quality down is warmer for its weight than any synthetic insulation and much more compressible. However, down's weak point is a complete loss of loft and therefore warmth when it gets wet. Insulation made of synthetic fibers maintains much of its insulating ability when wet, continues to keep you warm, and dries much more quickly.

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Berghaus 2. PrimaLoft 0. Also the outer shell fabric will make a big difference to the warmth, Goretex will make the jacket considerably warmer than a shell fabric without a waterproof membrane. The hood was loose on my head, flopping around while hiking. Leki Powder skirt Hestra After 42 years in the crucible of daily and weekly journalism, working for The Trek from home in my sweats and a with cup of coffee brings me great pleasure. The ThermoBall is a solid performer for a packable, lightweight insulated coat. Lowa 5. Detachable hip belt 5. Halti 1.

ThermoBall insulation offers the lightweight loft and warmth of down with the wet-weather insulating performance of synthetics.

There are however, more niggles with this otherwise decent jacket. La Sportiva After months of hard testing, none of these jackets have a rip in them. Snow salutation in my North Face Summit Proprius kit. I took the Microlight and the Diez backpacking in some cold New Mexican weather and they both worked well. It'll be a winter walking and skiing jacket and I'll use my Paramo for warmer skiing days with a merino base layer. POC 1. I find layers that are too tight—especially if you have to use multiple—are restrictive. Windproof Leisure 4. Hem: Hip length, and the hem tightens with a drawstring.