Jacket Buying Guide
Jackets
have seen rapid development over the last 20 years. Advances in fabric
technology and jacket construction have dramatically
improved performance and durability. This Jackets Buyers Guide covers
winter jackets,
fleece jackets,
down jackets,
womens jackets,
mens jackets,
kids jackets and more.
The jacket serves as the outer layer (shell) in a layering system.
Dressing properly for outdoor activities means dressing in layers that
will work to keep you dry, warm and protected under a variety of
conditions. When you layer, you can take off or put on pieces as
needed, allowing you to be prepared for fast changing winter weather
conditions or tailor what you're wearing to your activity levels.
In a layering system the outer layer protects you from the elements you
may encounter like snow, sleet, rain and wind. In a layering
system the outer layer is commonly referred to as a "shell".
Considerations for the layering system are warmth, weight, moisture
management, and compressibility,
Waterproof Breathable outer layers help keep the wearer protected from
the wind and rain, while nonetheless allowing sweat to evaporate and
escape. This is in contrast to traditional plastic raincoats, for
example, which lack breathability and therefore promote a build up of
humidity in the air inside the coat, preventing sweat from evaporating
effectively.
Types of outer layers
(Hard shell vs. Soft shell)
Hard
Shell Jackets are most appropriate for outdoor activities
where you need them maximum possible protection from the elements. Hard
shells are great at blocking rain, snow, and wind. Hard shell jackets
have dominated the market for years, but are rapidly losing market
share to soft shell jackets. Hard shell jackets are made with water
proof breathable laminates like Gore-Tex. They are called hard shells
because they are stiff, crinkly, noisy, and the do not
stretch. The problem with hard shells is that because they are stiff,
they are not as comfortable as other options, and despite claims of
breathability - they do not breath very well. This is why on most hard
shell jackets you find "pit zips" and other means of releasing the
moisture that they trap inside.
Soft Shell Jackets
(also called Stretch Woven Jackets) are made from a stretch nylon,
bonded to polyester. They're water-, wind-, and abrasion-resistant, and
are designed to be highly breathable. They typically have a closer fit
than a hard shell. Most people that try a soft shell jacket like them
better than hard shell jackets, unless they are in extremely
wet conditions. Soft shells are superior for aerobic activities, like
Nordic skiing, hiking, biking, spring skiing, snowshoeing, and for
wearing around town. Soft shell jackets are typically 3 times
more breathable than a hard shell jacket, and are more comfortable due
the the stretch and flexibility of the fabric. They are not typically
as water resistant, or quite as wind proof as a hard shell.
Fabrics
Most outerwear is
made out of tightly woven nylon or polyester and can be woven in
various weights. Making garments waterproof/breathable is accomplished
through various coatings (DWR) and laminates, such as
Gore-Tex®, a popular microporous laminate
Gore-Tex based fabric material is composed of a thin, porous
fluoropolymer membrane with a urethane coating that is bonded to a
fabric, usually nylon or polyester. The membrane has about 9 billion
pores per square inch, each of which is approximately 20,000 times
smaller than a water droplet, making it impenetrable to liquid water
while still allowing the smaller sized water vapor to pass through. The
result is a material that is breathable, waterproof, and also
windproof. The outer fabric is treated with water repellent and seams
are sealed to prevent water leakage through pinholes caused during the
sewing of the fabric. The urethane coating provides a protective layer
and also prevents contamination (i.e. body oils) from wetting the
laminate and allowing wicking of moisture through the membrane. The
urethane coating is the layer that limits
breathability the most, preventing the convective flow of air (and
thus, air containing moisture) through the membrane. Instead,
breathability through a PU membrane relies upon solid state diffusion
of water molecules, which is inherently slow relative to true vapor
diffusion or convection.
The primary difference between eVENT and Gore-Tex is that
eVENT
eliminates the polyurethane protective membrane on the inside face of
the PTFE laminate.
eVENT fabric was developed by BHA Technologies. An
“eVENT” fabric
consists of a nylon (or polyester) face fabric laminated to an
oleophobic (oil hating) expanded PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene)
membrane and a scrim lining to protect it on the inside.
eVENT’s
membrane structure is superior because:
- Molecules in their gaseous state (including
water vapor) can pass through the pore channels between the
membrane’s
fibers at much higher rates than is possible through a similar membrane
structure protected with a solid layer of polyurethane (Gore-Tex)
- eVENT
passes moisture equally well at low and high humidity levels. At a 30%
humidity level, eVENT transports moisture about 200% faster than
Gore-Tex XCR and about 250% faster than standard Gore-Tex and the best
polyurethane (PU) membranes
DWRs, durable water-repellent finishes, are often used in outerwear
(like soft shell jackets) to enhance water-repellency without
negatively affecting breathability. Durable Water Repellent
(DWR) finishes are hydrophobic coatings applied to fabrics to make them
water-resistant by causing water to bead up and roll off fabrics,
rather than soaking into them. They are often used in conjunction with
certain waterproof/breathable fabrics to prevent the outer layer of a
laminated waterproof/breathable from becoming saturated with water.
Maintaining the DWR is critical to maintaining the breathable nature of
waterproof/breathable outerwear.
Despite the name, durable water repellent finishes tend to wear off and
may need to be re-applied from time to time. The application method
will probably make a big difference in the DWR you choose to use. Most
fabric treatments are applied by adding to a regular wash cycle in a
washing machine.
Insulation
(Down vs. Synthetic)
Selecting
an insulated piece of outerwear versus a non-insulated shell will
depend on two main factors: weather conditions, and what you plan to
wear underneath if you are using a layering system. With a proper
layering system you most likely do not need an insulated outer layer.
If you do decide you need an insulated jacket, you need to determine if
Down or Synthetic insulation is best. Down is the best type of
insulation for dry conditions. It provides the highest amount of warmth
for the weight, and is more compressible and durable than synthetic
insulation. The only downside is if it gets wet, it loses loft (and
therefore its ability to keep you warm) and it takes longer than
synthetic insulation to dry out. Down uses a powerfill rating. A
higher number means that higher quality down is used. A jacket
with 800 powerfill is a very high quality jacket.
Synthetic insulation is more water-resistant and it dries faster than
down. It will not provide as much warmth as down for the same amount of
weight. Synthetic insulation is not as durable as down. This is of
concern if you will frequently need to compress your jacket into a
stuff sack, or into a backpack. Each time synthetic insulation is
compressed it breaks the filament and you loose loft. There are
numerous brands of synthetic insulation. Primaloft, Polarguard,
Thermolite, and Climashield are the most common.
Features
The following
features are things to consider when selecting a jacket.
- Radial sleeve - Radial
sleeves eliminate the restrictions and tugging that occurs in the
shoulders of a normal jacket or parka. More space is created
in this
area by using a different construction of the shoulder, armhole, and
underarm panels allowing for easier movement.
- Venting systems - most venting systems are simply an
underarm pit vent, or a diagonal vent across the chest that can also
serve as a pocket. Vents are simply a zipper in the jacket
that can be opened to provide ventilation if you get too hot. The
latest soft shell jackets don't require venting systems because the
jackets are very breathable.
- Sealed seams - sewn seams are sealed with tape to ensure
that water from snow, sleet, or rain does not enter through
seams in the fabric
- Welded seams - welded seams are rapidly becoming the
preferred method for making a stronger, more weather-tolerant, and
lighter product. Welded seams are stronger than the fabric
that is being joined, and results in a jacket that weighs 10 to 20
percent less.
- Zip off hood - This feature helps you to
control not only your body temperature, but also your visibility and
comfort
- Stand up collar - for winter conditions a tall stand up
collar will help keep you warm, and keep snow and rain from entering
the neck of the jacket.
- Zipper Garage - a zipper garage and fleece neck lining will
help prevent chin chafe when the zipper is fully zipped up to the top
of the jacket.
- Cuffs -
adjustable cuffs at the end of the sleeves are used to keep snow from
entering your gloves and jacket.
- Powder skirt - an adjustable piece of fabric around the
waist used to prevent snow from entering the waist of the jacket.
