Looking for a Down Jacket

[shugon]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for what I would consider the ideal down jacket. It has to tick the following boxes:

• It has to be solid, as I'm going to wear it a lot, almost like a uniform, I hope.
• It has to be of the "puffer" kind, with those familiar horizontal seams.
• I don't want to exterior fabric to be made of nylon or any other shiny, high-tech material. More traditional fabrics such as cotton or wool are preferred.
• I don't want it to be too heavy or insulated, I'm aiming for an item that is more of a mid-layer than an outer layer.
• It must not have a hood (but one that could be stowed is fine).
• A nice, full-length metal zipper (which will be used for the pockets as well, if those exist) is most welcomed.
• Quality made.
• Thinking about it, it doesn't actually have to be made of down, it could be any other kind of insulating material, synthetics as well, it's just that as far as my experience goes, only down jackets sport those horizontal seams and the "puffer" look.

Thank you so much.

 

[johng70]

Well, good news and bad news. There are lots of down jackets - tons of outdoor companies sell mid-weight jackets like that. The problem is - most of them are NOT going to be cotton or wool. Especially in a mid weight jacket - most down jackets like that are designed to be light weight so they'll use a synthetic fabric. But, I wouldn't call most of them "shiny". Which companies to point you to depends on what country you live in.

 

[shugon]

Thanks for the reply!

I currently live in Tel Aviv, Israel... Not a lot of options here, but I do travel often. And besides, as you may very well know, in this day and age I have virtual access to any online shop, anywhere. Sizing might be tricky but it's a risk I'll have to take.

 

[norcaltransplant]

Knit or puffer jacket?

Barbour are known for their knit jackets.

Ralph Lauren usually offers some variant on a puffer jacket.
http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/...351645&ab=ln_men_cs_jackets&parentPage=family

 

[shugon]

norcaltransplat, when you're saying "knit", you're still referring to down-filled garments?

If not, then my answer is "puffer". And that RL piece is exactly the kind of stuff I'm aiming for... If only it was made with wool or cotton and had a nicer, metal zipper.

 

[norcaltransplant]

norcaltransplat, when you're saying "knit", you're still referring to down-filled garments?

If not, then my answer is "puffer". And that RL piece is exactly the kind of stuff I'm aiming for... If only it was made with wool or cotton and had a nicer, metal zipper.

What you're asking for doesn't really exist, or, theoretically, should not exist because it's an incredibly poor design. Down is rated according to its fill power. The higher the number, the better air trapping ability of the down, which amounts to improved heat retention. Down is matched with a synthetic fabric (e.g. nylon with a gore-tex or DWR coating), because it loses its heating trapping ability if it becomes wet. Wool and especially cotton are poor fabrics to match with down, because you are essentially screwed if the jacket is ever exposed to inclement weather.

 

[shugon]

Hi @norcaltransplant, thanks for the input. That's a good point there. I'll soften my criteria: technical fabrics such as nylon are OK, as long as they are not too "techy" and/or shiny looking.

P. S. - What fabrics were used for down garment construction in the past? It's a decades-old product, appearing way before nylon face fabrics.

 

[johng70]

A lot depends on whether or not you want a fashion name on the label. When you want a quality down jacket (or most jackets/coats) - you're most often going to get a much better constructed product going with outdoor companies rather than fashion labels. At least in the USA, Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Marmot are companies that offer high quality mid-weight down jackets.

 

[shugon]

Thanks, I see. Indeed, what I find problematic with those brands is their overly prominent logos; I would like to avoid that. Moreover, those companies would usually not offer a jacket constructed from materials I would consider smart enough for urban environments (matte fabrics, metal zippers etc.).

 

[norcaltransplant]

Older down jackets were probably made with Barbour style materials--oilcloth or wool with a feather lining. They were likely impractically heavy. Why do you want a tech/utilitarian style jacket without tech features? Plus you live in a Mediterranean climate....

Also consider checking out higher-end hunting/outdoor companies for your jacket, e.g. Purdey, Beretta, or Orvis.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Duvetica might have something for you. Also Isaia sold a jacket that fits most of your criteria several seasons back so keep an eye on them.

 

[shugon]

Duvetica looks nice. How's Moorer? Some of their stuff looks great.

 

[Hewes]

Moorer seems interesting