Page 42 - 2019 AMA Winter

KITREVIEW
fill power. These thinner jackets (with a high fill power) allow for easier movement and makes climbing or performing other tasks a little easier. You must keep in mind that a big bulky lower rated fill jacket may still be warmer as it will just have so much down to compensate, but be much bigger and heavier. The standard top rating is 900 fill power, but companies have odd garments at 1000 fill power.
The benefits of down are numerous. The jacket can be compressed down into a small size that takes up less space in your rucksack. The small size also means less weight, which can make a massive
difference during long walk ins. Down jackets are normally the warmest on the market- After all down material keeps most wild animals warm in harsh winters.
‘Down material works well in cold dry conditions (like the Alps or Nepal), but fails in cold and wet conditions (such as a Scottish Winter)’
A few draw backs are if the outer material becomes damaged it can be difficult to patch without losing too much of the
precious heat retaining down filling. You’ll often see people walking around in down jackets with large pieces of gaffer tape holding the outer material together to prevent the loose feathers falling out. This is both a practical thing when out on an expedition with the need to patch your kit on the move, but also the light weight outer material is difficult to stitch or glue. This ruins the look of your expensive jacket if you plan to use it as a normal winter coat too.
The biggest negative aspect of down is that once it becomes wet the small soft feathers compress and absorb water, which means it won’t loft and this compressed material won’t allow the heated air (generated by your body heat) to be stored. Down material works well in cold dry conditions (Like the Alps or Nepal), but fails in cold and wet conditions (such as a Scottish Winter).
The traditional remedy to the wet and cold issue is to use a man-made synthetic fill.
The major benefit of a synthetic fill is that it will remain lofted when wet and hold the heat. Therefore, if you’re stuck on a belay ledge and wet through you’ll still remain fairly warm. The synthetic material also driers much quicker- The body heat you generate will make the garment act in a capillary action and push the water out. Cleaning your synthetic jacket is much
Fenir Jacket
42 / ARMY MOUNTAINEER