Down filaments come from the fine undercoat feathers of geese and ducks. Goose down is considered the superior feather. Down is extremely warm and will compress and rebound easily. Each ounce of down has about two million interlocking filaments. Down loses its loft (or insulating ability) when wet. While synthetics will keep their insulating ability when wet, down is three times warmer per ounce than synthetic insulation.

Common synthetic insulators are Thinsulate, Primaloft and Polarguard. Synthetic fills are usually a blend of polyester fibers with hollow or 3-D structures that cluster together to form pockets that trap warm air thereby mimicking the structure and thermal efficiency of down filaments. Pros - Synthetics are also hypoallergenic, mildew resistant and less expensive than down. Cons - Synthetics are heavier, bulkier, and harder to pack.

Fill-power is the measure of the down`s warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility. The higher the fill-power, the lighter and more compressible the down. 400 or higher is standard for technical jackets. 650 to 700 fill-powers are common for ski jackets and up to 900 fill-power for expedition wear. Some jackets use a down/feather mix to reduce the price. 90/10 (700 fill-power), 60/40 (400 fill-power), and 70/30 are common. (Source: Ski, December 2006, Insulation Consultation by Deborah Marks, p57)

Weather ratings vary. A 650 fill-power jacket can be rated at either -20 to 0 degrees F or 0 to 20 degrees F above depending on the other characteristics of the outer fabric and lining.

Down ski jackets come in two basic types.

1. Down is used in full featured waterproof, insulated ski jackets in combination with hydrophobic laminates on the shell material (like Gore-Tex or eVent). These down jackets come with all the features a skier needs – waterproof breathable fabrics, taped seams, powder skirts, pit zips, inside pockets, helmet compatible and detachable hoods, lined handwarmer pockets, goggle pockets, media pockets, headphone loops, drawstring hems, adjustable cuffs, lined chin guards, Recco® avalanche rescue system, etc. like The North Face M Verdi Camo down jacket shown below.

2. The second type of down ski jacket is the down puffy. These are a must in the backcountry. They crush into a very small package. Many come with a small stuff sack with reflective logos on the sack to allow you to easily find your down jacket after dark or inside a dark pack. Others come with an inside zip stuff sack pocket so you can stuff the whole jacket into itself. Then put it in your pack to wear at the summit, when you stop for lunch, or any time you are not climbing or riding. Buy one that is large enough to go over your shell so you can throw it on any time. Take it off and stuff it into your pack before ascent or descent. For packing, pick a down jacket with low weight and maximum compression. The Mammut Pilgrim jacket with stuff sack shown below is filled with 180g 90/10 goose down for 650 fill-power.

If you plan on packing your down jacket, you want one with a highly compressible and packable outer fabric. These specially designed fabrics are down proof, windproof and highly water resistant as well as soft and quiet. Nylon polyester ripstop is combined with ultra thin laminates to create waterproof/breathable exteriors.

A few examples of these specialized fabrics include PERTEX® QUANTUM, well known in the sleeping bag world for its durability, PERTEX® ENDURANCE and Gore WINDSTOPPER®.

PERTEX® QUANTUM is known for the best strength to weight ratio, with an ultra-soft handfeel with extreme packability. It is a down proof, breathable, highly wind and water resistant fabric.

PERTEX® ENDURANCE is also used for down jackets and expedition jackets for its water-resistance. It uses an ultra thin membrane with a nylon face fabric – much thinner than the Gore-Tex laminates for a light weight and breathable result.

WINDSTOPPER® is a 2-layer 100% nylon ripstop woven fabric with the Gore WINDSTOPPER® laminate on the back side. It is breathable, windproof, water resistant, ultra-lightweight and packable.

Also available are the classic down parka with a longer cut to protect against updrafts like the Burton 600 fill-power Strapped Down Jacket shown below.

Down sweaters are made to be worn either as an outerwear sweater or a thermal under layer – like the Outdoor Research Transcendent Sweater shown below. They are extremely lightweight and super warm.

Ski Jacket Manufacturers