Down or synthetic

Winter is approaching and your faithful waterproof jacket is no longer enough to keep you warm. But buying an insulated men's coat comes with a choice: down or synthetic? Down jackets, made from goose and duck feathers, keep you warm and cosy in cold and dry weather. But a synthetic fill winter jacket is also great for keeping out the cold, especially on a wet day. Natural and synthetic down men's jackets from Columbia Sportswear® can be worn as an outer layer or under waterproof for those chilly, wet days. While both have their benefits and are designed to protect you from the cold, which one should you choose?

The main difference between a down and a synthetic technical jacket is their insulation. While both can keep you warm in winter, down uses natural materials and synthetic uses engineered fibres. Each type of fill also performs differently in different environments.

The insulation used in down women's jackets is made from the soft, fluffy plumage underneath the exterior feathers of geese and ducks. It insulates by trapping air and is light and highly compressible. It’s a popular choice of insulation for cold and dry climates or when you need a warm jacket that can be packed down to a small size. Here are some key pros and cons of a down warm parka:

Pros:

• Greater warmth-to-weight ratio: natural down comes with a higher fill power and, when compared to the same weight of synthetic fill, natural down will keep you warmer.
• Extremely compressible: thanks to the soft and airy plumage, it can be packed down very small and stored in a stuff sack.
• Highly durable: down can degrade a little over time, but with the right care, a light down jacket can continue keeping you warm for decades.

Cons:

• Not suitable for wet conditions: if the down gets wet, it tends to lose its loft (fluffiness) and heat retention, leaving you cold and wet. It also takes a long time to dry.
• Requires special care: you must take proper care of your down jackets, including washing it correctly to get the full loft back into the little pockets.

These generally use polyester insulation, which can insulate even when wet and is quick-drying (both things down struggle with). Polyester is also typically less expensive than down, making it a more affordable option. Just like natural down, a synthetic down jacket also has its own pros and cons:

Pros:

• Works well even when wet: synthetic insulation is highly water-resistant and will continue to insulate and keep you warm even when wet. It also dries fairly quickly (especially compared to down insulation).
• Less expensive: an extreme cold jacket with engineered insulation is typically more affordable than natural down, which sources fill from waterfowl.
• Tougher than natural down: these jackets are tough and can withstand tears and snags better than down. If your hooded down jacket does rip, you won’t lose insulation.
• Easier to maintain: while you still need to take good care of a synthetic jacket, they are easier to maintain than natural down.

Cons:

• Heavier than down: to deliver the same amount of warmth as down, synthetic jackets require more insulation, making them heavier and bulkier.
• Less compressible: more insulation means more fill to compress. This makes it almost impossible to compact down to as small a size as a feather down jacket.
• Less warmth for its weight: synthetic insulation cannot compete with the warmth delivered by down in cold, dry conditions.
• Reduced life span: every time your synthetic sleeveless down jacket is stuffed into your bags or stuff sack, it will gradually flatten, reducing its insulation power over time.

Down and synthetic insulation can both impact the environment, just in different ways. For example:

• Down: while the down used in a natural down jacket is a by-product of raising waterfowl for meat, there have been concerns regarding animal welfare. However, leading brands like Columbia Sportswear® follow ethical standards set out by the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) for sourcing down.
• Synthetic: while engineered insulation doesn’t use real birds’ feathers, the polyester materials aren’t as eco-friendly and can take many years to decompose. However, some clothing brands have begun using recycled synthetic fibres in their jackets, helping to reduce the environmental footprint.

As you can see, there are plenty of pros and cons to both down and synthetic women's down jackets. Depending on your style, lifestyle, outdoor needs and budget, you’ll find plenty of superb options for both types of insulated jackets.

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