Trail (UK)

BIG TEST

Synthetic insulated jackets

- WORDS MATT JONES PHOTOGRAPH­Y ELLIE CLEWLOW

Lots of people know what it’s like to feel cold – just think of frozen commuters waiting around at the bus stop, or standing forlornly on train platforms. But unless you’ve been up a mountain in winter, with the wind slamming into your body and howling around your ears as sleet stings your nose and cheeks, you don’t know what it’s like to be really cold. In those kinds of conditions, you need a jacket that will deliver warmth even if gets wet. You don’t want a down jacket – not even one with a water-resistant shell and a fancy hydrophobi­c fill – because, as any good outdoor instructor will tell you, if down gets wet, it’s rubbish at keeping you warm. Which means that with a down jacket on, you’ll always be worrying about how to stay dry, at all costs. That is particular­ly tricky in Britain, where on average it rains for 156.2 days per year...

No, what is generally far more useful is a robust and reliable synthetic jacket. These offer superior moisture resistance and insulating ability when wet, and if they do get soaked, they’ll dry far more quickly. They’re also cheaper and easier to look after. And though synthetic insulation can’t quite compete with premium down in terms of overall warmth for weight, the latest types are as thermally efficient as 550 or 600 fill power down – and almost as packable too. These loose fills (sometimes called ‘short-staple’ insulation­s) are designed to mimic the look and feel of real down, offering improved comfort and compressib­ility, so they’re nicer to wear and easier to stuff in your pack. But we’ve also included a couple of tried-and-tested wadded synthetic fills (often called ‘continuous filament’ insulation), since these provide undeniably effective block insulation from the elements.

So, whether you’re after a cosy mid layer for cold-weather hillwalkin­g or a stash-in-your-pack synthetic jacket to pull out when it is properly grim, we’ve got the perfect companion for those winter days when it’s cold and wet out there – as it inevitably will be (sorry folks).

 ?? FEBRUARY 2021 ??
FEBRUARY 2021

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