Are you down for learning how to stay warm and stylish this
winter?
Ever since Fjällräven
was founded just over 50 years ago, they have had one strong driving force: to
develop products that make it easier for people to enjoy the countryside. Part of this commitment is dedication to
helping explorers of the outdoors stay warm in the winter.
Do you have a good quality down jacket at home? If you live in a region that gets cold, you
really should.
When it comes to insulating qualities, nothing can outclass
down as padding. Down offers unbeatable heat in relation to its weight and is
fluffy, comfortable and easy to compress. Down is therefore the obvious choice
for expeditions or treks in extremely cold temperatures and at high altitudes.
It is also the best option on really cold days for activities that are more
sedentary, such as ice fishing or dog sledding.
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| Fjällräven Expedition Down Jacket |
As far back as 1950 Åke Nordin developed a backpack frame
that sowed the seed which would go on to become the Fjällräven company. And
ever since its Örnsköldsvik beginnings in 1960, Fjällräven has continued to
produce innovative, functional products which are appreciated by generations of
outdoor enthusiasts across the world – and which have also received a number of
distinguished awards over the years. Fjällräven
has been working with down insulation for more than 40 years and they
exclusively use down of the highest quality. When experienced adventurers told their
founder, Åke Nordin, that their warm garments did not keep them warm enough, he
made a decision. No one should ever
again have to freeze while out in nature. This decision resulted in the launch in 1974
of the now classic Expedition Down Jacket, and since then their down
jackets have become greatly appreciated across the world.
Fjällräven’s products are currently sold in around 20
countries. Over time, a few have become more or less classics – the Greenland
Jacket, Vidda Trousers, Kånken Backpack and Expedition Down Jacket. They work
continuously on developing materials, solutions and designs for new favorites –
clothing, tents, sleeping bags and other outdoor equipment that can be used,
loved and worn over many years of adventures out in the fresh air.
Continued research and development leads to success:
Goldeck Textile Fjällräven’s new insulation material G-Loft
Supreme which is manufactured in a factory located in a beautiful valley in
the Carinthia region of southern Austria. The material has been created and
developed specifically for Fjällräven by innovator and entrepreneur August
Mayer of Goldeck Textil. With more than 30 years of experience in working with
synthetic materials, he knows more about polyester fibres than most, and
despite being 70 years of age he is still actively involved in the production
process. He says himself that G-loft Supreme is the best material he has
developed and for this reason Fjällräven has been careful to secure sole rights
for the material until 2024. Keb Loft and Övik Loft are their first two G-loft
products and they can be found in stores already in the autumn of 2014. Learn more: www.fjallraven.com/guides/material-guides/g-loft-supreme
How do they know that they will keep you warm?
Down Promise, follow up/monitoring to ensure that only the
highest quality down is used for Fjällräven’s products, each down batch is
tested at the down supplier with oversight from their inspection team. Also they
take a reference batch and send another reference-batch for cross-testing to
the International Down and Feather Laboratory – the IDFL. Only if the test
–results match, the down is released for further use. During the whole process their
inspection team regularly visits the parent farms, the hatchery, the farms, the
transporters and follow the transport to the slaughterhouse and inspect also
the slaughtering process. No step is left out in their control flow. Learn more at
http://www.fjallraven.com/responsibility/nature-environment/animal-welfare/our-down-promise
Down jackets of the best quality
High down quality and smart constructions are just two of
the reasons why this companies down jackets are so popular. One of the
technical terms you may come into contact with is CUIN (sometimes also
called fill power). This is a measurement that indicates how fluffy
the down is. You may also hear the terms loft and insulation, which
refer to the thickness of the layer of air created by the padding and,
respectively, the warming properties of the insulation. The thicker the loft,
the better the insulation. The loft is determined by the blend of down and
feathers. For maximum insulation, you should choose a down jacket with a high
CUIN and a good mix of down and feathers.
CUIN measures insulation
CUIN stands for cubic inches per once and indicates how much
volume (cubic inches) is filled by one ounce (27.3 grams) of down. For simplicity sake, we can say that the
higher the CUIN value of a jacket, the better it insulates (assuming everything
else equal).
Mix of down and feathers
Down binds more air than feathers and also offers better
insulation. This means that the higher the percentage of down in a jacket, the
better the insulation compared to a jacket of the same weight. If you see
information such as “90/10”, this means that for every 100 grams of padding in
your jacket, 90 grams are down.
More details that make a difference
The Fjällräven down jackets are not popular and warm just
because of their high-class down and high down ratio; they have large, roomy
hoods with a drawstring opening that leaves only the eyes visible when pulled
tight in really cold weather. Many also have detachable synthetic fur trim for protection
from the snow. Protective flaps at the zipper stop drafts and push buttons add
extra security (you certainly do not want to have a broken zipper when you are
in severe cold situations). The flaps
also offer flexibility, by closing the jacket using only the buttons, moisture
and heat can be released.
Most of their jackets often add extra hand-warming pockets
behind the regular pockets and the shoulders are filled with extra padding to
ensure that they maintain their warmth and shape even when carrying a backpack
or heavy items in the pockets.
If you want to know Apparel Search’s opinion, it is that you
should head to the store to buy a Fjällräven down coat as soon as
possible. They are stylish and
apparently nice and toasty.
We hope that learn about this apparel company and the
information that they offer regarding down and feather has been of help to
you. If you have comments about this
subject, you are welcome to add your thoughts in the comment area below.
