Montane’s Phoenix – and its men’s variant, the Icarus – looks suspiciously like a classic, lightweight, micro-baffled down jacket…
The Big Question: What’s with down-like insulation?
This year’s must have is a jacket that looks and feels like down, with baffled construction, but is actually filled with a 100% bird-friendly synthetic that’s designed to mimic the way down works.
Berghaus Aonach AX Insulated Jacket review
Berghaus’s weird tech results in a down-filled jacket that’s designed for use as a mid-layer in really cold conditions. The big surprise is that it works improbably well, though it could be lighter.
The Big Question: Down or Synthetic?
Should you choose a down or synthetic insulated jacket this winter? It used to be an easy one: down was for cold, dry conditions where pack size and weight mattered and getting it wet was unlikely. It also helped if you had a bulging wallet.
Montane Icarus (and Phoenix) Jacket review
For all the advances in water-resistant down insulation in recent years, synthetic still reigns supreme when you know that you will be experiencing particularly damp conditions – and we British know that better than anyone!
Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody review
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