Synthetic Insulation Jackets
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. . . Good For Taking On A Hike
Synthetic insulation jackets . . . sounds a bit of a mouthful to me, what does it actually mean . . . hold on a minute, I’ve forgotten my synthetic insulation jacket! Well, synthetic insulation jackets are one of the latest innovations to hit the hiking market . . . they’re fantastic at keeping even the coldest hikers nice and warm on the coldest trails . . . using an old fashioned technique called “layering”. The fact that layers are great at keeping one warm is certainly nothing new . . . I remember being reminded to wear my undershirt in the winter which was “more beneficial than a fur coat” apparently! Anyway, layers not only keep you warm, they’re also easy to discard as and when it’s necessary.
Insulated hiking jackets are designed to trap the body heat (even if you find it difficult to believe that you have any to trap), hold that heat close to our bodies and act as a buffer to the cold air outside. The insulation in an insulated hiking jacket is the middle of three layers.
- Base Layer of insulated hiking jacket act similarly to my old undershirt, a t-shirt or any other long underwear.
- Insulation layer of hiking jacket will often be something like down, although synthetic materials are used in synthetic insulation jackets (no . . . .).
- Outer layers are generally wind and waterproof. protecting the other layers and helping them to retain their efficiency.
Synthetic Insulation Jackets for Hiking
Whilst many hikers agree that you can’t beat the natural properties of down for keeping you warm and snuggly on a cold days hiking, synthetic insulation in hiking jackets does also have advantages. Let’s look at some of the differences:
- Synthetic insulation materials are more water resistant and dry much quicker than their down counter-parts. Many even retain some of their thermal resistance when they’re actually damp.
- Advanced synthetic insulation materials are now pretty close to down in terms of weight, texture, breathability and compressibility.
- Synthetic insulation jackets are still not quite as lightweight and bulky as the down alternative, and though they do squash down pretty well they can lose some of their durability if they are repeatedly compressed.
When Is A Synthetic Insulation Jacket A Good Hiking Choice
Synthetic Insulation jackets are great for hiking, particularly if you are expecting wet weather conditions, though, of course, they are also pretty good in the dry. They can keep you warm at some of the lowest temperatures (good until at least 40F or even less) and for climbing or hiking at high altitude. All in all, they do make pretty good hiking jackets, period.
Sounds like one jacket which suits all conditions . . . thanks for that!
