DailyLogGer: Best Winter Jackets For Outdoors Part 2 Best Winter Jackets For Outdoors Part 2 ================================================================================ TFXm on 23/01/2012 23:56:00 Best winter jackets for outdoor activities 11. Patagonia Patagonia jackets are priced midway between Cloudveil and Arcteryx with a matching product quality. By far, they are probably the most environmentally conscious vendor on the west of Atlantic. All this stuff can be highly personal and subjective, but Patagonia gives a tall slim fit. As long as your sleeve length is abnormally long, this is the way to go. A large is usually around a 35" Sleeve length. So, if you like your sleeves to extend past your finger tips, have at it and can be usueful in the case of mountaineering activities. Patagonia uses the most common and reliable Gore-Tex fabric for their jackets and is a good choice as a general purpose outdoor jacket if you manage to find a shell that fits you and give you the material that you need. Their warrantee services are exceptionally good as well. http://www.patagonia.com/ Online sellers are http://www.altrec.com http://www.rei.com http://www.moosejaw.com http://www.campmor.com http://www.backcountry.com 12. Westcomb Westcomb is very similar to Arc'Teryx in terms build quality, and according to lore it was started by former Arc'Teryx designers but using the more breathable eVent fabric instead of Gore-Tex. It is so breathable that you have to wear thicker layers underneath to keep warm during colder conditions. eVent is thinner and may feel flimsier but in real life it is probably as durable as any 3-layer fabric. It is also totally windproof and waterproof. eVent is also clearly the more breathable of the two in the store or in good weather, but is too cold for colder days and its breathability in inclement weather is not drastically better than GoreTex to justify other tradeoffs. The downsides are that it is a bit thinner and needs to be washed often to maintain breathability of the porous eVent membrane. Westcomb can be the jacket of choice for people who lives in the moderately cold area or during Spring time for others who lives near the Poles. http://www.westcomb.com/ Westcomb products are available at http://www.campsaver.com http://www.everestgear.com http://hobacksports.com When it comes to winter wear I'm biased towards Nordic brands. They live in the land of cold weather year around and the people themselves are very outdoors oriented. Moreover, the acceptance and success level of these outdoor gear manufacturers depends on the word of mouth reputation from personal experiences of the population in that region which are small in number rather than the usual marketing ploys. Scandinavian outdoor brands are more concerned with the functionality and durability and they are all high quality, very well made and have proved to be very durable. 13. Klättermusen The founder of Klättermusen, Peter Askulv is still very much the driving force in this Swedish company. He believe that the best outdoor activities are those performed in really tough weather conditions. Because in snowstorm and rain the wearer will be able to tell if Klättermusen clothing and equipment really works. The aim of Klättermusen is not to be the biggest outdoor brand, but the quality should always be the absolute best. This means fabrics, zippers, buttons etc. is permanently tested and evaluated. Another result of the ambition to always offer highest possible quality is that the models not necessarily change every season. Why change a perfect piece of clothing just because a new year has arrived? The company is known for their functional wear and environmentally responsible involvements. What we expect from a high performing outdoor clothing is that the material can transport humidity. Sometimes the membrans are to slow in transportating the humidity our bodies produce during harder activities and the result is that we get wet. Klättermusen has developed a system called Mass Flow Strategy (MFR) to deal with this problem. MFR gives an indication, to which extent a particular piece of clothing stops wind and trasports humidity. Klättermusen has launched a unique recycling programme – rECOver. Consumers who return their used Klättermusen products to the shop will get back their deposits worth 1, 5, 10 or 20 Euros as marked on the labels. The programme will also donate used and repaired outdoor clothing to charity. Klättermusen accept the older products as well for recycling in an environmentally friendly manner. They also repair some returned products that have not yet reached the end of their useful life and donate them to charity. http://www.klattermusen.se Klättermusen is kind of an underground brand for people who lives outside of Nordic region and there ain't that many online stockists for that matter. http://www.nloutdoor.com http://www.addnature.com http://www.preissuchmaschine.de http://www.outnet.eu http://www.nordicoutdoor.co.uk http://www.unterwegs.biz 14. Fjällräven Fjällräven (means Arctic Fox) is a leading outdoor company in Scandinavia with a strong heritage as the foremost innovative brand among users in the Swedish mountain world. It was founded in 1950 when the founder, Åke Nordin, created a backpack frame that would later revolutionize the world of outdoors. Fjällräven's in-house G-1000 fabric is a mix between 65% polyester and 35% cotton which makes it very hardwearing and able to breathe. You can also impregnate Fjallraven G1000, which makes the fabric water resistant and also very resistant to dirt. Fjällräven suggests using the environmentally friendly wax made from paraffin and beeswax to treat G-1000 products to enhance the water and wind resistant on the fabric surface. The classic Greenland Parka is a one versatile piece of clothing in a variety of temperatures from sub-zero to the Spring conditions without making one feel much cold or too hot while in it. http://www.fjallraven.se/ Online stores http://www.naturkompaniet.se http://www.ulkoilukauppa.com http://www.castlebergoutdoors.co.uk http://www.thesportinglodge.co.uk http://www.outdoorco-op.co.uk http://www.body-armour-protection.co.uk http://www.oipolloi.com http://us.asos.com 15. Norrøna Originated in Norway, Norrøna was the first compnay to use GoreTex in Europe. An expression of ‘loaded minimalism’ i.e. loaded with features yet characterised by a clean and paired down design is so simple, neat and practical. Norrona's silhouette is relaxed, roomy fits for an emphasis on freedom of movement and style, atypical too tight Alpine shells. In addition, the unique Norrona colour combinations set them apart from your trad alpine offerings, bright, killer colours with original contrasts to give a look that is fresh, sharp and something totally different. These are tough clothes that maximize mobility in steep and difficult terrain. Lofoten and Trollveggen collections have been the first choice of mountaineers in tha Alpine range for many years. Lofoten Gore-Tex(R) Pro Shell Jacket is Norrönas most versatile waterproof freeride mountain jacket while the 29 GORE-TEX(R) PrimaLoft(R) Parka is a comfortable garment for everyday use during the winter season. PrimaLoft is one the highest performing insulation on the market for warmth, water resistance, softness and compressibility. Pretty much faultless pieces of clothing. http://www.norrona.com/ Can be purchased online from http://www.snowandmotion.de http://www.sport-conrad.com http://www.fluofun.com http://www.ldmountaincentre.com http://www.backcountry.com 16. Haglöfs Haglöfs is a hardcore, technical Swedish brand, the largest supplier of outdoor equipment in Scandinavia. Swedes know something about cold resulting in this technical, Alpine inspired outdoor clothing which use top materials including Gore-Tex, Windstopper, Down and Polartec. Whilst primarily constructed to withstand the Scandinavian climate, it is very much a form follows function brand. Haglöfs is characterised by its strong clean designs, attention to detail, superior quality, durability and super functionality & usability. It can be bit hard to get Haglöfs products outside of Europe and Japan. Haglöfs also make a a number of mountaineering oriented shells. http://www.haglofs.com Online shops http://www.surfmountain.com http://www.sierratradingpost.com http://www.ldmountaincentre.com http://www.unterwegs.biz http://www.scandinavianoutdoorstore.com http://www.planetfear.com http://en.verticoutdoor.com 17. Halti Finnish outdoor manufacturer, Halti isn’t a very visible brand outside of Europe where it a strong brand. Light but super warm with all kinds of built in stuff, place for ipod with rubber exit flap if you like that stuff, built in balaclava for cold weather, lots of pockets, really high water proof rating. The 4-way stretch material that is waterproofed and breathable, DuPont Thermolite 60 padding is extremely fine, and warm for its weight. The insulating fibre has been designed to work together with waterproof and breathable surface materials. The hollow structure of the fibres guarantees excellent thermal insulation even in extreme conditions. The Thermolite padding withstands use and washing well. Active Dry lining that wicks moisture efficiently away from your skin and keeps you feeling pleasantly dry, even in intense use. The material does not absorb water itself, so it dries quickly. Highly water resistant Drymaxx Ultimate fabric can withstand the supercooled rain which can be very problematic, even dangerous if exposed for a prolonged period. It's price is right up there with the top of the line Spyder, but so much lighter. Very nice stuff, and priced to not break the bank. http://www.halti.fi/ Available at http://www.haltistore.com http://www.scandinavianoutdoorstore.com 18. Schöffel This German skiwear brand uses super light-weight Primaloft insulation, 2 and 4-way stretch Venturi(R) fabric, Recco, and are all designed to the highest specification for maximum performance, comfort and protection in all weather conditions. Venturi stretch is an exclusive laminate from Schöffel which combines the breathability, windproof and waterproof qualities with maximum elasticity. The material provides for an even better fit, greater freedom of movement and close-fitting designs with maximum performance. Even the Gore-Tex fabric one is also stretchy, totally warterproof for a number of years, warm, different and comfortable. Fantastic construction and understated great lines. However they are near impossible to get outside of Europe. http://www.schoeffel.de Can be purchased from some of these obscure European online retailers http://www.peterhahn.co.uk http://www.fluofun.com http://www.unterwegs.biz http://www.zalando.co.uk 19. Marmot Marmot was founded in 1973 by two students from University of Carolina who felt that the clothes that were available for mountaineering wasen't as good as they wanted. Therefore they started to make their own clothes with down as isolation. The fabric contains Elastane material which gives a certain level of stretch characteristics to the main material, which is Gore-Tex Pro. Good quality, reasonable pricing and good design. Some people may find the fitting as little odd, but users mileage can vary in different ways. http://marmot.com/ Marmot products can be purchased online from http://www.unterwegs.biz http://www.scandinavianoutdoorstore.com http://www.ulkoilukauppa.com 20. Killy Killy skiwear was born in the French Alps, taking its name and aspirations from the personality of the great ski racer and its creator Jean Claude Killy. A definitive in the luxury ski wear market for years, which makes sure that you won't have to worry about being mistaken for a local. Killy's jackets the top of the line are comparable to the price point of Descente and Spyder with a better build quality. Killy uses the Dermizax 4-way stretch material providing enough warmth in really cold condition, at the expense of reduced breathability. Killy jackets have 20,000 measurements for both breathability and weatherproofness, laser cut pockets, fully taped seams, knitted lycra cuffs with thumb holes, pre-shaped elbows, come with a balaclava and all the regular stuff such as removal hood, google wipe cloth, non-slip band on powder skirt, inside hood pocket. Killy has recently merged with the leading French outdoor group, Lafuma. http://www.killy.com Online shopping http://www.skicenter.com http://www.bahnhof.com http://www.ldmountaincentre.com http://www.basinshopping.com http://www.skilodge.co.uk http://www.climateski.com http://www.fluofun.com