How to choose a down jacket and down coat: insulation, length, hood
How to choose a down jacket and a down coat: when a lightweight jacket is enough, when a coat, what the insulation composition and the warmth scale say, and why down is not enough for wet snow. The guide covers women’s and men’s models and also says what cannot be told from the product details.
Short answer: Choose a down jacket by where you will be standing and how damp it will be. A lightweight down jacket suits dry cold in town and works as a warm layer under another jacket, a down coat suits long spells standing outdoors and severe frost. On the NORDBLANC indicative warmth scale, down jackets are rated down to -10 °C and down coats down to -30 °C and below. No membrane or water column is stated for them, so for rain and wet snow choose synthetic insulation, or wear the down jacket under a waterproof one.
Down jacket or down coat: which should you choose?
It depends on how long you will be outdoors and how much you will be moving. A jacket is shorter and lighter, a coat is longer and warmer. The choice is small: there are only a few down jackets and coats in the NORDBLANC range; the jackets are women’s and men’s, and the coats, with one exception, men’s.
| Situation | What to choose | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Dry cold in town, the journey to work | down jacket | ‘Ultralight’ material group, ‘Light weight’ label, warmth down to -10 °C |
| Long spells standing outdoors: a bus stop, a grandstand, walking the dog | down coat | longer cut, warmth down to -30 °C and below, high wind resistance |
| A warm layer under another jacket | down jacket | the product descriptions also list it as a layer under a winter or ski jacket |
| Rain, wet snow, sleet | probably not down | no water column or membrane stated |
| Cross-country skiing, skiing, brisk walking | probably not down | the activity for all the down models is everyday wear |
The difference between a coat, a parka and a long jacket is covered in the guide Winter coat, parka or jacket?
How do NORDBLANC down jackets and coats differ?
An overview based on the parameters on the products:
| Parameter | Down jackets | Down coats |
|---|---|---|
| Insulation | 70% down and 30% feathers, on some models 90% and 10% | 70% down and 30% feathers |
| Warmth (indicative scale) | down to -10 °C | down to -30 °C and below |
| Waterproofness (scale) | Light rain | Waterproof |
| Wind resistance (scale) | Medium | High |
| Water column and membrane | not stated | not stated |
| Outer material | nylon, polyester with nylon, nylon with spandex | 85% polyester, 15% cotton |
| Hood | with a drawcord on only some models | with a drawcord, detachable on some |
| Fit and activity | Regular, everyday wear | Regular, everyday wear |
The scale is not a temperature. Warmth serves to compare NORDBLANC models with one another, and on it a coat is two levels above a jacket. Whether you will be warm in a jacket also depends on movement, wind and the layers under it, as the guide How to choose a winter jacket describes.
70/30 or 90/10? On jackets both ratios are placed on the scale at the same level, down to -10 °C, so you cannot read a difference in warmth from the ratio. Decide by cut, hood and size. What the ratio means is explained in the guide Down or synthetic jacket?
Rain and wet snow. Down coats are at the Waterproof level on the Waterproofness scale, jackets at the lowest level, Light rain. But no water column or membrane is stated, so you cannot tell from the details how long a rain they will withstand. Wet down also loses loft and keeps you less warm. In the wet choose synthetic insulation, or wear the down jacket under a waterproof one, which is chosen with the guide How to choose a waterproof jacket.
What should you wear under a down jacket?
Next to the body a technical T-shirt or thin thermal underwear, which wicks sweat away from the skin. Cotton does not belong there; it stays soaked with sweat and chills. A bulky sweatshirt does not belong under the jacket either, as it compresses the insulation and the jacket then keeps you less warm. A thin sweatshirt or fleece works better, and in mild cold a T-shirt is enough.
What should you look at on the hood, cuffs and pockets?
Features differ from model to model; the list is on the product, in the Features section.
- Hood. A hood drawcord is listed on roughly half of the down models, and on some the hood is detachable. On the other models no hood is listed among the features, so check it in the photograph.
- Inner elastic cuffs in the sleeves. Coats and some jackets have them. They fit snugly at the wrist, so the sleeve rides up less.
- Inner chest pocket. Coats have one, jackets only exceptionally.
- Inner shoulder straps. Men’s coats have them. You can sling a coat you have taken off over your back and keep your hands free.
What size of down jacket should you choose?
All NORDBLANC down jackets and coats have a Regular fit, meaning classic rather than close-fitting. Women’s models are most often in sizes 34-44, one up to 48, men’s from XS or S to XXXL. Check the range of a specific model on the product and compare your measurements with the size charts.
Allow for a thin sweatshirt under a down jacket, but the jacket must not feel tight across the shoulders or under the arms, because compressed insulation insulates less well. The measuring procedure is summarised in the guide How to measure jacket and ski trouser size. You can try the jacket on in our stores.
When is a down jacket not enough, and what should you choose instead?
- Rain, wet snow, sleet. Choose a winter jacket with synthetic insulation. Most NORDBLANC winter jackets have it, and you will find them in the collections women’s winter jackets and men’s winter jackets.
- Movement: skiing, cross-country skiing, brisk walking. For the piste a ski jacket is the thing, and for cross-country skiing and brisk walking a lightweight sports jacket.
- Severe frost and damp together. A coat with synthetic insulation from the collection winter coats and parkas.
Where can you find women’s and men’s down jackets and coats?
- Jackets: women’s down jackets and men’s down jackets.
- Men’s coats: men’s down coats.
- Women’s down coat: there is only one model on offer; look for it among the women’s winter coats and parkas; if it is not available, a women’s winter coat with synthetic insulation will do.
- Gilets: there are only a few down gilets, and they are among the women’s winter gilets and men’s winter gilets. When to reach for a gilet instead of a jacket is described in the guide Winter gilet.
What will you not find in the details of the down models?
On NORDBLANC down jackets and coats neither the fill power nor the weight of the filling is stated, and the ‘Goose/duck down’ label does not specify whether it is goose or duck down. A number that would allow the models to be compared precisely is therefore not available. Compare the finished jackets: the proportion of down, the warmth level, the cut and the features. Trying one on in a store gives you certainty.
Frequently asked questions
Is a down coat warmer than a down jacket?
According to the NORDBLANC indicative scale, yes: down coats are rated down to -30 °C and below, down jackets down to -10 °C. Both have a filling of down and feathers, and the 70/30 ratio predominates in both. But a coat is longer and has a higher wind resistance. The scale compares NORDBLANC models with one another and does not guarantee the temperature outdoors.
Is a down jacket suitable for hiking?
Probably not. According to the product details, all NORDBLANC down jackets and coats have everyday wear as their activity, and hiking is not among them. You sweat when walking and moisture reduces the insulation of down, so layering is better for moving. A lightweight down jacket is more suitable as a warm layer in your rucksack for stops. How to dress for a hike is described in the guide What to wear hiking.
Does a down jacket stop the wind?
On the Wind resistance scale NORDBLANC down jackets are at the Medium level, down coats at High. The scale compares models with one another and is not a guarantee. If it is very windy while you stand at a bus stop or on a grandstand, choose a coat and tighten the hood, if the model has one.
Where can I find instructions for washing a down jacket?
Follow the label in the jacket. General instructions, including a separate section for down products, are on the page Product care. After unpacking the jacket, shake the down filling and hang it on a hanger so that the filling can fluff up, as the description of the Down technology on the product advises. What to do if the down clumps after washing is in the guide Down or synthetic jacket?