What is a CLO?
CLO value is an important factor in determining a synthetic jacket’s warmth. Metaphorically, like FP * FW value in down jackets…And the higher the value is, the warmer the insulation is.
Synthetic insulators provide more insulation per thickness. This is why any insulation can achieve desired CLO value after setting the right amount of thickness. But of course, your jacket will become heavier in the end.
Manufacturers rarely share the CLO values of their products. Let's say they disclosed these values; which standard did they use to measure them? To correctly be able to compare them, this info is also crucial.
Against all odds, I combed through the CLO values of synthetic insulators. And, to give you some ideas about jackets' warmth, I've prepared a detailed table.
But, I'd like to point out that I got the values from forums like Reddit and producers' technical data sheets and catalogs. That is, they aren't based on scientific investigations and aren't totally reliable.
In the table, you'll see some calculations related to synthetic insulated jackets. For example, the Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody contains the Primaloft Gold Eco having 0.92 clo/oz/yd². And the jacket's insulation amount is 1.77 oz/yd². So,
Calculated CLO of Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody = 0.92 x 1.77 = 1.63
As I said earlier, some jackets have different insulation weights on various parts. So, I calculated the CLO values considering the percentage of their body surface area covered [2].
Insulator | clo/oz/yd2 |
---|---|
850+ Fill Down | 2.53 |
800 Fill Down | 1.68 |
650 Fill Down | 1.00 |
Primaloft Gold aka | 0.92 |
⠀ Primaloft Gold Insulation Eco | 0.92 |
⠀ Primaloft One | 0.92 |
550 Fill Down | 0.85 |
⠀ Primaloft Black aka | 0.85 |
⠀ ThermoPlume | 0.85 |
⠀ ThermoBall | 0.85 |
PlumaFill | 0.85 |
Coreloft aka | 0.82 |
⠀ Climashield Apex | 0.82 |
Primaloft Sport | 0.79 |
Primaloft Synergy | 0.79 |
Climashield Prism aka | 0.76 |
⠀ ThermaTek | 0.76 |
Exceloft | 0.68 |
Primaloft Eco | 0.68 |
Primaloft Silver | 0.68 |
Primaloft Black | 0.65 |
Sources: Richard Nisley's "A Revised Paradigm for Understanding Garment Comfort Limits" paper, Hohenstein Institute's Primaloft Thermal Performance paper and Primaloft's own fact sheets (Gold Eco, Silver, Black).
Takeaway: CLO differences between synthetic insulators per unit mass are almost non-existent.
Read more:
Other factors, especially insulation amount, is a much more decisive in determining the end warmth.
This is not to say that these values are completely useless. It's just that looking at the clo/oz/yd^2 value of a garment (in our case, jackets) alone won't give you the conclusion you need.
There are other things you need to take into account. Such as insulation amount, insulation distribution, insulation thickness, the fit and length of the jacket, etc.
- Primaloft Gold (aka Primaloft One) is developed by Primaloft and partnered by many brands such as Patagonia, Moncler, and Adidas.
- ThermoBall is developed by The North Face.
- PlumaFill is developed by Patagonia.
- Coreloft is developed by Arc'teryx.
You can find the table below pretty useful.
Name Est. Temp (F/C) Breathability Wind Res. Abrasion res. Packability Best pick for Review Pit venting? Two way zipper? Stuffs into itself? Type Fill Power (in3/oz) Fill Weight (g) Fill Volume (in3) Synthetic Fill Synth. Fill Weight Face Fabric Activity Fit Weight Length (CB) Internal pockets External pockets sentences Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's) -18/-28 No data No data No data No data Warmest Arc'teryx jacket. Review No Yes Yes Down 850 296 8,875 Coreloft 90 g/m² N30r 2L GoreTex Infinium Climbing Regular 805 g / 1 lb 12.4 oz 86 cm / 34 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's) is 296 grams. Its fill power is 850 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 8875 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 90 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Alpha Lightweight (Men's - Women's) 5/-15 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 850 117 3,508 Coreloft Compact 40 g/m² Hadron 2L Gore-Tex Infinium Climbing Regular 540 g / 1 lb 3 oz 79.5 cm / 31.25 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Alpha Lightweight (Men's - Women's) is 117 grams. Its fill power is 850 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3508 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 40 g/m² of Coreloft Compact. Arc'teryx Atom (aka LT) ( Men's - Women's) 43/6 9/10 6/10 7/10 5/10 High output activities. Review Yes, mesh No No Synthetic N/A N/A N/A Coreloft Continuous 60 g/m² 20D Tyono All Round Trim 375 g / 13.2 oz 74 cm / 29.1 in No atomproton bestsyntheticjackets 1x chest - Arc'teryx Atom (aka LT) ( Men's - Women's) is equipped with 60 g/m² of Coreloft Continuous. Arc'teryx Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's) 18/-8 4/10 8/10 8/10 3/10 Review Yes, mesh No No Synthetic N/A N/A N/A Coreloft Continuous 120 g/m2 + 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 30D Tyono All Round Regular 475 g / 1 lb 74 cm / 29.1 in No atomproton bestsyntheticjackets 1x chest - Arc'teryx Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 120 g/m2 + 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 of Coreloft Continuous. Arc'teryx Atom Lightweight (aka SL) (Men's - Women's) 52/11 10/10 2/10 7/10 6/10 Review Yes, mesh No No Synthetic N/A N/A N/A Coreloft Compact 40 g/m² 20D Tyono All Round Trim 270 g / 9.5 oz 72 cm / 28.3 in No atomproton bestsyntheticjackets - - Arc'teryx Atom Lightweight (aka SL) (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 40 g/m² of Coreloft Compact. Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated (Men's) 0/-18 No data No data No data No data Yes Yes No Parka 850 126 3,778 Coreloft 80 g/m² 2L 40D Gore-Tex All Round Regular 760 g / 1 lb 10.8 oz 79 cm / 31 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated (Men's) is 126 grams. Its fill power is 850 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3778 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Beta Insulated (Men's) 21/-6 No data No data No data No data Review Yes, zips Yes No Parka N/A N/A N/A Coreloft Continuous 80 g/m² 2L 40D Gore-Tex All Round Regular 680 g / 1 lb 8 oz 78.5 cm / 31 in No bestdownjackets Arc'teryx Beta Insulated (Men's) is equipped with 80 g/m² of Coreloft Continuous. Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) 16/-9 No data No data No data Testing Review No Yes No Parka N/A N/A N/A Coreloft 80 g/m² + 120 g/m² 2L 40D Gore-Tex Around Town Regular 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz 86 cm / 34 in No bestdownjackets Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) is equipped with 80 g/m² + 120 g/m² of Coreloft . Arc'teryx Cerium (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) 26/-3 No data No data No data No data Light down jacket. Review No No Yes Down 850 113 3,388 Coreloft 80 + 100 g/m² Arato 15 All Round Trim 335 g / 11.8 oz 72 cm / 28.3 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Cerium (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) is 113 grams. Its fill power is 850 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3388 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 + 100 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Cerium Hybrid (Women's) 44/7 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 850 44 1,319 Coreloft 40 + 100 g/m² Arato 15 + Fortius Air 50 All Round Trim 260 g / 9.2 oz 70 cm / 27.5 in No bestdownjackets #REF! Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) 14/-10 No data No data No data No data No Yes No Parka N/A N/A N/A Coreloft 98 g/m² 40D 2L Gore-Tex Around Town Regular 435g / 15.3 oz 70 cm / 27.5 in No Arc'teryx Cerium Hybrid (Women's) is equipped with 98 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Liatris (Women's) 5/-15 No data No data No data No data No No No Parka 850 93 2,788 Climashield 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 70D 3L Gore-Tex Around Town Regular 890 g / 1 lb 15.4 oz 75 cm / 29.5 in No Fill weight of Arc'teryx Liatris (Women's) is 93 grams. Its fill power is 850 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 2788 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 of Climashield. Arc'teryx Liatris Parka (Women's) 2/-17 No data No data No data No data No No No Parka 850 136 4,078 Climashield 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 70D 3L Gore-Tex Around Town Regular 1.093 kg / 2 lb 6.6 oz 109 cm / 43 in No Fill weight of Arc'teryx Liatris Parka (Women's) is 136 grams. Its fill power is 850 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 4078 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 of Climashield. Arc'teryx Nuclei (aka FL) ( Men's - Women's) 32/0 2/10 9/10 2/10 10/10 Review No No Yes Synthetic N/A N/A N/A Coreloft Continuous 65 g/m² Arato 10r All Round Regular 325 g / 11.5 oz 75 cm / 29.5 in No nucleiproton bestsyntheticjackets 2x dump - Arc'teryx Nuclei (aka FL) ( Men's - Women's) is equipped with 65 g/m² of Coreloft Continuous. Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (Women's) 5/-15 1/10 10/10 2/10 8/10 Warmest belay jacket. Review No Yes Yes Synthetic N/A N/A N/A Coreloft Continuous 190 g/m2 + 90 g/m2 Arato 15 All Round Regular 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz 81 cm / 31.8 in No nucleiproton bestsyntheticjackets 2x dump 1x chest Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (Women's) is equipped with 190 g/m2 + 90 g/m2 of Coreloft Continuous. Arc'teryx Patera (Women's) 21/-6 No data No data No data No data Review No Yes No Parka 750 67 1,773 Coreloft 60 + 80 g/m² 2L Gore-Tex Around Town Trim 867 g / 1 lb 14.6 oz 99 cm / 39 in No Fill weight of Arc'teryx Patera (Women's) is 67 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 1773 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 60 + 80 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Patera Long (Women's) 0/-18 No data No data No data No data Women's warmest parka. No Yes No Parka 750 204 5,397 Coreloft 60 + 80 g/m² 2L Gore-Tex Around Town Regular 1.1 kg / 2 lb 6.8 oz 117.5 cm / 46.25 in No Fill weight of Arc'teryx Patera Long (Women's) is 204 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5397 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 60 + 80 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's) 48/9 8/10 4/10 7/10 6/10 Chilly summer mornings. Review No No No Synthetic N/A N/A N/A Octa Loft 94 g/m² Fortius Air 20 Climbing Trim 343 g / 12.1 oz 75 cm / 29.5 in No atomproton nucleiproton bestsyntheticjackets - 1x chest Arc'teryx Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 94 g/m² of Octa Loft. Arc'teryx Therme Parka (Men's) 5/-15 No data No data No data No data Review No Yes No Parka 750 120 3,175 Coreloft 60 + 80 g/m² P75d Polyester Around Town Regular 991 g / 2 lb 3 oz 85 cm / 33.5 in No Fill weight of Arc'teryx Therme Parka (Men's) is 120 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3175 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 60 + 80 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Therme SV (Men's) -11/-24 No data No data No data No data Men's warmest parka. Review No Yes No Parka 750 211 5,582 Coreloft 60 g/m² 2L Gore-Tex Around Town Regular 1.072 kg / 2 lb 5.8 oz 96 cm / 37.75 in No Fill weight of Arc'teryx Therme SV (Men's) is 211 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5582 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 60 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Thorium ( Men's - Women's) 12/-11 No data No data No data No data Warm down jacket. Review No Yes Yes Down 750 140 3,704 Coreloft 80 + 140 g/m² Arato 30 All Round Regular 517 g / 1 lb 2.2 oz 71.5 cm / 28.1 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Thorium ( Men's - Women's) is 140 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3704 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 + 140 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Thorium Parka (Women's) -2/-19 No data No data No data No data Review No Yes No Down 750 209 5,529 Coreloft 80 + 140 g/m² Arato 20 Around Town Regular 610 g / 1 lb 5.5 oz 115.8 cm / 45.6 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Thorium Parka (Women's) is 209 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5529 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 + 140 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Thorium SV (Men's) 3/-16 No data No data No data No data Gore-Tex down jacket. No Yes Yes Down 750 169 4,471 Coreloft 80 + 140 g/m² Arato 30 & 2L Gore-Tex Infinium Around Town Regular 645 g / 1 lb 6.8 oz 73 cm / 28.75 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Thorium SV (Men's) is 169 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 4471 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 + 140 g/m² of Coreloft. Arc'teryx Thorium SV Parka (Men's) 0/-18 No data No data No data No data No Yes No Down 750 195 5,159 Coreloft 80 + 140 g/m² Arato 30 & 2L Gore-Tex Infinium Around Town Regular 685 g / 1 lb 8.2 oz 85 cm / 33.5 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Arc'teryx Thorium SV Parka (Men's) is 195 grams. Its fill power is 750 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5159 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 80 + 140 g/m² of Coreloft. Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's) 7/-14 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 700 155 3,827 N/A N/A 30D ripstop nylon All Round Regular 442 g / 15.6 oz 76 cm / 29.75 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's) is 155 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3827 cubic inches of down fill volume. Feathered Friends Eos(Men's - Women's) 8/-13 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 900 105 3,333 N/A N/A Pertex Quantum All Round Regular 306 g / 10.8 oz ? No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Feathered Friends Eos(Men's - Women's) is 105 grams. Its fill power is 900 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3333 cubic inches of down fill volume. Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's) -17/-27 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 900 378 12,000 Primaloft Gold 200 g Pretex Shield XT All Round Regular 960 g / 2 lb 2 oz ? No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's) is 378 grams. Its fill power is 900 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 12000 cubic inches of down fill volume. It's also reinforced with 200 g of Primaloft Gold. Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's) -10/-23 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 800 265 7,478 N/A N/A Nylon All Round Regular 770 g / 1 lb 11.2 oz 79 cm / 31 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's) is 265 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 7478 cubic inches of down fill volume. Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's) -13/-25 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 800 300 8,466 N/A N/A 30D Drilite All Round Regular 820 g / 1 lb 13 oz 76 cm / 30 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's) is 300 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 8466 cubic inches of down fill volume. Mountain Hardwear GW/2 (Men's - Women's) 28/-2 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 800 85 2,399 N/A N/A 10D Ripstop Nylon All Round Trim 250 g / 8.8 oz 70 cm / 27.5 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Mountain Hardwear GW/2 (Men's - Women's) is 85 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 2399 cubic inches of down fill volume. Outdoor Research Sup. Alp. (Men's - Women's) 3/-16 No data No data No data No data No Yes No Down 800 182 5,136 N/A N/A 30D Pertex Quantum Pro All Round Regular 825 g / 1 lb 13.1 oz 85 cm / 33.5 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Outdoor Research Sup. Alp. (Men's - Women's) is 182 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5136 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia AlpLight (Men's - Women's) 36/2 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 800 100 2,822 N/A N/A 0.8 oz 10D polyester All Round Slim 270 g / 9.5 oz 74 cm / 29 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Patagonia AlpLight (Men's - Women's) is 100 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 2822 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia AlpLoft (Men's) -10/-23 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 800 295 8,325 N/A N/A Pertex Quantom All Round Regular 680 g / 1 lb 8 oz 81 cm / 31.8 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Patagonia AlpLoft (Men's) is 295 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 8325 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia DAS (Men's - Women's) 10/-12 1/10 9/10 3/10 6/10 Review No Yes Yes Synthetic N/A N/A N/A PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco 133 + 40 g Pertex Quantum Pro All Round Regular 555 g / 1 lb 3.6 oz 84 cm / 33 in No bestsyntheticjackets 2x dump 1x chest Patagonia DAS (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 133 + 40 g of PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco. Patagonia DAS Light(Men's) 34/1 2/10 8/10 2/10 9/10 Review No Yes Yes Synthetic N/A N/A N/A PlumaFill 65 g 10D Pertex Quantum Pro All Round Regular 320 g / 11.3 oz 77 cm / 30.5 in No bestsyntheticjackets - 1x chest Patagonia DAS Light(Men's) is equipped with 65 g of PlumaFill. Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's) 23/-5 No data 4/10 6/10 7/10 Review No No Yes Down 800 150 4,233 N/A N/A 1.4 oz 20x30D polyester All Round Regular 428 g / 15.1 oz 67 cm / 26.25 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's) is 150 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 4233 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's) 18/-8 No data No data No data No data No No No Down 600 279 5,905 N/A N/A 4.2 oz polyester Around Town Regular 1.014 kg / 2 lb 3.8 oz ? No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's) is 279 grams. Its fill power is 600 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5905 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's) 14/-10 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 800 128 3,612 N/A N/A 20D Nylon All Round Regular 632 g / 1lb 6.3 oz 74 cm / 29 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's) is 128 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3612 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Isthmus (Men's) 36/2 No data No data No data No data No No No Parka N/A N/A N/A ThermoGreen 60 g 4.2 oz polyester Around Town Regular 895 g / 1 lb 15.6 oz 70 cm / 27.5 in No Patagonia Isthmus (Men's) is equipped with 60 g of ThermoGreen. Patagonia Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's) 12/-11 No data No data No data No data Review No Yes No Down 700 141 3,482 N/A N/A 3.6 oz 50D polyester Around Town Regular 880 g / 1 lb 15 oz 79 cm / 31 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Patagonia Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's) is 141 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3482 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Jackson Glacier Parks ( Women's) 7/-14 No data No data No data No data No No No Parka 700 218 5,383 N/A N/A 50D Polyester Around Town Regular 1.142 kg / 2 lb 8.3 oz ? No Fill weight of Patagonia Jackson Glacier Parks ( Women's) is 218 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5383 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) 37/3 5/10 6/10 5/10 8/10 Review No No Yes Synthetic N/A N/A N/A PlumaFill 65 g Pertex Quantum All Round Regular 298 g / 10.5 oz 75 cm / 29.5 in No bestsyntheticjackets 2x dump - Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 65 g of PlumaFill. Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's) 39/4 7/10 5/10 5/10 8/10 Review No No Yes Synthetic N/A N/A N/A FullRange 60 g 33D nylon ripstop All Round Trim 401 g / 14.14 oz ? No bestsyntheticjackets - 2x chest Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 60 g of FullRange. Patagonia Nano Air Light Hybrid (Men's - Women's) 50/10 No data No data No data No data No No No Synthetic N/A N/A N/A FullRange 40 g 20D nylon ripstop All Round Trim 335 g / 11.8 oz ? No Patagonia Nano Air Light Hybrid (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 40 g of FullRange. Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's) 41/5 4/10 6/10 6/10 8/10 Review No No Yes Synthetic N/A N/A N/A PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco 60 g 22D Polyester All Round Regular 363 g / 12.8 oz 71.5 cm / 28 in No bestsyntheticjackets 1x chest - Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 60 g of PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco. Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's) 26/-3 No data No data No data No data Review No No No Down 700 109 2,691 N/A N/A 2.2 oz polyester Around Town Regular 585 g / 1 lb 4.7 oz 74 cm / 29 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's) is 109 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 2691 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Stormshadow (Men's) 0/-18 No data No data No data No data No No No Parka 700 259 6,395 N/A N/A 75D Polyester Around Town Regular 1.182 kg / 2 lb 9.7 oz ? No Fill weight of Patagonia Stormshadow (Men's) is 259 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 6395 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Tres 3-in-1Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's) 8/-13 No data No data No data No data Review No No No Parka 700 118 2,914 N/A N/A 5.5 oz polyester Around Town Regular 1.307 kg / 2 lb 14.1 oz 85 cm / 33.5 in No Fill weight of Patagonia Tres 3-in-1Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's) is 118 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 2914 cubic inches of down fill volume. Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's) 10/-12 No data No data No data No data Review No No No Parka N/A N/A N/A ThermoLite 100 g 65% nylon, 35% polyester Around Town Regular 1.360 kg / 3 lb 90 cm / 35.5 in No Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's) is equipped with 100 g of ThermoLite. Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's) 5/-15 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 800 180 5,079 N/A N/A 20D Pertex Quantum Pro All Round Regular 525 g / 1 lb 2.5 oz 74 cm / 29 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's) is 180 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5079 cubic inches of down fill volume. Rab Infinity Alpine (Men's) 5/-15 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 800 175 4,938 N/A N/A 30D & 13D Gore-Tex Infinium All Round Regular 551 g / 1 lb 3.4 oz 76.5 cm / 30.1 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Rab Infinity Alpine (Men's) is 175 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 4938 cubic inches of down fill volume. Rab Infinity Microlight (Men's - Women's) 19/-7 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 700 146 3,605 N/A N/A 13D Gore-Tex Infinium All Round Regular 452 g / 15.9 oz 74 cm / 29.1 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Rab Infinity Microlight (Men's - Women's) is 146 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3605 cubic inches of down fill volume. Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's) 7/-14 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 700 153 3,778 N/A N/A 30D Pertex Quantum All Round Regular 466 g / 1 lb 0.5 oz 72 cm / 28.5 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's) is 153 grams. Its fill power is 700 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3778 cubic inches of down fill volume. Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) -2/-19 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 800 212 5,982 N/A N/A 20D Pertex Quantum Pro All Round Regular 585 g / 1 lb 8.6 oz 77 cm / 30.3 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) is 212 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 5982 cubic inches of down fill volume. Rab Positron Pro (Men's) -13/-25 No data No data No data No data No Yes Yes Down 800 300 8,466 N/A N/A 40D Pertex Quantum Pro All Round Regular 740 g / 1 lb 10 oz 85 cm / 33.5 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of Rab Positron Pro (Men's) is 300 grams. Its fill power is 800 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 8466 cubic inches of down fill volume. REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's) 14/-10 No data No data No data No data No No Yes Down 850 120 3,598 N/A N/A Pertex mini ripstop nylon All Round Regular 340 g / 13.75 oz 74 cm / 29.25 in No bestdownjackets Fill weight of REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's) is 120 grams. Its fill power is 850 cubic inches per ounce, which equals to a total of 3598 cubic inches of down fill volume.
Assumptions: Worn over a thin shirt, no output, no precipitation, light to no wind.
Specs are always for size M and for men's, except for women's-only items.
Primary use of this spectrum is for comparison, rather than figuring out absolute temp ratings. Still, estimated temp ratings best respond to the average male physiology. If you run warmer or colder, shift ratings accordingly.
Visit product pages to reveal hooded or hoodless recommendations. But general recommendation is hoodless down and hooded synthetic jackets.
- Further reading:
- CLO values of synthetic insulators: https://outdoorcrunch.com/clo-values/
- Guide to Arc'teryx Jackets: https://outdoorcrunch.com/best-arcteryx-jacket/
- Guide to Patagonia Jackets: https://outdoorcrunch.com/best-patagonia-jackets/
- Also see:
- Arc'teryx Jacket Finder: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/jacket-finder
Synthetic Insulations
Synthetic insulators are typically designed to mimic down's properties.
Ultra-fine fibers in their structure create heat-trapping air pockets, keeping your body heat... though not as good as natural fillings [1].
But, when it comes to water resistance, they don't collapse and lose their insulating power when wet, unlike down jackets. Also, their drying time is shorter.
So, I'd say synthetic insulated jackets might be good choices for damp conditions or high-output activities. And, you can clean them easier than those with down.
Plus, they're more affordable and hypoallergenic. But still, keep in mind that synthetic jackets are less packable and heavier than down ones.
How Warm Are Synthetic Insulated Jackets?
Truth be told, it's pretty tough to tell how warm a synthetic insulated jacket is.
For a start, I'd say you'll need more synthetic insulation than natural down to achieve the same warmth. It means your ultra-warm synthetic jacket will likely be heavier than its down counterpart.
Of course, you'll want to wear lightweight synthetic jackets during high-intensity activities. To offset the weight, some brands use lighter insulations in their jackets, like 40 g/m². Or only in the jacket's sleeves, hood, and neck.
These active insulation jackets sacrifice a little warmth but still can work great trapping air. Also, they're remarkably breathable. My best picks in this category are Arc'teryx Proton LT and Patagonia Nano-Air.
Synthetic Insulation Types
There are three major categories of nonwoven insulations: Short-staple, continuous filament, and cluster fiber. Also, it's possible to knit synthetic insulations.
Non-woven Insulations
Short-staple insulation
These insulators feature densely packed short fibers to trap air and keep your body heat. But, the fibers can move around and form cold spots.
Short-staple fillings provide a soft feeling. They're compressible and have good warmth-to-weight performance. But, they can lose their insulating ability faster than other synthetic ones. Meaning that you might need a new jacket after a while.
PrimaLoft, Arc'teryx Coreloft Compact, and Thinsulate are examples of short-staple insulation.
Continuous filament insulation
These insulations are made from continuous filament fibers.
They’re stiffer and less packable than short-staple insulators. But, their web structure is more durable and retains loft longer.
Climashield, Coreloft Continuous, and PlumaFill are at the forefront of the market.
Cluster fiber insulation
There are small fiber tufts in this insulation type. They're designed for closely mimicking down to minimize heat loss.
The North Face ThermoBall Eco and Freudenberg comfortemp are examples.

The North Face ThermoBall [3]


Comfortemp® fiberball padding
Knitted Insulations
These insulations don't need to be quilted because they're self-supporting knitted structures. So, the jacket's outer layer doesn't have to be high-density to keep the insulation.
After all, the jackets with knitted insulators are highly breathable. That’s why they're convenient for high-output activities.
But, to put it bluntly, they won't offer excellent insulation performance.
Polartec, Octa Loft, and Pontetorto are well-known knit insulations.
What Kind of Synthetic Insulation is Best for You?
This might come self serving but I think the best place to look at for this is the Typical Buyer Profiles section of this guide: https://outdoorcrunch.com/synthetic-insulated-jackets/.
PrimaLoft
PrimaLoft is a well-known brand in short-staple insulation. It has three main categories: Gold, Silver, and Black.
And they've tons of subcategories...
PrimaLoft Gold insulators have the highest CLO values among others. And that way, they might maintain your warmth even in harsh weather.
Generally speaking, PrimaLoft Silver ones display slightly worse insulation performance. So I'd say they'll be appropriate for wearing in a little warmer climates
And the PrimaLoft Black is the most basic insulation. You can opt for a jacket with this insulation for everyday use.
PrimaLoft also designs insulators in collaboration with some outdoor clothing brands. LifaLoft (Helly Hansen) and ThermoBall Eco (The North Face) are some of them.
By the way, I'd like to say I have been impressed with PrimaLoft's cross-core technology. The aerogel used could enhance your warmth without increasing your jacket's weight. Patagonia DAS Parka is an example.
Climashield
Climashield produces continuous fiber insulations made of long and hollow fibers.
Filaments in their structure allow recovery after applying forces during stretching or washing. So, they might help maintain the insulation performance of your jacket for a long time.
The company has a wide variety of insulations like Climashield Apex, Contur, Prism…
Each insulation has a prominent characteristic. For example, Climashield Apex is touted as lightweight warmth. And Climashield Prism is a high-performance insulation material produced using AquaBan technology. So, it can repel water effectively.
Speaking of which, Arc'teryx ThermaTek is thought to be a rebrand of Climashield Prism.

Climashield PRISM Arc’teryx Cold WX Hoody LT Gen 2 Men’s - Women’s
Coreloft
Coreloft is synthetic insulation used exclusively by Arc'teryx. There are two kinds of this insulation: Coreloft Compact and Coreloft Continuous.
The Coreloft Compact is thought to be a rebrand of Thermore Classic. And the Coreloft Continuous is of Climashield APEX.
The Coreloft Compact is made of staple fibers in various sizes that are crimped to trap air for more warmth. It's compressible and soft but might lose loft faster because of short fibers.
As you might guess from its name, the Coreloft Continuous includes filament fibers in the structure. That’s why it features higher integrity and more durability. But you can compress it less. Also, I'd say this insulation has some limits on its weight.
FullRange & PlumaFill
Exclusive to Patagonia, FullRange is a product of Toray Mills, Japan. This is why it’s believed to be a rebrand of Toray 3DeFX+.
FullRange, which is quite stretchy and breathable, includes multi-denier polyester fibers. For now, Patagonia uses this insulator only in Nano-Air products.
PlumaFill is another innovative synthetic insulation of Patagonia. Microfilaments in this insulator spiral a central fiber to mimic down very well. It’s pretty warm and compressible. You might want to check out this page for more info.
Conclusion
Your synthetic insulated jacket's warmth is mainly related to its insulation's CLO value. And the higher the value is, the warmer you feel.
But, companies infrequently share their products' CLO values. And finding them is a bit challenging and time-consuming.
So, I prepared a table with publicly available CLO values of synthetic insulators. And I added the calculated CLOs for synthetic jackets to the table. Also, you can find some details in the post about the common synthetic insulations in the market, like Primaloft, Climashield, etc.
I hope this information will help you when choosing a synthetic insulated jacket.
I recommend you also check out my other post, "Best Synthetic Insulated Jackets".
Check out our other content on jackets:
Guide: Insulated & Shell Jackets
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