Summary
Most outdoor apparel companies say that providing temperature ratings for their jackets isn't possible.
And to be fair, they're not incorrect. There are tons of fluid parameters that are difficult, if not impossible, to measure. And let's not forget the very subjective nature of the feeling of "warmth."
Having said that ... it is possible to provide approximate jacket temperature ratings for an average person if we make some strict assumptions around layering and weather conditions. Which is exactly what you'll find in this post.
Before we dive deep, here's our detailed list of temperature ratings of insulated jackets from brands like Arc'teryx, Patagonia, and RAB.
Name | Est. Temp (F/C) | 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) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's) | -18/-28 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Alpha Lightweight (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Atom (aka LT) ( Men's - Women's) | 43/6 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Atom Lightweight (aka SL) (Men's - Women's) | 52/11 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated (Men's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated (Men's) | 21/-6 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) | 16/-9 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Cerium (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) | 44/7 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) | 14/-10 | 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 Liatris (Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Liatris Parka (Women's) | 2/-17 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Nuclei (aka FL) ( Men's - Women's) | 32/0 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Patera (Women's) | 21/-6 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Patera Long (Women's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's) | 48/9 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Therme Parka (Men's) | 5/-15 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Therme SV (Men's) | -11/-24 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Thorium ( Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Thorium Parka (Women's) | -2/-19 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV (Men's) | 3/-16 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV Parka (Men's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | 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 | |
Feathered Friends Eos(Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | No | No | Yes | Down | 900 | 105 | 3,333 | N/A | N/A | Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 306 g / 10.8 oz | ? | No | |
Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's) | -17/-27 | 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 | |
Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's) | -10/-23 | 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 | |
Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's) | -13/-25 | 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 | |
Mountain Hardwear GW/2 (Men's - Women's) | 28/-2 | 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 | |
Outdoor Research Sup. Alp. (Men's - Women's) | 3/-16 | 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 | |
Patagonia AlpLight (Men's - Women's) | 36/2 | 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 | |
Patagonia AlpLoft (Men's) | -10/-23 | 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 | |
Patagonia DAS (Men's - Women's) | 10/-12 | 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 |
Patagonia DAS Light(Men's) | 34/1 | 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 |
Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's) | 23/-5 | 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 |
Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | 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 | |
Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | 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 | |
Patagonia Isthmus (Men's) | 36/2 | 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 Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | 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 |
Patagonia Jackson Glacier Parks ( Women's) | 7/-14 | 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 | |
Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | 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 |
Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | 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 |
Patagonia Nano Air Light Hybrid (Men's - Women's) | 50/10 | 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 Puff (Men's - Women's) | 37/3 | 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 |
Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | 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 |
Patagonia Stormshadow (Men's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Patagonia Tres 3-in-1Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | 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 |
Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's) | 10/-12 | 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 |
Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Rab Infinity Alpine (Men's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Rab Infinity Microlight (Men's - Women's) | 19/-7 | 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 | |
Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | 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 | |
Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) | -2/-19 | 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 | |
Rab Positron Pro (Men's) | -13/-25 | 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 | |
REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | 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 |
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
Table of contents
The context of this study will be evaluated in two parts:
- Working principles of down jackets
- Working principles of synthetic insulated jackets
Let's get to it.
Understanding the Working Principle of Down Insulated Jackets
Down quality and down amount are the two most important factors when it comes to the ultimate warmth provided by any down insulated garment.
You'll mostly come across these factors as fill power and fill weight, respectively. The word "down" is typically referred to as "fill" within the context of articles of down clothing or gear (think sleeping bags).
Let's take a look at fill power first.
Fill Power
Fill power represents the fully expanded volume of a 1 oz down (goose or duck). It's measured in cubic inches.
For example, 800 FP (fill power) down will take up 800 cubic inches when it's fully expanded.
Because the insulation occurs by trapping air within the vacant spaces of down, followed by having that trapped air heated by our own bodies. So, the higher the volume of trapped air (which is directly proportional to Fill Power), the more air that will be heated and function as insulation.
In the end, you'll feel warmer inside the jacket you're wearing.
The fill power number varies anywhere from 500 to 1000, although the majority of quality brands (such as Arc'teryx, Patagonia, Feathered Friends, Outdoor Research, Marmot, REI Co-op, Enlightened Equipment, Rab, Black Diamond, Mountain Equipment and Mountain Hardware) typically use down between 650 FP and 850 FP.
As you'll see, there are outliers, though. A notable one would be Feathered Friends Eos, which is equipped with a whooping 900 FP down.
Speaking of fill power, warmth isn't the only thing it affects.
Other roles of fill power
It has three other important roles:
- Loft retention during movement: Higher FP down will retain its loft with minimal loss during movement. The lower the FP, the larger the loss in this department.
- Higher impact on end warmth: Compared to FW (fill weight), FP has a larger impact on the warmth an insulated jacket provides.
For the sake of minimizing confusion and keeping this as clear as possible, equal weights of importance are placed on fill power and fill weight when calculating FP * FW values (which you'll come across as you read on).
...although these effects have been included when calculating the temperature ratings of jackets within their first year.
After all, FP * FW is not the only factor considered while laying out the temperature ratings.
Tens of parameters are assessed, and the values put together at the end are the final results, including the few extra effects of fill power.
- Durability of insulation capability
- A jacket with a higher FP down minimizes its loss of insulating power over time. You'd be able to use a 850 FP down jacket for decades, and it'll feel almost as warm as the first day you put it on.
- A jacket with a lower FP down, on the other hand, might not prove as durable. In our experiences, jackets equipped with 650 FP down are more likely to feel noticeably colder after, say, 2 or 3 years.
If you're not planning to use your jacket for more than a few years, then this might not be that important to you after all. By the time it starts to noticeably lose its insulating power, you'll have gotten yourself a new piece anyway.
- Compressibility: A jacket with a higher FP down will offer a smaller packed size.
Here's a video also does a good job explaining fill power:
Moving on to our other major factor...
Fill Weight
Fill weight is the total amount of down the jacket is equipped with.
Some other resources might claim that fill weight is much less important than fill power when it comes to warmth, but that's far from reality.
In terms of warmth, fill weight is very, very important. Almost (in some conditions it even is) just as important as fill power.
Because, just like fill power, fill weight also directly affects the total amount of air trapped within the vacant spaces of down.
Warmth Calculation
As explained earlier, fill power and fill weight are the two most important factors when it comes to warmth.
In many cases, on a larger scale, assuming both jackets are equipped with the same amount of equally capable synthetic insulation, it is possible to make very close estimations by multiplying them when comparing warmth ratings of two different pieces.
For example...
- The Arc'teryx Cerium SV offers 162 grams of 850 FP down.
- 105*900 = 137,700
- The Rab Positron Pro offers 300 grams of 800 FP down.
- 116*650 = 240,000
Because 240,000 is significantly greater than 137,700, it's safe to say that the Rab Positron Pro will be noticeably warmer than the Arc'teryx Cerium SV.
One point should be made in here is that although the Positron will be warmer, the higher fill power down of the Cerium SV means the Arc'teryx jacket will:
- stay almost equally warm even after decades
- won't lose its insulation during movement
- will be more compressible/packable
Now ...
There are reasons why this mostly won't work on a smaller scale (more on these later, under Other Factors heading).
Comparing two jackets with, say, 140,000 and 100,000 FP * FW values.
Understanding the Working Principle of Synthetic Insulated Jackets
Synthetic insulated jackets imitate the working principle of down insulated jackets. They're equipped with artificial insulators rather than natural down obtained from geese and ducks. Some examples of these artificial insulators are Coreloft and PlumaFill.
However, comparing the temperature ratings of synthetic insulated jackets is more difficult because, unlike fill power in down jackets, there isn't a common denominator to compare different types of synthetic insulators in an analytical way.
What do CLO values represent?
CLO value is the insulation power of an insulation setting.
For example, this value is 0.92 for 1 ounce (28.35 grams) of a dry PrimaLoft One for one square yard. The important thing here is that unlike fill power, CLO is not a characteristic that is unique to one ounce of the material.
As you see in the example above, it isn't independent from the area of insulation (square yards).
So, a higher CLO actually points to the insulation capability of an insulation setting as a whole. It does NOT necessarily mean that the insulator being used is any more capable than an insulation setting put together with a weaker insulator.
Given the right amount of thickness, any insulator can achieve desired CLO value. It's just going to end up being heavier. So, metaphorically, you can think of CLO value in synthetic insulated jackets as similar to the FP * FW value in down insulated jackets.
- Read more about CLO values: https://outdoorcrunch.com/clo-values/
Unfortunately, obtaining the CLO value for commercial products is absolutely impossible. Having said that, we can (and we do) use a made-up parameter to CLO/oz/yd² to replicate FP in down jackets.
But unfortunately, a new problem arises here. A fair amount of manufacturers come up with their unique insulators - such as Coreloft, PlumaFill, Octa, Stratus, FullRange, etc.
And just like CLO values, they're unwilling to reveal the CLO/oz/yd² values of their insulators, which are the numbers we would need to determine the warmth.
I asked Arc'teryx and Patagonia about this, and came back empty handed. But, during my research, I did come across some useful information that we can leverage. For example, as it turns out, the CLO/oz/yd² value for PrimaLoft One is 0.92. The value is 0.79 for PrimaLoft Sport and 0.74 for PrimaLoft Eco.
However, these values aren't certain or completely trustworthy by any means. They aren't the results of scientific studies. I didn't detect them in any other place rather than forums, Reddit, or contacting manufacturers myself.
In the end, I put what I could find together and did my best to make an estimation. Fortunately, this calculation using the numerical value CLO was not the only information I had in my hands.
I had two additional (at least equally helpful) data: trying them out myself when I could, and gathering offline user experience.
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 |
Warmth Evaluation
So, in the end I used at least two of these three factors to estimate the overall temperature rating of an insulated jacket:
- Analyzed them scientifically (as explained earlier)
- Tried them out myself when I could
- And/or gathered offline user experience.
And mostly all three above.
In addition to insulation types and amounts (which is what I covered so far), there are also other factors that impact the warmth of an insulated jacket.
Other factors
Let's talk about the most important and most common examples of these factors.
In most cases, these are considered minor next to insulation-specific qualities. But they do have a noticeable effect, and combined together, they might come close to affect the warmth as much as the insulator capability and amount.
- Bagginess
- Length
- Outer (face) fabric
- Distribution of insulation
Bagginess
I also talked about this more in my my Arc'teryx Thorsen vs Therme vs Camosun post.
Briefly, the amount of trapped air increases as the jacket gets baggier. So more air works as insulation, and ultimately you're kept warmer.
There certainly is something as "too baggy," though. After some point, more inner volume only holds the warmth back.
Length
This has two effects. The first is the amount of trapped air against your body, which is explained above.
And second, in colder weather, it becomes much harder to warm your legs and feet than your torso and arms.
This is why a jacket with a longer hem length, such as a parka, will feel warmer. And the difference is pretty noticeable.
Outer fabric
Outer fabric is actually much more about weather resistance, but it also affects warmth a little bit.
As explained earlier, no down jacket is able to offer top notch weather resistance because down clumps and loses its loft when wet. It doesn't matter if that moisture comes from your seat or from weather conditions.
Having said that, it's still possible to prevent it to a certain degree. Some products offer a more fragile face fabric, while others can bead water more efficiently. These are directly proportional to face quality and DWR coating.
DWR is a coating.
It's basically sprayed on to the surface of these jackets as a finish.
It stands for Durable Water Repellent - which means that water will be repelled under wet conditions instead of soaking into the fabric.
DWR also decreases dry time.
It's a good thing these jackets are coated in DWR.
But pay attention to the fact that DWR is a coating - meaning that it will wear off over time.
Which is why you might want to invest in a DWR spray such as this one at arcteryx.com for after treatment.
As you see, there's a strong correlation between FP x FW and temperature ratings, but not more than, say, 80%. I explained why this happens here in this post of mine.
For face fabrics, I'd list them like this:
Perfex Quantum Pro = Arato 30 > Perfex Quantum > Arato 10 = Drilite Loft 40D > Arato 7 = Drilite Loft 20D > others.
For synthetic jackets, outer fabric affects the warmth noticeably less. Why? Because the benefit of synthetic insulation is it doesn't lose its insulating properties when wet.
Fill distribution
Some products of my favorite brand Arc'teryx are guilty of this. Take the Firebee AR (read my review), for example. Nothing is wrong with the insulation at the back, collar and torso. They feel perfectly warm.
Whereas the insulation in the arms, especially in the lower arms, is slightly inadequate, which in the end affects the warmth of the jacket.
Reinforcements
Some (most?) down jackets are reinforced with synthetic insulation in strategic locations. More often than not, these are high-wear areas such as shoulders, back, elbows, etc.
For the sake of simplicity, I don't list them in my tables - although I do take them into consideration when evaluating the end warmth of a jacket.
This is why you may see a jacket with a smaller FP x FW rating outscoring a jacket with a higher FP x FW rating - the former is equipped with (more) synthetic insulation reinforcements.
Results: Temperature Ratings
Down jackets lose insulating power noticeably when in contact with water. Synthetic jackets don't. This is why the dry weather assumption was made for both of them.
Name | Est. Temp (F/C) | 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) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's) | -18/-28 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Alpha Lightweight (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Atom (aka LT) ( Men's - Women's) | 43/6 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Atom Lightweight (aka SL) (Men's - Women's) | 52/11 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated (Men's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated (Men's) | 21/-6 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) | 16/-9 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Cerium (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) | 44/7 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) | 14/-10 | 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 Liatris (Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Liatris Parka (Women's) | 2/-17 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Nuclei (aka FL) ( Men's - Women's) | 32/0 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Patera (Women's) | 21/-6 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Patera Long (Women's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's) | 48/9 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Therme Parka (Men's) | 5/-15 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Therme SV (Men's) | -11/-24 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Thorium ( Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Thorium Parka (Women's) | -2/-19 | 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 |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV (Men's) | 3/-16 | 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 | |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV Parka (Men's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | 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 | |
Feathered Friends Eos(Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | No | No | Yes | Down | 900 | 105 | 3,333 | N/A | N/A | Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 306 g / 10.8 oz | ? | No | |
Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's) | -17/-27 | 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 | |
Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's) | -10/-23 | 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 | |
Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's) | -13/-25 | 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 | |
Mountain Hardwear GW/2 (Men's - Women's) | 28/-2 | 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 | |
Outdoor Research Sup. Alp. (Men's - Women's) | 3/-16 | 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 | |
Patagonia AlpLight (Men's - Women's) | 36/2 | 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 | |
Patagonia AlpLoft (Men's) | -10/-23 | 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 | |
Patagonia DAS (Men's - Women's) | 10/-12 | 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 |
Patagonia DAS Light(Men's) | 34/1 | 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 |
Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's) | 23/-5 | 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 |
Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | 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 | |
Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | 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 | |
Patagonia Isthmus (Men's) | 36/2 | 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 Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | 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 |
Patagonia Jackson Glacier Parks ( Women's) | 7/-14 | 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 | |
Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | 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 |
Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | 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 |
Patagonia Nano Air Light Hybrid (Men's - Women's) | 50/10 | 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 Puff (Men's - Women's) | 37/3 | 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 |
Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | 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 |
Patagonia Stormshadow (Men's) | 0/-18 | 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 | |
Patagonia Tres 3-in-1Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | 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 |
Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's) | 10/-12 | 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 |
Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Rab Infinity Alpine (Men's) | 5/-15 | 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 | |
Rab Infinity Microlight (Men's - Women's) | 19/-7 | 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 | |
Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | 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 | |
Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) | -2/-19 | 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 | |
Rab Positron Pro (Men's) | -13/-25 | 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 | |
REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | 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 |
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
Fill Values of Insulated Jackets
Updated for Winter 2024.
- 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.
- 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) is equipped with 60 g/m² of Coreloft Continuous.
- 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) is equipped with 40 g/m² of Coreloft Compact.
- 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) is equipped with 80 g/m² of Coreloft Continuous.
- Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) is equipped with 80 g/m² + 120 g/m² of Coreloft .
- 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.
- #REF!
- Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) is equipped with 98 g/m² of Coreloft.
- 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.
- 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) is equipped with 65 g/m² of Coreloft Continuous.
- Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (Women's) is equipped with 190 g/m2 + 90 g/m2 of Coreloft Continuous.
- 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.
- 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) is equipped with 94 g/m² of Octa Loft.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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) is equipped with 133 + 40 g of PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco.
- Patagonia DAS Light(Men's) is equipped with 65 g of PlumaFill.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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) is equipped with 60 g of ThermoGreen.
- 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.
- 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) is equipped with 65 g of PlumaFill.
- Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 60 g of FullRange.
- Patagonia Nano Air Light Hybrid (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 40 g of FullRange.
- Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's) is equipped with 60 g of PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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) is equipped with 100 g of ThermoLite.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
CLO Values
Find CLO values of synthetic insulators in this table.
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 |
Canberk is 5'11" and 165 pounds, with an athletic build. Size Medium fits him perfectly across almost all brands and product lines.
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).
Check out our other content on jackets:
Guide: Insulated & Shell Jackets
Start here:
Also see:
Brandon says
Where’s Fission SV fitting in this warmth chart?
Canberk Köksal says
Hi Brandon, Fission SV is added to chart.
Because my site is using a cache, you might not be able to see the updated chart when you refresh this page. In that case, try reloading the page through Shift + F5 keyboard shortcut.
Hope this helps.
Benoit says
Where would you put the macro puff hoody in the chart?
Canberk Koksal says
Thank you for your comment Benoit! Macro Puff is just added into the chart.
Stuart says
Hi, I was just wondering if/when you may be able to include the new Patagonia DAS Light Hoody and the re-released Patagonia DAS Parka on the charts above..?
Additionally, I noticed that you included the OR Refuge, but any chance that the Refuge Air will be included as well? Just curious.
Thanks!
Stuart says
Hi, I was wondering if you would be able to rank/add Patagonia’s new DAS Light Hoody and re-released DAS Parka to the list…?
Additionally, while you did include the OR Refuge, just out of curiosity, where would the OR Refuge Air sit on the list?
Thanks!
Kristine says
Hi. I’m not seeing wool blend options in this lineup. How would something like Icebreaker’s Stratus (180g merinoloft) compare to down/synthetic as far as warmth?
fernando says
Hi from spain, first of all thanks for your wonderful page.
Do you know the Outdoor Research Ascendant?
In what temperature range is it?
Like the atom lt?
Thank you!!
Canberk says
Thank you for your comment and kind words Fernando.
I was going to review the Ascendant, but then I couldn’t find the product page of its men’s version at outdoorresearch.com. Seems like the only available option now is women’s counterpart.
Do you know what happened to the men’s version? I contacted the OR about this and now waiting for their response.
Alexander says
There’s an error in your math in the example of Eos versus Transcendent. 141 x 700 is over 98000, much more than what you state, and more than Eos.
Also, if you converted to ounces your calculations would have units of cubic inches rather than some odd cu. In. * Gram / Oz
Otherwise looks like a good resource and looking forward to reading through all this.
Canberk says
Thank you for your comment Alexander!
That’s a great catch, thank you for paying attention to the post. The incorrect numbers of the calculation was actually the “141 x 700”, though. The correct values for the Transcendent are 116 x 650 (source: https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/mens-transcendent-down-hoodie-268084#eyJvcl9zaXplIjoiNzIifQ__) as mentioned.
The typo is now fixed, but the placements and results stay the same. You might not be able to see the edited version of the page right away. Because my site uses caching, and it might take a few days until it’s purged.
I’ll check out your comments about the units and will make edits accordingly.
Glad you found this post helpful.
Thanks!
Andrew says
Rab has now changed their 750 down in the Microlight Alpine to a 700 totally recycled down. This is from their site:
“Insulation: Recycled 700 fill-power down Nikwax hydrophobic (water-resistant) finish (153g Size L)”
The old jacket was :
“750FP R.D.S Certified European Goose Down (143g/5oz in Size L)”
Thanks for this great information!
zhaoyuan miao says
Thank you for the depth review. Helps a lot. I hope there is a donation button to appreciate your hard work and researching
Canberk says
Glad it was helpful for you.
Yes, you can this donation button: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=EVA3S7ME6LZB6¤cy_code=USD
I’m flattered, appreciate it, thanks!
Jc says
I mean great article. This is how everything should be written. As much info as possible.
I’d say the only thing missing is how down fill powder is created/made. I’m very curious how a duck feather can go from 600 to 850fp. Is it a different part of the feather or do they do something to the feather. I would love to see that added to this Article.
Canberk says
Glad to hear it was helpful for you JC.
They don’t do anything to the feather. It’s all natural. In most cases, the difference is mostly due to the genetics of ducks.
Michael Kyle says
I Don, t see anything from the Canada goose line in any list, just wondering why?
Canberk says
Currently I’m on this. Gathering information, analyzing products, etc. They’ll be added soon.
Jeff Wile says
Simply Amazing !
i’ve been hunting and pecking tryying to find this type of information for a purchase(s) and stumbled upon your site.
you have spend a loooooot of time putting this together. the “sales” sites almost never have enough information upon which to make a good decision by making comparisons! it’s been quite frustrating to have to spend hours looking for data like this and the manufacturers aren’t really forthcoming with this data.
Simply Amazing ! thank you so much for all of your work.
i immediately copied it all off in case i don’t find this again.
jeff Wile says
i forgot to add that it’s time to replace all of my outside gear as it all is 50, or so, years old, and is totally disintegrating. prices have changed in that time ! –it makes me groan when i see the price tags, but it was well worth it, waaay back when, to do research in what i was buying and to obtain the best that i could. this really helps me thru the labryinth of finding what i want.
these next purchases, i figure, will be my last as i’m 68 and probably won’t be around for another 50….but maybe my kids or grandkids can wear what i leave behind. when i got my first gear there were no stores to buy anything in. outside clothing and equipment was not anywhere to be found, at least for someone living in Northern Wisconsin. my first boots came from a garbage can ! they had holes in the bottoms but were warm and rugged ! thanks again.
Ted says
Amazing research! Thank you. As mentioned above, would be very curious to know where the new Patagonia DAS parka sits, also the Black Diamond Belay (Stance) Parka or whatever they keep renaming it to – definitely interested in the synthetics that push the low temp limits.
Jon says
Hi Fantastic information and research, thank you, can you add the Rab Valiance please?
Thanks
Jon
John says
Awesome work! Reading this all the way in South Africa. We basically buy one brand nationwide. This helped quite a lot with figuring out what I need. You’re soo technical. It’s inspiring
I’m in awe.
Debra says
What a great review, so much research..thank you. whilst this lists the minimum temperature the parkas are rated for what is the maximum temperature. Would a 650 rating be good for 5 – 15 degrees Celcius for example
Sylvester says
Arc teryx has Agrium on their website now. Where would that sit in the chart?
Matthew says
Hi ! I am super cold natured and usually wear an insulated Carhartt hoodie and thermal jacket in 40 degrees weather. Usually a North Face Nuptse. Can you recommend a good jacket I can wear without having 3 to 4 layers under it. A lot of the times I wear an insulated Carhartt suits bibs and jacket over this. I do wear insulated underwear all winter.
Thank you!
nobody says
Please add Eddie Bauer Peak XV. (Great value at once a year 60% off sale).
GARTH MCMURTREY says
Great work! The trouble is that many of the selections you have listed are not available. Very disappointing because I get all excited then I can’t get one. I suppose it’s lots of work to keep up with the market and remove pieces that go out of production.
thanks for your work!
Fil says
Very informative article, but you missed off one of the main factors that affect the warmth of a down jacket…construction!
3 identical jackets, with the same face fabric, fill weight and fill power, will not be the same warmth depending on construction. If one is stitch-through, one box wall and one is over lapping baffles, then the warmth (and cost) will vary.
This is why jackets like the Berghaus Ramche 2 down jacket (my favourite jacket I own) weighing 456 grams with only 183g of 850fp down is rated to minus 20 / minus 25 degrees C, as it has overlapping insulation meaning it is much warmer than heavier, higher fill weight jackets.
Construction is one of the key things I look for as it is a better indicator of warmth than FW x FP alone.
That aside, some very informative and detailed descriptions and analysis.
Murali says
Hi,
RESPECT for a detailed research and review. Stumbled upon this while researching for jackets.
I have a question if I may, for synthetic jackets I see that the least temp for sameg/m2 isn’t the same for jackets with coreloft(arc tryx kappa) vs. those thermatek (arc tryx Dually). is this a case of one tech being better than other or is it a function of the overall jacket build?
In corollary, can it be assumed that jackets with same g/m2 ratings would be equally warm irrespective of technology?
Canberk says
Hi Murali,
Thank you.
Good question. The difference is actually caused by a combination of both of the reasons you mentioned – tech differences and overall jacket build (mostly the nature of face fabrics).
Sylvester says
Hi, thanks a lot for the comprehensive testing/analyses. Would you mind adding Mountain Hardwear or Mammut insulation jackets? They are also regarded as high quality products (especially the EigerExtreme line)
Francesco says
Hello. Thank you so much for sharing this amount of information. I don’t see in this list some Scandinavian or other European outdoor clothing brands (except RAB). When possible, can you review some of these? I don’t have any versus American brands. I had a Tommy Hilfinger and PME Legend jacket (both stolen in a discotheque), and I’m planning to buy a new jacket: I like Patagonia, Marmut, Columbia (who has acquired Mountain Hardware), The North Face and others; but some Nordic brands are great, too. For example, Fjallraven makes his own products instead of using Gore-tex etc. Sorry for my English, I’m Italian.
Canberk says
Thanks Francesco. I’ll take your comments into consideration and see what I can do. Great to hear you found my site helpful.
james xie says
medium sized cerium lt has 102g 850 power fill down with Arato 10 face fabric. kole has 72g 750 power fill with 20D nylon. why temperature chart of cerium is -2* and kole is -12*? and how about agrium which has 117g 850 power fill down with Arato 15 fabric? thank you.
Canberk says
Hi James,
As I explained earlier into the article, this difference is caused by additional synthetic insulator use.
Best,
C
Jim Meek says
Thanks for this great information. As a hiker who lives in the southeastern US (and not in, say, Jackson Hole), I struggle to know how to make adjustments from reviews often written for more aerobic activities in colder climates. Note: Almost exactly half the US population lives south of about 37° latitude, roughly the line from the North Carolina-Virginia border, across northern Oklahoma, to central California (about Fresno). While some of us head to New England or Colorado for winter skiing, lots of others are just trying to figure out how to stay comfortably warm while active in the outdoors nearer home.) The information on your site helps.
I noticed that your temperature ratings no longer include the Outdoor Research Refuge or Transcendent (and perhaps others). I assume this is because OR is no longer making these two jackets. I’d like to encourage you to keep orphan items in your list for a bit longer. Outdoor gear sites are still selling these jackets new, and lots of us with limited means look for good used gear online, so it would be helpful to keep archived data In your rankings for a few years (or start a third table for discontinued items?). Thanks.
STEFANO says
About down insulation you’d to consider other elements and in particolar the ratio between down and feathers and the baffle construction.
Higher percentage of down mean more warmth. The right calculation should be fill power x fill weight x ratio between down and feathers. For example, Feathered Friends Rock and Ice parka, in size medium, has 20,5 oz, fill down 900, ratio 0,96 (96% down 4% feathers), Rab expedition 8000 m jacket has, in size medium, 19 oz of down 850, with a ratio of 0,90.
Another important element is the baffle construction: a box baffle jacket is far warmer than a serena through jacket with the same fill power and fill weight. The construction is important also for synthetic cloths because stitch through cause cold spot.
The least but not the last, the material of the outer layer and the type of insulation. Some are waterproof and windproof, others are water resistant and windproof, others water and wind resistant, others more breathable and only slightly wind resistant, like the patagonia nano air or the arc’teryx atom. Matetials like fullrange and polartec alpha are very permeable to wind