Synthetic padding VS down: the winter match

ON MY LEFT: THE SYNTHETIC PADDING

Let's introduce our challenger, or rather our challengers: synthetic padding techniques, come to dethrone the reigning champion.

More and more manufacturers have turned to this alternative, often made of polyester. Some do it for commercial reasons, others for cost reasons. Still others are seriously pushing the offer upwards through technical innovations. And that's how this solution ended up in our ring.

As with any offer that becomes abundant, a question arises: how to find your way?

Non-exhaustive answer with a tour of the main candidates:

BASIC WADING

Mainly used at entry level, it is a classic padding in polyester or cotton fiber.

THE INNOVATIVE POLARTEC

We no longer present it. But we're going to do it anyway: a manufacturer of technical fabrics and insulation that we particularly appreciate at BonneGueule. To date, nine insulators with different objectives are offered by the brand, ranging from the most breathable to the most insulating, including wind resistance.

CLIMASHIELD

A specialist in continuous filament insulation, it focuses mainly on maintaining thermal performance over time. Several upholstery variations are offered, some of the best on the market.

PRIMALOFT

It divides its offer into three ranges (“Gold”, “Silver”, and “Black”) reflecting three different levels of quality. It is also one of the most effective synthetic solutions in terms of insulation. Primaloft's know-how was initially requested in 1983 by the American army to find a relevant alternative... to down.

THERMOBALL

It is not a competitor to Malteser but a technology resulting from the collaboration between The North Face and Primaloft. These are non-continuous fibers, similar to the functioning of down in terms of air preservation.

CORELOFT

Based on a mixture of polyester fibers of varying lengths, it is exclusively used by products from the high-end brand Arc'téryx. Note from Benoit: I strongly suspect that under the name "Corelfoft", this is a development provided by Climashied...

QUAD FUSION MIMIC

Used by the Haglöfs brand, this insulation composed of synthetic beads aims to capture hot air.

POLARGUARD

More present in sleeping equipment than in coats, it is a wadding composed of long and rather rigid fibers, with its consequences on the compressibility of the garment.

THERMOLITE

Five ranges of technical padding, available in several fiber qualities. Some of these fibers have the particularity of being hollow, leaving space to trap air. You can find them in particular at the Elizabeth Revol brand, a survivor of the Himalayas, who was also equipped with them.

Note from Benoit: the higher you go in altitude, the less it rains, this is why down - which usually fears water - is a wise choice, because it reveals all its advantages without its disadvantages: it's warm , it's light, it can compress a little (for the duration of an expedition, but no more because afterwards it will have to be stored uncompressed back home), and it doesn't fear humidity in dry weather.

But back to our geese.

In a coat, the fill power of down is more important than its quantity. There is no point in compressing a down by overloading a down jacket, it will even slow down its capacity to develop.

It is therefore better to have a down jacket with 200 grams of down with very high fill power, than 400 grams with mediocre fill power.

Note from Benoit: this is also why you should not choose a down garment that is too fitted, because the down must not be compressed when you wear it. If your down garment is a bit loose down (but really a bit), that's so much the better.

To compare the capacities of two coats, all you have to do is take out your nice Casio calculator and multiply the weight by the Cuin. Even if this will not be the only determining parameter.

Although more and more resellers are making this information available, you will often have to go looking for it: do not hesitate to ask questions to the in-store teams or send an e-mail to the customer service of your favorite e-shop .

“Okay, so we have excellent quality down, labeled “pure goose down”, with a fill power of 950 Cuin. But concretely, when does it hit? We are here to see some confrontation!”

Okay, now let's move on to the referee's left. On the plastic side of the force.

To shed light on my research on the functioning of synthetic insulation, I was able to speak with Linda Cattaneo from Polartec. She takes care of the brand for France, Spain, Belgium and Portugal. We therefore send him our thanks and our best wishes!

Each brand in the field uses its own technical discoveries to best imitate the insulating power of down. The three fighters most likely to compete with our goose are Primaloft, Polartec, and Climashield.

Let's see how a plastic bottle can become a strong rival in this fight for trapping hot air.

At Climashield, these are long synthetic fibers that are combined by the thousands to insulate the air among them, throughout the lining of the garment. Unlike a large part of the insulation on the market which uses short fibers, this process provides a more homogeneous distribution. In terms of thermal efficiency, the Climashield Apex range will be the most successful within the brand.

The advantage of a long fiber not requiring compartmentalization is also found at Polartec. At the origin of the invention of fleece in 1979, the brand today offers several ranges of padding including the most technical, Polartec Alpha.

When it comes to insulation, it’s their Power Fill range that stands out. How it works ? Polyester fibers, made from recycled plastic, form a matrix whose pockets will keep the air warm. This mesh obtained by the fibers being well distributed over the entire garment, Power Fill becomes one of the best alternatives to down.

As for Primaloft, its range of Primaloft Gold padding is often recognized as being the most insulating on the market, for the same weight. The operation of its technology is similar to that of Power Fill, with extremely fine and dense fibers, resulting in a reduced volume of padding.

Depending on the configuration of the garment, its outer fabric and the weights used, it is however difficult to determine a clear winner of synthetic insulation with precision.

In the same way as the fill power of down, there is still a unit of measurement allowing us to compare the insulation capacities of two synthetic paddings. But it presents two problems:

• Very few resellers communicate on this, it is information that circulates mainly between suppliers and brands.
• The method of calculation and what it represents would make your last post-New Year's Eve headache seem like a tickle.

So let's keep it simple: the clo is a unit that measures the insulation of a garment.

With layers of clothing together reaching 1 clo, you will maintain thermal stability in an environment around 21 degrees. Provided the humidity is below 50%, the wind stays below 0.9 km/h, and you haven't just downed a whole pot of Häagen-Dazs.

Some clothing sets can achieve a total clo of 4, which is 4 times what would keep you in the above conditions in terms of warmth.

Conversely, bare as a green, you will have a clo of 0. To be avoided outdoors therefore.

For example, the Climashield Apex range has a clo of 0.82, while Primaloft Gold will rise to 0.92. Of course, these values ​​do not take into account the layers of fabric used.

We can now answer the question that must surely be bothering you: between a perfect down with excellent fill power, and Primaloft Gold padding with a clo of 0.92, which would best insulate against the cold?

Who will knock out their opponent for this first round?

Well, for equal weight, it is down that will go further in terms of insulating performance.

You will feel little difference in the city, but we are here to crown the ultimate thermal insulation, and down has still not been dethroned to this day.

Christophe Capellot also prefers the comparison by altitude between two paddings to the inflating power. Up to 1500 meters altitude, the match is very close. But beyond that, the best down always ends up triumphing.

Note from Benoit: having learned about men's parkas and jackets used in very extreme environments (Arctic base, expedition in the Himalayas), it is indeed down that is used in the vast majority.

Here we are, you now know which solution best resists the cold. The most important thing is that you know why this is the case, how each alternative works, and what criteria to keep in mind.

But we're only talking about thermal insulation here, and you don't necessarily choose your coat for a stay in an igloo.

Other characteristics are also important, especially if your use of the room is mainly urban.

The synthetic padding still holds up. And the gong for the second round rang.

ROUND 2: WHICH RESISTS BEST IN WEATHER?

You can have the purest down.

You can even sort the feathers by hand yourself to get close to 100% flakes.

You can have a fill power of 1000 Cuin.

If you encounter a downpour on your way, and your outer fabric has not anticipated it in its specifics, game over.

You will lose a large part of its insulating power.

The best synthetic insulators have as their main comparative argument precisely their resistance to humidity.

Why does the down lie groggy on the carpet?

Its flakes, once wet, find themselves compressed against each other, impregnated with water. They are packed and are no longer distributed evenly and therefore their swelling power has also taken a hit.

Conversely, synthetic insulators such as Thermoball from North Face and Polartec have properties inherent to materials of plastic origin, including quasi-impermeability.

At Climashield, it is Aquaban technology which ensures resistance in the event of backstroke in a lake: a treatment applied directly to the surface of the padding slows down any infiltration.

These properties allow the majority of synthetic fillings to retain significantly more heat in bad weather. In the case of Primaloft Gold, this can be as low as 2% loss in terms of insulation.

To overcome this performance gap, there are down waterproofing techniques such as Nikwax Waterproofing or Downtek, which can, for example, limit water penetration to 30%.

According to Christophe Capellot, these techniques limit the swelling power of down, and it is still for this characteristic that it is chosen. The best solution in the case of down therefore remains the outer fabric of the garment, which should ideally be waterproof.

ROUND 3: WHICH IS THE MOST BREATHABLE?

Here, the confrontation becomes more difficult.

Due to the plastic origin of the fibers, the majority of entry-level synthetic insulation will be significantly less breathable than down, which after all remains natural padding. With these alternatives, expect more systematic heatstroke when you take the tram to see your great aunt.

When you go upmarket, the difference becomes smaller: the technologies are worked on and designed to ensure a certain breathability.

One of the most technically advanced ranges in this field is Polartec Alpha: developed for the American special forces, its main objective is to offer excellent air circulation. In short, low density fibers allow warm air and moisture to circulate freely.

Primaloft padding is also known for its effectiveness in this area.

Draw for this round: facing our biggest challengers on the market such as Polartec, Climashield, or even Primaloft, the difference in terms of breathability will therefore come down more to the interior and exterior fabrics of the garment than to the filling itself.

Moreover, the room in which your padding will be found also deserves attention. Because yes, some padding is more restrictive than others for the very design of the garment. And you don't want to become Michelin's mascot.

ROUND 4: WHAT INFLUENCE ON THE CLOTHING ITSELF?

Filling a garment with padding requires taking into account the characteristics of the latter. These criteria go so far as to influence the very design of the garment, and therefore, by extension, its style.

The confrontation is therefore not over, since from one insulator to another, the technical constraints will be different. And it is your appearance that will bear the consequences.

On the right side of the ring, with equal insulation, the compressibility of down will allow you to easily find a thinner and lighter piece. You now know: there is no need to overload a garment with down. Because if its swelling power allows it, it is its development in the lining which will take care of everything.

With down, unlike the synthetic option, you have lightness and comfort.

Another blow for its adversary: ​​well maintained, down can have a lifespan of between 10 and 20 years. Difficult to cope with, even if Climashield's continuous fibers aim to resist any test (95% thermal performance preserved after 20 washes).

But two disadvantages of goose plumage make it kneel down in the face of its synthetic challengers:

• Down and water are a bit like pizza and pineapple, you already understand why.
• You also get it, down is a flake.

In this regard, the very shape of the down can cause it to bunch up in clothing, which is not very practical for distributing the hot air against you. This is the origin of the myth of the “Michelin Man” down jacket: the obligation to compartmentalize the down to maintain a homogeneous presence in your down jacket requires the use of quilting. Hello endless sewing lines.

Note that many brands offer solutions: quilting without visible seams, with compartments on the interior side... Also note that many entry-level synthetic insulators also have the same disadvantage due to their shape.

To return to pizza and pineapple, I was of course talking about the behavior of down in the face of water. Brands are obliged to use water-repellent or waterproof fabrics.

Not to mention the feathers coming out when a brand offers you the luxury of a flannel down jacket. Believe in my experience, it is better to be vigilant on this.

In terms of texture and style, all this limits the possibilities quite a bit. Have you ever come across a wool jacket lined with down?

Finally, the water problem makes the duvet more difficult to maintain: the “dry cleaning invoice” box cannot be bypassed.

Hey, I just mentioned the bill. And our duvet has just put its second knee on the ground: it is expensive.

To give you an idea, among French farms, there are 55 million ducks for 2 million geese. We might as well tell you that if we add the costs linked to quality production, your credit card may prefer synthetic alternatives to goose down.

If your budget is tight, and you already have a Christmas tree to fill, it is better to turn to good synthetic filling rather than average quality down.

The referee whistles the end of the round, and our two competitors are both equally stunned.

ROUND 5: WHAT ABOUT ETHICS?

While we're here, looking at feathers fighting with plastic, some of you must be thinking about selection criteria other than body temperature outdoors in March.

“What about the fate of the geese? Of their well-being? Are they plucked alive?”

“With all these polyester fibers, hello boost for the oil industry!”

As with everything else, it's neither black nor white.

Let's take down: indeed, cases of raw plumage have already been brought to light before. And yes, as with any animal breeding, the last moments can easily be conducive to psychological suffering for the animal.

However, live plucking has been banned since the early 1990s. European producers, including Transplume in particular, are now obliged to use slaughterhouses approved by the European Union. The latter must stun the birds by electrocution before slaughter, so as to minimize their physical suffering.

In addition, as with the leather of your shoes, the majority of down is collected from livestock whose purpose remains the food sector. It is therefore very unlikely that a French goose was killed simply to fill your down jacket.

To best supervise breeding, there are international labels to which you can apply. refer such as RDS , created at the initiative of The North Face. Its objective is to be able to provide a certain traceability of down. The geese are neither force-fed nor exposed to stress.

We even prohibit all forms of nail clipping likely to cause the animal to suffer, originally practiced to prevent the plumage from being damaged during fights.

Please note that due to the important place of foie gras in France, you will have great difficulty finding RDS certified French down.

At Patagonia, it is a partnership with the organization NSF International which aims to offer you a down with guaranteed traceability: the Global Traceable Down Standard, known to be stricter than the RDS.

As for alternatives such as recycled down, they are not without ethical flaws. Christophe Capellot tells me he knows thrift stores who supply producers of recycled down… with bedding purchased from humanitarian donation foundations.

A person can therefore donate a down comforter, convinced that it will help someone in need, when in reality, their donation will only be raw material for a for-profit company.

The idea here is neither to legitimize breeding, nor to call into question the merits of more ethical alternatives. It's simply a matter of showing you that nothing is absolute, and that these issues are more complex than we think.

And regarding the relationship between synthetic padding and the oil industry, many brands offer recycled solutions:

• The Polartec Alpha and Polartec Power Fill ranges are made from recycled plastics, 100% and 80% respectively.
• At Primaloft Black, you will find 60% recycled materials.
• To move down the range a little, Quad Fusion from Haglöfs also uses recycling for its fibers.

As recycling constitutes a commercial argument in its own right, more and more brands are turning to this technique to limit their ecological impact.

Each side therefore limits its number of penalty points here as best it can, it's up to you to judge according to the issues that are important to you.

FINAL GONG SHOT: WHO’S ON THE GROUND?

Well it's up to you to decide, since you have all the cards in hand to make your choice.

But above all to make the right choice.

If you are looking for thermal performance and nothing else, you prefer more noble padding, and you have the budget, direct your search towards goose down.

If you want versatility, efficiency in bad weather, easy maintenance of your room, and the issue of animal welfare is very important to you, you have seen that synthetic alternatives can quite compete. .

In both cases, find out as much information as possible about the parts you like, compare the fill power, the weights , the origin of down, the characteristics of synthetic fillings: are you looking for breathability for transport? Strong insulation? Average ? It is therefore your use which will determine the most suitable room.

Also think about the exterior fabric. Choose ripstop which will resist tearing and limit loss of filling. Think of Gore Tex and its essential advantages halfway between breathability and waterproofing. On this, Pertex Endurance is also effective.

In the ring, two good champions. And only one referee: you.