Because winter is seriously starting to make itself felt, the time has come to present to you the test of an item manufactured by the French leader in down jackets.
But before dissecting the Spoutnic, a little gem in wool flannel offered by Pyrenex, a reminder of the history of the brand, and of what makes the down jacket interesting, is essential.
The history of Pyrenex
The company's history finds its source in the Pyrenees massif, where geese and ducks raised on local farms cackle. The birds, faced with the cold and humid climate of the mountains, are dressed in plumage with exceptional thermal insulating properties.
This is the reason why Mr. Abel Crabos, the ancestor of the current president of Pyrenex, decided in 1859 to scour the markets, to buy the most beautiful feathers and down from breeders.
Crabs in action - and in sepia
A hundred years later, the family saga took a new turn when Abel's grandson took over the family company in the 1960s, and decided to develop new sorting techniques , in order to offer the international market superior quality duvets. .
In 1970, another member of the family, Jean-Pierre Crabos, created the first technical down jacket. It is based on the experience of Louis Audoubert, an experienced mountaineer who became an advisor to the brand.
A true muse of Pyrenex, Louis Audoubert goes on an expedition wearing clothing specially designed for extreme conditions.
A few years later, fashion took hold of the down jacket which we began to wear in town, far from mountain ranges and sporting constraints.
In the 1980s, Pyrenex established itself in the urban wardrobe with its brightly colored (duck) lacquered down jackets like the Authentic, Mythic and Spoutnic models.
A flagship icon in the brand's catalog, the Oisans model particularly stands out due to its contrasting leather insert.
This model is reminiscent of the famous Togs Unlimited by Chevignon, which was released in 1984. We are left wondering which, the egg or the duck, came first.
The fifth and current generation of Pyrenex managers is represented by Edouard Crabos. Cultivating the vertical integration of the company, which allows it to control the quality of the product, it gives the impetus which allows the brand to enter the world of high-end in 2009 with its line Legacy.
These photos are taken from the Heritage line lookbook, from which the model in this test comes.
With his Premium line, for which big names in couture like Alexis Mabille help guide the artistic direction, Edouard Crabos intends to cultivate “a couture spirit, an inimitable French touch ”, while pursuing technical innovation.
We can say that there is severe swag in the Premium line and its luxury down jackets.
The padding of a down jacket: what are the differences between feathers and down?
Originally, the term “down” refers to a category of feathers with fine, cottony beards.
Unlike classic feathers whose barbs are stiff and attached to each other, downy feathers are flexible and develop in 3 dimensions.
This specificity of down is the source of its insulating power : the layers of down create a mesh of fibers which trap air in very small cavities.
It is the combination of the tiny size of these air pockets, with their large number per unit volume, which gives down a very insulating power.
In common parlance, a down is the result of the association of a multitude of these small insulating feathers, encapsulated between two layers of fabric. The down can then be transformed to make a duvet or, in the case that interests us, the design of a down jacket.
Natural or synthetic down for a down jacket?
To design down jackets, the temptation to use cheap synthetic materials from the petrochemical industry is great.
Let us remember, however, that there is still no chemist more competent than nature: webfoot down is approximately 3 times warmer than down resulting from the transformation of a plastic material , and it does not have tends to sag over time.
To check for synthetic filling like this, check the labels that indicate the origin of the materials used.
The construction of the garment: key point of the down jacket
It is not enough to have a quality goose or duck down to obtain a good down jacket. The know-how of the craftsman is essential in many aspects.
First of all, down must be mixed with stiffer feathers, in the right proportions, in order to combine the insulating power of down with the structuring character of the feather. This prevents the down jacket from sagging on itself, traps less air and conducts more cold.
Down forms the majority of the filling in good quality down jackets as above (nearly 90% down). Beware of low-end models, recognizable by the large proportion of traditional nibs, which are much heavier and rigid.
The stitching and partitioning method applied in manufacturing is a fundamental step: stitching the down pocket in a line, or in a square, makes it possible to homogenize the distribution of the down within the garment. However, the thermal resistance at the seams is weakened.
To get around this problem, several techniques exist, such as superimposing multiple layers of down stitched in different directions, or even partitioning using spacers.
Example of a duvet from Pyrenex, quilted in squares (to improve the homogeneity of the whole), and whose stitch is regularly interrupted (to reduce linear heat loss).
Discovery of the Spoutnic down jacket from Pyrenex
In order to see what our French down jacket brand has in down, I chose the Pyrenex Spoutnic model in navy blue wool flannel available on Menlook .
To be precise, the outer covering is made of 60% wool flannel, 38% polyester and 2% spandex. A tri-material combining the thermal and aesthetic properties of wool, with the waterproofness of polyester and the flexibility of elastane.
As for the filling, the duck down/feather ratio is 90%/10%. Let's be clear: this is a luxurious ratio for a piece of clothing , which is in fact positioned at the top of the range.
As a first test, I decide to wear the coat over a simple t-shirt, and go for a bike ride on a cold December day.
When you put it on, the feeling of softness and lightness of down is instantly felt . The arms find themselves wrapped in a soft cocoon, without affecting freedom of movement.
As for the hood, contact with the tightening threads instantly reveals the quality of the finishes.
Elastic threads glide smoothly. The metal material of the push button contributes to the feeling of robustness, the whole allowing the shape of the hood to be precisely adjusted.
The feeling of comfort of the hood is exceptional: the down adapts wonderfully to the shape of the skull - I have never felt something equivalent with any coat, but I point out that I am not used to wearing down jackets.
Same observation at the hips: the garment's tightening system is excellent.
Once outside, I don't feel the temperature change. Despite the cold wind and the ambient humidity, the feeling of comfort remains the same inside the coat.
The down of the sleeve completely covers the wrists, the ribbed edges lie perfectly against the skin leaving no chance for the wind and cold to infiltrate.
Even the sounds of the chaos of the city seem more distant to me than usual , which does not fail to remind me that acoustics and thermals are governed by similar laws of propagation.
When I get home, I nevertheless notice that what is gained in insulating power can be lost in the clothing's ability to wick away moisture from sweating.
I certainly didn't feel the cold for a single moment, even though I was only wearing a simple t-shirt. But I realize, when I take off the down jacket, that the physical effort from cycling has made me sweat slightly .
A Pyrenex down jacket made for the city
After the bike test, it's time to test the coat in more classic urban conditions.
First of all, I carry out the first test, called the “Geoffrey point”, for the character's propensity to make a point with the opposite leg supporting it. We can say that the counterweight of the Bleu de Chauffe bag contributes to the success of this dazzling posture.
The other challenge to overcome for a down jacket is to guarantee a fitted silhouette despite the “bibendum” effect - see the character of the same name .
The result of the bending is ambiguous: despite its bulky side, a down jacket can still have a really well-worked curvature, as we can see here at the hips. Note from Rafik: it is the shape of the down jacket that Romain wants to show you, and not his cycling butt.
As for versatility in the wardrobe, most men's pieces can be matched with a down jacket , as long as the size and color are suitable.
As a short coat, the down jacket goes very well with ankle boots, like this Fred model from Grenson.
Given the level of comfort felt , and the many compliments I have received about this little marvel, I am truly won over.
The hood and hands in pockets mode allows you to tell yourself that you are at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, while the Louvre esplanade is only 30.5 meters above sea level. .
The icing on the coat is that the zipper that allows you to put the hood on or take it off is really good quality.
If I really had to find a fault with it, I would say that I would have liked to have had a second interior pocket. That being said, I prefer that Pyrenex has focused on the quality of the down and the materials, rather than on the work of the interior pockets.
This Spoutnic down jacket in navy flannel is a real bargain at this price level (€419). This explains why Menlook warned us that stocks would melt faster than the snow in the Pyrenees.
In any case, you can rush with your eyes closed to the equivalent products offered by Pyrenex , a company which gives us reason to be proud of our French down jackets.
One thing is certain: Pyrenex has become an essential French manufacturer in the down jacket sector.
Thanks to David from Menlook for this test.
