Comparative review: A reliable ally in winter mountains and backcountry. We compared the active synthetic insulation jackets that are OK to keep them on while you're on

Synthetic fiber insulation is a representative middle layer, an essential part of the winter mountain climbing. In particular, the "movable winter clothing" active insulation jacket, which has been newly developed in recent years, uses highly breathable and quick-drying padding, is now such a convenient item that it is indispensable not only for winter mountain climbing, but also for backcountry where it is difficult to put on and take off.

This site has featured multiple times, but recently there have been more and more padding in different manufacturers, and the ventilation performance, heat retention, weather resistance, etc. change depending on the combination with the outer material, the thickness and weight of the padding, so I don't know that this spread will remain inevitable.

This time, we have picked out five models that I've been interested in from among the latest active fiber insulation and compared them.

About the active fiber insulation comparisons

The theme of this comparison is "cold wear that can be comfortable even when left in winter." It is necessary to combine heat retention, such as stopping or moving, and quick-drying. The standard for pick-up is a synthetic fiber insulation jacket made from synthetic fiber padding material that has high ventilation, quick drying, and heat retention. We chose 100% synthetic fiber (a hybrid model with down model not selected) and also an item with the concept of combining cold protection and sweat removal functions as a winter intermediary.

• Arc'teryx Proton LT Hoodie (Padded: Core Loft™ Compact)
• Montane Hydrogen Direct Jacket (Padded: POLARTEC®Alpha®Direct)
• mont-bell UL Thermal Wrap Parka (Padded: Stretch Excelloft)
• Mountain Hardwear Core Strata Hooded Jacket (Padded: PrimaLoft Gold Active)
• Patagonia Nano Air Hoodie (Padded: Full Range, 100% Polyester)

Test environment and evaluation criteria

Weared it when backcountry (snowboarding) in winter mountains in Hokkaido from December 2019 to January 2020. It can also be used for everyday use and early morning running. Incidentally, I'm quite sweating. The outfit is worn with synthetic insulation on top of the base layer. I wore a hard shell in strong winds, but it basically had two layers: a base layer and synthetic insulation.

• Thermal insulation: In the first place, the heat retention capacity in this category is slightly less than that of traditional synthetic fiber padding. However, we evaluated how it can be kept warm while ensuring ease of movement, resistance to stuffiness, and lightness.
• Comfort: feel to the touch, silhouette and cutting reduces stress on wearing, fit of the sleeves, hem, and hood. No matter how heat retention is, if it doesn't feel comfortable, I wouldn't want to wear it every day.
• Ease of movement: It is not just a simple winter clothing, but it also serves as a clothing item, and is highly comfortable even during movements.
• It's less likely to get stuffy...If you are planning to wear it while you are still in the mood, it is important to reduce stuffiness and discomfort even when you sweat, and whether it dries quickly. If possible, it is best to always adjust the inside of the clothing to the appropriate temperature in any situation, whether it is stopped, moving, or wet.
• Weather resistance: How much protection is there against the outside temperature and the environment? It is mainly wind resistance and water repellent. Of course, these are often in a trade-off relationship with breathability, and some models deliberately abandon this function, so it is true that it is not possible to say that it is not a problem because there is none.
• Weight: Lightness is of course justice when climbing harshly. The recent synthetic fiber padding is getting lighter and lighter.
• Functionality: The parts that relate to the shape and ease of adjustment of the hood, the number, position, size of the pockets, functions, and ease of use are specialized for the activities they expect, and are designed in a generic way, making them important elements that bring out the concept and personality of each model. It's not simply good to have more features, but too few will make it difficult to use.

Test results and spec comparison table

If you find it difficult to see the table because it is lightweight for smartphones, click here

Impressions of each model

No matter how hard you move in the cold of the middle of winter,
you're

This is ◎

• Excellent ventilation performance
• The warmth you get from the moment you wear it
• Comfortable to wear with fleece

This is △

• Weight over 400g
• Weather Resistant

MONTAINE is the fast and light brand that the UK boasts. It seems that it has rapidly gained popularity over the past few years, but it is still a brand that only a few people know about, but its abilities are truly impressive. This five items had the highest overall rating.

The first thing that surprised me was how well it lets me get sweaty. It is the best of the five models, and even during hiking or Russell, I didn't feel any discomfort due to stuffiness. I've heard that POLARTEC Alpha Direct, a padded material, has a good reputation for it, and it's a concern, but it has such a good reputation that I was skeptical about it and wanted it in a field test, but it was completely defeated. I'm a pretty sweaty author, but instead of getting out of sweat while I was on the move, I've become so addicted that I feel like I'm going to never want to let go of it again. It is no exaggeration to say that the good balance of ventilation and moderate wind resistance, which is born from the strongest collaboration between the padding material POLARTEC Alpha Direct and the outer material PERTEX QUANTUM AIR, is not related to overheating.

Furthermore, looking inside, the exposed padding material has a soft fleece feel, providing the ultimate comfort that makes you want to rub your cheeks, allowing you to feel warm from the moment you put them on. The fit to the body is also wonderful, with minimal dead space being kept, so when you sweat, you can let the stuffiness go outside as if you were waiting. This mechanism maintains warmth at all times, but also maintains a luxurious state that does not warm too much when moving.

It also has a zipper that is easy to operate even while wearing gloves, drawstring at the hem, a sleeve area that fits securely to improve heat retention, and the back of the main zipper to prevent wind from entering, making it easy to operate. It is also quite functional, with no shrewdness in the smallest parts. Overall, you can be confident in this item, which can be worn throughout the entire scene, whether while on or off, regardless of the situation.

On the other hand, it is the only one in the heavy category out of five items, over 400g. It can't be helped as the filling amount is 120g/m2, which improves heat retention, but there seems to be much room for those who want to reduce the weight even at 1g to choose another item. It's not good for storage either. It's not packable and doesn't have the included storage bag, so if you keep it in your backpack, it'll take up a lot of space. Well, this is an item that can be worn all the time, so it is not something to store, so I feel that there is no need to worry about its storage capacity.

Finely calculated heat retention and quick drying.
Arc'teryx Proton LT Hoody is also an excellent outerwear

 

This is ◎

• Weather Resistant
• Thermal insulation
• Durability of the outer fabric
• stylish

This is △

• Difficult to operate zipper
• price

Coreloft™ Compact, developed exclusively by Arc'teryx. It is highly breathable and has excellent heat retention, so you can stay comfortable all the way through and when it is stopped. By increasing the amount of padding by 20g from the standard 60g/m2 for lightweight insulation jackets, the amount is 80g/m2 for the body and 60g/m2 for the hood, which is why it is efficient to achieve heat retention and has a design that is free from waste. The outer material is made of extremely durable Fortius™ Air 20 face fabric, and the lightweight insulation jacket has also achieved the durability that has been sacrificed in exchange for breathability.

When you touch the outer material, you can quickly see that it is a sturdy fabric. It was the best windproof of the five models, but still couldn't be prevented on windy days. In addition, the DWR finish (durable water-repellent treatment) ability was spectacular when snow fell, and it repelled water incredibly quickly. The insulation jacket is often attracting attention for its padded material, but when it comes to Proton LT hoodies, I couldn't help but be surprised at how excellent the outer material is.

If you pay attention to the smallest details, the drawcord on the hood, which can be operated with one hand, can quickly respond to sudden changes in weather. Furthermore, the adjustable drawstring at the hem, which has excellent fixed strength, did not even seem to loosen up even after intense exercise, and it didn't rub against the backpack and slipped up.

Looking at the downside, the main zipper uses No Slip Zip™, which seems to have a poor slippage and I was stressed out when opening and closing. This may vary in preferences.

Due to its high heat retention and durability, the weight is the sacrificed, and the actual measured value is 394g, which is slightly heavy. Well, the author didn't bother me if it had been able to ensure this much performance. In a sense, even with the latest technology, the balance here may be reaching its limit.

Mountain Hardwear Core Strata Hooded Jacket with a 3-beat qualities of heat retention, ventilation and comfort

This is ◎

• Thermal insulation
• Fit without wasted space
• Packable storage capacity

This is △

• Weather resistance that allows wind to pass through
• The neck area is too tight

The Coastrata jacket is believed to be quite a lot of people who use it. That's also understandable. It is a very excellent item when you pay attention to the fact that it is easy to move in, has excellent ventilation and heat retention, and is also easy to store. The Primaloft Gold Active, which is used as the padding material, is breathable and has excellent heat retention, and although it does not have the speed of sweating as fast as POLARTEC Alpha Direct, it did not feel uncomfortable even in situations where you sweat a lot, such as hiking up. The amount of filling is 60g/m2, half the amount of MONTANE, and this class of heat retention can be ensured, which shows how excellent the heat retention of this material is. Despite the amount of filling, the overall volume seems to be large.

The outer material uses the same PERTEX QUANTAM AIR as the aforementioned MONTANE, so the balance of ventilation and moderate windproofing is also very well taken care of. However, if there is a strong wind, the view will pass through, so we recommend wearing a hard shell and using it as a middle wear only during the harsh winter.

The silhouette is cut with three-dimensional cutting, so even if you exercise hard, your movements are not restricted, and you don't feel any stress when hiking. The overall design is tight, and the heat does not escape from the hem or sleeves and fits to the body nicely, but the downside of the neck is too tight so the tip of the chin cannot be hidden inside the collar, leaving it exposed.

Looking at the functional aspects, the hem can be adjusted by simply pulling the drawcord on the right side of the hem, making it extremely easy to tighten. In addition, the packable design that can be stored in the chest pocket is a highly rated point because it has a voluminous feel.

Light, warm and easy to move in, using a unique padding
mont-bell UL Thermal Wrap Parka

This is ◎

• A reasonable price setting
• Excellent stretchability and ease of movement

This is △

• Extremely heat-retaining during the cold season
• Smooth texture
• Fit
• Slight functional aspects

This time, our only domestic brand, Montbell is our proudest. The brand's synthetic insulation jackets are the U/L Thermal Wrap series. Looking at the balance between price and specs, it is the most cost-effective out of the five models. Therefore, I'm sure there are many readers who already own it.

The first thing to note is that it is light at 268g. Other models have a light weight of over 400g, making it a great idea to show off to foreign players that it is able to maintain its lightness. Its lightness was so stress-free that it made me forget I was wearing it while I was on the move. Furthermore, the padding material is made of stretch Excelloft, which was developed exclusively by Montbell, which has excellent heat retention and stretchability. The padding material itself is stretchy and the outer shell material is highly stretchy, so it is not easy to move around. Even with arm lifting or large movements, movements were not restricted throughout.

To be honest, it was average about the heat retention performance. It wasn't too cold or particularly warm, but considering the thin filling material, I think it has proven that Excelloft's specs are no less than the other four models.

Next is ventilation performance. It was comfortable without getting stuffy with a certain amount of momentum, such as when hiking up, but when the momentum suddenly increased, such as at Russell, the airflow couldn't keep up and it became saturated, and rather than just passing directly, the steam was gradually coming out. It was so hot that it was unlocked the front zipper. I am planning to maintain breathability in some parts that are likely to be maintained due to the thinness of the filling, rather than the excellent filling material. This wrinkle-inducing effect gives it heat retention.

Focusing on the functional parts, the hem was very easy to use, as it was simply pulled on the drawcords located inside the left and right pockets. The sleeves are not tight, so they may slip up or slip off, which is a negative point. The overall fit is not good either. Also, the comfort of the fabric is smooth, so it's not very good. Considering the price, even Montbell, which is so impressive, may not have been able to be that luxurious, but I wish they had done a little more about functionality.

The storage is not packable, but it comes with a staff bag so it can be stored compactly. It doesn't take up much space inside the backpack, so it's probably best to carry it with you as a spare.

Looking at each item again, it's an item with a very good value for money. This item is sure to be useful throughout the year, such as as a mid-wear in winter, an outerwear in spring and autumn, and can be kept in your backpack to accommodate sudden changes in weather in summer.

The pioneer of active insulation is still as comfortable as ever,
Patagonia Nanoair Hoodie

This is ◎

• Excellent breathability and stretchability
• Comfortable
• Packable storage capacity

This is △

• Thermal insulation is not recommended in winter
• Weather Resistant
• Pocket placement
• price

There are several synthetic insulation jackets offered by Patagonia, but of these, the Nano Air Hoodie is the jacket that is expected to be used quite actively. It's certainly easy to move around in, highly elastic, lightweight, and extremely breathable. I would like to keep speaking up like this and say, "There is no stress about movement," but unfortunately, I felt that when I lift my arms or make big moves, my movements are restricted from my shoulders to my armpits. The fabric itself is very excellent, with a chewy texture and stretchability in four directions, indicating that it is extremely excellent, but there may still be room for improvement in the cutting pattern.

Furthermore, although it is intended to be lighter, I was stressed that there was no drawstring so I couldn't fit around the hem. I know that the hem has elasticity, but it still feels inconvenient to use the type without drawcords. It often comes up and puts it back with your hands.

Another negative point was that the left chest pocket is located at the top compared to the other four models, which interferes with the backpack's chest belt. Every time, it's stressful to release the zipper in the pocket after removing the chest belt.

In terms of breathability, it has specs that are comparable to the above-mentioned POLARTEC Alpha Direct, but looking at the balance with the heat retention performance, it's a win for the POLARTEC Alpha Direct. This is just a comparison, and there is something wonderful about the breathability when viewed alone. I felt that in return it was sacrificed to keep the heat in check quite a bit. In the first place, this item is not intended to emphasize heat retention, so it cannot be recommended for mountain climbing in winter during the harsh cold seasons. It was cold anyway. If you want to ensure heat retention, we recommend choosing Micro Puff Hoodie or Macro Puff Hoodie from the brand. It's the highest price out of the 5 items, but I felt that the specs were not very good for the price.

We've added a few negative points, but I'm sure they'll be able to fully demonstrate their abilities in the hard activities of spring and fall.

summary

After testing five items, I once again realized that the biggest factor that determines the performance of activated fiber insulation is the padding material. I think this test highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of each padding material. It is becoming commonplace to achieve ventilation, ease of movement, and light weight, but there were variations in heat retention and weather resistance among each model. This time, the Montane Hydrogen Direct Jacket was the best overall, but depending on the purpose and season, there may be other models that are perfect for you. We hope this comparison test will be helpful in choosing your items.