Make Sure Jacket Has Enough Insulation

Sun., Jan. 31, 1999

Doug Gantenbein The Interactive Gear Guy

Q: How durable is Thinsulate insulation? I had a jacket containing this insulation and I always seemed to be freezing. I’m just wondering if my experience was atypical and if you had some comments.

I got rid of my jacket when the zipper blew out. I am looking at a Gore-Tex parka that uses Thinsulate Ultra as its fill. Great sale price, color, and features except for the Thinsulate thing.

Also I have had some friends tell me that Primaloft is the best synthetic insulation around.

Rich H., Spokane

A: Erk. How durable is Thinsulate? That’s one of those how many angels, head of a pin etc., questions.

Thinsulate, made by 3M, is what’s called a short-staple insulation, meaning that it’s made of fairly short fibers that are bound together. Long-staple insulations, such as PolarGuard, are made of continuous filaments. As you might surmise, it’s easier for the short-staple insulations to separate and clump together, creating cold spots.

Still, in a jacket, I don’t think that’s a real issue. I expect you always were cold in your earlier jacket simply because it wasn’t lofty/insulated enough for the temperature. So as long as it’s appropriate for its intended use, temperature-wise, I wouldn’t have any particular reservations about that parka you’ve come across.

It is true, however, that Primaloft has become a popular material for insulating jackets and pants. It’s very soft, packs nicely and offers plenty of warmth. It certainly is one of the better synthetic insulations around, and I prefer it over Thinsulate, but the difference is not all that great. So go ahead and buy the Gore-Tex/Thinsulate parka you’ve found. And find a good seamstress - replacing a zipper is cheaper than buying a whole new jacket!

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