Outerwear Guide
Outerwear is every piece of clothing that helps to protect us from cold, wind, precipitation, and other mild or severe weather conditions. You choose your outerwear depending on climate conditions, purpose, and your personal preferences. However, we highly recommend that you thoroughly review the key characteristics of any outerwear piece to ensure that it satisfies your needs.
TEMPERATURE
The most important characteristic of outerwear is how it protects against the cold. Lightweight jackets can be successfully worn in regions with mild climates; they allow you to experiment with layering and play with styling, but you most likely won’t choose them for snowy, below-zero weather. On the other hand, parkas can be extremely durable in the most extreme temperatures. They are designed to keep warm and cover as much of the body as possible.
These badges will help you navigate through outerwear temperature scales:
Ultra-light and minimal
MILD COLD
Approximate temperature range 5°C / -5°C. Wear these garments to take the chill off breezy nights or as a layering option when things get colder than expected.
Your everyday winter workhorse
MEDIUM COLD
Approximate temperature range 0°C / -15°C. Without overheating, these garments will hold you down through the rain, sleet, hail, and snow.
Heavy and durable
COLD
Approximate temperature range -10°C / -25°C. Choose these garments when the cold gets serious.
Blizzard conqueror
STRONG COLD
Approximate temperature range -30°C and below. It is tailored and explicitly engineered to endure the extreme cold of the true north.
Water repellency
Water repellency is the ability of the material to resist water penetration, meaning the water only beads on the outer side of the fabric and cannot seep through. This is an important feature if you are living in a wet area with frequent and heavy rains, snow, and hail. Water-resistant materials can also be called hydrophobic.
Water resistance ratings
|
5000 mm |
minimaalne näitaja, talub kergeid vihmasadusid ja kerget lund. |
|
10000 mm -15000mm |
peab vastu enamikule paduvihmadele ja tugevale lumele. |
|
20000 mm ja rohkem |
piisavalt hea isegi Everestil matkamiseks. |
BREATHABILITY
Breathable material allows moisture vapor to be transported through it. In other words, the sweat is not going to accumulate under your jacket but will easily evaporate and serve its main purpose—cooling down your body. Those materials have tiny holes to allow water vapor to escape but not enter because sweat vapor consists of smaller water molecules than water droplets from the outside.
Breathable outerwear is a must-have for an active lifestyle. It’s extremely important, especially in the freezing cold. Whether you are going to conquer a mountain peak or you enjoy long walks around the city, a breathable jacket will come in handy.
BREATHABILITY RATINGS
|
5,000 – 10,000g/m² |
sobib telkimiseks või linnas uitamiseks. |
|
10,000 – 15,000g/m² |
sobib hästi suusatamiseks. |
|
15,000 – 20,000g/m² ja rohkem |
raskem tööriist pikemaks matkaks mägedesse või matkamiseks soojas kliimas. |
Wind resistance
Wind resistance is the ability of the clothing to physically block the wind. It is achieved by the specific fabric texture, which is assembled to create a barrier. Wind-resistant outerwear provides protection from gusts while prioritizing comfort.
Many types of outerwear, from vests to parkas, have this feature. Due to the high-tech modern materials and sensible design, wind-resistant garments can be not only practical but also stylish.
MEMBRANE
A modern high-tech fabric for outerwear always includes the membrane layer in it. A membrane repels water from the outside while allowing the moisture from the inside to pass through. The thinner the membrane is, the more breathable it becomes. On the other hand, thicker membranes provide better waterproof protection. Membranes can be microporous and hydrophilic. The first one works due to the difference in size of water molecules; the second one absorbs moisture from the inside and releases it on the outer side through osmosis.
The way the membrane is mounted into the fabric determines the number of layers the outerwear will have.
- 2-layered: when a membrane is laminated to the outer fabric.
- 2,5-layered: when the two outer layers are melded into a partially protective inner layer.
- 3-layered: when a membrane is laminated to the outer fabric and bonded to an inner liner.
Membrane types
|
Gore-Tex |
tuntud oma erilise veekindluse ja hingavuse poolest. Need tooted läbivad kõrgetasemelised toimivustestid, et tagada nende vastavus kõrgeimatele kvaliteedistandarditele |
|
Ripstop |
äärmiselt vastupidav rebenditele. Tegu on kerge, vetthülgava nailoni või polüesterkangaga, mis on kootud tugevdatud mustriga |
|
Nyluxe |
Nailoni põhine vetthülgav ja tuulekindel kangas. See on vastupidav ja kergelt veniv |
|
Polartec Neoshell |
Väga hingav ja kerge, venib hästi ja on mugav kanda |
Filling
Outerwear usually has an insulation layer, which provides different levels of warmth depending on the filling type and the material's quality.
Down
Usually the feathers of a goose or a duck. The most common insulation. It is extremely lightweight, provides a great deal of warmth, and has good compression ability.
Polyester
A synthetic material. The second most common. Cheaper than down, more lightweight, but a bit bulkier.
Wool
Good insulator; it can be compressed, but it is quite heavy and not water-resistant.
Cotton
Provides a good warmth level and can be compressed, but it has the same disadvantages as wool: heavy and not water-resistant.
FILL POWER
Fill power is an indicator of the quality and thickness of the down inside the outerwear. It describes the number of cubic inches that one ounce of down will fill. The higher the fill power, the thicker the clothing will be, and the better its ability to trap the air and provide more warmth.
Fill power ratings
|
300-450 |
kerge ja väga õhuke. Võib sobida soojemasse kliimasse või sügis/kevade temperatuuridele |
|
450-600 |
keskmise paksusega, sobib soojadeks talvedeks ilma tugeva lume ja lumetormideta |
|
600-800 |
raske ja vastupidav. Hoiab teid soojana ka kõige külmemal linnatalvel |
|
800 ja rohkem |
raske ja vastupidav. Hoiab teid soojana ka kõige külmemal linnatalvel |