In damp, wet conditions where untreated down loses loft and its ability to insulate, hydrophobic down is the new black. And ISIS will debut three DriDown™ styles for Fall 2013 at the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City in January 2013.
Adventures through the Dolomite Mountains are the inspiration behind the colors, styles, and product names. Included in the line are versatile pieces to keep you warm and dry, while exuding good style and fashion.
Luce Down Jacket ($215): Insulated with 800-fill hydrophobic DriDown™, this light, compressible and warm piece works as an outer layer or a layering piece to keep you warmer than ordinary down anywhere from the Atacama desert to the drippy rainforests of British Columbia. It packs down into its own pocket to fit easily into any pack and a high collar, elastic cuffs and drawcord hem help keep warmth in and cold out.
Secco Jacket & Secco Hoodie (Jacket- $189; Hoodie- $229): Stuffed with 650-fill power DriDown™, the Secco Jacket and Secco Hoodie keep you toasty warm and comfortable even in wet, snowy conditions. Both features a high collar and elastic cuffs to keep weather out with a drop tail design for extra coverage. A 100 percent polyester shell with DWR finish adds durability and extra protection from light rain and melting snow.
Citta Jacket & Citta Coat (Jacket- $219; Coat- $259): Packed with 650-fill DriDown™, the Citta Jacket features a 27-inch back length that is perfect for those cold city winters. Its sister, the Citta Coat, is a thigh-length piece with a removable hood that provides additional coverage for warmth. Both jacket and coat come with flared sleeves and internal rib cuffs for style and weather protection.
This DriDown stuff really works. Last year, I experimented with a Sierra Designs Gnar, a Sierra Designs Gnar Lite and a bowl of water. You can read more about my test here, but the conclusion of my "test" was that the Gnar Lite with DriDown retained quite a bit of its loft while wet and completely dried in about an hour.
I also had the “pleasure” of camping in the San Juan Mountains in August, in a rainstorm, in a tent with a poorly-designed vestibule and rainfly and one Sierra Designs Eleanor sleeping bag with DriDown. It did not end badly at all.
Hypothermia is a viable threat. It’s good to know that there are more options emerging with hydrophobic down. The DriDown in the Sierra Designs line is the same technology now used by ISIS.
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