Outerwear Buyers Guide

Insulated Outerwear

When choosing insulated outerwear, your options are Down, Synthetic, or Fleece.

• Most expensive, warmest, lightest, and most compressible
• Best for cold dry conditions
• Should have a windproof membrane if it’s being used as outerwear

• Water resistant, dry quickly
• Bulkier and less breathable than down
• Good for active conditions like skiing or snowboarding where you’ll be sweating

• Breathable and soft
• Makes an excellent mid-layer
• Can be bulky, but least expensive

Outerwear Examples

Below are two layering examples. At the store, our team can create a layering system for whatever activity, in whatever conditions you need. And remember, the more pieces you acquire, the easier it will become to create comfortable layering systems no matter the conditions.

Waiting for the bus at -30C

• Mid to heavy weight hiking sock
• Insulated Mitts (not gloves)
• Toque
• Merino wool leggings
• Wind resistant pants (hard or soft shell, but doesn’t need to be ski pants)
• Merino wool base layer
• 200 weight Fleece or Merino wool mid layer
• Down Parka

Tobogganing with the kids at -10C

• Mid weight hiking sock
• Gloves
• Toque
• Light weight Merino wool leggings
• Water resistant/proof pants
• Light weight Merino wool mid layer
• Fleece/Softshell/Synthetic jacket outer layer (you have some options here)