Down is Mother Nature’s premium and best insulation. While manufacturers have tried for decades to mimic the heat trapping properties of Down, they have yet to surpass what Mother Nature has done for millennia. So how do you make Mother Nature’s best even better?
First, you utilize nanotechnology and a proprietary application process to make it water repellant. Second, take your new and improved Down insulation and put it into a jacket from a brand with over 100 years experience in crafting exceptional outdoor equipment. Final result? The 850 Ultralight Down Jacket from L.L. Bean featuring the innovative DownTek water repellent Down.
On Performance, Technology & Design…
L.L. Bean’s Ultralight 850 Down Jacket packs a powerful warmth-to-weight ratio that makes your synthetic-insulated jackets shiver in the frosty air. In all fairness, you can’t expect your other jackets to compete with the combination of DownTek’s technically advanced 850-fill insulation and L.L Bean’s generations of experience using durable designs and advanced materials.
The foundation of the Ultralight 850 Down Jacket is DownTek. What is DownTek you ask? DownTek is one of the great advancements in the world of outdoor clothing and equipment. Relying upon a nano polymer treatment to help it repel water, DownTek maintains its unmatched warmth-to-weight ratio even when surrounded by wetness. So when the snowflakes turns to miserable rain, there’s no longer any worry about your puffy jacket turning into a wet cinderblock.
In addition to making the down water repellant, the nano treatment provides anti-microbial and anti-bacterial protection, all while remaining highly breathable, which can be appreciated by any outdoors enthusiast. DownTek also absorbs just one-third the moisture while drying out two-thirds faster than untreated down. So now you have a jacket as advanced as your slopeside skills.
Of course in the true style of L.L. Bean, the exterior of this jacket is made with the quality craftsmanship millions have come to depend upon over the years. The L.L. Bean design team utilized a water- and tear-resistant ripstop nylon shell that is now 20% denser to keep down in place and add durability.
While the DownTek insulation locks in your body heat allowing you to brave cold conditions like a pro, elastic cuffs and drawcord-closure hem let you seal out icy gusts. This officially ends Mother Nature’s intrusion upon your winter escapades. For moments when the sun breaks through the clouds and the temps start to rise, The Ultralight 850 Jacket compresses down and stuffs into your pack, or it’s own pocket, with ease.
Bottom Line…
The L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 Jacket featuring DownTek insulation keeps your comfort center stage making this jacket a quality choice for cold-weather pursuits. All told, the L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 will be a mainstay in your collection for years to come. Gumption tested, gumption approved.
Manufactured by L.L. Bean, the men and women’s Ultralight 850 Jacket featuring DownTek is available for $179 from www.LLBean.com in your choice of five color options and various sizes. Look for DownTek insulation in a variety of outdoor gear ranging from jackets to sleeping bags available from various manufacturers.
*Gumption Gear Review received the product featured in this review from L.L. Bean at no cost and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The items featured were provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.