Eddie Bauer recently unveiled a new piece they’re calling the EverTherm Down Jacket (a hooded version is also available).
The jacket features down insulation that doesn’t require baffles or stitching to hold the feathers in place, which is a fairly significant departure from how companies have utilized down in the past.
Instead of using sewn baffles or stitch-through construction to keep the down clusters from moving throughout the garment, the EverTherm uses an insulation called THINDOWN™, which is essentially a sheet of down feathers stabilized between thin pieces of fabric. Although THINDOWN™ has been used in the fashion industry since its release in 2012, Eddie Bauer is the first brand to bring the fabric to the outdoor industry.
In theory, the down sheet should provide more uniform warmth than quilted / baffled constructions, as well as allowing for a cleaner, more streamlined appearance. However, it looks like that uniformity may come at the cost of loft as the feathers are bonded into sheets rather being free to loft naturally, as in traditional down jackets.
This technology is very similar to monofilament and sheeted synthetic insulation technologies which have been around for decades, just with down rather than poly derivatives. We’re excited to see how the EverTherm compares to synthetic pieces with similar constructions and to down pieces with similar weights so that we can flesh out exactly where THINDOWN™ excels.
Here’s some more info from Eddie Bauer:
Today, Eddie Bauer introduces the EverTherm Down Jacket. Insulated by an ultra-thin sheet of down fabric, the jacket removes the need for quilting found in traditional down jackets, eliminates cold spots, and provides superior uniform warmth in a lightweight, slim profile.
Powered by 30 g THINDOWN™ insulation and a water-repellent StormRepel® Super DWR shell, the EverTherm Down Jacket provides warmth down to -15 degrees with moderate activity. The men’s jacket weighs an ultra-light 11.36 oz., while the women’s jacket weighs only 9.12 oz. Eddie Bauer is the first outdoor brand in North America to develop THINDOWN outerwear, and has exclusive rights to the technology through 2018.
Eddie Bauer, the man, was an outdoor guide. He pioneered the use of down as a method of insulation, and in 1936 invented the Skyliner Jacket, the first quilted down jacket patented in America. Now Eddie Bauer is revolutionizing down outerwear once again by eliminating the need for quilting in the EverTherm Down Jacket.
Eddie Bauer continues to work with world-class guides and athletes to build and test its technical products. The EverTherm Down Jacket has been tested on Mt. Everest, ski touring in the Grand Tetons, and alpine climbing in the Alps to perfect the warmth-to-weight ratio, and versatility, of the jacket.
“It’s the best jacket I’ve worn: it’s ultra-light, warm, and slim,” said Eddie Bauer alpine climbing guide Adrian Ballinger, who tested the jacket during his seventh summit of Mt. Everest earlier this year.
The EverTherm Down Jacket is now available for pre-order online at www.eddiebauer.com/evertherm and will be in all stores nationwide on September 24. The jacket is available in both a non-hooded ($249) and hooded ($279) version for him and her in a variety of colors. And like all Eddie Bauer products, the EverTherm Down Jacket is guaranteed for life.