What is insulation? Explaining its performance, types, how to choose, and recommendations!

Hello! We are Teton Bros., an outdoor brand.

Are you familiar with the word "insulation"?

Insulation refers to cold weather clothing filled with padding, but the best item varies depending on the purpose and situation.

"What kind of performance and types of insulation are there?" "What should I look for when choosing?"

This time, we will answer your questions about insulation.

We will also introduce some recommended items available at Teton Bros. , so please take a look!

What is insulation? Its role and performance

"Insulation" means "heat insulation" or "isolation," and in outdoor situations it refers to warm, padded winter clothing.

Many people wear padded jackets as outerwear in their everyday lives, but they also work well as a mid-layer when outdoors.

There are two types of mid-layers: "active wear" and "insulating wear," and insulation falls under the category of insulating wear.

Insulation has excellent heat retention properties, so if you go hiking while wearing it, you may sweat a lot and get cold.

Therefore, it is a useful item when you are not moving around much, such as when taking a break in a mountain hut or tent, or when walking around the area.

However, recently, "active insulation" types have been introduced that combine both active wear and thermal wear, as well as outerwear with waterproof functionality.

The fill power (FP) of down (the fluff found between the feathers of waterfowl) used as the filling material for insulation is an important number because its performance can be evaluated using this as an indicator.

FP indicates the degree to which down can recover its fluffiness after being compressed under certain conditions.

The higher the FP number, the more air it contains, meaning it is a warm, high-quality down with excellent heat retention.

Generally, 500FP is considered low quality, 600-700FP is good quality, and 700FP or more is high quality down.

What are the insulation materials? Learn about the features of each

There are two types of insulation filling materials: down and synthetic (chemical) fibers.

Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of each.

Characteristics of down

• Lightweight and highly insulating
• It is vulnerable to moisture and humidity, and when it gets wet from rain or sweat, it loses its loft (the fluffiness of the down) and its heat retention decreases.
• Many are expensive

Characteristics of synthetic fibers (chemical fibers)

• Excellent breathability, durability and water repellency
• It retains its loft even when wet, so it maintains its heat retention.
• There are two types: "thermal wear" that emphasizes warmth and "active wear" that emphasizes breathability.

In the past, down was said to be more compact, but thanks to recent technological advances, there are now more synthetic garments that can be packed compactly.

The insulation comes in various shapes, such as jackets, vests, and coats for tops, and pants and skirts for bottoms.

Use them according to your purpose, such as a coat if you want warmth, or a vest if you want to wear it underneath other clothes for activities.

What are the key points to consider when choosing insulation? Check out these points!

There are many different types of insulation products available in different combinations of materials and shapes.

The first important point to consider when choosing the insulation that's right for you is the situation in which you'll be using it.

Think about the specific situations in which you will wear it, such as climbing a mountain in summer or a snowy mountain in winter, wearing it all day or only during breaks, etc.

By doing so, you will be able to see what points to consider when choosing, such as heat retention, water repellency, whether or not it has a hood, and ease of packing.

For example, if you plan to wear it only during breaks while hiking in the summer, you will likely pack it and carry it in your backpack, so a thin, light product that is easy to carry would be best.

For winter mountain climbing, we recommend down jackets, which have excellent heat retention.

Down is also very lightweight, so you won't feel the weight or fatigue that comes with wearing heavy clothes, making it comfortable and not a burden even when you're tired.

Synthetic insulation that can withstand sudden rain and can be used to cover wet conditions is useful not only for hiking on days when rain is expected, but also because the weather in the mountains can change quickly.

If you are choosing a down jacket that prioritizes warmth for climbing snowy mountains in winter, the cuffs as well as the FP are important.

Another important point is whether the design prevents heat from escaping as much as possible and prevents cold outside air from getting inside.

Regardless of the material, check the ease of movement, size, color, design, and whether it has pockets so you can quickly access what you need.

If you are buying for the first time, it may be difficult to narrow down the key points.

Take a look at the various products, and if you're unsure, ask a store staff member for advice or contact us online!

Introducing Teton Bros' recommended insulation

Teton Bros. also carries insulation made from a variety of materials and with various functions.

Here are five of our recommended items.

SUB JACKET (UNISEX)

A dynamic heat-retaining mid-layer made entirely from OCTA, a polyester material that is a representative active insulation material with excellent breathability and heat retention.

Not only does it maintain a comfortable temperature at all times, but it is also highly breathable, so heat does not build up and you can stay active at a comfortable temperature, neither too hot nor too cold.

It has a stand-up collar without a hood, making it highly versatile and suitable for layering.

SCRAMBLING OCTA VEST (MEN)

Made with 20D mechanical stretch nylon and OCTA with DWR (durable water repellent) treatment.

By using OCTA only on the front and around the neck and shoulders, it prevents sweat from cooling down due to overheating during exercise and keeps the inside of the garment comfortable.

HOBACK PRIMA OVER HOODY 2.0 (UNISEX)

The filling is made of Primaloft Thermo Plume, a material that has the same properties as natural down but is resistant to moisture and wetness.

This new material makes it more versatile and versatile.

Suitable for use as an over-jacket worn over a shell.

The zippers on the cuffs open wide up to the elbows, so you can put them on and take them off without removing your gloves.

The change to Primaloft Thermo Plume makes it even more compact than the previous model, offering excellent packability.

HYBRID INNER DOWN JACKET (UNISEX)

Like the HYBRID DOWN HOODY mentioned earlier, it uses two types of padding materials: water-repellent down and Thermo Max, a synthetic fiber with far-infrared properties.

The front snaps not only reduce weight but also provide ventilation.

The no-collar round neck and clean cuffs make this jacket easy to layer.

WAPITI HOODY 2.0 (MEN)

The new material "VIVO" is used as the padding, which has extremely high heat retention and excellent breathability.

By using more three-dimensional cutting and high-performance stretch material Primeflex for the shell, this active insulation provides a comfortable fit and ease of movement.

Although insulation is generally referred to as such, there are many different types.

Find your favorite one based on your purpose and preferences!

Insulation is a warm, cold-weather garment. Choose the right item for your purpose!

Insulation is cold weather clothing that is filled with warm padding.

It is often used as a mid-layer for insulation outdoors, but recently "active insulation" has also appeared, which combines the functions of both active wear and insulation.

There are two types of insulation materials: down (the fluff found between the feathers of waterfowl) and synthetic fibers (chemical fibers).

Each has its own characteristics: down is light and warm, while synthetic fibers retain their heat even when wet from rain or snow.

The key to choosing insulation is to imagine what kind of situations you will be wearing it in.

It will be easier to choose if you decide what your priorities are, such as whether you need warmth depending on your purpose, or whether it is lightweight and easy to pack.

Teton Bros. is an outdoor brand that offers a variety of insulation products.

We have a wide range of active insulation products made from high-performance materials, so please make use of them!

When it comes to active insulation, Teton Bros uses OCTA and VIVO Extream ECO.

OCTA is more breathable and is designed to provide warmth not just to keep you warm inside, but to maintain a warm, neither too hot nor too cold environment, minimizing overheating and sweating during high-impact activities.

VIVO Extream ECO uses a highly insulating padded sheet with fine physical dots, which ensures high thermal insulation while also allowing moisture and heated air to escape, maintaining a dry and warm environment inside the garment.

OCTA is for higher intensity activities.

VIVO is suitable for situations where warmth is a major consideration (such as hiking in the dead of winter).

Both are over-jackets, and the Hoback Prima Over Hoody can be worn over the shell to provide extra loft for complete warmth.

This ensures sufficient heat retention on its own, which also helps make the gear you carry more compact and lightweight.