Outerwear 101

When comparing outerwear one of the most significant performance differences is how waterproof a garment is. The level of waterproofing primarily depends on the fabric the outerwear is made with. All waterproof fabrics have one thing in common - a thin membrane layer that is bonded to the face fabric. The type of membrane and how it is bonded to the face fabric determine how waterproof the garment is.

Most technical outerwear is finished with a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment that helps improve the water repellency of the outerwear. The DWR treatment increases the surface tension on the face fabric which causes the water droplets to bead and roll off the surface.

A DWR treatment works in tandem with the fabric membrane to keep you dry. The DWR sheds water off the surface of the fabric and the membrane keeps water from absorbing into the fabric. Your outerwear can get saturated on a storm day if the DWR treatment has worn off or the fabric is dirty and contaminated with body oils.

To keep your outerwear waterproof it’s important to wash and dry regularly after frequent use and reapply a wash-in DWR treatment. Learn more about how to wash your outerwear and reapply a DWR treatment here.

Historically, most DWR treatments were made with perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) – a group of human-made chemicals highly effective at repelling water, oil and stains. PFCs sit within the broader class now known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

The first PFCs the outdoor industry adopted worked well for waterproofing, but turned out to be highly persistent "forever chemicals" that build up in the environment and don't break down over time. Because PFAS are so persistent – and increasingly linked to health and environmental harm – regulators around the world are now restricting and banning them in textiles and clothing.

All Jones outerwear is treated using DWR made without intentionally added PFAS. This treatment works in the same way, but it is not as persistent and will break down when released from the outerwear and into the environment.

The second critical performance rating to note when comparing outerwear is breathability. As important as it is for your outerwear to keep moisture from coming in, it’s equally important for your outerwear to be able to let water vapor out. Fabrics with high breathability ratings allow your perspiration to escape so you don’t get sweaty in highly aerobic situations.

Breathability is rated with a seemingly similar rating scale as waterproofing, but the ratings refer to a different test and unit of measurement. There are several tests to measure breathability, but the test that Jones uses measures how much water vapor in grams can pass through a square meter of the fabric in a 24-hour period. Technical fabrics are rated from about 5K to 30K breathable. More “open” membranes that easily allow water vapor to pass through score higher breathability ratings.

To stay comfortable on a cold, windy day in the mountains your outerwear needs to be adequately wind resistant. All outerwear that is made with a waterproof membrane will be completely windproof.

The wind resistance of outerwear without a waterproof membrane is measured by testing the amount of cubic feet per minute (CFM) of a 30-mile-per-hour wind that can pass through one square foot of a material. Lower CFM ratings are more wind resistant than higher CFM ratings. Technical fabrics are rated from 0 to 100+ CFM.

All Jones outerwear is completely windproof and has a windproof rating of 0 CFM.

The second critical performance rating to note when comparing outerwear is breathability. As important as it is for your outerwear to keep moisture from coming in, it’s equally important for your outerwear to be able to let water vapor out. Fabrics with high breathability ratings allow your perspiration to escape so you don’t get sweaty in highly aerobic situations.

Breathability is rated with a seemingly similar rating scale as waterproofing, but the ratings refer to a different test and unit of measurement. There are several tests to measure breathability, but the test that Jones uses measures how much water vapor in grams can pass through a square meter of the fabric in a 24-hour period. Technical fabrics are rated from about 5K to 30K breathable. More “open” membranes that easily allow water vapor to pass through score higher breathability ratings.

Fabric is made up of millions of individual fibers. The thickness of each of these fibers plays an important role in fabric feel and abrasion resistance.

Denier is the unit of measurement used to determine the thickness of the fibers in a given fabric. Fabrics with a high denier count tend to be heavier and more rugged. Fabrics with a low denier count tend to be softer, more packable and lighter weight.

We carefully select each fabric for its intended end use. Rather than build every layer the same
way, each piece runs the denier that best fits how and where it's worn. Rugged where it takes a beating, light where every gram counts.

Outerlayers are built to take the brunt of the conditions. Higher GORE-TEX® 3L is built with a 100% recycled 70D nylon face fabric, an expedition-ready shell for high-alpine climbing, riding and exploring wild places. Deeper GORE-TEX® pairs 75D polyester with a GORE-TEX® 2L membrane, and Further 3L Stretch uses 70D polyester in a 4-way stretch fabric. MTN Surf and Tweaker are both built with 75D polyester and built for everyday wear in the resort and sidecountry.

Our insulation layers run far lower deniers, where low weight and packability play an important part. On the down pieces, a tight, fine weave does double duty — trimming weight while stopping feathers migrating through the fabric. The Max Re-Up Down 750+ Hooded Jacket uses 20D ripstop nylon and the Ultra Re-Up Down 750+ Jacket drops to an ultralight 10D ripstop nylon. The Dark Start Stretch Hooded Jacket sits a touch heavier at 30D polyester with increased versatility to sometimes wear as an outerlayer in dynamic conditions.

The best insulation layer to throw in your pack when you leave the trailhead depends on the day and the destination. Understanding what weather and touring conditions down vs synthetic insulation excel in is the key to choosing the best insulation layer for your next adventure.

Down insulation layers are best used in cold, dry conditions. Down loses its insulative properties when it gets wet, and it’s not that quick to dry out once it’s saturated, so down is not the ideal insulation to bring on soggy, wet days in the mountains. On cold but humid days, synthetic fill or fleece insulation are usually the better options.

Synthetic insulation retains warmth even when wet, so it's great insulation for humid winter climates. The tradeoff is that synthetic insulation does not offer the same warmth-to-weight ratio as down insulation.

The Max Re-Up Down 750+ Hooded Jacket and Ultra Re-Up Down 750+ Jacket provide our best warmth to weight insulation and are ideal layers for staying warm at the trailhead, or at camp. They are made with 100% recycled 750+-fill down insulation – upcycled premium down apparel – sourced by Allied Feather + Down.

The Deeper GORE-TEX® Insulated Jackets, MTN Surf Insulated Jackets and Dark Start Stretch Hooded Jacket are insulated with 100% recycled synthetic insulation and are the perfect jackets for cold, damp days at the resort or in the backcountry.

Fill power is a number that measures the quality of the down and its ability to insulate. Higher fill power means the down can trap more air which allows for greater insulation. Fill power is determined by measuring the amount of space one ounce of down will occupy in cubic inches.