Everybody has room for nature's best insulator

Jacket and shell are ultimate cold weather gear for travelers

Puffy jacket looks too big for small pocket in duffel bag

But it stuffs right into that tiny space

Years ago I wrote about a cheap, down-filled jacket sold by Cabelas that I figure is the ultimate packable clothing item that will ensure you will never be cold on a fishing or hunting trip.
I have had one of these down jackets for years. It has gone on sale at Cabelas in past seasons for just $29!
Anyway, if you've never owned a down-filled item, you might not be aware how small a space you can pack it into. When I was leaving camp last fall I took a couple of photos of where I packed my jacket. It was in the end pocket of my duffel bag, a place I normally would fit about a dozen pairs of summer socks.
You might notice a bit of duct tape on my jacket in one of the photos. The Achilles heel of down garments is that their fabric rips easily. That's why I almost always wear my jacket inside of a waterproof but breathable shell. But if you do rip it, there's always duct tape!
We're in the midst of a cold snap here in Northwestern Ontario. But even in actual thermometer temps of -30 C (about 20-below F) with wind chills in the -40s, my combination of the down jacket inside the shell jacket is perfectly comfortable. In fact, it is my go-to-town outfit.
Down is nature's best insulator and you don't need to pay hundreds of dollars for garments made of it. It packs in such tiny spaces that virtually every traveler has room for it.
See Jacket for original article.
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