by Stephen Regenold
Visions of the Michelin Man might leak out to do not think twice about. But for numberless thousands of winter lovers, horizontally-banded, ultra-insulated puffy down jackets have become the ubiquitous election for the coldest of days.
I am one of these mini Michelin Men. In my serene nation of Minnesota, where temps regularly dredge to 20-below, a down-stuffed puffy is often the only practicable defense against the distant.
This winter, I’ve been testing two new puffys, including the Lead Jacket from Sierra Designs and the Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket. They are puffys of novel types, though both equally cozy in the snow.
Made for alpine climbing, winter hiking, and “swift and deplane” pursuits, the Rab Microlight weighs less than a triturate. For stowing in a backpack, it scrunches down and packs into its own box bag.
But on your back, with panels of goose down ensconcing the fraternity, you’d never understand the Microlight Alpine was made with the minimalist in perception. In my check, paired with legitimate two layers underneath, the Rab jacket was hearty to about zero degrees.
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