DownTek is a type of down that is treated to retain loft, even in wet conditions. Most of you know or have probably experienced how useless down becomes when wet. While I love my down Marmot Teton sleeping bag, I have to be very careful to keep it dry. Sleeping bags are a bit easier to keep dry inside a tent than a vest or jacket. Hence, I find that I rarely wear my down jackets and vests, especially if there is any threat of rain…Until now!
Eddie Bauer has partnered with DownTek to produce a range of men’s and women’s outdoor apparel that has the benefits of lightweight warmth, but provide peace of mind to the wearer that they will still stay warm, even if caught in some rain.
How does DownTek down work?
Water-resistant down has been quite the craze for the last couple of years in the outdoor industry. Why is it important? Because when a down filled sleeping bag, jacket, or vest gets wet, it loses its ability to keep you warm. So if your down sleeping bag gets wet and you’re out backpacking in the wilderness…you have a life threatening situation. Most of us who love the outdoors and also love having lightweight down products instead of heavy and bulky synthetics are very careful to keep things dry. But treated down filled products, notably ones with DownTek down fill, means that we don’t have to be so careful anymore.
DownTek uses a nano polymer treatment to repel water, so even when wet, it stays warm. DownTek also adds anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties to down.
The Eddie Bauer Stormdown 700 Downtek Vest is a nice addition to my cool weather hiking and backpacking wardrobe. I got it wet in a light Southern California rainshower, and the down did not clump, as I have seen happen with other down products I have.
Specs:
- Price: $49; available at Amazon.com.
- Sizes: Women’s XS to XXL.
- Fill: 700 fill DownTek StormDown fill
- Fabric Overlays: Durable CORDURA nylon
