So I have a nice wool winter coat that I got years ago from LL Bean. It's knee-length, very versatile. Last winter I decided it's starting to look worn, so I want to get a new knee-length coat for every day use. My plan was to get a new down coat, and keep the wool coat for semi-dressy situations when down seems too casual. I have a long down coat (almost ankle-length) that is great on really cold days, so I figured something similar in knee-length would be good for days that are cold but not super-cold.
A month or so ago I bought one of those "lightweight packable" down coats. Have any of you worn one of these coats? It fit well, I got it on sale, thought it would be great. I wore it once on a day when the high temp was in the low 40s. And I was cold! It was okay when I was in direct sun, but in the shade I was not comfortable. When I got in my car and put my arm on the armrest, I could feel the cold coming through the coat.
I have since returned that coat and bought a puffier one. We've been having such wonderful warm weather lately that I haven't had a chance to try it out -- I'm going to test it today. It's not super puffy, though -- it seems hard to find old-school down coats in the length I want. I really hope the latest one I bought works out. I got it for a great price from Land's End. If it's not warm enough I think I will have to try something more expensive like North Face or Colombia.
Other people seem to be happy with thin packable down coats. I'm sort of mystified by this. Maybe there's a psychological aspect -- I'm so used to warm coat=heavy coat that something light and thin just seems wrong. But I have a Pearl Izumi jacket cycling that is very thin yet insanely warm, so I know that such a thing is possible.
- Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
- Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
- Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle
Gone but not forgotten:
- Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
- Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles