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It’s long been held as fact that down has the best warmth-to-weight ratio out there. But a new jacket from Haglöfs is attempting to challenge that assumption.
The Essens Mimic jacket is insulated with a material called QuadFusion™ Mimic – a material developed, as the name suggests, to mimic the properties of down. This material is made from spiral-shaped fibres, formed into small balls, that trap and hold air – and warmth – extremely effectively. It’s designed to act with the insulating properties and lightness of down in fact.
Available without a hood (SRP £165), with hood (SRP £180) or as a vest (SRP £140), in both male and female styles, the added bonus of the synthetic QuadFusion™ Mimic is that it maintains its performance when the garment gets damp, managing moisture effectively, the company claims, avoiding the usual problems faced by down in wet weather.
It also means that the panels can be larger and longer than in similar garments, reducing the number of seams (and cold spots) and keeping the wearer even warmer.
The Essens Mimic range is also treated with a fluorocarbon-free DWR treatment so can works as an outer garment.
Best of all, it’s constructed from cleaner bluesign® approved materials, and the QuadFusion™ Mimic insulation is made from post-consumer recycled polyester. So not only does the Essens Mimic offer a great alternative to down, it’s also made in a sensible and more sustainable way.
