To stay warm in cold weather, it’s important to choose the ideal women's padded jacket! Don’t miss out on our tips and advice!
Hiking is a great way to discover different landscapes and climates. So, when you choose your outfit, you need to take into account the conditions in which you'll be hiking, particularly in terms of outside temperatures.
When you go for winter walks or routes at altitude, you may be faced with low temperatures, in which case it will be essential to equip yourself with certain essentials, such as a women's padded jacket. Composition, shape, practicality... Find out all you need to know about women's padded jackets for hiking in excellent conditions.
As you know, choosing the right hiking clothing is essential, especially when you're embarking on an excursion lasting several hours. The padded jacket is all too often forgotten but is very useful item, and one that is sure to find its place among your essential outfits for your next outing.
First of all, it provides an excellent source of heat ; which is another benefit if you are going on a winter hike. With its special composition, the women's padded jacket will keep your body warm, so you don't feel the unpleasant or even dangerous cold.
At the same time, the padded jacket will prove extremely practical for outdoor activities, thanks in particular to its compactness. It's a compressible garment, so it fits easily into your hiking rucksack. So, if you're not wearing it, it's easy to put away and won't take up too much space.
Women's padded jackets also offer many advantages when it comes to sporting activities such as hiking. The range is adaptable to all situations thanks to models with varying technical characteristics, both in terms of composition and cut. You'll find padded jackets with or without sleeves, with or without hoods, in natural or synthetic down, and many more options. That way, you're guaranteed to find a model that's tailor-made for you.
The choice is certainly huge. To help you find what you’re looking for, this article looks at the criteria for choosing a padded jacket to ensure you make the right choice according to your needs.
As you can see, women's padded jackets offer many advantages for hiking. However, you will need to pay attention to a few very specific features to find a model that is perfectly suited to your needs :
• Warmth, which depends on the filling of the padded jacket and its construction;
• Breathability, which depends on many different factors ranging from fabric to waterproofing, cut and available zips;
• Water-repellency and waterproofing, which aren’t the same thing;
• The weight of the padded jacket, especially if you’re going on a trek;
• Resistance to friction, especially if you wear a backpack over your padded jacket.
You then need to choose a padded jacket that’s the right size, with a cut that really suits you! You also need to choose between a padded jacket with or without sleeves, with or without a hood, or with a long or short cut.
In short, for a garment with a "simple" appearance, the choice can be quite difficult. So come with us, and we'll explain all the details!
If you're looking for a padded jacket, it's because you want something warm that is also compact and thermal, and that you can wear anywhere! But which filling should you choose to meet these requirements?
Warmth Thermal performance is one of the top priorities when choosing your women's padded jacket. Its main aim is to give you a real feeling of warmth so you are effectively insulated from the low temperatures of winter. You will see that the type of composition affects the thermal insulation of the padded jacket, with natural down models being more effective.
When it comes to choosing a women's padded jacket for a hike or trek, it's essential to consider how it's made. As mentioned above, your padded jacket can be made from synthetic material or natural down. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, which we outline below.
Note, however, that a padded jacket doesn’t provide you with warmth itself. Rather, it helps retain the heat produced by your body! Depending on the type of padding (synthetic material or feathers or down), and its density, it will retain more or less heat so you will stay more or less warm.
However, when it comes to padded jackets, "if they can do more, that doesn’t automatically mean they can also do less" ! and yes, padded jackets provide thermal comfort within a temperature range: for example, between 0°C and -10°C. If you choose the warmest padded jacket there is, but want to wear it in the spring or autumn, you'll be far too hot and it will become useless.
Synthetic Unlike natural down, synthetic padded jackets are moisture-resistant and easy to care for. More practical to wash, the synthetic padded jacket can, in most cases, simply be put in the washing machine at 30 degrees. Your down jacket will gradually return to its original shape if you put it on a gentle spin. It dries particularly quickly, so can be worn again a few hours after cleaning.
To find out more about looking after your synthetic padded jacket, read this article to find our tips and wash your polyester padded jacket properly, in the machine or by hand.
A synthetic padded jacket will be a little less warm at the same density, but will be less sensitive to humidity and, above all, easier to look after, as shown above.
It will therefore keep you warm, but not as warm as a down jacket. So it's not necessarily a bad choice, and will depend on your need for warmth, the humidity of your hiking area, your preferences in terms of looking after your jacket, and your budget. They are indeed more affordable than padded jackets of comparable quality.
In short, synthetic padded jackets shouldn’t be criticised or overlooked – they can be a very good choice and meet all your needs for a reasonable price.
Natural down Preferred by those who love the cold, natural down provides excellent thermal insulation. Whether it's goose or duck down, you'll enjoy a real feeling of warmth, ideal for winter walks. Natural down also has excellent loft, making it lighter and more comfortable to wear for hours on end. Although more expensive, women's padded jackets are durable, so they'll be with you on every adventure.
In short, natural quilts have a high loft, which gives them three qualities that are essential for mountain sports in cold weather:
• Thermal insulation, because it traps more air;
• Lightness, because at equal warmth, feather is lighter than synthetic wadding;
• Compactness, since a down jacket is more compressible than a synthetic padded jacket with equal warmth.
The disadvantage of natural down is that it takes a long time to dry and needs to be treated carefully to avoid damaging it. It is also sensitive to humidity, and its thermal performance will be reduced when your padded jacket gets wet. To find out everything you need to know about caring for, washing and repairing a quilted padded jacket, click here. On the other hand, if you're not afraid of the cold or are looking for a mid-season padded jacket, synthetic is just the thing. This is a personal preference, based on your own feelings.
The higher the cuin value of your padded jacket, the more thermally insulating it will be !
"Cuin" is a crucial factor in determining the loft, and therefore the thermal insulation, of a padded jacket. "Cuin", which stands for "cubic inches per ounce", represents the strength of the padding under a defined pressure. The higher the "cuin", the warmer and lighter the padded jacket will be.
It can be measured according to the US or EN standard, the latter being more demanding. For example, a padded jacket with a US standard cuin value of 850+ is equivalent to an EU standard cuin value of 800+.
To compare two padded down jackets, simply multiply the "cuin" by the down volume. For example, a padded jacket with a cuin value of 600 and a 200g quilt will have the same insulating power as a padded jacket with a cuin value of 800 and a 150g quilt.
Did you know...? The way your padded jacket is made will affect its ability to keep you warm and its cuin value! For example, the MT900 men's padded jacket with hood has a cuin value of "only" 660 and yet offers thermal comfort in temperatures as low as -18°C thanks to its heat-sealed compartments. Don't stop at the number of cuin when reading a product sheet, and above all rely on the comfort temperatures indicated.
There are labels to show where the feathers and down used in padded jackets come from. At Decathlon, we have opted for the RDS certification, which is the "Responsible Down Standard”. It is an international certification that is issued by an independent body. Brands that wish to be accredited contact an accreditation body before submitting an application.
Thanks to the RDS, we can guarantee that our feathers are sourced sustainably, which is in line with our commitment to using sustainable materials. Our suppliers commit to using only feathers from geese and ducks raised for their meat and slaughtered before down and feathers are collected.
Combining feather and polyester has some interesting benefits. If you’ve been following, you’ll have understood that feathers provide effective thermal insulation, while polyester is moisture-resistant and easy to care for. But is it really possible to get "the best of both worlds"?
If you live or hike in a region with mild, dry winters, a blend made up predominantly of feathers could be perfect. On the other hand, if you are in a very humid area, a blend made up predominantly of polyester may be more suitable. So compare the quality of the down, and above all the percentage of the two materials on the product sheet or label of the padded jacket to make your choice.
It's also worth noting that the feather and polyester blend makes a jacket that is warm but also lightweight. For more information on the weight of padded jackets, scroll down a little further in this article 👇.
To sum up, a combination of feather and synthetic polyester fibre is worth considering if you're looking for a warm, lightweight padded jacket that is easy to care for. Just make sure you choose a good quality padded jacket to get the most out of this blend.
When you go hiking, you are exposed to different climate areas. If you want to enjoy optimum comfort in all circumstances, it's essential to choose the right clothing. To do this, we apply the famous "three-layer system" for when you are out and about.
The three-layer system is designed to keep you warm in all circumstances, while allowing perspiration to escape properly so you stay dry. The layer closest to the body is designed to give you a feeling of permanent warmth.
The first layer, the one closest to the body, is designed to offer you a feeling of unfailing warmth. Merino or synthetic wool is most often recommended for excellent breathability.
The second layer, the one that interests us here, will ideally be a padded jacket. Lightweight and space-saving, it provides optimum warmth while efficiently wicking away sweat.
This second layer is usually followed by a third which is designed to protect you from the elements. It will usually have a waterproof membrane, so you can hike in the rain. When you opt for the three-layer system, your women's padded jacket may be sleeveless, and not necessarily waterproof or water-repellent.
To find out more about the three-layer technique, (re)read our article here.
As part of a sports activity, whether intense or not, the body produces perspiration. It should be noted that this logic doesn’t only apply in summer, and that colder weather won’t stop you perspiring, including during outdoor activities. It's essential to wear breathable clothing, including your padded jacket, to wick away the moisture they cause.
A women's padded jacket with excellent breathability will keep you dry throughout your adventure, without sacrificing your jacket's ability to keep you warm.
The breathability of your padded jacket will depend on the materials used, specific inserts and even zips to open or close in part or over their entire length, according to your needs.
Water-repellent and waterproof Contrary to what you might think, most padded jackets are not waterproof. Not all models will be able to protect you from the rain, so you need to pay particular attention to this feature.
Most women's padded jackets are water-repellent to protect you from light rain and showers. On the other hand, if you're trekking in a region with a high risk of thunderstorms and showers, make sure that the model you choose is completely waterproof.
In the majority of cases, your padded jacket will be worn under a waterproof jacket. So it's not always necessary to give priority to this criterion when choosing.
Whether you wear your padded jacket for hiking or in town (this item having become an urban essential over the years), you’ll likely carry a bag that will rub your jacket at the shoulders and back.
Although light and made of fine fabric, a padded jacket must resist the friction from the straps of your bag to follow you on your adventures and travels for many years! The resistance of fabrics is measured in denier. So look for the denier number on the product sheets to compare the friction resistance of several padded jackets and make the best choice. Nothing is worse than a padded jacket that tears and lets you down while hiking, in the middle of nowhere.
Padded jackets come in many forms, depending on your preferences and the season. You'll find them with or without hoods, or with or without sleeves.
Women's sleeveless padded jackets are increasingly popular and ideal for mid-season. It will give you a good feeling of warmth around your chest, while freeing up your arms. For practical versatility, some models come with removable sleeves that can be added when the weather turns cooler.
For winter outings, the coldest among you will tend to opt for a padded jacket with long sleeves. With or without sleeves, it will fit comfortably under a waterproof jacket.
Like the sleeves, the hood is also an option on your women's padded jacket. You can opt for a model with a hood, without a hood, or with a removable one. This has the advantage of keeping your neck and head warm, a pleasant feeling when the outside temperatures are particularly low and the wind is blowing… Especially when you realise that we lose most of our body heat through our extremities, namely the head, hands and feet!
One of the criteria to take into account when buying your women's padded jacket is its length. You have two options:
The short padded jacket, which generally stops at the top of the waist, is perfect for active use, as it offers greater freedom of movement. It’s often popular for outdoor activities where the torso moves a lot, such as golf or active walking, or horse riding where the rider is in a seated position
But padded jackets popular for hiking will generally reach hip level.
The long padded jacket, for its part, offers additional protection against the cold, particularly for the legs. There are also mid-length models which cover more of the buttocks than short padded jackets and keep you a little warmer. The long padded jacket is therefore ideal for extreme weather conditions or for those looking to maximise warmth.
If you also want to choose a length of padded jacket to match your body shape or size. It should be noted that the length of the jacket can also create certain optical illusions. For example, a long jacket can help elongate the silhouette for shorter people, while a cropped jacket may be more flattering for larger people.
Keep in mind that choosing the cut of a padded jacket means above all choosing the cut you feel good in, and above all warm, depending on what you’re doing!
Choosing a jacket that fits your size or not will often be a question of style, which is ultimately up to you.
However, if you have a very pronounced waist, you can more easily opt for a fitted jacket which better fits the shape of your body and provides more thermal comfort by better distributing the volume of warm air to keep around you. H body types may prefer a padded jacket with a straight cut also for reasons of thermal comfort and style.
Going on a trek. You’ll probably experience changes in temperature within the same day or following intense exercise (uphill, for instance!). The weight of a padded jacket then becomes an essential feature to ensure it isn’t too heavy in your backpack, on top of everything else!
On all our product sheets, you’ll find the weight of the jacket in size M (for Decathlon hiking or ski padded jackets).
Choosing the right size for your padded jacket is crucial for your comfort and keeping you warm. Indeed, if the jacket is too big, it won’t retain heat. Here are some tips to help you choose wisely:
We've explored everything there is to know about men’s padded jackets! If you want to get the whole family kitted out, check out our more general article, which will give you advice on choosing a padded jacket for adults as well as kids.
A mountain hiking enthusiast
