When the temperatures start to drop, down jackets are the perfect thing to keep on hand because they're warm but also lightweight and fairly packable. The best down jackets for men are designed with high-quality insulation and a durable shell to hold it all in place.
While shopping around, one of the first things to consider is the type of insulation you prefer: natural down versus synthetic. Natural down is more lightweight and it typically packs down better if you need to shove your jacket into a bag or backpack. On the other hand, it's also more expensive and isn't naturally water-resistant. Synthetic filling, on the other hand, is typically cheaper and handles moisture better, though it tends to be heavier and bulkier.
If you opt for a jacket filled with genuine down, you also may want to think about a metric called fill power. This describes how efficiently the jacket's insulation traps heat. A higher fill power doesn't always mean a warmer jacket but it does mean "warmer for the weight." This doesn't matter as much if you like a thicker jacket but if you prefer a trimmer, more tailored fit, a higher fill power will be your friend.
The final factor to think about is style. Do you like a shorter jacket that hits at the waist? Or a longer option that keeps more of your core warm? Do you prefer loose, tailored, or slim-fits? What about hoods, pockets, drawstrings, or stitching patterns?
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