Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
There’s no better way to keep warm this coming fall than with a puffy down vest. While I like a nice jacket as much as the next guy, vests offer a good mid-range level of warmth, give you a better range of motion, and just look better with the rest your outfit (sometimes). Not all vests are created equal, but we’ve done our best to cover a wide range of styles and price-points to ensure they’re something for everyone.
1) Warehouse x Rocky Mountain: 13oz. HBT Denim Feathered Down Vest
Warehouse x Rocky Mountain Featherbed’s HBT Denim Feathered Down Vest is certainly one of the most one of the most divisive vests on this list with its herringbone denim fabric, Japanese horsehide accents, down goose feathers for warmth, and contrasting copper buttons. That said, it’s still not that crazy of a design, and should still be easy to match with a wide range of clothes that are already in your wardrobe.
Available for $792AUD (~$580USD) from Corlection.
2) Uniqlo: Ultra Light Down Vest
I hate to suggest Uniqlo yet again, but sometimes they’re just the best budget option. Their Ultra Light Down Vest is certainly a bit lighter weight than the other vests on this list, but the quality-to-price ratio is solid and they’re available in just about every color under the sun. The outer shell is constructed from nylon, stuffed with a 90% down fill and a layer of polyester on top of that. The lighter weight of this vest allows it to be close-fitting, a trick that hasn’t been accomplished by many of the puffers vests that came before it.
Available for $40 from Uniqlo.
3) Filson: Down Cruise Vest
Filson’s water-resistant tin cloth canvas is one of the most iconic materials out there, and it is the perfect outer material for their Down Cruiser Vest. It’s made in Canada with a 75%/25% goose down/feather filling, which makes for a great insulating combination, and features enough exterior pockets for all of your necessities. The durability of Filson’s tin cloth will ensure this vest will be with you for years to come, and the waxed nature of the fabric will leave you with one of the best fabric patinas possible.
Like this? Read these:
Available for $230 from Sierra Trading Post.
4) L.L. Bean: Upcountry Waxed Cotton Down Vest
L.L. Bean’s Upcountry Vest is another great option for those who want a waxed cotton vest but aren’t fond of Filson’s tin cloth or pricepoint. It’s available in three colors of waxed cotton canvas and features 650-fill DownTek treated down, a treatment process that results in a water-resistant down material. It features brass hardware, corduroy accents, and a ton of exterior pockets for whatever you need.
Available for $149 from L.L. Bean.
5) Canada Goose: Freestyle Vest
Canada Goose makes some of the warmest down clothing out there such as their Freestyle Vest, which will keep you warm down to 5° Fahrenheit. Unlike most of the other vests on this list, this is a piece falls more in line with the techwear side of vest varieties. It features high-tech fabrics, functional internal pockets, external hand warming pockets, flapped closures for better wind protection, and high quality hardware to boot. While the style is a bit less streamlined than Uniqlo’s Ultra Light Down Vest, this 625-fill vest is meant to offer some serious warmth, so the design really comes with the territory.
Available for $425 from Blue Owl.
Plus One – Ginew: Elk Down Vest
Like the Warehouse x Rocky Mountain previously mentioned on this list, Ginew’s Elk Down Vest also features a leather yoke. However, this one is made from hunted elk leather, and the natural color matches beautifully with the rest of the vest. It features an incredibly ample 700-fill goose down with large, yet discrete front pockets, custom branded Ginew snaps, and the made-in-America quality you’d expect to get from any of Ginew’s products. While not everyone will find themselves comfortable wearing this two-material style vest, it’s certainly one of the most unique pieces out there this season.
Available for $595 from Ginew.
