How much warmer is goose down?
The filaments of Goose down are able to trap more air and provide more insulation. The general rule of thumb is the bigger the down cluster, the warmer the duvet. Given all other factors are equal, a goose-down duvet with more fill say 90 percent will be warmer than the duck-down duvet with the same fill power.
What is Warmer between Duck Down and Goose Down? This fill power affects the warmth of the down, the higher the fill power the more insulated and therefore warm the material is. Therefore, by rule goose down is warmer than duck down on almost all occasions.
The fact is that when the tufts are the same size, goose down will have approximately 15% more insulating power than duck. This is part of the reason for the greater demand for and higher price of goose down. That said, the overall quality of the duvet matters more than the type of down.
A higher down fill rating doesn't necessarily mean one jacket will be warmer than another. The down fill rating number is a measurement of down quality, meaning the cubic inches of loft one ounce of the specific down produces. A higher rating means less down fill is required to capture the same amount of heat.
700 fill down features a strong warmth-to-weight ratio and provides lightweight insulation across a range of temperatures.
With the down weight and down to feather ratio being equal, an 800 fill power jacket will be warmer than a 500 fill power jacket. An 800 fill power jacket will require less down than a 500 fill power jacket to provide the same warmth.
Since down allows air to naturally circulate between your bedding and you, it makes for the perfect bedding option for all seasons; as it helps keep you warm in winter and cool during summer.
When it comes to bedding filling, goose down is considered the best fill product on the market. And, more specifically, Hungarian goose down provides an even more luxurious choice thanks to its exceptional thermal qualities and softness.
700 fill down features a strong warmth-to-weight ratio and provides lightweight insulation across a range of temperatures.
Breathable
The purpose of down is to not just protect the birds from intense cold, but also to regulate their body temperature. Geese are warm blooded and their temperature must be regulated within a certain limit.
Which is warmer 650 or 800 down fill?
Remember, fill power is the quality of the down, not the quantity. If all jackets only ever had 1 oz of down, then yes, an 800 fill jacket would be warmer than a 650 fill, because the 800 will be loftier, and trap more air. But every model of jacket is designed with different amounts of down.
Loftier down gets the highest ratings, and it's the warmest, lightest, and most compressible. For outdoor gear, the heart of the down fill power range is from around 500 to 900. Premium outdoor apparel companies like Feathered Friends in Seattle use mostly 900-fill down in their jackets and sleeping bags.
It is purportedly temperature rated to -25 (with moderate activity) and 25 (with light activity).
One way to determine the quality of down is to look at its fill power. Ranging from about 450 to 900, fill power is the volume in cubic inches that one ounce of the down fills up; higher quality down lofts to a higher volume, so a higher spec number indicates warmer down.
They're both rated to 20°, but the 700-fill bag will have used less down insulation to get there. So, with all other things being equal, that bag will be lighter than the one with 500 fill.
Goose down vs Duck down
Their filaments are therefore able to trap more air and provide more insulation. The general rule of thumb is the bigger the down cluster, the warmer the duvet. Given all other factors are equal, a 95% goose down duvet will be warmer than a 95% duck down duvet.
COMPARING FILL POWER IN DOWN JACKETS
If Jacket A is filled with 227 grams of 800 fill power, and Jacket B is filled with 227 grams of 700 fill power, Jacket A would be warmer. If you had 113 grams of 800 fill power in Jacket C, and 227 grams of 600 fill power in Jacket D, they could have similar warmth.
Goose Down Fill 600
600 fill down is warm, lightweight and durable. Ideal for general outdoor and day-to-day use.
700 Fill Power vs 850 Fill Power
If you're struggling to choose between them, remember that larger down plumes (those higher fill power numbers) retain more heat than smaller plumes, so 850+ fill power down will provide a little extra warmth compared to the 700+ fill power.
If your jacket uses down that has a lower fill power rating, it could be one reason why you're feeling colder when wearing it. Fill power rating isn't the only number to be concerned with however, as down weight plays a crucial role too.
Is goose down worth it?
Goose Down Provides the Best Insulation
Although Hungarian goose down tends to be more expensive than alternative down products, it has larger clusters than other types of down. This gives it a higher fill power to keep you even more warm and cosy.
A goose down duvet filling is naturally breathable and provides three to four times more air circulation than synthetic materials, allowing moisture from sweat to escape more easily. For a cooling duvet, also opt for a lightweight, low tog duvet. A 2.5 tog duvet is the best duvet for hot sleepers.
What makes goose down so expensive is that goose down is extremely difficult to obtain. Compounding its rareness is the difference in the quality of goose down produced by different aged geese. Adult geese provide the softest, most comfortable, and highest fill power down. Young geese provide low quality down.
What About Canadian Goose Down Vs Hungarian Goose Down? Many people also wonder whether Canadian goose down is better than Hungarian Goose down. It can be said that Canadian goose down is a more luxurious alternative to duck down. However, Hungarian goose down remains popular for its durability and softness.
Farmers usually harvest goose down after the birds are slaughtered for meat, and most geese are killed about 15 weeks after hatching. But farmers may also pluck the feathers when geese are still alive, a painful process akin to someone ripping out human hair, animal welfare and advocacy groups say.
The 650-fill-power, RDS (Responsible Down Standard) down makes the jacket reasonably warm for its weight, and warm enough for most people in temps in the 40s Fahrenheit over a base layer.
For reference, I do run a bit hot. Based on the 650-fill power, I'd say it's 80% as warm as its competitors I've tried from brands like The North Face or Patagonia but priced $100-$200 less. But I wouldn't feel confident wearing this below 20F.
It can be used in below-freezing temperatures with no problem. That depends on the type of 650 downfill jacket. The answer is yes for all lightweight jackets that are meant for colder-than-normal conditions, but no for the heavier fabrics and jackets that are intended to be warmer.
Overall, white goose down is softer and better insulated than duck down. Furthermore, goose down is the only type of down that can be used for high fill power. Higher fill power means the down can trap more air which allows for greater insulation, making it higher quality with more loft and a longer-lived down item.
Goose down duvets and pillows are made from down from geese. Down material is fluffy material found on the underbelly of geese, which is what keeps them warm in cold climates. Therefore, making goose down bedding is one of the best choices when it comes to your winter bedding!
Does goose down go bad?
The filling has collapsed. After a period of time any filling, whether it's polyester hollowfibre, feather & down or white goose down, will lose its springiness. This is when you need a replacement.
Both have their pros and cons. Down is lighter and weight-for-weight it's warmer than synthetic insulation. But down fails to insulate when it's wet. Synthetic insulation, on the other hand, maintains its insulating power in damp conditions.
600-700. These are considered excellent quality comforters and provide optimal warmth. A 650 or above Fill Power maybe too warm for those who keep their thermostat at 70+ degrees Fahrenheit.
Over time, the synthetic fibres or down lose their lofting ability and insulation power, although the rate at which this happens depends on frequency of use and how well the jacket has been cared for.
Most of the warmest jackets fall into the parka category, though you'll also see some puffer jackets with similar sub-zero capabilities. Parkas are often designed for the most extreme cold weather conditions, and they can pull off feats of warmth thanks to multi-layer constructions with thick insulation.
For example, one (1) ounce of 800 fill power goose down will loft to 800 cubic inches. So 850 fill power will 'bloom' or 'loft' higher than 800 fill power. The higher the fill power the larger the down cluster. Larger down clusters will loft higher; sleep softer, last longer and sleep warmer.
Compared to wool or leather, puffer jackets provide the unique combination of both warmth and lightness. For example, our Frostline® Jacket keeps you warm in freezing temps while keeping bulk and weight to a minimum.
Warmth. Rated for temperatures between -5°C and 10°C (23F – 50F), the Down Sweater's 800-fill power traceable goose down will keep you warm all through the shoulder-season. When layered, you'll find yourself rocking the Down Sweater in even lower temperatures.
When should you wear a down jacket? Down is very warm and should be worn in below freezing temperatures, however in some cases down can be seen as a less ethical clothing choice.
For Temperatures Below -0°C
Once the weather starts to reach freezing point, look for 'heavy duty' double-layered and hooded down jackets.
How do you calculate down warmth?
Fill power is calculated by a lab test that determines how many cubic inches of loft a certain weight (one ounce) of down produces. The higher the number, the more loft and the warmer than down will be for its weight. For example, a down fill rating of 800 means that one ounce of down covers 800 cubic inches.
Insulation and weight
The warmth of a down comforter depends not only on the fill power, but also on the quantity of fill. So the difference between a comforter with 550 fill power down and a comforter with 700 fill power down is that the 700 fill power down comforter will be lighter for the same warmth rating.
This probably sounds familiar to most: 800-fill, 700-fill, 750-fill…600-fill, 550-fill, etc. These numbers indicate how much “lofting power” the down has. The higher the fill-power, the greater the compressibility and quality of the down used to fill the jacket.
Temperatures below 10 degrees
Freezing cold! An in-between coat or leather jacket is definitely not warm enough for these kinds of temperatures. Comfy, warm coats, that's what we want during these cold months. A wool-lined coat like a puffer jacket or a winter coat would be ideal for these conditions.
Since geese are much larger birds than ducks, they are also the only birds that produce sufficiently large plumes for high-end down products. The outcome is that high-end down products remain highly dependent on goose down fill which is indirectly related to the rise in prices.
Down provides the most insulation, while the feather provides weight. The most opulent quilts have a higher percentage of down to feather and are some of the warmest on the market. A quilt with a high percentage of down to feather will be warm while still being lightweight.
Hutterites are known for producing the best quality Goose Down in the world, and a Hutterite Goose Down duvet is sought after by customers around the world. Hutterite Down is known for being: Lightweight. Soft.
Goose down fill is the gold standard in thermal insulation, so down-filled jackets will definitely keep you warm. Some down-filled jackets are warmer than others, though, and this is determined by the fill power and the total amount of down used in the jacket – the higher the number, the warmer the jacket.
Down provides much more warmth per ounce than feathers. For this reason, feather duvets contain significantly more fill and are heavier than down duvets. They require more fill to achieve the same level of insulation and warmth.
Down is often preferred because of its insulation properties; since it has an unstructured nature cluster, it helps trap air and provides us with more warmth. If you are looking for a super warm and ultra-light material, then down is your go-to option!
What is the warmest goose down?
Goose Down Fill 900
900 fill down is the highest quality down commercially available and considered the absolute gold standard of insulation—with an unmatched warmth-to-weight ratio, it is highly compressible, ultralight and amazingly warm.
For example, 1 ounce of 800-fill-power down will loft to 800 cubic inches, 1 ounce of 700-fill-power down will loft to 700 cubic inches, etc. Loftier down gets the highest ratings, and it's the warmest, lightest, and most compressible. For outdoor gear, the heart of the down fill power range is from around 500 to 900.
HIGHER FILL POWER DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN WARMER
A higher fill power number doesn't automatically mean a jacket will be warmer, as quantity is still an important factor. This image demonstrates that 3 grams of 800 fill power takes up the same amount of space as 5 grams of 550 fill power.
A goose down quilt in winter warmth is typically the warmest quilt for winter, but if you choose the all-seasons warmth variety, you'll also be comfortable in the warmer months. Goose feather quilts, on the other hand, may not be suitable for sub-zero temperatures but perform exceptionally well year-round.
Overall, white goose down is softer and better insulated than duck down. Furthermore, goose down is the only type of down that can be used for high fill power. Higher fill power means the down can trap more air which allows for greater insulation, making it higher quality with more loft and a longer-lived down item.
