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It's November now, and even the lowest temperature in Hangzhou has dropped below 10℃. This temperature is quite awkward; in the morning, you wear a light down jacket, and by noon, you're in a T-shirt. For us running enthusiasts, we used to run in short sleeves and shorts, but now, morning and night runs feel a bit chilly in such attire.

You might have heard of the three-layer dressing method for winter running:Base layer for quick-drying, middle layer for warmth, and outer layer for wind protection.Given the current situation, I generally have two different dressing methods: one is a long-sleeve quick-dry running top, and the other is a short-sleeve quick-dry T-shirt with a running vest.Some might say, why not just choose the first option...

I might have thought the same before, but my thoughts have changed now. Why?Let me explain below.

Anyone who has run in a trail race knows about the Chaigu Downs Trail Race, and those who follow Chaigu surely remember this year's finisher's red vest from GEARLAB. Although I don't have one, I envied it for a long time.

Not long ago,GEARLAB released a new warm gear product—an 850-fill ultra-light water-repellent down vest.Its appearance is somewhat similar to the Chaigu finisher's red vest, but of course, there are more differences. Today, I'll share with you and unveil its mystery.

First, let's understand the concept of 850 fill power.I'm sure many of you have heard of it or know something about it.Fill power refers to the loftiness of down, which is a measure of its insulating ability. It indicates the volume (in cubic inches) occupied by one ounce (30 grams) of down under certain conditions.

For example, if one ounce of down occupies 850 cubic inches, then its fill power is 850.Generally, the higher the fill power of the down, the better its insulation, and it is also lighter and more form-fitting.

GEARLAB's product packaging has always been minimalist, but I personally like this packaging bag, often using it as an organizer for clothes when traveling.

The first impression of this down vest in hand is its lightness, very light, likethe M size weighs only about 103 grams, equivalent to a short-sleeve quick-dry T-shirt or a cup of Mengniu flavored yogurt (105 grams).

The product comes in two colors, white and blue. I got the white one, which I think looks clean and simple, and is easier to match with clothes.

In terms of appearance, the product uses a panda color scheme, with black for the zipper, cuffs, and logo, while the rest is all white.

The most important components of down products are the fabric and the filling. This GEARLAB down vest uses 850-fill power white goose down that has been treated to be water-repellent. This water-repellent down is treated so that each feather is covered with a water-repellent film, similar to the water-repellent treatment commonly seen in clothing, thusachieving waterproofing from the inside out, preventing the effects of rain, sweat, and moisture.The insulation layer won't lose its warmth significantly due to moisture from prolonged running.

With the water-repellent treated filling, the product retains the lightweight, soft, and highly compressible characteristics of down while addressing the drawback of down shrinking when wet,and more importantly, it has excellent insulation.

This water-repellent down is quite interesting. The official experiment shows untreated down and water-repellent down soaked in water for an hour. The former is completely soaked, while the latter remains fluffy and dry.

I tested it with water, soaking the down vest in water. It immediately floated on the surface, and even after repeated attempts, it remained buoyant until you knead and wash it for a while, and then it gradually lessens.

The product uses Japan's TORAY 10D featherweight anti-drilling fabric. TORAY, established in 1926, is a global chemical giant and the world's largest carbon fiber manufacturer, as well as a top clothing fabric manufacturer.

This fabric comes in7D, 8D, 10D, 15D, 20D...The higher the number, the thicker and more durable the fabric, but thinner fabrics have better touch, comfort, and are much lighter, with better compressibility.

To further accelerate the expulsion of moisture from the inside of the clothing, the product uses spliced breathable elastic fabric in key heat zones like the back and underarms to meet ventilation needs, ensuring comfort during exercise and making it more form-fitting, allowing for flexibility even during intense activities.

The product features an open-front design, with an anti-pinch patch added at the top of the zipper.The stand-up collar design has a thickened neck area. Used to wear a magic scarf when it was cold?Not anymore, throw it away.

Another highlight of this down vest is its storage functionality. Two large zippered pockets on the sides can hold a phone, ID, change, and other important items, while two large pockets inside can temporarily hold larger but lighter items like a T-shirt or a windbreaker.

For easier storage and carrying, the product has a self-storage feature with a hidden storage bag (black part) inside. You can easily pack the product into a fist-sized bundle for storage, making it convenient for travel or trail races, taking up little space.

However, it's recommended to hang it when not in use to maintain its insulation performance.

Compared to low-fill power down, it is lighter and more compact, which is the greatest value of high-fill power down.

Although the product looks much thinner than expected, its insulation performance while wearing is not compromised. According to GEARLAB's experimental data,the product is suitable for 0℃-15℃ in static conditions and -5℃-5℃ in dynamic conditions. I personally think it's especially suitable for spring and autumn.

To test the product's insulation, breathability, and sweat-wicking functions, I conducted tests under different temperatures and environments.

Test 1

Test conditions:City road running, temperature 3℃, base layer long-sleeve quick-dry shirt, outer layer GEARLAB down vest.

Upon stepping out, my arms felt cold first, but my torso felt fine under the insulation of the down vest.After a simple warm-up, I started jogging at a pace of around 5:30 per kilometer. After three kilometers, my body began to heat up, and my arms no longer felt cold. My torso still felt comfortably warm.

Around five kilometers, I started to sweat, especially on my back, but the outer layer of the vest remained dry and fluffy, with no dampness. The inside felt slightly moist, but my body felt no discomfort.

After fifteen kilometers, I took off the vest and observed it closely. The outer fabric had a thin layer of mist, and the down filling had slightly clumped due to prolonged moisture absorption, especially on the back, which is a core sweat zone. The clumping was more noticeable than on the front. The inner surface had a layer of fine sweat, also more noticeable on the back.

Although some moisture was expelled through the underarm sides and upper back, some condensed into fine sweat on the fabric surface.Throughout the run, regardless of the amount of sweat, the vest never stuck to my body, and I felt no discomfort from moisture. The clothing did not feel heavy or saggy from moisture absorption, maintaining excellent comfort.

Overall, with the support of high-tech fabrics and water-repellent down, the product performed very well in terms of lightness, comfort, and breathability during exercise. However, the test temperature I chose was a bit high, and I felt a bit hot later on.

I personally recommend wearing it for short to medium distances at 0-5℃, and for long distances and extended activities at temperatures below 0℃.

Test 2

Test conditions:Daily wear, temperature 15℃, base layer short-sleeve T-shirt, outer layer GEARLAB down vest.

This test mainly focused on the product's performance in daily casual wear.Since I left home early in the morning, the short-sleeve and vest combination was just right. The vest protected my core body area well, retaining body heat without causing sweating.As the temperature rose, I chose to unzip the vest for better air circulation. At this point, the vest served mainly as a layering piece, also solving the problem of no pockets in a T-shirt for holding a phone.

Of course, as the temperature continued to rise, I could take off the vest and store it. It comes with a black elastic strap, which you can loop around your hand for easy carrying when running in winter.You can also store it in a handbag, depending on the situation.

Another point to note is that our running watch straps are usually made of rubber, which has high friction. When running, the arm swing can cause friction with the clothing, sometimes affecting the running experience. I suggest keeping a certain distance between your arms and body while swinging, and securing the end of the watch strap.

Also,try not to put your phone in the vest pocket while running, as the weight of the phone can cause it to bounce around in the pocket.

I've worn many GEARLAB products before and often recommended them. This ultra-light water-repellent down vest feels particularly suitable for running, trail running, and mountaineering. It's convenient to carry, has obvious insulation effects, good breathability and sweat-wicking performance, and can be worn or taken off as needed.

Of course, it's also a good choice for daily casual wear.

On the market, down products with a fill power above 800 usually cost over 2000 yuan, but this vest is currently priced at just over 400 yuan, which is quite cost-effective.

Let's go!Get it and hit the trails.

How to buy

【Gearlab Goose Down】

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