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What is the Expedition Down Lite Jacket?
It's a lighter version of Fjallraven's iconic Expedition Down Jacket, which is one of the warmest jackets in existence, designed for use in extremely cold environments.
This lighter-weight version is slightly shorter and filled with 35% less down, making it a more wearable piece for everyday life in milder winter climates whilst still being an incredibly warm down jacket. Other than that, it's pretty much the same well-made, robust jacket as the original, which has largely been unchanged since 1974.
What is it made from?
Insulation: The Expedition Down Lite Jacket's impressive warmth comes from the 353 g of ethically sourced, 700 fill power goose down. All of the down is distributed evenly throughout a single layer of stitch-through channels to help eliminate any cold spots in the jacket.
Despite down's incredible warmth to weight ratio, it doesn't like being compressed, therefore Fjallraven has used a synthetic insulation over the shoulders; this prevents heat loss due to the insulation being compressed by rucksack straps or becoming damp from heavy snowfall.
Can't quite catch the lingo? Here's a quick breakdown.
Fill power - Fill power measures the warmth and efficiency of the down, alongside its ability to loft/fluff up. A rating of 700 fill power means that 1oz of this down fills 700 cubic inches of space when fully lofted. For a more detailed explanation, you can check out our YouTube video on fill power by clicking here.
Ethically sourced - Due to their extensive experience in the outdoor industry, Fjallraven has established a responsible production process where 100% of the down used is traceable. The Fjallraven 'Down Promise' is considered in the manufacturing process of every down product, ensuring that down taken from birds has been gathered ethically and is of high quality. Fjallraven's down is collected as a bi-product from the food industry, helping to reduce waste from such a large industry, and never comes from birds that have been treated cruelly (eg. being force-fed or live plucked).
Outer fabric: Surrounding the insulation and providing a barrier against the elements is a tough, hardwearing nylon outer fabric. You'll most likely never encounter rain when wearing this jacket, however snow and wind are both repelled by this fabric thanks to its PFC-free DWR (durable water repellent) coating. Please note however this does not make this jacket fully waterproof.
What are its features?
As previously mentioned, this jacket features 35% less down and is 16 centimetres shorter than the iconic Expedition Down Jacket. Other than that, its feature set has largely been unchanged since its original in 1974.
In case you're unfamiliar with the Fjallraven classic, you get an insulated, adjustable hood with Fjallraven's signature yellow drawcords and contrasting tab adjustment. The drawcords' bright colour makes it much easier to locate them in a snowstorm when visibility is low, so you can cinch the hood in quickly when temperatures suddenly drop.
Fjallraven has used synthetic padding reinforcements over shoulders for added durability and resistance to moisture and pressure, helping the insulation to withstand a lifetime of use with a backpack.
A two-way front zip allows ventilation without having to undo the whole jacket, also making it easier to fit and adjust a harness underneath so you don't have to completely remove the jacket. The zip has a protective flap over the top that can be fastened with buttons to enhance weather resistance at the entry.
For storage, there are two large top-opening pockets that have entry from the side as well. A zipped inner storage pocket provides a safer place to store smaller valuables. To adapt the fit, there are drawcord adjustments on the hem and elasticated cuffs with button adjustment which are handy if you're wearing thick mitts or gloves.
Features
- A lighter version of the iconic Expedition Down Jacket suitable for milder winter climates
- Lightly padded with high-quality, ethically produced down distributed in stitch-through channels
- Outer fabric in hardwearing polyamide with PFC-free DWR
- Shoulders reinforced with synthetic padding to resist moisture
- Protective hood with signature yellow drawcord and leather tab adjustment
- Two-way front zipper plus a protective flap with buttons
- Two large top-loaded pockets with flaps, and extra openings from the sides
- Zippered inside storage pocket
- Drawcord adjustments at hem and waist