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B lending technology, style and sustainability is key for the insulated catego- ry's top performers. In 2018, performance ski brand Obermeyer will be unveiling its first- ever fall heritage collection. The collection is inspired by the 70-plus years of innovation and commit- ment behind the Obermeyer brand's history. A new insulated jacket from Obermeyer, the Dusty Down Jacket, boasts a vintage style with simple, clean color blocking and a refined fit for comfort. It features zippered tricot-lined hand–warmer pockets and a drop back hem. Patagonia's Micro Puff Hoody is now in its first full fall season. Delivering the best warmth-to-weight ratio of any jacket Patagonia has ever created, the Micro Puff Hoody provides warmth, minimal weight and compressibil- ity – even when wet – and offers the versatility of synthetic without com- promising the benefits of down. The PlumaFill insulation (65-g 100 percent polyester) is featherlight and compress- ible, offering down-level warmth that still traps your heat when it's wet. A nylon ripstop Pertex Quantum shell, with a DWR finish, blocks wind and snow. The garment's design minimizes useless fluff. Outdoor Research's Illuminate Down Hoody and Jacket are uberlight down puffy options. The combination of 800-fill down, a light 10D shell, a 20D lining, and – notably – narrow, horizontally oriented baffle construc- tion looks more visually striking than many jackets in this category. Perfect as an insulating layer underneath a shell or on its own, the Illuminate folds into the left pocket for easy storage. Maloja's Fex Jacket features a four- way stretch Gore Windstopper X FAST Windstopper fabric paired with a Thermal Stretch Eco fleece insulation for maximum wind protection and lightweight warmth with exceptional moisture transfer. Adidas Outdoors' Climawarm Jacket is an urban inspired water repellent duck down jacket. It is equipped with 600 fill power, 80/20 Duck Down, with water repellent a DWR PFC-free finish for optimal warmth in every condi- tion. Heat seal baffles overlap down chambers for maximum warmth. Mountain Equipment's Earthrise Jacket is designed to be both warm and responsible. The down filling comes entirely from reclaimed duck and goose down (650 fill power) and the 20D outer shell and liner is made with 100 percent recycled fabrics. The asymmetrical baffle construction gives it a unique design feature that sets it apart from other down jackets. Helly Hansen's insulated winter jack- ets in 2018 feature LifaLoft, a combo of the brand's Lifa tech and PrimaLoft insulation. The designs reduce weight while retaining insulating warmth. O February 2018 • Outdoor Insight • 33 outdoorinsightmag.com Orage Phoenix Standout Styles