5.11 ACADIA DOWN JACKET

If you want to stay warm, this is the jacket for you.  The Acadia Down jacket from 5.11 is one of their new releases for the season, and it performs well in chilly conditions. The jacket is stylish, functional, comfortable and warming. There are plenty of companies making and selling jackets with a similair look but be warned. If you don’t find a jacket with the proper amount of down, you’ll feel the chill.

Let’s start of with the jacket itself– The jacket is lightweight, breathable and looks cool. Jackets on the market using down are filled with anywhere from 300 to 900 fill power; the Acadia comes in at a strong 750 goose fill; this is a premium amount of fill to keep you feeling warm. How does it work? Higher quality jackets use more fill to insulate, thereby keeping your body warmth trapped in, and keeping the cold air out. Goose down is an excellent fill material, and will last a good amount of time. This is a great jacket for snowmobiling, stomping around in the snow, and making your rounds at your pub at night, or your coffee shop on a cold Sunday morning. The jacket has 100% down for insulation with 750 fill power: 2.5-oz., body, 2.8-oz., sleeves, and 4.4-oz., hood

The jacket is breathable, windproof, water-resistant and downproof. Cheap jackets will leak down, but the Acadia won’t. $200.00 seems a bit much to pay, but it isn’t. The jacket is good for Winter, Spring and Fall. There are jackets out there for $50-$100.00 but you’ll get 50-100 dollars worth of quality. Pay a bit more and get something that works. Mind you, this jacket was given to me by 5.11 to review–No strings attached. I am a big believer in buying good quality, and I will always buy the best that I can afford. There are a few jackets in my closet that have cost over $200.00 or more; they’ve held up well over the last decade. I can’t say the same for other outerwear that I have paid less for. I dislike paying $150.00 or more; but you do get what you pay for.

Body: 100% polyester plain weave, 1.66-oz., DWR Lining: 100% polyester plain weave, 2.12-oz., DWR Insulation: 100% down, 750 fill power, 2.5-oz., body, 2.8-oz., sleeves, and 4.4-oz., hood

The Acadia has features that are comparable to jackets made by companies such as North Face or Beyond Clothing. We’re at time in Virginia where the temperature drops to about 40 in the evenings. When the wind comes, you can feel the cold and the breeze. This jacket paired with a good, long sleeve will give you the protection that you desire, against mild to stronger conditions, and removes the need for a heavy, bulky coat. Definitely pair it with an underlayer for an added boost.

Chest pocket, and on the inside of the jacket is a hidden pocket (same size)

The jacket, sleeves and hood are coated with a durable water-repellent finish for nice protection. There is an attached hood with an adjustabilty feature that provides an optimal fit.  When I write optimal fit, I mean optimal fit. When the hood is zipped up completely, the hood will encircle your entire head; everything but your face will be jacketed. The jacket is lightweight, and the material is strong, unlike similar looking jackets made of a flimsy, sheer material that will tear almost too easily.

The jacket has four pockets: there are is one interior chest pocket (R), one exterior chest pocket (L), and there are pockets on each side of the jacket nearest the waist. The pockets are spacious and of course functional.

The zippers are high quality YKK units. You get a one-way center front zipper with internal storm flap/chin guard, concealed left chest zipper pocket, internal right chest zipper pocket, with media port and hand zipper pockets. There is an pocket on the inner right side of the jacket for stowing away your EDC or passport or whatever you prefer. You can stow your phone in the internal zipper pocket that features the slit used as a media port.

Like many of 5.11’s outwear, the inner pocket of the jacket utilizes a removable stuff sack.