Eddie Bauer Evertherm Downdraft hooded jacket review

Tried and tested, in the field

Dressed in brown pants and a sage green jacket with blue zipper, a man wearing a cap, sunnies and a red backpack stands atop a mountain on a small rock platform looking over the view, the green valley far below with a long blue lake down the middle

Eddie Bauer is an American brand that has some pedigree in the outdoor scene. Until now it’s had a very small presence in Europe, but things are set to change with Eddie Bauer launching in the UK and Europe. The creator of the OG puffer (the diamond quilt pocket design patented back in 1936 when the Skyliner jacket came about), Eddie Bauer has since developed numerous ranges covering all your outdoor needs. Here, Rob Benton from Écrins Collective reviews the Evertherm 2.0 Downdraft hooded jacket.

Evertherm Downdraft Hoodie | £350

The Eddie Bauer Evertherm is from the First Ascent technical range. It uses 30G Thindown® insulation and adheres to RDS (Responsible Down Standard). 

ThinDown® – this fabric is what sets the jacket apart from many other down jackets. 

Most outdoor down jackets are filled with loose down. To hold the down in place (so it all doesn’t sink to the bottom) baffles or quilting are used. Thindown®, however, uses sheets of down.

What does this mean?

When you get rid of the quilting in a jacket, you change the profile; it’s less bulky and looks more like a synthetic option. Thindown® claims to be two-times warmer than loose down, with no cold spots or air escaping through the stitching of the quilts. In theory, this means that you can make a thinner, lighter jacket that is as warm as, or warmer, than a traditional quilted jacket.

Dressed in brown pants and a sage green jacket with blue zipper, a man wearing a cap, sunnies and a red backpack walks along a mountain track looking over the view, the green valley far below with a long blue lake running through

Fit  

Described as having an ‘active fit’, the Evertherm is not meant to be baggy, designed to fit over a base layer or light mid layer. I am 6’2 (186cm) with a slim build, and wear a size medium. The body fits well, sitting at hip level, which I prefer in this type of jacket. The arms I find come up a little short, especially if reaching up in climbing. To be fair, I do have long arms ( – I’m not saying I can scratch my knees without bending down but it’s not far off…). Some Eddie Bauer jackets come in a ‘tall’, which means longer arms, but unfortunately not this model. If you have similar freakishly long arms you’ll be well used to this issue and can decide if you would rather go for a size large (and baggier) jacket.

I go for the closer fit, and the fabric has a slight stretch to it, making it comfortable and easy to move in.

The jacket has a helmet compatible hood, and while it does fit over my size-small Petzl Sirocco helmet, it’s tight. The material is indeed stretchy, so it should be ok with bigger helmets.

In action  

I have used the Evertherm while ski touring, walking and climbing. Eddie Bauer makes a range of jackets with Thindown® – the Evertherm Downdraft hooded jacket is the thinnest at 30g and weighs around 250g. It’s an active jacket, rather than a full on winter belay-style jacket. That said, the Evertherm is warm for its thickness, and works really well for active days as a layer. The layer part is key; when you stop moving, you feel the chill.

The lack of bulk means it fits easily in a rucksack and also under a waterproof as an additional layer. The specs state that it’s water resistant, but it won’t take a downpour.

Overall

Overall I think it’s a great bit of kit and works really well. I like to have numerous thin layers when out on the hill, to swap and change as needed – and this fits the bill. The weight and pack size make it great for stuffing in a pack as an emergency layer. I think the range of jackets using Thindown® is a interesting option and is certainly worth a look if your after a lightweight, less bulky down jacket that looks good, too.

Dressed in brown pants and a sage green jacket with blue zipper, a man wearing a cap, sunnies and a red backpack walks a rocky high mountain route

Features

  • 30g Responsible Down Standard (RDS) Thindown®
  • StormRepel® Super DWR moisture-shedding finish.
  • Helmet-compatible hood.
  • Secure zip pockets.
  • Packs into pocket

If you found this useful, check out Rob Benton’s review for the Guide Pro Pants to get yourself fully kitted out. And head over to our Gear page for all things kit related…

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