RDS Certified Down Jackets

5 SarahC
I love this vest. While it ’s a little bulky it more than makes up for it in warmth and in how attractive it looks. Some reviews have described the vest as too masculine which I partially agree with but the high collar and shiny fabric make the vest more feminine, in my opinion. Pros: Very light in weight but great warmth Comfortable and stylish Longer length ============== Cons( I ’ m being picky) Collar does not have fleece chin guard lining for the zip or at the neck Collar is a little too wide ============== Detailed Review As someone who hates being cold or even a little chilly; I like to wear a vest in the Fall), Winter and early to mid - Spring. I frequently layer it under a woollen hoodie, a waterproof shell or under a long leather coat. I leave the vest on when I get to where am going. It adds that little bit of extra warmth worn under a jacket and even when you take off your longer out layer the vest is ideal to leave on at your destination to keep you warm. It will continue to hold a lovely bubble of warm air around your body, it ’s like wearing an electric blanket. I wear it( 1/2 to 3/4 zipped) at my desk in work( especially in colder parts of the building e. g., the lower floors) and around town. Our office isn ’ t freezing but it ’s chilly sometimes when windows are constantly opened( especially now during Covid) or when doors are left open for too long. I also wear it when working from home when it ’s a little chilly in the house. The vest wraps you in a wonderfully warm bubble of air and is ideal for wearing for hours at a time. Even when you take if off you can feel the huge warmth retained by the baffles on the inside of the vest. Just like any down filled outerwear you can benefit by putting it on and zipping it up( the higher the better) about 5 minutes before you head outdoors. This allows the down to absorb your body heat in advance of being outside. I haven ’ t needed to put it on in advance of going out since I like mine so much that I have been wearing it casually half zipped up and part of my outfit every day since buying it. I ’ ve just found it comfortable and stylish enough to wear all the time in the Autumn and Winter weather. I ’ m a “ vest ” person and love having a vest that is so warm, generously padded, stylish and convenient to wear with me as often as I can during the colder months. On the rare occasions when I ’ ve gotten too warm, I simply unzip it or take it off. Since they ’ re aren ’ t any sleeves the vest doesn ’ t get in the way. If the dress code of where you work or wherever you are is n't too fussy and you feel chilly enough, leave this vest on when you get there; at least 1/2 zipped if you can. I found most people do n't care if you wear a thick padded vest like this indoors. After all you 're not wearing a full jacket with sleeves but just another layer to stay warm. This ties into my other tip above about warming up the vest before venturing outside. I wear mine in the office( even to meetings with the dress code now a little less formal), coffee shops etc. I do since there's no point in being feeling chilly when you can cocoon yourself in the warmth of this smart looking vest. If you get too warm or someone thinks you 're rude for wearing a jacket indoors, simply take it off. I love touching the smooth Tactel nylon material of this vest. The gorgeous gold inner lining is beautiful too. I 'm a UK size 12 and the medium fits me perfectly even with a heavy sweatshirt on. The arm holes of the vest are reasonably sized and make it easy to put on. The zip on the front has an inner baffle that is excellent at keeping the wind out. Gusts of wind can come right at you, but they wo n't get inside in the vest. The zips easy pull toggle makes it easier to adjust when my hands are cold or when I 'm wearing gloves on those extra cold days. Make use of the pockets since they are warm and really comfortable with a soft material on the inside. The pockets absorb your body heat from the baffles on the front of the vest. They are so good they are almost a substitute for wearing gloves. If you don ’ t believe me, put your hands in the pockets right after putting the vest on and then try again in 2 to 3 minutes, the difference is very noticeable. The only negatives( I ’ m being picky) are that the collar could be much more comfortable when fully zipped up if it had a soft chin guard lining( the description said it had one but I don ’ t see or feel one). Its also a little wide meaning I ’ ve needed to wear one of Columbia ’s neck gaiters to stay warm when its windy. The collar could fit closer to the neck and with a nice soft lining could be very comfortable. I still wear my Columbia Voodoo Falls 590 vest because I love it too but if I need something warmer, the Bulo Point vest is my go - to vest. Overall, it ’s a beautiful vest, stylish, very comfortable and super smooth to the touch. Believe me, when you wear it you won ’ t want to take it off! I love this vest so much that I also bought the matching jacket in the same color but that ’s for another review! Thanks for reading.