For 30 years, Sonoma Outfitters has known
the importance of having the right gear for all your
outdoor needs. Our Jacket Department has just
what you need, no matter what or where the conditions.
Casual
Jackets < < Click to view all Women's Casual Jackets
Casual
Jackets are suited for everyday wear or
use. They can be used for a casual evening
out on the town, or with friends, going
out toa restaurant, or attire to match
your look. Great for mild climates or
for slightly windy climates.
Component jackets are a cost effective way
to keep warm and dry as they are actually
three or more jackets in one. Each component
is a stand alone layer offering an attractive,
co-ordinated
addition to your wardrobe. Consisting
of an outershell, innershell liner, and
sometimes an insulated vest, they can
be worn in different combinations
to provide the perfect level of warmth
throughout the day, as well as the season.
The outershell is usually made of a waterproof/breathable
shell material for protection against
wet and windy conditions. The liner layer,
usually a fleece or softshell material,
on it's own is a good midweight layer
for that extra bit of warmth without
over-warming or adding bulk. A vest worn on it's own gives core warmth without
restricting movement. By combining layers,
you can be assured of staying comfortable
no matter how the weather changes. The
addition or subtraction of a layer provides
perfect comfort.
Fleece is a knitted synthetic fabric which
is brushed on both sides to give a soft,
fluffy finish. Polartec is a range of
high-quality fleece fabrics
available in various weights and textures.
The numbers that follow after the product
name usually refer to the fabric weight
and thickness. Polartec 100 is very versatile
and is used primarily for shirts and
light-weight garments, while Polartec
200 is used primarily for mid-weight
jackets. The warmest, Polartec 300, is
primarily used for heavy-weight jackets.
Windstopper is a windproof fleece fabric
which has a highly breathable ePTFE (Gore-Tex)
membrane that is laminated between
2 layers of light-weight fleece, or an
outer light-weight fleece and an inner mesh.
Jackets
or shells: These jackets have features for
alpine skiers and snowboarders such as powder
flaps, powder skirt (snug fitting inner cuff
around the body of a jacket, designed to prevent
powder snow from blowing up into the garment.),
they usually are insulated, windproof, water
resistant and sometimes having breathable
properties to let out moisture.
Synthetic fibers have enabled manufacturers
to produce clothing that offers numerous
advantages over traditional cotton clothing
for travelers and outdoor use. New fabrics
are very comfortable to wear next to
the skin,even in hot conditions. This
is due to the fabric's high breath-ability
and wicking treatments. Benefits: it
dries quickly, comfort and convenience,
more durable, light-weight, does not
shrink, stretch or fade, crease resistant,
some fabrics offer increased sun protection
(SPF). Some garments have integrated
ventilation features that allow cooling
air flow in hot conditions.
Downproof fabric must be very tightly woven
or coated to prevent the down
from poking through. Exceedingly light,
down is a very highly insulating material.
Fill Power = the space one ounce of down
occupies in cubic inches. There are three
fill weights to address performance demands.
800+ Fill Power Expedition Down series
for optimal warmth in extreme conditions.
Rely on 600+ Fill Mountain Down series
for lightweight, easily packable, all-season
bags. Premier 900 Fill Power Eastern
European Down is the highest quality
down commercially available. The insulation
contains the highest percentage of large,
fluffy down clusters with a very low
percentage of feathers and stems that
add weight and bulk. With this unsurpassed
cluster-to-feather ratio, 900 fill power
down is the lightest and most compressible
down with the best warmth-to-weight
ratio. 900 fill power down is the ultimate
in efficient, lightweight and luxurious
warmth.
Soft shell garments offer greater weather protection than normal
fleece and base layer options, but not as
much as a waterproof/breathable shell layer.
The nature of a soft shell garment will usually
offer very high breathability, total protection
from wind, water repellence, and a fast drying
time. They may also offer some kind of wicking
liner or stretch qualities.
To
be waterproof the fabric must prevent
water from penetrating. A
hydrostatic head of 1.5
meters is the standard requirement that
must be met to be classified as waterproof.
This is enough to keep out the heaviest
possible rain, but is not enough to keep
out water under pressure from kneeling
down. High quality waterproof fabrics such
as Gore-Tex, will exceed the standard(Gore-Tex
has a hydrostatic head of 28 meters).
Windproof fleece is a fabric which
has a highly breathable ePTFE (Gore-Tex) membrane.
It is then laminated between 2 layers of light-weight
fleece, or an outer light-weight fleece and
an inner mesh. Wind protection is a vital
function of outer garments in mild or cold
weather conditions. Windproof can allow no
more than 11 litres of air to pass through
per second per square meter
