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Insight · Wool Guide
Wool vs. Down: Which Is Warmer?
The short answer
Down is warmer for its weight. Ounce for ounce, down traps more warm air than wool or common synthetic fills, which is why down is the insulation in serious winter coats. Wool is warmer when things get wet. Down loses much of its loft when soaked, while wool keeps much of its warmth when damp and breathes when you work.
So the warmest answer is both. Wear wool as your mid layer, a shirt jac or a sweater, and put a down jacket over it. A leather shell over the down, like our Bridger, adds a wall against the wind.
We make both, so we get asked this every winter. A man holding a wool jacket in one hand and a down jacket in the other wants to know which will keep him warmer. The honest answer is that they are good at different things, and the best cold-weather outfits use them together.
Below we compare wool and down on the things that decide how warm you actually are: warmth for the weight, performance when wet, wind, packability and durability. Then we lay out when to choose each and how to layer them.
How each one keeps you warm
Neither wool nor down makes heat. Your body does. Insulation works by holding still air close to you, so that heat leaves slowly. The more still air a material can hold for its weight, the warmer it is for its weight.
Down is the soft undercoat of ducks and geese: light, three-dimensional clusters that spring apart and fill space. That loft is why a down jacket feels thick but weighs little. The measure of that loft is fill power. We explain it in what is down fill power?
Wool fibers are naturally crimped, so a wool cloth holds pockets of air throughout its thickness. Wool also absorbs water vapor into the fiber itself, which lets it stay comfortable as you warm up and cool down. It is denser and heavier than down, and far tougher.
Wool vs. down: side by side
| Wool | Down | |
|---|---|---|
| Warmth for the weight | Good | Best. The highest warmth for the weight of common insulations |
| Warmth when wet | Keeps much of its warmth when damp | Poor. Loses loft when soaked and dries slowly |
| Wind | Good in a dense woven cloth | Depends on the shell. Leather or a tight shell blocks it |
| Breathability | High. Handles sweat well | Good in the fill, limited by the shell |
| Compressibility | Low. Bulky to pack | High. Packs small, springs back |
| Durability | High. Resists abrasion, sparks and snags better than thin shells | The down lasts for many years with care. The shell is the weak point |
| Odor | Resists odor well | Not worn against the skin, so rarely an issue |
| Care | Brush, spot clean, air out | Keep dry, store loose, re-loft by hand |
| Best for | Wet cold, active days, the mid layer | Dry cold, standing still, the outer layer |
Warmth for the weight: down wins
If the question is which keeps you warmest for the least weight, down wins, and it is not close. A down jacket can be warmer than a wool coat that weighs far more. That is why expedition parkas and sleeping bags use down.
Fill power tells you how much a given amount of down lofts. Higher numbers mean more loft per ounce, so the jacket can be lighter for the same warmth. Fill power commonly runs from the 400s up to 900 or more for premium goose down. A higher number does not by itself make a jacket warmer, though. How much down is inside, and what the shell is made of, matter just as much.
Our Bridger Leather Down Jacket uses 80/20 down with a 530 fill power, inside a full-grain lambskin shell. The 80/20 means the fill is mostly down clusters with a smaller share of feathers. That fill power is at the practical end of the scale. The warmth of the Bridger comes from the down and the leather working together: the down holds the heat, and the leather stops the wind from stealing it.
Wet weather: wool wins
Down's weakness is water. When the clusters get soaked, they collapse and stop holding air, and they take a long time to dry. Our own product notes on the Bridger say it plainly: lambskin is naturally water resistant but not waterproof. It handles flurries and light rain, but in sustained rain the leather absorbs water and the down loses loft.
Wool behaves the other way. It can absorb a good share of its own weight in moisture before it feels wet, and it keeps much of its insulating value while damp. It also handles sweat from the inside, which matters on a hard hike or a day of work. If you run hot, sweat a lot, or live where winter means wet rather than dry snow, you want wool close to your body.
Wind: it comes down to the shell
Down itself does not stop wind. The fabric around it does. A thin nylon shell blocks some; a full-grain leather shell blocks nearly all of it. That is the idea behind our leather down jackets: the leather handles wind and abrasion, and the down handles warmth.
A dense woven wool jacket blocks wind well on its own, far better than a knit sweater. That is why a heavy wool coat has been a winter staple for generations. Pair either with a wool layer underneath and you have covered the gaps.
Packability and durability
Compressibility: down packs small and springs back. Wool does not. If you are stuffing a jacket into a duffel or a pack, down takes up a fraction of the room.
Durability: both last. Down, cared for well, keeps its loft for many years, and the weak point is usually the shell, not the fill. That is one reason we wrap ours in leather. Wool is naturally tough, resists snags and sparks better than a thin synthetic shell, and a good wool jacket will outlast many seasons of hard use. Wool's main enemies are moths and hot water, both of which are easy to avoid. See how to store wool clothes.
When to choose wool, and when to choose down
Choose down when the cold is dry and you will be standing still: a football game, a morning in a deer stand, waiting on a train platform, the walk from the truck to the lodge. Choose it when weight and packing space matter.
Choose wool when it is damp, when you will be moving and sweating, when you are working near a fire or brush, or when you want a jacket that looks as right in town as on a ranch. Choose it for the mid layer almost every time.
Choose both for real winter. That is how we dress.
How to layer wool under down
- Base: a tee or a thermal. On cold, wet days a wool base is best.
- Mid layer: a wool shirt jac or wool sweater. This is the piece that keeps you warm when you start sweating. A flannel works here on drier days. Our guide to wool vs. flannel vs. fleece compares the options.
- Outer layer: a down jacket, ideally with a wind-blocking shell. A leather down jacket covers wind and warmth in one piece.
- Warmer still: add a down vest. Our Bridger vest layers under the Bridger jacket on the coldest days and over a flannel on milder ones.
Size with the layers in mind. Our Bridger product notes say it is cut slim through the chest and shoulders. The standard size fits over a tee and a henley; one size up adds room for a flannel, a midweight sweater or a thermal. If you plan to wear a wool shirt jac underneath, size up. See how a leather jacket should fit for more.
Our leather down jackets
Bridger Leather Down Jacket | Light Brown
100% full-grain lambskin over 80/20 down with a 530 fill power, a polyester lining that slides over a flannel or sweater, antique brass YKK zippers and a cinch-toggle hem. Built for the man who refuses to choose between warmth and style.
$534.95
Shop the Bridger Jacket
Bridger Leather Down Vest | Light Brown
The same full-grain lambskin and the same 80/20 down system as the Bridger jacket, in a sleeveless cut with a stand-up collar. Wear it over a wool shirt jac or flannel, or under a jacket on the coldest days. More on that in how to wear a vest.
$379.95
Shop the Bridger Vest
Teton Leather Light Down Jacket | Whiskey Brown
Full-grain sheep leather in a modern brick-stitch pattern, with lightweight down fill for warmth without bulk. The lighter option for fall and milder winters. There is also a Teton Leather Light Down Vest ($349.95) with adjustable waist toggles.
$499.95
Shop the TetonSee every leather down jacket and vest.
Our wool jackets and shirt jacs
Every wool jacket and shirt jac we make, from the Wesley and Ellis to the Aberdeen, is a wool blend, and we build them that way on purpose. A blend keeps most of wool's warmth and its natural odor resistance, the qualities that make wool the right mid layer under down. The blend adds durability, helps a jacket hold its shape season after season, keeps the weight and the cost down, and is often softer and less scratchy against the skin.
Wesley Wool Jacket | Brown
Modeled on the old riding jackets you see in faded photographs of the West. It fits close to hold in body heat and falls a little below the waist so you stay covered in the saddle.
$239.95
Shop the Wesley
Ellis Wool Jacket | Desert Valley Plaid and Sherpa
A warm winter wool blend in a vintage block plaid, topped with a sherpa collar. Hand-warmer pockets sit alongside dual patch pockets at the waist.
$244.95
Shop the Ellis
Aberdeen Wool Jacket | Thistle Bark Plaid
A premium wool blend with a quilted polyester lining for added warmth, snap-button chest pockets and a dual zipper and button-snap closure. Note: the Aberdeen wears a full size big, so order one size down.
$279.95
Shop the AberdeenFor the mid layer under down, a wool shirt jac is hard to beat. The Yukon Wool Shirt Jac ($184.95) is a mid-weight wool blend that wears as a shirt or a light jacket. The Riverton Wool Shirt Jac ($174.95) is a mid-weight wool blend in a more modern cut. The Aberdeen Wool Twill Shirt Jac ($184.95) is a mid-weight wool blend with a contrast lining. Read what a shirt jac is, or see every shirt jac.
Prefer a sweater? Our guide to crewneck vs. quarter-button vs. quarter-zip sweaters will help you choose one for layering, or see our wool sweaters.
Care, briefly. Keep down dry. If a leather down jacket gets wet, air dry it naturally away from direct heat, then hang it and pat each panel by hand to redistribute the fill. Condition the leather every 3 to 6 months. For wool, brush it, spot clean it and let it air out between wears. Our guides on how to clean a wool jacket and how to clean a leather jacket cover the details.
Frequently asked questions
Is wool warmer than down?
Not for its weight. Down traps more warm air per ounce than wool, so a down jacket is warmer than a wool jacket of the same weight in dry cold. Wool is warmer when it gets wet, because it keeps much of its warmth when damp while soaked down collapses.
Is down or wool better for wet weather?
Wool. Down loses loft when soaked and dries slowly. Wool keeps much of its insulation when damp and handles sweat well. If you wear down in wet weather, keep a water-resistant shell over it and a wool layer under it.
Can you wear a wool sweater under a down jacket?
Yes, and it is one of the warmest combinations there is. The wool handles moisture and adds warmth at the core; the down traps heat on the outside. Leave room for it: on a slim-cut jacket like our Bridger, size up if you plan to wear a sweater or shirt jac underneath.
What is fill power, and does higher mean warmer?
Fill power measures how much space an ounce of down fills. Higher numbers loft more per ounce, so a jacket can be lighter for the same warmth. It does not by itself make a jacket warmer; the amount of down and the shell matter too. Our fill power guide explains more.
What fill power is the Bridger Leather Down Jacket?
The Bridger Leather Down Jacket uses 80/20 down with a 530 fill power inside a 100% full-grain lambskin shell.
Is a leather down jacket warm?
Yes. The down provides the insulation and the leather shell blocks wind, which is often what makes a jacket feel cold. Leather is water resistant but not waterproof, so wipe it dry after wet weather and avoid long exposure to heavy rain.
Which lasts longer, wool or down?
Both last for many years with care. Down keeps its loft a long time if kept dry and stored loose; the shell usually wears first. Wool is naturally tough and resists snags and sparks, and its main enemies are moths and hot water.
Is a wool jacket warm enough for winter?
For most winter days in town, yes, especially a dense wool jacket over a sweater or flannel. For long periods standing still in hard cold, a down jacket, or wool under down, is warmer.
Are Buffalo Jackson wool jackets 100% wool?
No. Our wool jackets and shirt jacs, including the Wesley, Ellis and Aberdeen, are wool blends. A blend keeps most of wool's warmth and odor resistance, and adds durability, helps the jacket hold its shape, keeps weight and cost down, and is often softer against the skin.
Should I get a down vest or a down jacket?
A jacket gives full coverage and standalone warmth. A vest keeps your core warm while leaving your arms free, and layers under a jacket or over a wool shirt jac. Many of our customers own both.
Xan Hood founded Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. in 2009. He designs our wool, leather and down outerwear in Matthews, North Carolina.