NuDown Air Insulated Outerwear

In 2013, Jeff Picket of the Connor Group in San Francisco bought out the apparel business from Klymit and created a new company called NuDown. Taking the base NobleTek technology (now dubbed NuTech), he hired an experienced management and development team and beefed up the apparel with top of the line technical fabrics and new designs.

Instead of using synthetic or down insulation to keep you warm, NuTech simply uses air. The nice thing about air is that it is great at maintaining thermal properties and provides warmth even when you get wet.

NuTech uses a hand pump located in the jacket pocket to add and release air out of laminated chambers in the core. Each pump of air adds approximately one degree Fahrenheit, giving you a comfort range of over 30 degrees. If you get too warm, simply let out some air.

For really cold weather, you have the option to fill the apparel with argon gas (Starter Kit $39) instead of air. Commonly used in thermal windowpanes for insulation, argon is three times more efficient at insulating than air due to its molecular structure. The small Argon gas canister can withstand temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit and if used correctly, will inflate a size medium vest approximately three times.

NuDown’s Fall 2015 collection includes six technical outerwear styles (three men’s, three women’s) that build on the Mount Whitney Vest ($250) and Squaw Peak Jacket ($350) available now. The outerwear is windproof and waterproof and features Polartec stretch nylons outside for active performance, with a bamboo charcoal liner for ultra-wicking and odor control. Also, every NuDown garment will come with RECCO reflectors.

The Fall 2015 NuDown line is available in seven colors for men and nine colors for women, with jackets and vests ranging in price from $400 to $600.