Claiming to keep you comfortable in everything from rainy Seattle fall days to full on Siberian winters, United By Blue’s new Ultimate American Jacket uses bison fiber as insulation. Waterproof as well as warm, the layers of the jacket can be shed or added according to the prevailing conditions.
The so-called Ultimate American Jacket is a 4-layer, waterproof winter jacket made entirely in the USA (hence the name). The outer-shell is constructed from a waterproof and breathable nylon fabric made in Rhode Island by a supplier that makes technical fabrics for the US military. Designed a bit like the original Columbia 3-in-1 jackets, the interior of the Ultimate American Jacket uses 100% wool fleece from North Carolina that acts as both an insulating liner and a removable vest–you can wear the vest alone, wear the shell alone, or wear them together.
The outer shell protects the real special sauce that defines this jacket: B100 Fill–bison fiber blended with just enough recycled polyester to bond the fibers together and give the insulation long-lasting durability. The fibers used for B100 Fill are the coarser, longer, outer guard hairs of the bison. They are hollow, and therefore lightweight, easily compacted, yet resilient; creating an insulation with high loft (read = puffy like down feathers).
United By Blue claims their B100 Fill insulation has been tested at an independent fabric testing lab in NYC and delivers a high thermal resistance rating of 1.72 clo and when all 4-layers are together, the jacket has a clo value of 4.51.
Keeping in tune with the excessive pocket trend that enables you to leave your handbag or murse at home, the Ultimate American Jacket features 10 exterior and 4 interior pockets to store pretty much anything you can think of. The B100 Fill insulated hood is fully detachable and can be stored in one of the jacket’s hip pockets.
Available in three colors in both a men’s fit and a women’s fit, the Ultimate American Jacket is available to pre-order for $298 over on Kickstarter. Delivery is expected February 2016.