Outerwear and sports apparel brand, Columbia Sportswear introduced its Performance Enhanced Down (PED), TurboDown, Friday. The company describes the outwear with the patent-pending insulation as a “down jacket on steroids.”
The new PED combines natural down, synthetic Omni-Heat thermal insulation and Omni-Heat reflective technology to create the innovative layering system, which is a first for the industry. Columbia said TurboDown has the warmth, look and feel of natural down, and performs well throughout all weather conditions.
Columbia president and CEO Tim Boyle said, “It’s time that the outdoor industry embraced the use of PED. Performance Enhanced Down offers unmatched performance and this winter, you can experience how science can enhance the limitations of nature, and it’s legal!”
The brand conducted a study with the help of an independent third-party group to test TurboDown’s heat retention qualities against similarly priced insulated jackets manufactured by its competitors. TurboDown was compared to Marmot Zeus, North Face ThermoBall, Patagonia Down Sweater and Patagonia Nano Puff. And according to Columbia, TurboDown outperformed the others with margins ranging from 8 percent to 22 percent warmer.
The new down collection will be tiered into three categories, Gold, Platinum and Diamond, making it more accessible to costumers. The TurboDown jackets and vests range in price from $130 to $325 and are now available in men’s and women’s styles at several retailers and online on Columbia’s website.