At some point, most of us have awoken while camping and snuggled back into the sleeping bag thinking, “I do not want to crawl out of this warm bag and face the cold morning.” Your thoughts may have progressed a step further to leave you thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great if my puffy jacket was as warm as my down bag?” Look no further than the Big Agnes Shovelhead DownTek Jacket.
Through the years, I have owned at least three Big Agnes sleeping bags and pads as well as a couple of tents. What has always defined the brand for me has been an uncompromising workmanship and attention to detail and functionality. Continuing in this tradition, Big Agnes hit a home run with the Shovelhead Jacket, its debut into the world of clothing.
First the specs. The Shovelhead features a 700 fill power DownTek down, which is a water repellent down, covered by a wind and water resistant nylon outer, perfect for snowy or cold and rainy conditions. The inner-construction of the jacket is created to prevent the down from shifting around and facilitates uniform heat distribution. If you have ever owned a poorly constructed down jacket or sleeping bag, then you know that down shift reduces uniformity of warmth.
Functionally speaking, the pockets are well placed to allow you to warm your hands and stash snacks and the waist cord keeps winter weather and cold out. The Shovelhead has thumb holes and elastic cuffs to keep hands warm. The cut of the jacket is very flattering and draws compliments and stares of envy. The Shovelhead is ultra-lightweight for such a warm jacket, and allows the wearer to remain comfortable and warm while wearing it in temperatures ranging from the 40’s to single digits. Despite my efforts to identify one, there are no apparent areas of improvement.
If you are looking for a down jacket to keep you warm this winter, and many winters to come, get a Big Agnes Shovelhead DownTek jacket.
MSRP $249.00
