Ventura, Calif.-based outdoor apparel retailer Patagonia Inc. has introduced the Encapsil Down Belay Parka, a 100-percent independently baffled and differentially cut parka insulated using the company’s plasma-treated, water-repellent, 1000-fill-power Encapsil down.
Patagonia’s patented Encapsil technology utilizes a silicone-based, fluorocarbon-free chemistry. The down is processed using a proprietary machine and agitated with low-level radio frequency waves that shift the surface of its molecular structure, and then is coated with a small amount of siloxane that permanently adheres to its altered structure. The process creates a 25-percent stronger, loftier and more hydrophobic down than conventional down products, according to Patagonia.
Features of the Encapsil Down Belay Parka include a shell fabric made of ultralight, 10-denier Pertex Endurance nylon ripstop with a polyurethane dry coat; a hood that is baffled and helmet-compatible, and has a single drawcord to create a down collar around the face to prevent frostbite; variegated baffles across the parka that are smaller in high-compression areas to prevent the down from shifting; and a double-baffle wind flap behind the zipper to seal out wind and cold.
The parka is available in special-edition, limited quantities with numbered labels inside each parka.
