The Outdoor United Aero jacket is a packable performance jacket, offering outstanding protection against cold and inclement weather, but unlike many other winter coats can be compressed down into its own pocket.
The Outdoor United Aero Jacket has a lot of intelligent features, in fact, a lot more than other packable jackets of its type. It’s a stylish puffer jacket, so it has a high-tech look, which is handy as it also has high-tech features, which we’ll go over in more detail.
The Aero is a fantastic jacket for colder weather or for keeping as an emergency layer. While it doesn’t replace gear for the coldest of conditions (though it makes a great outer layer if paired with a warm mid-layer) it’s more than a match for moderately cold temperatures.
It also looks great and functions incredibly well.
An Eco-Conscious Packable Puffer Jacket
Outdoor United has a mission of making products that are less environmentally damaging than comparable products; the Aero jacket is no exception. While it does use synthetic materials, none are particularly hard to recycle. Furthermore, the fill – instead of being down harvested from penned animals or worse, animals that paid with their lives for the product – is PrimaLoft.
PrimaLoft uses recycled materials to create a range of fibrous insulation, which is used to insulate jackets, gloves and other clothing for outdoor use. PrimaLoft’s insulations and there are several different ranges PrimaLoft, are 100 percent recyclable in turn, so they can be reused without taking up space in a landfill.
Furthermore, part of the responsible fashion under Outdoor United corporate mission is to plant one tree for every jacket they sell. They’re committed to sustainable practices and having as little an environmental footprint as possible. They use recycled or recyclable materials only sourced exclusively from suppliers that pay their employees a living wage and don’t use any animal products whatsoever.
That’s a heck of a lot more than many other outdoor clothing companies can say.
And it turns out they make some incredible jackets that way, including the Aero.
Aero Jacket Review
The Aero Jacket is a packable puffer, so it’s in a rather crowded space. It’s priced somewhat in the premium space, but just as it’s packed with features and has a premium feel that you wouldn’t expect from a jacket made from eco-friendly materials.
The shell is polyester, with a nylon lining and PrimaLoft Black fill. PrimaLoft, as mentioned as an insulation material made from recycled materials, comes in several grades that could be understood in terms of weight/density and therefore warmth. PrimaLoft Gold is the heaviest, PrimaLoft Silver is the middle and PrimaLoft Black is the lightest though that doesn’t mean it isn’t warm.
Compared with down fill, PrimaLoft Silver is roughly equivalent to a 500 fill power, which would put PrimaLoft Black at about 350 fill power. In other words, this jacket is warmer than others of its relative size.
Quality Jacket Design – Windproof, Waterproof, Breathable + Hoodie
It’s wind and waterproof, and – unlike some other packable jackets – does feature a hood. Cuffs are elastic, which does get you some seal from the elements, especially if you wear it with gloves. It’s also breathable, so you won’t turn into a mobile sauna if you wear it while being active.
There are two drawstrings at the hem to provide some seal at the waist, and two drawstrings for the hood, both to tighten it for warmth and to assist in compressing the jacket for storage. If you like to add a decorative patch, there’s a velcro pad on the left arm sleeve for adding some flair.
The Aero has two chest pockets and two hip pockets, and the jacket can be compressed to be stored in one of the latter.
The jacket is very well-made, and we found it far warmer for its weight than it seemed to be. While any packable jacket isn’t going to take the place of a serious winter coat for protection against the worst that Mother Nature can throw at you on its own, it can make an excellent top layer if paired with a good base layer or mid-layer, which is actually how you’re supposed to dress for serious cold anyway.
Lightweight Jacket without Compromise
For the gentleman who wants a lightweight jacket for all but the most brutal winters, or an emergency coat to keep in the car, it’s perfect. It would also make an excellent jacket for taking on late summer camping trips or as a lightweight ski jacket.
The Outdoor United Aero is available in five sizes – Small to XXL – and can be ordered, as Henry Ford intended, in any color…so long as you want black. At $195, it’s a bit of a steep price of entry, but we feel it’s actually money well spent.
For one, you’ll pay that much for most packable down jackets with comparable warmth and features anyway…or more. This jacket will perform as well or better.
Winter is here, take a look at The Aero and grab the only jacket you’ll ever need.
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