Have you ever wondered what makes good winter gear good? Why do some of our jackets and snow pants keep the snow and wetness out for hours while others soak through in a matter of minutes?
Well I decided to find out!
I asked creators of the kids winter gear company Shred Dog to explain exactly what goes into a GOOD winter jacket or snowpants. In the video below they answer the questions:
- What is a waterproof breathable membrane?
- When I see numbers like 10,000 mm/ 10,000 g/m2/24 hr, what does that mean?
- What’s the difference between down and synthetic insulation?
- What is seam tape and why should I care about it?
I learned a TON from watching this video on what makes good winter gear good. It had me reviewing all of my family’s winter gear. Click here to see all the winter gear my family uses and loves.
But I still had a few questions, so I asked Marc and Dallas to explain a few more things.
MountainMom: What should I look for in quality winter wear for my child?
SHRED DOG: A lot of factors go into producing high quality winter apparel. Put simply, the primary goal is to keep kids warm and dry so that the weather is not the deciding factor for a good or bad experience in the outdoors.
Keeping kids warm and dry requires the right materials for baselayers, quality insulation, a high-performing waterproof/breathable membrane as part of the outerwear fabric, and the versatility of the overall layering system.
Other features depend on your family activities. Here are just a few examples:
1. Separate layers or “3-in-1” jackets vs insulated jackets: An insulated jacket is good for a limited temperature range but in warmer conditions can simply be too warm to wear. Separate hardshell and insulation layers (or the “3-in-1” style where the insulation piece zips into the hardshell) are much more versatile and provide comfort and protection in multiple weather conditions.
2. Durable Water Repellency (DWR) is a coating applied to the outer “face” fabric of a garment. A quality DWR is important because any fabric will eventually soak through (wet out) and when it does, it starts to limit the performance of the waterproof/breathable membrane below it.
3. Articulated knees and elbows (where the seamlines of the garment are sewn to provide better range of motion) are perhaps less important for very young kids but, as kids get older and more active, they provide for a much better fit and more comfort during activities like skiing and snowboarding.
4. Abrasion-resistant reinforcement areas use a tougher material for places like the inner ankle (so ski boots don’t chafe and ruin the pant material) and on the knees.
5. Other features to look for:
- soft material used on the inside of the collar to avoid chafing the child’s face when zipped up all the way,
- longer (“drop-tail”) hems in the back of jackets so bending over playing in the snow doesn’t create an icy cold gap,
- large zipper pulls that are easier for small hands in gloves to operate,
- powder/snow skirts on jackets, and
- extendable cuffs on jackets and pants (to get another year out of it when the child grows).
MountainMomandTots: Why are some outerwear brands so expensive?
SHRED DOG: There are two main reasons why most quality outerwear brands for kids are so expensive – the cost of materials and the traditional retail pricing model.
High quality materials and construction do cost more than products made to lower standards. Products using cheaper materials will not be nearly as warm or waterproof and typically won’t stand the test of time and withstand kids and washing machines for long. Higher performing fabrics cost more and each additional feature adds cost.
For example, each zipper adds cost to a jacket and waterproof zippers cost more than non-waterproof ones. And, from a construction perspective, yes kids’ garments use less fabric, shorter zippers, etc, but with the same number of seamlines to sew, the labor component is not that much different than for adult-sized garments.
The biggest reason, though, that most outerwear is so expensive is due to the traditional retail pricing model. For a traditional brand, the brand may spend $25 to make a product that they sell to the retailer for $50 (the wholesale price), and the retailer then sells it to us parents for $100 (retail price). And when those same brands sell on their own websites, they must use that same ($100) retail price in order to not undercut and alienate their retail distribution partners.
Contrast that with a wholesale-to-consumer brand that sells to parents for the same (wholesale) price a retailer would normally pay… that same quality product that cost $25 to make will sell to parents for $50, not $100!
MountainMomandTots: What makes Shred Dog different?
SHRED DOG: The biggest reason SHRED DOG is different is our wholesale-to-consumer pricing model. Our products will only be available on our website so, by avoiding the retail markup, we are able to offer high performance products for roughly half the price of comparable brands.
We are using the same quality fabrics and trims, high quality construction, and in some cases higher-performing options as the best brands available, but offering families a fair (wholesale-to-consumer) price, something we think is especially critical for kids considering how fast they out-grow the gear.
Another way SHRED DOG is different is that we are inviting and encouraging interested families to participate in all of our product designs, a process we call Co-Design. By “not guessing” at what to make, we believe this approach ensures we’ll be making what our customers want, we won’t be investing in inventory that we have to write off (therefore we can keep prices even lower), and customers will feel a part of the brand because they have a voice in what we make for their kids to wear.
Still curious on what makes good winter gear good? Check out these posts from the Shred Dog blog.
Winter Gear A Buyer’s Guide For Parents
Want to see how waterproof some of our winter gear is? Check out my Mountain Mom Facebook Live Video here.
This post was sponsored by ShredDog.com.
