This, the only pullover-style top submitted, is the lightest product in the test by around 60g. Pullovers improve a top’s warmth-to-weight ratio by degrees you can feel. First-off, there’s no full-length zip and associated seams to interrupt the insulating wrap of the sewn-through baffles round your torso. There’s less opportunity, too, for draughts to find their way in through the front fastening. PHD’s Ultra Pullover is superlight at just 284g and is a true minimalist design. The down is the highest quality available, maximising insulating efficiency and minimising weight, and the only pockets are a single through-hand warmer, with a zipped security pocket within. The only efficiency improvement I could envisage would be the addition of a hem drawcord; there’s some elastication at the sides but it’s minimal and barely effective, so the hem hangs open for draughts to nip in. Despite the down’s high quality and the sewn-through baffles, I’ve not noticed any down leakage.
PHD Ultra Down Pullover
John Manning climbs inside a fridge to put 15 insulating tops to the test
Specifications
Details
FILL: 900 fill-power goose down PACKABILITY: stuffsack WEIGHT: 284g (XL) plus 18g stuff sack FABRIC: MX with DWR POCKETS: one through-handwarmer, one zipped security HOOD: optional, for Ј18 (not tested) SIZES: XS-XL & size-adjusted orders PRICE: Ј195 WEBSITE: phdesigns.co.uk