Judy Armstrong awarded the SALOMON OUTLine Down ‘recommended’ status in her review of the best down jackets for 2022. Here’s the full product review.
Wow. I love it when a brand surprises me. The Salomon OUTLine Down jacket combines the best of down and synthetic to make a practical, luxurious winter jacket. It’s deliciously lightweight courtesy of the Pertex Quantum Eco outer shell, and the strategic use of goose down. It also manages active use; the areas where you get sweaty, or where the down would be compressed by a rucksack are made of lightweight panels of synthetic insulation which runs down the sides and from armpit to cuff, plus across the shoulders, and hood. At a rough guess I’d say 40% of the jacket is synthetic, hence the 59g total down weight.
It’s close cut in a feminine shape with a wide polyester/elastane stretch hem in place of drawcords. The down is in horizontal bands across arms and back, and slightly angled on the body. Side pockets and front zip are narrow coil (I treat these with care; there’s nothing worse than wrecking a zip on a favourite jacket), and there’s a soft chin guard on the one-way front zip. Cuffs are extended over the back of the hand (synthetic here) for added warmth but can be folded back. The hood is well shaped and panelled, and close fitting so slots under a waterproof hood. This is not a big jacket for shrugging into on freezing camp nights; it’s for using in action, and as a layer on those cold days when you need a warm hug on a mountain. The Salomon OUTline Down would win Best Buy for active use, but I couldn’t award it overall Best Buy due to the extensive use of synthetic insulation.
Read more: 10 of the best down jackets for 2022
