Baffled Pants

[tucker0104]

Looking at goosefeatgear.com DOwn pants. One of the options was baffling. What is that?

[Rasty]

The regular is sewn through. The baffles seperate the inside and outside layers so you can add more down.

[Mountain Mike]

Baffles is how they are sewn. Cheap ones just stitch through creating cold spots. A Baffle creates a box shape so it eliminates spots without insulation

[leaftye]

Sewn through construction may be "cheap", but the closest competition still costs nearly $200.

[STICK]

First off, there are 2 ways to define "cheap."

The first is that something is sub-par, or poorly made, and just not worth anything and will likely not last.
The second way is basically "less expensive."

I hate when people use the word cheap because it is not a very clear word. If something is crap, I don't want it, but just because something cost's less doesn't make it "cheap." The word cheap does not distinguish between the two definitions, and I would just like to clarify some things because this thread kind of makes it sound like anything that is sewn through is "cheap", and well, that is just not the case. And I can personally say that the pants from GooseFeet Gear are not "cheap" despite that you can get them baffled or sewn through.

So, a little clarity on the actual questions asked by the OP.

As far as sewn through construction vs baffles, it is true that sewn through construction is less expensive to construct than a baffling system, but this does not make sewn through sub-par (cheap) by any means. Each construction design is done so intentionally to accomplish different sets of needs/goals.

A sewn though construction is basically two layers of material laid upon each other, and then sewn directly together at intervals to create chambers. This means that even when those chambers are stuffed with insulation, at those areas which are sewn together, there is no insulation and air can seep through. Due to this, sewn through construction is generally found in items that are used for warmer weather.

Baffling is more useful in colder weather. Think of baffling as a house, the top and bottom layers of materials are the floor and the roof, and the baffles are walls inside a house that create chambers. These walls require more time and effort, as well as materials, to create, so naturally this method typically cost's more than sewn through construction. However, due to the baffles, the insulation is the same thickness throughout the material, so there are no spots that cold air can seep through like on sewn through construction. So, baffling will make things warmer.

As far as my GooseFeet Gear down pants, I opted for a sewn through construction despite the fact that these will be used in "cold" weather. A few reasons I choose sewn through over baffling is:

-My legs don't generally get a as cold as the rest of my body, so I won't notice a little bit of cool air occasionally seeping through.
-I only wear the down pants at camp and will wear my rain pants over my down pants (to protect them), so this will stop air seeping through anyway.
-And yes, cost. If I were going to be in alpine conditions, I may need warmer pants, and baffling would help that, but I am not in those conditions. So, there was no need for me to spend more money on something I did not need.

As far as the pants themselves, mine are awesome and I love them. And to be quite honest, I have not noticed any cold spots seeping in from the seams. I have worn the pants in temps to 26 F and have been absolutely fine, maybe a little warm... If you are interested in getting some down pants, I would highly recommend GooseFeet Gear. They are just great, and you can pick and choose just about every detail so they are made to fit/suit you. As far as baffling vs sewn through, that will depend on you and your needs. If you will be in super cold conditions, baffling will likely be the way to go. If not, then sewn through may be a better option. Also, if you have any questions, I would suggest to either send Ben an email, or even give him a call to discuss things.

Hope this helps.