Comparing two versions of a Melbourne staple

You don’t have to spend long in Melbourne to notice that it is a city obsessed with the down jacket. So many cities claim to have ‘all four seasons in one day’, but this is perhaps particularly true of Melbourne. This may explain why its residents, myself included, so often turn to the down jacket, regardless of which season it technically is.

For a garment that is more often associated with hiking and winter climes (or climbs!), it is surprisingly versatile for city living. It is lightweight, layers pretty well, and is easy to squeeze into a backpack or tote bag when the sun comes out. Their popularity has led to a little bit of a hierarchy forming between the different brands that offer them. Top of this list are North Face and Kathmandu, the ‘higher end’, outdoor brands. At the other end of the scale you have versions by high street brands like Cotton On. Somewhere in between sits Uniqlo. The Japanese brand has established a bit of a name for itself with its down jackets, such that even back in the UK, where it is a far less universally popular outerwear option, I was aware of Uniqlo’s down jackets.

I hadn’t lived in Melbourne long before I caved in – or perhaps I should say attempted to integrate? – and bought a down jacket. Waiting for a sale, I went for what seemed the most popular choice: the Kathmandu Women’s Heli 600 Fill Lightweight Jacket in black (and a size 12). I’ve really enjoyed wearing this jacket, and have got an exceptional amount of use from it. Thanks to Melbourne’s cool weather, and nearly daily wear for three out of four seasons, it’s become one of my lowest cost per wear items. However, recent life events, namely being pregnant, put me on the market for a new jacket. I persevered for as long as I could, but it got to the point where I couldn’t zip it over my bump at all, so I knew I needed a considerably larger option. I deliberated long and hard over which brand to go for. Even the ‘cheaper’ options are fairly expensive, and I found it hard to choose which jacket to go for this time round, especially as I was viewing it as a fairly ‘temporary’ option.

Now that I have some time under my belt (over my bump?) with these two most popular choices, I’m sharing my experiences and reflections, in the hope that it’ll help you choose when it comes time to invest in your own Melbourne staple. I’ll be comparing the Kathmandu Women’s Heli 600 Fill Lightweight Women’s Jacket in size 12 with the Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket, in large.

Price

When not on sale, these two jackets have quite disparate price points. The Kathmandu sits at around $200, whereas the Uniqlo retails for around $130. However, both are frequently on sale; I bought my Kathmandu for only $99.98, a pretty whopping saving. Unfortunately I can’t pinpoint exactly how much I paid for the Uniqlo (a slightly vexing feature of their app is that it tells you what you bought but not how much you paid), but I bought it in the EOFY sales, and it was similar to what I paid for the Kathmandu. This was one of the things that made choosing difficult this time round! So, while on the surface these look quite different in terms of cost, if your purchase isn’t an urgent one and you can wait for sales, you can pick them up for very similar prices.

Winner: Draw.

Colours

This is one of the big differences between the two: the Uniqlo is available in almost twice as many colours as the Kathmandu (nine versus five). This is one of the things that drew me to Uniqlo. The only colour I was particularly taken with for the Kathmandu was black, and I didn’t want to end up with two versions of exactly the same thing. The other colours do also seem to sell out pretty quickly – they’re often out of stock. Perhaps they don’t carry as many due to the universal popularity of black? It’s not surprising that the more fashion-focused brand should have more colours to choose from, and though they’re all of a fairly similar palette, there is a good range at Uniqlo. The Kathmandu ones are more subdued, and more befitting the outdoors market. I went for the red at Uniqlo, which is more like a dark pink/light burgundy. So if you’re after a particular colour, are looking to match with your existing wardrobe, or just fancy a colour other than black, Uniqlo is a better better.

Winner: Uniqlo.

Construction

This is where you’d expect to see the biggest difference, given the disparity in price. The Kathmandu jacket feels really sturdily built, with tough seams, hard-wearing but not chunky zips, and a nice even fill. By comparison, the Uniqlo jacket does feel a bit flimsy. The zipper has a more fragile feel to it, and it overall feels less well-stuffed. It does slightly have the vibe of an aged cuddly toy, whose stuffing has begun to clump from years of handling by a loving child. Having said that, it still wears well, and you can’t see the unevenness when you’re wearing it. You might think the stuffing would make the Uniqlo much less warm than the Kathmandu, and you’d be partly right. It does feel thinner, while the Kathmandu has a more snug, ski-jacket like level of cosiness. But I was surprised by how toasty the Uniqlo kept me. Unless you’re planning to spend a lot of time in zero-adjacent temperatures, you’ll probably not notice much difference. Although perhaps I should add the caveat that my condition has had me running hot for the last few months!

In basic points of construction, they’re very similar, with zip pockets, elastic for adjusting the fit, and even an almost identical width of quilting section. However, overall the Kathmandu feels harder-wearing and better made, so wins the day on construction.

Winner: Kathmandu.

Size options and fit

The two brands have a similar range of sizes, with Kathmandu offering AU 6-18, and Uniqlo XXS – 3XL. So technically Uniqlo has more sizes. But as is so often the case with women’s clothing sizes, things aren’t quite what they seem. The two sets of sizes are actually pretty similar. For comparison, according to their size guides, 18 at Kathmandu is a bust of 116cm and a waist of 101cm, and 3XL at Uniqlo is a 109-115cm bust and a 91cm waist. So their top sizes are pretty comparable.

In terms of fit, and with the caveat that I sized up for the Uniqlo, the Kathmandu has a sleeker, closer fit, while the Uniqlo has a boxier, and more ‘fashionable’ fit. This makes the Uniqlo a little easier to layer. The Kathmandu has a sportier, more form-fitting look. So really, the choice comes down to how you’re planning to wear the jacket, and what fits best with your wardrobe and style. I like the Kathmandu, but I’ve been enjoying the boxier, more androgenous fit of the Uniqlo as well. It arguably works better as an over-sized piece than the more shaped Kathmandu, so I’m likely to keep getting use out of it, even when I don’t technically ‘need’ it any more.

Winner: Draw

So which should you get?

With one win apiece and two draws, this doesn’t really seem a very conclusive review! However, I hope I’ve shown that, in spite of their apparent differences and wildly differing prices, there’s actually not much between these two down jackets. They’re both solid wardrobe workhorses, and if you buy at the right time you can choose between them without worrying about expense. Where they do differ is on style. My recommendation would be to consider how you plan to use the jacket. Are you after something neutral and practical which will easily fit in with your existing clothes without causing much fuss? Or are you looking for something that’s a bit more of a statement, and which can become an accent piece in your closet? If the former, go for Kathmandu. If the latter, Uniqlo is the one for you.

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I hope this review proved helpful! Truth be told, I love both jackets. I’m looking forward to being able to wear my trusty Kathmandu again, but I think the boxier fit of the Uniqlo will stand it in good stead to continue as an integral part of my wardrobe.

What are your feelings about down jackets? Back in the UK I’d never have thought to wear one on a daily basis, but somehow they just seem to work here in Melbourne! Let me know what you think, and I’d love to hear any tips you have on how to choose between similar pieces of clothing. Thanks very much for reading!