Lululemon Navigation Stretch Down Vest
I’ve been confused by vests my entire life. Why would I want my torso to be warm but not my arms? What can a vest accomplish that a jacket cannot?
Close followers of my (formerly) fashion-focused Instagram will note that over hundreds of photos and styled outfits, I never once featured a vest. I didn’t own one. I didn’t ask for one when brands came calling. It didn't matter if the look was casual or formal - I was adamant that a vest could only make an outfit worse, not better.
Ah, but the passage of time has once again softened my stance on functional outerwear. I decided to try out Lululemon’s Navigation Stretch Down Vest this year - and wouldn’t you know it, I’m a believer. What’s there to be confused about? It keeps my core warm while freeing up my arms for activities like…chopping wood, I guess? I don’t know what people do in vests.
Let’s get the technical specs and notable features out of the way:
RDS-certified 700-fill-power goose down (85% down, 15% feathers)
Water-resistant and windproof
Drop hem (with internal cinch)
Two exterior hand warmer pockets, one internal zip chest pocket (more on this pocket later)
Two-way stretch face fabric
First thing to note, if you plan on picking one of these up, is that the sizing runs large - I sized down to an XS and the fit is perfect, whether over just a tee or something bulkier like a hoody. I’m a big fan of the drop hem, both in terms of look and function. And the hand warmer pockets, thoughtfully tucked behind the baffles, are discreet. The result is a super clean and slick silhouette. Lulu went with a matte finish here for the face fabric (as opposed to the sheen you may find on offerings from other brands). Additionally, the logo is tiny and colour-matched, unassumingly placed on the lower-left backside of the vest. Sometimes I wish other manufacturers would follow this formula - it’s near-perfect visually, as far as i’m concerned.
One thing I’ll note is that I think a darker colour is the way to go here - some reviewers have mentioned that the down clusters can be visible through the lighter-coloured face fabrics, resulting in a dirty, mottled look. I didn’t have that issue with the Iron Blue colourway but it’s something to keep in mind.
Functionally, it does what I can only assume a vest is designed to do - it keeps my core warm, and my arms not-warm. It’s actually great for those brisk, spring/summer mornings. The stretch component is key and makes the vest super comfy (Lulu also makes a jacket version, where the stretch would be even more valuable though the arms).
The absolute worst part of this vest is the odd zipper pull on the inside chest pocket - see the last photo in the gallery below. It’s a rigid piece (i.e. the pull does not freely rotate up and down), meaning that if you want to pull the zipper up (which, spoiler alert, you will need to do in order to close the pocket), you have to awkwardly stress the zipper pull upwards. It feels like the zipper pull might snap off one day after repeatedly doing this, and on top of that, the awkward pulling angle makes the feel of closing the zipper not nearly as smooth as opening it. I’ve resorted to gripping both sides of the pull with my finger and thumb and “pushing” the zipper up to close it, like some kind of lunatic.
Reviewers have pointed out that quality control can be spotty and that you may get some significant down leakage with these vests. I can’t speak to the quality control processes at Lulu, but I can say that I have noticed some leakage in my six months with the vest - more than i’ve seen with my Patagonia and Arc’teryx pieces, but not enough to consider it a major issue. Honestly, it doesn’t bother me too much, especially considering the asking price, which undercuts the other brands by a fair amount.
Overall, I have been converted, and I will only speak to other vest-wearers now.
Verdict: It’s a vest.
