https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:11:58 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2286781 Tue, 18 Oct 2022 20:00:02 +0000 Ginger 2286781@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My dad had one from a ski trip in the late 70s. By the time I came along and could notice (c. 1990), it had probably lost half its feathers and had relatively little insulating capability. Once he could afford to replace it (with an insulated leather jacket) the puffer was designated for yard/garage use only. I think it's still there. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2286707 Tue, 18 Oct 2022 14:52:45 +0000 Dana 2286707@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>None of mine have ever worn out. I've even got one from 2003...mostly for dog walking as it looks a little juvenile. My favorite needs a little repair from having my hands in my pockets, holding onto the dog's leash and the pocket tore a little when she pulled but otherwise... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2286301 Sat, 15 Oct 2022 17:36:41 +0000 The Cat 2286301@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I showed my white 1988 puffer in this forum 4 years ago:<br /> <a href="https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/old-goodies-from-the-cats-closet" rel="nofollow">https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....ats-closet</a></p> <p>And it still looks great. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2286297 Sat, 15 Oct 2022 16:47:15 +0000 Star (Lise) 2286297@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>The Cat </b>that is impressive!&nbsp; And even more so that it is white.&nbsp; I had a white rain jacket and it yellowed over time. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2286260 Sat, 15 Oct 2022 13:49:20 +0000 The Cat 2286260@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I suppose they CAN wear out, but some of them certainly last long. I still have--and wear, year round--an icy white puffer jacket purchased 1988. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2286247 Sat, 15 Oct 2022 10:59:47 +0000 Anonymous 2286247@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have one that definitely feels flatter than before, but it's not for the coldest days so should be ok.<br /> I would think that stitching could come apart, and not be as easily repairable as a normal seam. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2286212 Fri, 14 Oct 2022 23:13:50 +0000 anne 2286212@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My puffer, bought 2019, has a broken zip, so I will replace next aussie winter. It was a cheap ie, bought at rivers on sale for about $40. And nowhere near not as warm as you Canadians wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2285895 Thu, 13 Oct 2022 14:28:44 +0000 Janet 2285895@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a 10 or 11 year old Canada Goose navy blue short hooded puffer that is still like new. If the fit were a little looser I would wear it more often, sigh. I also have a bargain Lucky Brand black puffer I got at Marshall’s probably 8 years ago that I wear for photo treks and camping, so it’s been exposed to thorns and snags and all kinds of abuse, and somehow remains in great shape! </p> <p>My long black Kors puffer, which I love, got snagged on something years ago and has a small rip that I did a terrible job patching, so there’s a little spot that looks rough, and it has an occasional feather leak, but otherwise it’s still in good shape. I think I’ve had that for about 6-7 years? </p> <p>And a couple of newer ones from Uniqlo (a jacket and a vest) haven’t been worn as much but still look new so far. My blue Fjallkraven vest gets worn a ton but looks perfect — it’s only two years old. I expect it to have a long life! The Bernardo from last years NAS has only been worn several times but I also expect it to last nicely. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2285833 Thu, 13 Oct 2022 03:13:19 +0000 Suz 2285833@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>They can...yeah. But it tends to take a long time.&nbsp;</p> <p>I have a bunch, some retired due to wear. I got a Northface Thermoball like Angie's but got it second hand. It wasn't "worn out" in the sense of having holes or anything (after five years of heavy wear) but it had lost its shape and looked "tired" in an inexplicable way, so I passed it along.&nbsp;</p> <p>I also have an Aritzia jacket with a ruined zipper. I'm pretty sure i can get it fixed so I haven't donated or binned it.&nbsp;</p> <p>My Lole jacket, bought first year of YLF membership, regularly loses feathers. But it's still in good shape overall.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2285832 Thu, 13 Oct 2022 03:08:39 +0000 Karie 2285832@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have an orange puffer that has gotten a little flat from washing it a lot but still keeps me nice and warm. It got some blue dye on it when a pair of jeans accidentally got tossed in the washer with it so I just wear it for hiking and dog walking. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out/page/2#post-2285824 Thu, 13 Oct 2022 02:06:42 +0000 Jaime 2285824@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Not yet but I have gotten snags in two that need repair. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285801 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 23:29:50 +0000 Chiara 2285801@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I find the thread used for the seams can fray or discolour so it no longer matches the colour of the fabric.<br /> And cheaper puffers seem to get « puff settle » where the insulation drops quickly to the bottom of the quilted pocket. Briefly fluffs up with a shake, but then settles again… </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285776 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 21:13:23 +0000 Helena 2285776@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have - but mind you I tend to have one at a time that gets heavy active usage all winter! My Columbia one lasted several years but eventually got friction damage in several spots that looked really sloppy (it was still warm as toast though), and my latest one (don't remember the brand, it was from Mark's) really pilled and then the stuffing starting coming out, almost like it found little pinholes to escape through haha .. that wasn't too impressive; I'll go back to Columbia I think! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285772 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 20:54:54 +0000 Star (Lise) 2285772@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Celia&nbsp;</b>yes I had this experience with a thrifted puffer (Kipling - so good quality).&nbsp; Who knows how old it is. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285768 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 20:42:06 +0000 celia 2285768@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I find that puffers sometimes loose insulation with time but usually have long life spans of a good 8 to 10 years . </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285746 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 17:55:05 +0000 cat2 2285746@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, of course. I had a beige puffer get odd stains I could not remove and a blue puffer where the cuffs lost their elasticity. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285745 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 17:42:23 +0000 doggeh lover 2285745@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a black mid-thigh down coat by Shelly Segall (sp?) Laundry line that I used near daily for 8 years during our long, brutal Minnesota winters, and probably weekly for 2 more, still looks and feels great. It was pricey (for me) about $500, but CPW has gotta be less than $1. Plan to keep using it as my main winter coat for at least another season or 2 </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285734 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:43:05 +0000 JAileen 2285734@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a Frostline kit down jacket I made from about 1975 or so. &nbsp;I wore it a lot for several years, then my son started wearing it. &nbsp;It still looks new! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285732 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:35:39 +0000 Roberta 2285732@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The last real down jacket I bought (about ten years ago) began to shed tiny tiny bits of fluff, so I donated it. I couldn't wear anything dark under it. But also I was just tired of it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285717 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:11:25 +0000 Angie 2285717@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>None of my puffers are showing wear, and apart from the very heavy weight one (Find #1) &nbsp;- they are worn a LOT! They are indestructible.&nbsp;</p> <p>The citron puffer is my new fave. LOVE IT SOOOO MUCH! :)</p> <p>The red puffer is my yoga puffer......way back when I used to walk to yoga class before the pandemic. I don't do that anymore. Yoga at home is where it's at with my app. I wear it to the beach with the doggies from time to time though. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285710 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 14:43:18 +0000 Aquamarine 2285710@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a down-filled North Face puffer that is *at least* a decade old and it looks fine. I wash it once or twice a season, paying particular attention to the sleeve ends which can get dirty. I dry it in the dryer with a tennis ball so it refluffs perfectly, and it has never shed more than a feather or two, very very occasionally. It’s lightweight, has a hood, covers my hips and rear so it’s warm yet not cumbersome for outdoor activities. It’s also very lightweight, which is important to me since my shoulders are getting sensitive to weight. It’s always the jacket I reach for and is the warmest one too. It fits my body type perfectly, even the sleeve length. </p> <p>I LOVE this puffer and would’ve duplicated it in another color if I could’ve looked into the future. I did try at one point, but North Face changed the cut and it wasn’t as comfortable. Since it doesn’t seem to be replaceable, I try not to wear it anyplace it can get ripped by a stray branch or exuberant dog. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285707 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 14:34:56 +0000 Lesley 2285707@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I had a cute Soya &amp; Kyo short puffer with a dramatic puffy collar. Eventually the collar de-puffed and it no longer looked right, although the rest of the jacket was still warm. I suppose I could have possibly looked into re-stuffing the collar (is that even a thing?) but it was already &nbsp;about 12 years old when I was moving from Italy back to the States and it seemed a good thing to jettison, although I still think about that jacket from time to time (it was so darn cute and warm). My long puffer (also Soya &amp; Kyo) is still going strong, and that one is about 10 years old! Every year I take it to the tailor to have them close up some seams in the lining and reinforce buttons and it is still looking amazing.</p> <p>I will have to contrast this with a short puffer I bought probably 4 years ago when I moved back from Italy and suddenly needed a short puffer! I got what seemed like a good deal from Nordstrom (probably around $150) and it looked aged within its first year. It got staining and water marks that just never came out. I just chucked it this year. I think it's possible to get a good deal (in fact that original short S&amp;K I got on sale for $100) but you probably have to know what brands to rely on when the price is low, if you want your puffer to go the distance! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285695 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 13:37:23 +0000 Irina 2285695@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, I experienced that but with cheap puffers. Ones from Joe Fresh last about 3 seasons with a heavy use. It starts losing feathers, fabric becomes &nbsp;dull. I had one Joe Fresh puffer for 9 years, 5 of them as a jacket for outdoor house chores and smoking. I finally put in a garbage, the zipper was broken and it lost it’s color. And I don’t smoke anymore :)<div>I think that better quality puffers might lasts years with proper care.&nbsp;</div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285688 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 13:04:30 +0000 Jenn 2285688@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm feeling like I need to replace mine after nearly a decade and hundreds of wears. I snagged it on something and tore a hole in the arm the FIRST WEEK I had it, but patched it up and went my merry way. Over time, it developed pinprick holes, probably from branches, and has been slowly but surely losing feathers.It's just now starting to feel a bit flat. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285684 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:46:28 +0000 Jorja 2285684@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just an FYI &nbsp;- Landsend replaced a puffer that was shedding feathers with a credit for the price I paid. It would have been replaced but it was 3 years old. I don’t know if this is still offered or what their guarantee is anymore. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285682 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:43:15 +0000 Sisi 2285682@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No, all my puffers hold on well, I wear them a lot and wash them in the washing machine. My 1996 Moncler black short puffer&nbsp; has been worn for many years and retired a few years ago, and still looks brand new.<br />The 1997 black long one has been worn almost every Winter since then. Only recently it has begun to loose some feathers through the seams.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285680 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:41:32 +0000 RobinF 2285680@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have an 8 year old knee length down puffer that is getting worn around the sleeves. Other than that it still looks surprisingly good, especially since it is my main coat for winter weather. It probably helps that it is black so stains don't show. I am keeping my eyes open for a replacement but meanwhile it does OK. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285664 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 11:35:39 +0000 Olive Green 2285664@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I snag thigh length puffers on barbed wire and bushes, use duct tape to close up the stuffing again. Then they came out with little patches for mending that you can buy at a sports store. Hearts, lightning bolts. Kiddish, but cuter than tape!<br />My ankle length puffer does not go through the woods so lasts literally forever. Ten years? And still warm.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285663 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 11:34:53 +0000 LaPed 2285663@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So many factors! In general, down will last a lot longer than synthetic fill. Down retains its loft for years if not decades if cared for properly, while synthetic fibers compress over time, becoming less insulative because they trap less air. In some poorly constructed jackets, feather loss is a problem--it usually comes up in online reviews if it is an issue! The quality of the shells and stitching can vary pretty widely too. I wear my outerwear pretty hard, and when I've retired puffers it's been due to loose stitching, holes/stains in the shell, and zippers failing, rather than a problem with the down itself.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-puffers-ever-wear-out#post-2285662 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 11:30:20 +0000 Dee 2285662@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You're right, my puffers do seem to last a long time. I only had to get rid of one due to a zipper breaking, the rest all still looking good. </p>