A thick, cozy, comfortable, high quality and durable garment which shows the functional performance of Alpaca! Filled with 100% Alpaca "Cloud" Fiber!
The VPac name is a play on vicugna pacos, the scientific, Latin name for Alpaca.
Started in a popular ski area of Southern Vermont, the VPac is the brainchild of Dr. Jeb Gorham, Ph.D and his student team to produce a top quality USA made product for cold weather sports and life using quality materials which are sustainable and natural.
Dr. Gorham and his team at Southern Vermont College have worked tirelessly for more than two years in R&D to develop their VPac product (patent application in progress). Dr. Gorham is the Director of Sustainable Ventures with the McCormick Division of Business.
His team is made up of faculty, student entrepreneurs and alumni who consistently "pitch" their concept on the national pitch competition circuit for entrepreneurial projects.
Backing up the VPac project were engineers, physics students, fiber manufacturing experts, fashion design professionals, a professional industrial seamstress and business development experts. It's quite an accomplished team!
What are VPac Alpaca Vests?
The VPac alpaca vests are filled with 100% alpaca cloud fiber. The process involves a blown-in fiber insulation technique developed over many months of testing. The resultant vests have been thoroughly thermal tested to be up to 10% warmer and 30% lighter than a comparable 650 down filled market brand jacket! In testing Alpaca Cloud Fiber has a fill value of 550 and is comparable to 650 down and synthetics. Take that Canada Goose, Patagonia, Rab, Moncler, North Face and Marmot!
Thermal imaging testing has shown VPac alpaca fill holds in body warmth better then goose down or synthetic Primaloft fiber!
Key features of the Paca Performance Gear VPac Vest:
The VPac is made possible by alpaca farms like yours through the Choice Alpaca Products FiberCall program!
The FiberCall program is a Choice Alpaca Products venture which purchases American grown alpaca fiber, paying in store credit for wholesale products on www.ChoiceAlpacaProducts.com.
A large and constantly growing collection of USA Alpaca Products are created to prove the luxury, fashion and usefulness of alpaca! Numerous American mills are contracted to directly receive the American grown alpaca for the large array of successful alpaca products offered at wholesale to alpaca farms and boutiques.
See the current American Choice Alpaca collection HERE
For production of the VPac vests, contributed "seconds" and "thirds" alpaca fiber is used. Prime ("1sts") fiber is not needed or used for this project (but Choice Alpaca buys it for other products).
Eco-friendly, the VPac project purposely focuses on the less likely to be used cuts of alpaca fiber to enhance sustainability and lessen waste. Seconds and thirds combined work great in the Vpac!
The color of the fiber does not matter at all and are combined. A small american fiber mill processes (wash, pick, card and batt as needed) the fiber for use in the VPac.
Materials: 100% alpaca fiber filled; Outer shell: 1.6 oz HyperD Diamond Ripstop Nylon; Inner shell 1.1 oz Ripstop Nylon. Zipper pull: metal alpaca figure
Weight: For Size Small: Alpaca Fill Weight: 4.25 oz;Total vest weight: 9.0 oz
Care: A slightly damp cloth can be used to wipe the outer material. Otherwise dry clean.
Sizes: S, M, L, XL; Men Women and Child sizes. See Size Chart images.
Selection: See important Note on Sizing below.
Sizes currently in stock are shown below along with the colors as follows:
Outside color, Inside color, Zipper Color.
For example:
Mens, Lg: Ch, Ch, Gy
is a Men's Large with
Charcoal outer color, Charcoal inner color and Grey Zipper.
Womens-Sm-Ch-Cr-Bl
is a Women's Small with
Charcoal outer color, Crimson inner color and Black Zipper.
Child-12-Bl-Bl-LB
is a Child's size 12 with
Black outer color, Black inner color and Light Blue Zipper
Color code abbreviations in listed products of Outer, Inner and Zipper colors (refer to color chart below):
Outer and Inner Colors:
Bl = Black
Ch = Charcoal
DO = Dark Olive
RB = Royal Blue
Cr = Crimson
RE = Robins Egg Blue
FG = Foliage Green
Zipper Colors:
Gr = Green
Ro = Royal
Gy = Grey
Ol = Olive
LB = Light Blue
Re = Red
Bl = Black
Note on Sizing: Meet the Alpaca version of the classic down vest. VPac features 100% alpaca fiber fill and a durable water repellent (DWR) ripstop nylon shell. Our versatile design is perfect for layering or on its own. The Vpac is a performance fitting vest and sized true to what other companies may call their Slim Fit (closer-fitting, technical garments worn over baselayers or light midlayers). If you are looking for a comfort fit or to wear the VPac over heavier layers, order one size up.
Women's numbered sizes:
6-8 small
10-12 medium
14-16 large
18 XL
The finished length for two sizes, for reference:
Women's M length 21 5/8 inches
Women's L length 22 5/8 inches
Men's M length 23 1/2 inches
Men's L length 26 3/4 inches
Color Options: The VPac is available in numerous color options. VPac vests have color options for a different contrasting inner color. Even the zippers are available in an assortment of color options! Note the Alpaca Zipper Pull used!
Suggested Retail: $229
NOTE: To order VPacs, select from the desired available options below.
Our inventory currently shows the following quantities in stock for this product:
