Down Jackets

[Flip]

I hear Synthetic down is the way to go but have very little experience when it comes to serious winter gear. I always keep an eye on REI and the like for deals and this seemed to stand out as a decent deal on an everyday (winter) down jacket. Any experience or opinions on down and what to look for would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Roverlady]

I love Down (jacket, vest, sleeping bag) but Primaloft is an excellent alternative especially if you are looking at price and bulkiness. I can wear a T-shirt under my Primaloft jacket in winter...as long as I'm going to be moving around and not outside all day. Light layers with it and I'm good to go.

 

[barefoot]

know this:

down is: warmer than synthetic ounce for ounce, retains shape and loft better, lighter than synthetic, more compressible than synthetic, wicks body moisture and overall lasts longer than synthetics.

however, down is also: more expensive,looses its heating properties when wet and takes forever to dry, can contain allergens and must be dry cleaned.

when thinking of purchasing down, pay attention to the loft rating. the scale ranges from 400-750. anything 600 or above is considered high end or high loft goose down which is what you want. if there is no loft rating on the product it is prob because it is below 400.

that being said, i have a columbia high loft goose down jacket that i have not been able to wear anywhere because it is too damn hot. also, i have a cheap old navy down vest (without a loft rating on it) that is very comfortable in the winter.

the jacket you listed looks to be a hell of a deal to me. if i was in the market, i wouldn't hesitate. mountain hardwear makes damn durable stuff imho.

synthetic is water resistant but retains its heating properties when wet and dries quickly. today's synthetics are getting pretty damn close imho.

enjoy!

 

[jimjet]

I love Down (jacket, vest, sleeping bag) but Primaloft is an excellent alternative especially if you are looking at price and bulkiness. I can wear a T-shirt under my Primaloft jacket in winter...as long as I'm going to be moving around and not outside all day. Light layers with it and I'm good to go.

Primaloft + Gortex is unbeatable.
Like The Lady i can wear my LL Bean North Col in the worst conditions with one shirt
underneath and be toasty warm.use a sweater underneath and your good for Everest.

Jim

 

[Roverlady]

Sorry, just looked at the link you posted. That looks like a great deal...if you need a 0 degree jacket!

My MH sleeping bag is 650 fill and is rated at 0 degrees. So, if you get that jacket...you should be toasty!

 

[mgreenspan]

Just curious.... Do they have this deal in stores?

 

[rover4x4]

I bought a Mountain Hardwear 800 fill jacket last year, Ive worn it a lot this year. I think it is called the Phantom. Super lite weight very compressable and extremely warm. The high fill rating means its warmer lighter and much more compressable. Naturally more expensive, I would reccomend putting down the extra coin for the higher fill. Some of the stuff in the 500-600 fill range is big a poofy and the performance isnt there. I have always had down vests with pretty good luck. I dont think I would want to take it back packing in the Appalachains for a week in the winter. But as long as you wont be in really wet conditions it should be fine. Ill say when it comes to down the higher the fill the better, and it really shows. Ive got a 600 fill MHW vest and I really really dont like it, big poofy and not very warm. Ive got a beat up 700 fill North Face vest ive had for at least 10 years and its one of the best pieces of clothing I have owned. I think Marmot offers some pretty quality down products. I would hghly reccomend the MHW 800 fill jacket its the shit, a little expensive but I think it will be last one I have to buy. Synthetic insulation is pretty nice keeps you warm when wet, dries faster easier to clean and much cheaper. Mountain Hardwear has always had excellent customer service and stands behind thier stuff.

 

[Discoinjapan]

I have a Patagonia down Jacket that weighs nothing but keeps me warm as hell. Great investment.

 

[sboada]

Feathered Friends. Doesn't get better in terms of no frills down products. You won't find flashy North Face crap, or Patagucci stuff here. Just no-nonsense products.

www.featheredfriends.com

 

[Discoinjapan]

Feathered Friends. Doesn't get better in terms of no frills down products. You won't find flashy North Face crap, or Patagucci stuff here. Just no-nonsense products.

www.featheredfriends.com

Crap?

 

[Mike_Rupp]

Feathered Friends is located 1 block from the REI Flagship store in downtown Seattle. There's a reason that they are still in business and weren't run out of town.

 

[Asolo3j]

Patagonia micropuff jacket Primaloft is my newest fav. Got the large but had to tailor it to fit me better. Well worth the expense to have it fit right and wore it to the summit of Algonquin in the ADKS when it was well below 0 and wind 40+. Really warn alone and even better when layered properly.

I also love my 10 year old LL Bean exped 700 down vest.

 

[sboada]

Don't get me wrong. TNF still makes SOME quality products, but in my opinion they have taken a turn for the worse in terms of quality control. I think they are now focusing on the commercial aspect, vice making quality products to take into the backcountry. Just my opinion.

 

[HunterAK]

Go for down in a jacket. The only item I would worry about as far as a down vs. synthetic showdown would be for my sleeping bag. If you're wearing down, it will probably be snowing, not raining. And if you take a down jacket out when it's cold enough to rain on you, it should be a lightweight thin loft down where you can put a goretex or waterproof shell over it.

I have a Mont Bell down jacket with a hood. Super lightweight and the hood is crucial! When I pop that hood over my head, my body temp jumps up like 15 degrees it feels like! It's not a heavy duty down for up here, 650 fill I think. So, I can wear it around town and if I want be extra warm, I just layer up underneath.

 

[antichrist]

I have a Marmot down jacket I like a lot. When I got it I had a choice of "plain" or gortex shell. Gortex was still really new in such things and it was a super premium additional cost so I went with plain ripstop. I wore it all the time living in VT, OH and WI. Really nice jacket. Some day I hope I live somewhere again that I'll need it.