Down jackets

[abbruce]

Another vote for synthetic. I bought a North Face Thermaball hooded jacket in the January sales & it's better than my old primaloft Rab by a country mile. Very light, very warm & very packable.

I've worn it under a goretex shell as well as on it's own with just a base layer under.

Can't believe how warm it is for it's weight. Hood's also a good close fit too. Folds into it's own pocket too

[teaandpies]

Another vote for synthetic. I bought a North Face Thermaball hooded jacket in the January sales & it's better than my old primaloft Rab by a country mile. Very light, very warm & very packable.

I've worn it under a goretex shell as well as on it's own with just a base layer under.

Can't believe how warm it is for it's weight. Hood's also a good close fit too. Folds into it's own pocket too

The most stolen jacket in Britain last year I'm pretty sure. It's a NED jacket and the stiching is poor but its warm even when wet so it's got that going for it.

[bydand_loon]

I get around the "down jackets are crap when wet" thing, by keeping them dry, seems to work.

Patagonia hooded down sweater being the jacket of choice for me, easy to pick up around the 110/130 mark, lightweight and hotter than the chicken dippers in private eyes, great for stops and bivi sites, to hot to walk in though.

Some very good deals on down or synthetic jackets on sportpursuit just now

[TheCoosTail]

I can't see past my Berghaus Asgard Hybrid. Very light & very warm when needed.

[abbruce]

Another vote for synthetic. I bought a North Face Thermaball hooded jacket in the January sales & it's better than my old primaloft Rab by a country mile. Very light, very warm & very packable.

I've worn it under a goretex shell as well as on it's own with just a base layer under.

Can't believe how warm it is for it's weight. Hood's also a good close fit too. Folds into it's own pocket too

The most stolen jacket in Britain last year I'm pretty sure. It's a NED jacket and the stiching is poor but its warm even when wet so it's got that going for it.

Please be assured that I purchased this jacket from Cotswold. In addition, I'm sure if you asked the people I've met from WH, NED is most certainly not a word I'd expect to hear to describe me.

If you've owned this jacket & had issues with the stitching (I haven't btw) perhaps you could have simply stated this without the insults.

Thank you.

[Caberfeidh]

So I have a bit of money to burn, and the obvious hole in my outdoor inventory is a down jacket. I've never owned one of these, partly because the warm/emergency layer I've always carried is a fleece. I've checked the gear section, and there are no recent reviews of down jackets, so looking for advice. Are they actually worth it - in terms of cost-weight-warmth, is it worth having one in your pack? My likely use would be winter walking/mountaineering in Britain, possibly branching out to use as a belaying jacket. If yes, then which one would you recommend, based on personal experience. My upper limit is £200, but would rather not spend more than £150.

Looks like the concensus is YES GET A DOWN JACKET. Though the actual filling may be better with synthetic. And you wont have to spend all that money, leaving you with pockets full of cash to spend at trendy to-be-seen-at highland climbers' pubs like the Clachaig and Kingshouse, posing in your new jacket.... Now get praying for winter.

Winter is coming...

[teaandpies]

Another vote for synthetic. I bought a North Face Thermaball hooded jacket in the January sales & it's better than my old primaloft Rab by a country mile. Very light, very warm & very packable.

I've worn it under a goretex shell as well as on it's own with just a base layer under.

Can't believe how warm it is for it's weight. Hood's also a good close fit too. Folds into it's own pocket too

The most stolen jacket in Britain last year I'm pretty sure. It's a NED jacket and the stiching is poor but its warm even when wet so it's got that going for it.

Please be assured that I purchased this jacket from Cotswold. In addition, I'm sure if you asked the people I've met from WH, NED is most certainly not a word I'd expect to hear to describe me.

If you've owned this jacket & had issues with the stitching (I haven't btw) perhaps you could have simply stated this without the insults.

Thank you.

If you took what I said as insulting thats unfortunate but I was actually making any reference to you personally what so ever.

[teaandpies]

The Rab Nimbus looks like a down jacket with the baffled design but it's synthetic.

As mentioned above the Pat Down Sweater is a decent jacket.

[nathan79]

Check out this offering from Alpkit for under £100 at the moment. I'd have bought myself one if I didn't already have 3 synthetic jackets.

https://www.alpkit.com/products/0hiro-jacket-men

[mrssanta]

whatever you choose, your down or synthetic fluff-filled jacket makes a great pillow when camping.

[Caberfeidh]

whatever you choose, your down or synthetic fluff-filled jacket makes a great pillow when camping.

So does a pile of ice axes and crampons if you've spent enough time in the Kingshouse/Clachaig [delete as appropriate for ethnicity/hill-cred].

[falling monkey]

I,ve got a berghaus ignite hoody,great jacket but new ones have different sleeves ie not insulated,just bought a north ridge down jacket at go outdoors for around £70 after trying rab microlight and montane,better fit than any of the expensive ones, rab was my first choice until I tried north ridge jacket, its mainly down with 2 synthetic panels on sides and back of sleeves. Will see how it fairs this winter as my berghaus is now around 5 yrs old and still my go to jacket for under my hardshell in full on winters,but down one is just not quite as bulky in rucksack. Definetly try a few different ones on as I was very surprised by some of the cheaper brands quality.

[Renegade Scot]

Got a down jacket from Decathlon myself and has been fantastic. Cost about £50.

[teaandpies]

Some of the 'expensive' brands use far better quality down or down that's not been torn out of the flesh of a bird that's still alive.
If you buy a cheap down jacket your down has more than likely come from some kind of cruel practice.

http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_cruelty/downandfeathers.htm

Patagonia are the only company that knows where, when, who and how the down they use is sourced. The other bigger brands are close to having that boast but not quite there yet.

[nathan79]

Some of the 'expensive' brands use far better quality down or down that's not been torn out of the flesh of a bird that's still alive.
If you buy a cheap down jacket your down has more than likely come from some kind of cruel practice.

http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_cruelty/downandfeathers.htm

Patagonia are the only company that knows where, when, who and how the down they use is sourced. The other bigger brands are close to having that boast but not quite there yet.

Not so. Mountain Equipment down is fully traceable, they were doing this before Patagonia. Their down garments come with a code which gives you access to an audit and report relating to the source of the down.

You raise a valid point regarding the ethics of down though.