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Lightweight down jacket

Lightweight down jacket


Postby Skarper72 » Sat Nov 10, 2018 5:46 pm

Hi there, I'm looking for a package lightweight down jacket for roaming the hills. I've recently been looking at north face thermoball and rab cirrus flex. Any other recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Caberfeidh » Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:36 am

I got a very nice lightweight Makalu down jacket by Simond from Decathlon; much cheaper than the big names in Tiso or other big brand stores but very light, packs down into a small stuff sack supplied with the jacket and I can testify to its warmth and comfortable fit. Decathlon are a French company and their sizing is different from ours,i.e. I usually take a Large size but with this coat I have an XL; so you are better going into the store to try it on rather than just order on line.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/malaku-ii-down-jacket-red-id_8495234.html
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby davekeiller » Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:32 pm

What sort of budget?
Also, what are you planning on using it for? Is this a jacket for insulation when you stop for lunch/emergencies or to be worn all day?
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Sack the Juggler » Mon Nov 12, 2018 12:14 pm

The Patagonia Down Sweater is a great jacket, and the Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown RS jacket is great too.

I also have the Patagonia down shirt, which is a thinner jacket and a useful layering piece when its not too cold.

Although not down, I also have the Patagonia nano jacket, which is a warm synthetic jacket and it takes a battering (unlike my don jackets which are treated with kid gloves), and a patagonia nano air jacket, which is warm but breathable, even when you are working hard.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Cricket » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:45 am

Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer is fantastic And it always in my backpack- it’s about the lightest jacket on the market but still warm enough for me all throughout the year (unless you need more static warmth in winter but I normally jump into my sleeping back pretty quickly!).
It doesn’t come with many bells and whistles but has everything you need and nothing you don’t while fitting easily into even quite a full backpack!
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Sack the Juggler » Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:50 am

have a look at sportpursuit website, they have loads of down and synthetic insulation available, a lot of them for half price.

Its like a collective purchasing model, they have items for sale, you select what you want and purchase them, and they bundle all the orders together and send them out at the end of the sale (so it may take a few weeks to arrive).

and as a general point in terms of sizing patagonia and mountain hardwear are similar to the North face sizing.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Sack the Juggler » Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:00 pm

Skarper72 wrote:Hi there, I'm looking for a package lightweight down jacket for roaming the hills. I've recently been looking at north face thermoball and rab cirrus flex. Any other recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.
sorry, I just realised that no-one commented on the two jackets you have been looking at

I like both jackets, however you need to realise that neither are down, they are both synthetic, but that is not a bad thing.

I like the look of the thermoball, it is compact and an nice easy to wear jacket. I didn't get one as I have the Patagonia nano jacket, which is very similar, but pricier so I was lucky to get mine in the sales.

You need to think about what you need it for though as its not a full on winter coat. It will help fulfill that role as part of a layering system, but its more of a cold evenings around camp, or when moving in the cold, but its not a belay jacket for example, and in a full on winter you might want more warmth.

the Rab is similar, well made, by a reputable company. It has all the same pros and cons as the thermoball except.... the fleece panel sides, whilst they increase breathability, also vent our warm air, especially if its windy (in my view). I have a similar hybrid jacket, the marmot variant, which is good in some ways but it has a limited window of use. If I'm working hard then yes, I like the fact that the fleece beathes well and cools my back and sides down, but when I stop being active, I can quickly become cold on the back and sides. Also, the front (on the variant at least) is not as breathable, so the sweat tends to build up there. So really the variant is only of use if its not too cold and I'm moving but not moving too fast... I'm not sure if the cirrus has similar issues on the sides, but its worth thinking about.

If you want a thin piece that is warm and breathes well then look at the nano air (not the hybrid for the reasons mentioned above) or something with polartec alpha which have been developed specifically for active insulation.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Skarper72 » Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:32 pm

Thanks to everyone for their help and advice, it's very much appreciated.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Eskimo » Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:37 pm

Caberfeidh wrote:I got a very nice lightweight Makalu down jacket by Simond from Decathlon; much cheaper than the big names in Tiso or other big brand stores but very light, packs down into a small stuff sack supplied with the jacket and I can testify to its warmth and comfortable fit. Decathlon are a French company and their sizing is different from ours,i.e. I usually take a Large size but with this coat I have an XL; so you are better going into the store to try it on rather than just order on line.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/malaku-ii-down-jacket-red-id_8495234.html


I'm also looking at a Decathlon offering. The Alpi comes in at £70 and looks ideal for many uses.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Sack the Juggler » Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:47 pm

By the way, has anyone tried any of the Alpkit jackets? Some of them are on sale now.

https://www.alpkit.com/featured/mens-insulation

I still have my 0Hiro (I think its pronounced zero hero) from the old colab days (when they sued to test products out on the paying public (at low cost) and its bombproof. Heavy as, but also warm as, I still use it occasionally as its toasty.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Sack the Juggler » Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:58 pm

Sack the Juggler wrote:By the way, has anyone tried any of the Alpkit jackets? Some of them are on sale now.

https://www.alpkit.com/featured/mens-insulation

I still have my 0Hiro (I think its pronounced zero hero) from the old colab days (when they sued to test products out on the paying public (at low cost) and its bombproof. Heavy as, but also warm as, I still use it occasionally as its toasty.
*used, not sued! :crazy:
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Scottk » Thu Nov 15, 2018 10:48 pm

I have one of the original Alpkit Filos with a fixed hood. Tried one of the lightweight OEX jackets from gooutdoors which was nice but too tight round my forearms.
I use a PhD minimus jacket and also have a minimus vest, both great bits of kit and last very well. The jacket is about 8 years old.
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Re: Lightweight down jacket

Postby Sack the Juggler » Fri Nov 16, 2018 1:01 pm

Scottk wrote:I have one of the original Alpkit Filos with a fixed hood. Tried one of the lightweight OEX jackets from gooutdoors which was nice but too tight round my forearms.
I use a PhD minimus jacket and also have a minimus vest, both great bits of kit and last very well. The jacket is about 8 years old.
I had completely forgotten about my PHD minimus until you mentioned it. I used to have it in our apartment in Stockholm until last year end I bought it home and put it up in the loft.

Just checked my original order from back in 2009 to see how much I paid for it, £140 for the winter minimus which came with a slightly longer hem. It also came with the dryshell outer, hood and zipped pockets which were all extras in those days. Great jacket but I'm terrified of wearing down in the UK, just because of the rain, I treat my down jackets like they were precious china. :lol:
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