650 vs 850 Down Jacket

grfox92

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Mar 14, 2017
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After 6 seasons with my Eddie Bauer 650 Cirrus jacket, it has become more patches than jacket. I was planning on using it this season but the fabric appears to be getting very brittle and new holes appearing often.

It's an unexpected expense and I'm a proponent of buy once cry once, but my hunting budget is gone for the year and I wasn't planning on a big purchase, leading to my question.

Is there a dramatic difference in warmth 650 to 850? I can't remember ever wearing my 650 and thinking, damn I wish this was warmer, all the way down into the single digits and negative temps here in WY.

There are tons of non hunting brand jackets from Rab, Mtn Hardware, Eddie Bauer, and even Browning woth 650 jackets for screaming deals. There seems to be no deals on 850s in any color I would wear hunting.

So do I need to dig deep and come up with the extra money or will a 650 keep me relatively as warm as an 850?

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MT_Wyatt

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The answer depends on the fill weight. The higher fill power will provide more warmth per gram of fill.

For most jackets the amount of warmth will be similar, the 650 fill power just results in a heavier piece (also many use duck vs goose down in lower fill power pieces).

It sounds like budget is more important than ultimate weight - which means 650 would be totally fine for you, especially if you aren’t super concerned with packed space. 800+ is the answer when space/weight are drivers.
 

sndmn11

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Mar 28, 2017
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Morrison, Colorado
The answer depends on the fill weight. The higher fill power will provide more warmth per gram of fill.

For most jackets the amount of warmth will be similar, the 650 fill power just results in a heavier piece (also many use duck vs goose down in lower fill power pieces).

It sounds like budget is more important than ultimate weight - which means 650 would be totally fine for you, especially if you aren’t super concerned with packed space. 800+ is the answer when space/weight are drivers.

To build on this, if one can find the fill weight, multiply that number by the fill power. That gives you the total loft volume and can provide comparison between different fill weights and powers.

~1.308oz of 650power down is needed to equal the loft of 850power.
 

Bump79

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Oct 5, 2020
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I've really been liking this jacket. There's a few threads out here on them

 
OP
grfox92

grfox92

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I've really been liking this jacket. There's a few threads out here on them

I'll have to look up those threads. Thanks.

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Bump79

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I'll have to look up those threads. Thanks.

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Yeah I've got over a year on it now and it's holding up well. I kind of like to have a down that I don't worry about it as much. I think it's gone up a little in price I want to say I paid like $55-60
 

Beendare

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May 6, 2014
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IME, The 650 down compresses out faster than the 800...it doesn't last as long especially in Sleeping bags.

I like the UL stuff which most of the 800 down stuff is but it's not very durable. My jacket has the patches too.

I would look at something with a more durable shell...it's only a tiny sacrifice in weight....I think Kuiu has one now.
 
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