I am looking for a bargain on a puffy. Cabelas good deal on these right now. I can pick one up for $52 right now. Does anyone have any experience with these or would you save your money and buy the Krytek, Kuiu,etc?
I think it depends on what you are looking for:
- is camo a must have or would solids be ok?
- is weigh a factor, packability?
- would you be open to down vs primaloft?
- is a quiet material important?
Etc etc. In short, I'd say that if camo isn't crucial, I'd look at non hunting brands too. That said, I'm mighty pleased with my first lite puffy (solid), have seen some good deals in the classifieds here lately..
I bought one of the Cabela's Switzer pullovers last year on sale. It's only a 60g Primaloft, but I really like it for an insulating layer and it weighs very little. Being on sale it really fit my budget. The Cabelas stuff has gotten better in quality over the years.
I have the vest version of the Passage and have been pleased with its performance. Something to consider when looking at Primaloft is not only the fill weight (100gm Body/60gm sleeves for the Passage Jacket), but also the type of Primaloft. The Passage is Primaloft One, which has much better warmth and warmth-when-wet qualities than Primaloft Eco or Sport. Even many of the premium non-hunting brands do not always use Primaloft One. A case in point is the popular Patagonia Micro Puff, which is a 100gm of Primaloft Sport. For 1/3 the price, the Cabela's Passage is a great bargain.
I have the same puffy pullover as Lukem. The switzer pullover from Cabela's served me well as an insulating layer on my hunts last year. Camo was not a priority for me and buying this jacket on sale was right in my price range. The switzer has primaloft one insulation an is considerably warm for how lightweight it is. It also worked great as a pillow on those warmer night. Definitely worth checking out.
I have the same pullover as TJB and Lukem, too.
60gr of Primaloft One, packs down small, kangaroo pockets, and IIRC it only weighs 14oz. Worked great for me last year, and through this winter as well. Got it in green and under $60 last year, a real bargain at that price!
Got a new hooded down puffy from Backcountry to grab for this coming season, but that Cabelas Switzer will still see plenty of use...
I have a passage jacket and vest. The think the positives are lower price, camo, and Primaloft One. The negative would be they are a couple ounces heavier than comparable mountaineering pieces I own. They are light, but you can find lighter options if weight is critical to you.
Thanks guys. How quiet are they and how well do they compress compared to other jackets? I would like to get the new Kryptek jacket but the $150 I can save with the Cabelas I can put towards my Kifaru pack purchase(once I make up my mind which model I want).
I have 2 of the cabelas trail insulator jackets, they are 60g primaloft, water resistant(haven't tried in the shower or anything), wind proof, and like 59 dollars. I've got one I am using for hunting/fishing and one for just around town. You really can't beat it for 59 bucks! Plus it's got a hood, where so many don't and in western wa you gotta have a hood Imo