Heavyweight down jacket

[TURNER208]

Looking for an actual heavyweight down jacket for later season deer and elk hunts. I’d say I hate being cold and that’s the first thing that gets me to not be in my spot at first light or leave my glassing spot early. Still wanting something somewhat packable. I’ve been looking at the 3 below parkas and was curious on any insight for each:

Western mountaineering ion parka
Kuiu super down burner parka
Feathered friends khumbu parka (heaviest)

 

[P Carter]

I have the rab electron pro, and it is awesome. I got it on sale for around $240 several years ago, sales seem to happen pretty frequently. An option to look at.

 

[eamyrick]

Alpine Down Parka Men's | Montbell America

Utilizing box construction to eliminate cold spots and featuring high-quality 800 fill power EX Down, the Alpine Down Parka strikes the perfect balance between heavyweight warmth and lightweight comfort. Equipped with a smooth, abrasion-resistant face fabric, a helmet-compatible hood, and a...

www.montbell.com

I have the alpine light at the recommended of Mike and have worn in layered down to 0 in Colorado and been very warm. The above listed jacket is its warmer big brother.

 

[neil.hansford]

No experience with the three you listed. They look nice, but expensive. Id look into a Rab Positron or Neutrino pro, or the Montbell listed above. They're significantly less expensive(can usually be found on sale) and will do just as well in cold weather.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

 

[Jake_B]

Rab here too, highly recommended

 

[Macintosh]

All of the jackets listed are great, but there are some very different insulation levels listed. They are all baffled, all have good quality down (850, 900 fill power), the question is how much of that down is there. In a given jacket, more down=warmer. No way around that.

Of the original 3, the feathered friends jacket will be the warmest by a significant margin. Over 13oz of 900fp down fill, compared to 8 or 9oz in the others. That’s 50% more insulation than either of the other jackets. The kuiu in particular has a stretch wpb shell so it’ll be heavier and bulkier for the warmth.

The montbell is a great jacket, but its only got like 6 or 7 oz of 800fp down fill based on the jacket weight, I could not find a fill weight. Frankly I would not buy a heavy down jacket sight unseen if they dont publish the actual weight of the fill. Its a very good quality jacket, but its not in the same “heavy jacket” category of warmth of some of the others.

Rab positron pro is about 10oz of 800fp down fill and would be a decent option at much less $. Rab makes an 8000m down jacket with 19oz of fill, thats warm. The other rab jackets are mid or light weight jackets with less insulation, 6-8oz of fill.

 

[TURNER208]

I’ll take a look at some of the rab options. I think if I remember right that the montbell alpine was only like a 7d fabric? I know I’m not busting brush with these jackets but that light of denier just had me worried

 

[Elkangle]

I really enjoy the burner when the temps call for it, ive evn considerd a half sleeping bag to justify the weight of it... its warm !

 

[eamyrick]

All of the jackets listed are great, but there are some very different insulation levels listed. They are all baffled, all have good quality down (850, 900 fill power), the question is how much of that down is there. In a given jacket, more down=warmer. No way around that.

Of the original 3, the feathered friends jacket will be the warmest by a significant margin. Over 13oz of 900fp down fill, compared to 8 or 9oz in the others. That’s 50% more insulation than either of the other jackets. The kuiu in particular has a stretch wpb shell so it’ll be heavier and bulkier for the warmth.

The montbell is a great jacket, but its only got like 6 or 7 oz of 800fp down fill based on the jacket weight, I could not find a fill weight. Frankly I would not buy a heavy down jacket sight unseen if they dont publish the actual weight of the fill. Its a very good quality jacket, but its not in the same “heavy jacket” category of warmth of some of the others.

Rab positron pro is about 10oz of 800fp down fill and would be a decent option at much less $. Rab makes an 8000m down jacket with 19oz of fill, thats warm. The other rab jackets are mid or light weight jackets with less insulation, 6-8oz of fill.

Weird they Mont Bell doesn’t publish full weights. I know I found them on the website last year. The Alpine Down is supposed to be 7oz of down. What’s wild is that Alpine Light is supposed to have 4.5 oz of down and I can’t imagine needed a warmer jacket than that when properly layered. 13oz seems like Antarctica 40 below warm.

 

[doverpack12]

Watch for a used Sitka Down WS. It has close to 10 oz of down and a wind shear. I don’t always need mine but when I do it’s sure nice.

Not sure what Sitka was thinking discontinuing that jacket.

I would avoid FL Chamberlain, it has a lot of down but I was never warm when I should have been in that jacket. The Sitka is far and away better.

I do believe a face fabric that will block or significantly decrease wind is a big differentiator. Your down has a hard time working for you if cold air is blowing through and taking your warm air with it.

 

[Macintosh]

I’ll take a look at some of the rab options. I think if I remember right that the montbell alpine was only like a 7d fabric? I know I’m not busting brush with these jackets but that light of denier just had me worried

None of the lighter/more packable options have durable fabrics. 7,10,15,20d fabrics are all ultralite. No one is really needing to bust brush in a heavy down jacket, at least not intending to. But yeah 7d is paper-thin—get in a rush with cold hands and you can rip it just fiddling with a zipper. But its surprising how much of the weigjt of a jacket is the fabric (and baffles), so its the only way to make a down jacket really, really light.

I can’t imagine needed a warmer jacket than that when properly layered. 13oz seems like Antarctica 40 below warm.

Imo depends on how long you are out, how long you are stationary, and how frequently you can warm up, and if its doing double-duty as an emergency sleeping bag. I happily use a jacket with 8oz of fill all winter, but thats shorter stops to belay or dig a pit, etc—maybe an hour or two tops. When I was guiding and had an all-day intro to ice climbing course standing around top-roping at single digits, my giant-ass parka made it bearable. Same at an event standing around in an easy-up in a ski-area parking lot all day. Its the equivalent of ice fishing, LOOOONG glassing session, camping in frigid temps, etc.

I do believe a face fabric that will block or significantly decrease wind is a big differentiator. Your down has a hard time working for you if cold air is blowing through and taking your warm air with it.

Yes, 100%. Most of the good down-proof fabriccs are pretty wind-resisnatant already, but you’re not wrong. Question is if you are also bringing a shell jacket. I am, so if its that bad I choose to rely on my shell for the wind protection, and I size it specifically so it fits over. Allows me to layer the big down jacket over (for a short-ish stop) or under (for wx and wind protection and best warmth), and makes the down more versatile and lighter/more packable. Also keep in mind the more wind resistant the fabric is, the less breatheable it is, which equates to the insulation getting wet from your perspiration.