My gear/pack layout from base layers to binos

This comment alone now has me debating the cardigan -- this thread is bad for my bank account.

I hear you on that!

Though if the cardigan was a full zip it would be tempting, last thing I need are a bunch of buttons. Though my hatred of buttons is at least partly because I am missing half a thumb, but either way zipper > buttons.
 
I hear you on that!

Though if the cardigan was a full zip it would be tempting, last thing I need are a bunch of buttons. Though my hatred of buttons is at least partly because I am missing half a thumb, but either way zipper > buttons.
There's a full length zipper under the buttons on the Cardigan, which is half of what has me tempted...
 
There's a full length zipper under the buttons on the Cardigan, which is half of what has me tempted...
Yeah - the zipper under the buttons is definitely one of the selling points. If you want me to talk you out of it, it's not lightweight.... Plus, if anyone sees it and likes it, then asks where you got it etc., then it can be awkward when you are faced with admitting how much you have spent ON A SWEATER
 
The Stone Glacier R3 wing pockets will work on an Exo K4 very well. Looking at my buddies K3, the top strap is too low. The spacing of the top three straps on the K4 is perfect though.

I got six Duraflex triglides ($0.36 for each from Rockywoods.com).

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One R3 pocket will fit my puffy pants and midweight puffy jacket and getting to them is much easier. I can use the pockets to hold gear to the pack and no longer have to uncompressed the main bag to get my trekking poles if I put them on the side. I usually put them on the back for that reason, but with the pad on the back it did not work as well.
Curious how this has been working out for you? Any newfound frustrations?
 
Curious how this has been working out for you? Any newfound frustrations?
I latched onto this idea and used it last fall during hunting season in conjuction with an EXO 2200. It worked out well for me. All my clothing layers stayed in the wings and were readily accessible, kept tripod and hiking poles tight to the pack, minimized how much straps were messed with. The new EXO/S2H pack looks to have taken the idea and refined it.

It makes the pack wide, rather than slipping through brush I had to bob and weave more when the side packs were on. May not be an issue where you hunt.

I plan to add loops to the frame side straps and use "gate keepers" to attach the bags to frame loops rather than using the triglides. The triglides work ok, but tend to slip and allow the side bags to shift towards the rear. YMMV
 
I latched onto this idea and used it last fall during hunting season in conjuction with an EXO 2200. It worked out well for me. All my clothing layers stayed in the wings and were readily accessible, kept tripod and hiking poles tight to the pack, minimized how much straps were messed with. The new EXO/S2H pack looks to have taken the idea and refined it.

It makes the pack wide, rather than slipping through brush I had to bob and weave more when the side packs were on. May not be an issue where you hunt.

I plan to add loops to the frame side straps and use "gate keepers" to attach the bags to frame loops rather than using the triglides. The triglides work ok, but tend to slip and allow the side bags to shift towards the rear. YMMV


Turns out this was a dumb way to strap the head on, but it made it to the truck.
 

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Turns out this was a dumb way to strap the head on, but it made it to the truck.
May not be conventional but if it works, it works! Thanks for the follow up. I ordered some of those R3 side bags last night and Tri-glides so I’ll do some test fitting myself
 
.I plan to add loops to the frame side straps and use "gate keepers" to attach the bags to frame loops rather than using the triglides. The triglides work ok, but tend to slip and allow the side bags to shift towards the rear. YMMV

The mirrors my experience with the K3 side bags and gate keepers last fall. Very easy for them to slip or loosen and I was constantly tightening them.

I’m fortunate to be a tester for the new S2H bag and as noted above, I think the permanently attached side bags will be much better. I don’t have much time with the new bag yet but hope to test it more this weekend and report back.
 
Stone Glacier Grumman. Most used, most often puff layer. Have multiples of each. The one in the pic is the very first and has hundreds and hundreds of days of use on it. Longevity, packability, resistance to moisture, etc are all excellent. The only downsides for later seasons use, is that they are just not enough. Most often in November and on I double up on both the jacket and pants. A 12+ ounce version of them with a pullover for the jacket…. Yeah.
@Formidilosus I’m curious about trying this. I’ve seen some alpine climbers opt for 2 “lighter” belay puffy jackets, rather than 1 big giant puffy, so they can moderate temperature better. Regardless of which method is more optimal, how are you sizing these puffies to maximize loft when double layering them?

Are you sizing up both jackets so they’re both on the looser side to have more dead space to layer. For example, you’d typically wear a large, but get both puffies in XL. So either jacket could be layered on top of the other in any order.

Or, are you sizing the two jackets sequential with the intent to layer. For example, you’d typically wear a large, so you get one puffy in a large and the second in XL specifically to wear on top. So the jackets have a specific order to layer them.

Hope that makes sense. Id intuitively think you’d have to default to one of the above options, because if you layered two puffies that were true to your actual size, the top puffy would compress the loft of the bottom puffy.

Also, I used jackets as the example but I’m curious if the same answer would apply to puffy pants.
 
I do similarly and use a lighter puffy under a “heavier” loft one.

What I found was that the L/XL vs XL/XL (in your example) depends on your build and the cut of the individual pieces.

However one does it, you nailed the key principle: don’t compress the loft.


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The problem with that method is you get more weight because of the face fabric on the second puffy. So two puffies with 7oz of down each will weigh more (and take up more space) than a single puffy with 14oz of down. That's why had goosefeet gear just make me a custom puffy to the specs that I wanted. It was cheaper than buying two (hunting brand name) puffies too.

I used to wear a down vest over a down puffy and found I really needed to go up two sizes on the vest to avoid compressing the jacket.
 
@Formidilosus I’m curious about trying this. I’ve seen some alpine climbers opt for 2 “lighter” belay puffy jackets, rather than 1 big giant puffy, so they can moderate temperature better. Regardless of which method is more optimal, how are you sizing these puffies to maximize loft when double layering them?

Are you sizing up both jackets so they’re both on the looser side to have more dead space to layer. For example, you’d typically wear a large, but get both puffies in XL. So either jacket could be layered on top of the other in any order.

Or, are you sizing the two jackets sequential with the intent to layer. For example, you’d typically wear a large, so you get one puffy in a large and the second in XL specifically to wear on top. So the jackets have a specific order to layer them.

Hope that makes sense. Id intuitively think you’d have to default to one of the above options, because if you layered two puffies that were true to your actual size, the top puffy would compress the loft of the bottom puffy.

Also, I used jackets as the example but I’m curious if the same answer would apply to puffy pants.


Correct size on #1 (that means loose and not compressed or tight at all), then oversized on #2. However, as stated above, using multiple jackets is not optimum.
 
The problem with that method is you get more weight because of the face fabric on the second puffy.
Correct size on #1 (that means loose and not compressed or tight at all), then oversized on #2. However, as stated above, using multiple jackets is not optimum.
100%. The additional ounces in zippers and nylon are obvious. However I know of some distinguished climbers who go out of their way to run 2 puffs vs 1 and I’m just curious of the sizing method behind the madness. Never know what works until you try it. Thank you for the responses. I’m perpetually trying new methods for static cold. Nothings perfect, just different degrees of subjective tolerability.

Same reason I bought this, plus the box stitching: https://www.montbell.com/us/en/products/detail/2301388
This or the alpine light depending on weather is what I currently use. Both are the bees knees, especially if you order from Japan.

Btw, it appears Redkettle is finished. I recently received the Hilltrek Talorc and it appears to be just as good (or better) as far as build quality, albeit more expensive. Past that I’ll be testing it out in place of my wind/rain layers this fall/winter.
 
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