Ultra Light Down Jacket Recommendations

What is your absolute favorite ultra light down jacket? Or do you know anything about these (below)? I already have a couple super puffy Mountain Hardware down jackets hence the need (hah!) for an ultra light jacket.

++ MontBell EX Light Down Jacket - Women's
900-fill down .Weight 4.7oz (133g). Hood – no.

++ MontBell Alpine Light Down Parka - Women's
800-fill down . Weight 12.7oz (360g) . Hood – yes

++ Patagonia Down Sweater Hooded Jacket - Women's
800-Fill down. Weight 13.4oz (380g). Hood – yes.

Also, thoughts on down vs synthetic for alpine climbing? I saw the MP thread on Patagonia Nano, but PrimaLoft just doesn’t seem to keep me anywhere as warm as down.

Summer Time wrote:What is your absolute favorite ultra light down jacket? Or do you know anything about these (below)? I already have a couple super puffy Mountain Hardware down jackets hence the need (hah!) for an ultra light jacket. ++ MontBell EX Light Down Jacket - Women's 900-fill down .Weight 4.7oz (133g). Hood – no.

I have a EX light jacket and it is awesome. Nothing beats it's warmth to weight ratio. I wore it under a softshell for ice climbing on cold days last winter. So much lighter than fleece. It is amazingly warm for its weight and packs down to the size of an apple. What other down jacket can you carry in your pocket?

I have a Men's Down Sweater that is warm and small. I don't see why the Women's would be different. It packs down well. The fill-power could be better to make it compress even more.

The down vs. synthetic thing is debatable and each has it's own strength and weaknesses. I use a wool base-layer, thicker for colder days. I don't like synthetics against my skin, not to mention the offensive odor! I have synthetic puff pants and jacket for extreme cold. My guide pants and soft-shell on last. It always turns out that I start sweating on the approach. I typically strip to my soft shell and base-layers. As we climb I stay warm. We sometimes share a down belay jacket for belaying. Again this is contingent on your comfort level and environment.

My western mountaineering Flash Jacket is my favorite piece of clothing. Its super light, water resistant and will compress to next to nothing. I like that western is a small, mostly USA operation too. Just my 2 cents....

+1 for MontBell UL Down Parka. Great piece. And I pair it with a Nano puff synthetic pullover when it is really cold.

It's a tradeoff - any insulated jacket that you wear under your shell is going to severely limit breathability when compared to fleece. A thin down or primaloft puffy will add 2 or more layers of nylon between your base layer and your shell. A non-laminated, non-windproof fleece will move moisture right through.

Winter climbing all revolves around having an "action suit" that's as light and breathable as possible, with a heavy belay parka for warmth.

When I'm climbing, as long as it's about 10 degrees or warmer, I have a thin stretchy wool baselayer, a patagonia R1 hoody, and my Norrona Lofoten softshell (no laminate, only a strong DWR and a tight weave for water repellency). Very light, very breathable. As long as I'm moving, I'm gonna be warm.

As soon as I get to the belay, the big synthetic parka goes over everything and my wet gloves from the pitch I just finished get swapped with the warm(er), dry(er) gloves that I have inside my shirt. The heat from your body drives the all the moisture from your sweat and the wet gloves through your layers and out your synthetic belay jacket. This is critical component of the entire winter outerwear system. The pressure gradient created inside your clothing forces the moisture out, but down will absorb it, Primaloft One (or any good synthetic) is non-absorptive and will allow the moisture to pass through unhindered.

I have an Arcteryx Theta LT (just like the Nanopuff) but don't really use it for anything but warm-ish winter day hikes and for carrying on late season multi pitch trad routes (i.e. today). If I'm ice or winter alpine climbing I have my belay jacket, no questions asked.

Your profile doesn't say where you lives - anywhere in New England or the PNW synthetics are crucial. Somewhere drier (say the Wasatch) you could probably get away with down, but I still prefer synthetic personally.

Another thought - If it's real cold, you'll want one of your big Mtn Hardwear puffies. If it' not cold enough to need your thick puffy, it's probably warm enough to have water or wet ice on your route. That's another vote for synthetic. Wet down is useless.

No matter what you decide to fill your jacket with, I think a hood is critical on any outer layer insulation piece. My inclination would be to suggest the Patagonia, only because they have a fantastic
warranty program... you can beat your jacket to shit and they'll most likely give you a new one. I've never compared the Pata to the MB in my hands, so I have no objective thoughts to offer.

i have a montbell ex light, EB first ascent downlight, arcteryx atom lt, etc ...

i do not recommend wearing down under a shell for any high intensity activities unless its VERY cold ... chances are youll sweat and soak it ...

for belay jackets ... it depends on yr climate

for active pursuits id stick with synthetics or fleeces .... when you soak em with sweat theyll dry quickly and still keep you warm

if yr just looking for emergency down warmth ... the ex light fits the bill, just keep in mind you need to keep it under a shell in an alpine environment ... the shell is an ultrathin 7D fabric

I've got the Patagonia jacket sans hood, it's amazingly warm and light. Love those aspects but for climbing I'd use it only for cragging. The cloth rips easily. This year they've got a Special Edition version with a stronger ripstop, for climbing I'd pay the extra for this. The lack of a hood is something I like on the sweater, I use a beanie with it. I have a hood on my Mtn Hardware big sweet puffie down jacket for the super cold.

By comparison my TNF down sweater from '96 still sees regular use. It's lost feathers and has rips, but the outer ripstop layer lasted well under LOTS of use before it's first tear. Don't know how that jacket design has morphed over the years though.

I'm a huge fan of down for cold weather alpine moments or days, love it on belays. On nasty days a water shedding layer does the trick to get me back down. Over time I get to know the jacket's warmth, layers it needs and what it works best for. I'll stash it and wear a light fleece until a downhill hike or belaying in the shade, etc.

I have a Brooks Range Alpini hooded down sweater.

brooks-range.com/StoreBox/c…

13.6 ounces in size XL. Extremely warm for the weight.

Weather resistant shell fabric. Hood goes over helmet.

I don't really care for the anorak construction (would prefer full zip front) but it's warm, light, and compressible.

If you have the cash, teh Nunatak Skaha Plus is the shit. I have one with a couple oz of overfill and a pocket in front and it's still only 12oz. One of the best total weight/down fill pieces on the market.

I have the Montbell alpine light down parka. While it's a great coat it's probably a bit too puffy for most to wear under a shell while doing any sort of physical activity. Would be a good belay parka and does have a DWR. Has nice big interior pockets for stashing gloves, and the price is pretty reasonable.

It seems you like montbell though so what about their thermawrap parka? Synthetic, very light, has a hood, cheaper than down, etc. Still won't keep you quite as warm as down but is a good piece in your total system.

Western Mountaineering Flash Jacket!!!

If you already like Mountain Hardwear, their Phantom Down jacket is pretty solid too. No hood and kinda short, but it's nice because it sits above your harness pretty well without getting in the way. Also easy to layer and put a rain shell over top.

Jon H wrote:It's a tradeoff - any insulated jacket that you wear under your shell is going to severely limit breathability when compared to fleece. A thin down or primaloft puffy will add 2 or more layers of nylon between your base layer and your shell. A non-laminated, non-windproof fleece will move moisture right through. Winter climbing all revolves around having an "action suit" that's as light and breathable as possible, with a heavy belay parka for warmth. When I'm climbing, as long as it's about 10 degrees or warmer, I have a thin stretchy wool baselayer, a patagonia R1 hoody, and my Norrona Lofoten softshell (no laminate, only a strong DWR and a tight weave for water repellency). Very light, very breathable. As long as I'm moving, I'm gonna be warm. As soon as I get to the belay, the big synthetic parka goes over everything and my wet gloves from the pitch I just finished get swapped with the warm(er), dry(er) gloves that I have inside my shirt. The heat from your body drives the all the moisture from your sweat and the wet gloves through your layers and out your synthetic belay jacket. This is critical component of the entire winter outerwear system. The pressure gradient created inside your clothing forces the moisture out, but down will absorb it, Primaloft One (or any good synthetic) is non-absorptive and will allow the moisture to pass through unhindered. I have an Arcteryx Theta LT (just like the Nanopuff) but don't really use it for anything but warm-ish winter day hikes and for carrying on late season multi pitch trad routes (i.e. today). If I'm ice or winter alpine climbing I have my belay jacket, no questions asked. Your profile doesn't say where you lives - anywhere in New England or the PNW synthetics are crucial. Somewhere drier (say the Wasatch) you could probably get away with down, but I still prefer synthetic personally. Another thought - If it's real cold, you'll want one of your big Mtn Hardwear puffies. If it' not cold enough to need your thick puffy, it's probably warm enough to have water or wet ice on your route. That's another vote for synthetic. Wet down is useless. No matter what you decide to fill your jacket with, I think a hood is critical on any outer layer insulation piece. My inclination would be to suggest the Patagonia, only because they have a fantastic warranty program... you can beat your jacket to shit and they'll most likely give you a new one. I've never compared the Pata to the MB in my hands, so I have no objective thoughts to offer.

Someone read Mark Twight's book

darth jables wrote:Western Mountaineering Flash Jacket!!!

+2

FWIW, western uses very conservative metrics to measure their fill. Most companies (well the third party that does the testing) will test several samples for 'fill.' Among these samples, several will be below and several will be above the 800 fill mark. This means that your average 800 fill jacket could really be 720 or 815. Western fills every garment and sleeping bag to the top end of this testing which is why you see ratings of '850+' in their specs. Your western jacket could be 900 or 850 fill, but its most certainly AT LEAST what they say it is. You won't see them cut corners to get an extra 2% margin out of a jacket while they make 30,000 of them in china. They also use a higher loft down than most companies that is harder to get and more expensive. Basically...its among (i like feathered friends too) the highest quality down products out there. Period.

Sorry, I couldn't help it. I really like western.

You can't go wrong with Montbell, I have never been so impressed with
the number of places there clothing has worked for me .This is my goto
piece for almost everything winter related, get one with a hood that fits under the lightest event jacket you can find as event breathes way better than any goretex ever made

Western Mtn is also a very good choice but ther jackets are still too
puffy to wear under any kind of soft shell .

I would steer clear of patagucci crap unless you just want to waste an extra 100 bucks or so.

I used to buy into the down v synthetic bullshit but now I know better I use down clothing everywhere and for everything unles its pouring rain than I just layer my lightest event shell over it and drive on

Jon H wrote:It's a tradeoff - any insulated jacket that you wear under your shell is going to severely limit breathability when compared to fleece. A thin down or primaloft puffy will add 2 or more layers of nylon between your base layer and your shell. A non-laminated, non-windproof fleece will move moisture right through. Winter climbing all revolves around having an "action suit" that's as light and breathable as possible, with a heavy belay parka for warmth. When I'm climbing, as long as it's about 10 degrees or warmer, I have a thin stretchy wool baselayer, a patagonia R1 hoody, and my Norrona Lofoten softshell (no laminate, only a strong DWR and a tight weave for water repellency). Very light, very breathable. As long as I'm moving, I'm gonna be warm. As soon as I get to the belay, the big synthetic parka goes over everything and my wet gloves from the pitch I just finished get swapped with the warm(er), dry(er) gloves that I have inside my shirt. The heat from your body drives the all the moisture from your sweat and the wet gloves through your layers and out your synthetic belay jacket. This is critical component of the entire winter outerwear system. The pressure gradient created inside your clothing forces the moisture out, but down will absorb it, Primaloft One (or any good synthetic) is non-absorptive and will allow the moisture to pass through unhindered. I have an Arcteryx Theta LT (just like the Nanopuff) but don't really use it for anything but warm-ish winter day hikes and for carrying on late season multi pitch trad routes (i.e. today). If I'm ice or winter alpine climbing I have my belay jacket, no questions asked. Your profile doesn't say where you lives - anywhere in New England or the PNW synthetics are crucial. Somewhere drier (say the Wasatch) you could probably get away with down, but I still prefer synthetic personally. Another thought - If it's real cold, you'll want one of your big Mtn Hardwear puffies. If it' not cold enough to need your thick puffy, it's probably warm enough to have water or wet ice on your route. That's another vote for synthetic. Wet down is useless. No matter what you decide to fill your jacket with, I think a hood is critical on any outer layer insulation piece. My inclination would be to suggest the Patagonia, only because they have a fantastic warranty program... you can beat your jacket to shit and they'll most likely give you a new one. I've never compared the Pata to the MB in my hands, so I have no objective thoughts to offer.

A more modern option than this is to just wear your superlight Primaloft jacket all the time as a replacement for both your midlayer and softshell. You don't really need the R1 and a softshell if you are wearing the light Primaloft jacket. Many Primaloft jackets can keep out the elements as well as stretch-woven shells, leaving the softshell really only necessary if you have a special desire to protect your beautiful puffy from abrasion. Moisture transport is probably pretty comparable to wearing the R1+softshell, or, even if it doesn't breathe quite as well, you'll be fine. They're so lightly insulated that they compare quite well to the R1+softshell combo. I imagine wearing a Nanopuff while climbing, over another midlayer, would lead to more heating and sweating than you want. But Nanopuff hoody or Arc'teryx Atom LT over just a baselayer works great as an "action layer." Venting, if needed, by opening the zipper, means even better cooling than if there was an R1 under there. Another light jacket in the pack and you're set for belays.

Here's a vote for superlight synthetic, but used a bit differently than the OP thought. Two nanopuffs, one as action layer, one for belays, is not as crazy as it sounds. Or maybe a heavier weight belay jacket if it's really cold. Rab makes super cool gear designed specifically for climbing, at a good price with good quality and features. Name brand materials like Primaloft and eVent are used as well, instead of proprietary stuff. I love my Neutrino Endurance for belay duty, but that's a bit heavier (and down) than you're looking for.

Tom T wrote: +2 FWIW, western uses very conservative metrics to measure their fill. Most companies (well the third party that does the testing) will test several samples for 'fill.' Among these samples, several will be below and several will be above the 800 fill mark. This means that your average 800 fill jacket could really be 720 or 815. Western fills every garment and sleeping bag to the top end of this testing which is why you see ratings of '850+' in their specs. Your western jacket could be 900 or 850 fill, but its most certainly AT LEAST what they say it is. You won't see them cut corners to get an extra 2% margin out of a jacket while they make 30,000 of them in china. They also use a higher loft down than most companies that is harder to get and more expensive. Basically...its among (i like feathered friends too) the highest quality down products out there. Period.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what you've written it sounds like you think 800, 850, 900 etc refers to the AMOUNT OF DOWN in the garment. That's not correct. Looks for grams or ounces of fill for that info. The number refers to the specific loft of the insulation in cu. inches per ounce.

I'm still wearing an old puffy from college. Probably low quality down but there's a lot of it in there, and the nylon is heavy by today's standards. I love to fondle these new superlight down sweaters in the store, but I know what I'd do to one with a bunch of ice screws!

Brian Abram wrote: A more modern option than this is to just wear your superlight Primaloft jacket all the time as a replacement for both your midlayer and softshell. You don't really need the R1 and a softshell if you are wearing the light Primaloft jacket. Many Primaloft jackets can keep out the elements as well as stretch-woven shells, leaving the softshell really only necessary if you have a special desire to protect your beautiful puffy from abrasion. Moisture transport is probably pretty comparable to wearing the R1+softshell, or, even if it doesn't breathe quite as well, you'll be fine. They're so lightly insulated that they compare quite well to the R1+softshell combo. I imagine wearing a Nanopuff while climbing, over another midlayer, would lead to more heating and sweating than you want. But Nanopuff hoody or Arc'teryx Atom LT over just a baselayer works great as an "action layer." Venting, if needed, by opening the zipper, means even better cooling than if there was an R1 under there. Another light jacket in the pack and you're set for belays. Here's a vote for superlight synthetic, but used a bit differently than the OP thought. Two nanopuffs, one as action layer, one for belays, is not as crazy as it sounds. Or maybe a heavier weight belay jacket if it's really cold. Rab makes super cool gear designed specifically for climbing, at a good price with good quality and features. Name brand materials like Primaloft and eVent are used as well, instead of proprietary stuff. I love my Neutrino Endurance for belay duty, but that's a bit heavier (and down) than you're looking for.

ive thought about that .... since i do have an atom LT hoody and its my light belay jacket

the problem though is that on rock, id hate to climb in it ... my schoeller softshell is much more durable ...

i cant afford a new dead bird every season ... lol

I have the Mountain Hardware Nitrous Jacket, it weighs 12 ounces, is nice and warm and compresses down pretty small.

Western Flash! Suhweet!