Cheap packable down jacket at Walmart

[chall]

Not sure if every Walmart carries the same items, but I found this: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/h...cket?ID=706913 re-branded as Royal Falcon for $45ish in Exton, PA. It said 90% duck down, and 10% feather on the inside tag. Packs into its own pocket. Super light. I'm going to pick this up for an overnight trip I'm doing this weekend, so I'll gladly be the guinea pig if no one else has tried it out already . It seems like this could be a good Walmart score.

[Dogwood]

If it works for you fine but IMO Wally World is a large enough bully of a company. I wouldn't buy it from them. I'll support Outdoor Companies and UL Cottage Manufacturers with my money by buying higher quality gear and with INFINITELY BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE! I've seen Wally World over and over again put smaller more specialized companies with higher quality merchandise and personal infinitely higher quality customer service out of biz because Wally World may save customers a bit of money on the front end of a purchase. I tread lightly when considering making purchases at Wally World. I don't particularly appreciate the way Wally World treats its employees either whether employees understand they are being taken to the cleaners or not.

[chall]

If it works for you fine but IMO Wally World is a large enough bully of a company. I wouldn't buy it from them. I'll support Outdoor Companies and UL Cottage Manufacturers with my money by buying higher quality gear and with INFINITELY BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE! I've seen Wally World over and over again put smaller more specialized companies with higher quality merchandise and personal infinitely higher quality customer service out of biz because Wally World may save customers a bit of money on the front end of a purchase. I tread lightly when considering making purchases at Wally World. I don't particularly appreciate the way Wally World treats its employees either whether employees understand they are being taken to the cleaners or not.

While I agree with you on many of your points, I like finding bargains on gear. I rarely shop at Walmart for many of the reasons you stated, but every once in a while, I see something like that and I can justify buying it. I don't necessarily have the spare money to always support high-end UL Cottage Manufacturers, even though I love doing so. Also, because I'm leaving tonight, time is of the essence. This is a quick weekend fix, and if it turns out that this jacket does what it's intended to do...awesome! If not, it was worth the small cost. Then, I know to save for a more legit piece of gear. I'm OK with experimenting with these kinds of things, and am able to not let my personal feelings about a company interfere with said experimentations.

[Dogwood]

Have fun out there and watch out for all the Wally World semis at road crossings.

[Last Call]

When I "clink" on the link it comes up Macy's, not Wal-Mart......maybe I'm doing it all wrong?

[johnnybgood]

While I agree with you on many of your points, I like finding bargains on gear. I rarely shop at Walmart for many of the reasons you stated, but every once in a while, I see something like that and I can justify buying it. I don't necessarily have the spare money to always support high-end UL Cottage Manufacturers, even though I love doing so. Also, because I'm leaving tonight, time is of the essence. This is a quick weekend fix, and if it turns out that this jacket does what it's intended to do...awesome! If not, it was worth the small cost. Then, I know to save for a more legit piece of gear. I'm OK with experimenting with these kinds of things, and am able to not let my personal feelings about a company interfere with said experimentations.

Nicely done. I echo your sentiments and will shop there for bargains , putting aside any political dissonance that exist.

[Dogwood]

While the two of you have been putting me in my place hooping it up for Wally World have you looked at the very reasonably priced Kirkland *800 level down jackets at Costco? I've seen them for about $50. I think the same down vests were $40. How about JC Penney or LL Bean, dare I say, possibly higher quality very reasonably priced down jackets. And, how about the reasonably priced outdoor brand name higher quality down jacket close outs or discontinues from Sierra Trading Post? C'mon folks, Wally World is DEFINITELY NOT the only place for great prices. You can also go elsewhere and usually you'll get better service AND HIGHER QUALITY MERCHANDISE. Some of these other companies provide free delivery too.

[Dogwood]

BTW Chall I strongly doubt much of anything you'll find in Macys clothing departments will also be found at Wally Worlds.

[johnnybgood]

I have not been ballyhooing Wallyworld at all, reread my post. I look for bargains regardless where they are AND agree that Costco is a great place to find real gem of a deal.

[Rocket Jones]

The worst is when the Wally World goon squads force you at gunpoint to shop there. Oh wait, they don't. They just offer fair-to-middling quality at very good prices because of the economies of scale.

[quasarr]

Will you weigh it for us, please!! I would like to know more about this jacket!

[Dogwood]

What I'm mainly saying is to keep your purchase options open folks when it comes to less expensive usable for the hiking down jackets. For what it's worth I think way too many people buy something at Wally World without considering the potential negative problems your helping contribute to and what you MAY find personally with your purchases there. I know this can be debated though. I know that may seem like another story yet not one we should be totally oblivious of as customers.

If you shop around a bit with just an internet search you'll find down apparel/gear has exploded in popularity with MANY inexpensive down jacket and vest options being offered at very competitive prices in many places, including places that might not immediately come to mind just as Wally World has but perhaps BETTER in several ways. AND, with the increase in this popularity I'm noticing a trickle down effect in more down jackets and vests that can be had at bargain basement prices at stores like GOODWILL, some of these pieces being of BETTER quality than what can be had at Wally World AT LESS EXPENSIVE PRICES. In this regard, Wally World down jackets may be viewed as BEING EXPENSIVE!

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=69741

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=45593

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=72780

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=19338

[Feral Bill]

I can't see buying down clothing of dubious quality. Better to pay for something really good, which you won't find at Walmart.

[WILLIAM HAYES]

I love Mall Wart where else can you buy cheap plastic crap and get to see all forms of humanity Its a great side show

[lush242000]

I can't see buying down clothing of dubious quality. Better to pay for something really good, which you won't find at Walmart.

What makes you think that it's dubious quality? Most gear durability is related to it use as opposed to its manufacturing.

Just because you spent a couple of hundred dollars on the same thing you could have got for a quarter of the price doesn't make it better.




Sent from somewhere.

[aficion]

You guys who won't shop at Wally World please let me know when you have saved the planet. In the mean time I'll be out there enjoying both.

[Feral Bill]

What makes you think that it's dubious quality? Most gear durability is related to it use as opposed to its manufacturing.

Just because you spent a couple of hundred dollars on the same thing you could have got for a quarter of the price doesn't make it better.




Sent from somewhere.

Down is a special case. 90% duck down =81% duck down, 19% feathers and whatever (an oddity of labeling rules) No stated loft suggests it is not good stuff. Moderate priced down is 650 fill, more or less and a decent value. LL Bean, Campmor and others have nice clothing with that or better, at fair prices.
As for the highest priced gear, I agree with you. Not worth it to me.

[HikerMom58]

I checked out our Wally World, there's no down packable jacket to be found.

[chall]

When I "clink" on the link it comes up Macy's, not Wal-Mart......maybe I'm doing it all wrong?

I mentioned in my first comment that I believe it was re-branded from the one that shows up on the Macy's page. I couldn't find anything about the brand name, Royal Falcon, so I did some research on the internet and found that the "parent company" is Hawke & Co. which makes the one that the link shows.

While the two of you have been putting me in my place hooping it up for Wally World have you looked at the very reasonably priced Kirkland *800 level down jackets at Costco? I've seen them for about $50. I think the same down vests were $40. How about JC Penney or LL Bean, dare I say, possibly higher quality very reasonably priced down jackets. And, how about the reasonably priced outdoor brand name higher quality down jacket close outs or discontinues from Sierra Trading Post? C'mon folks, Wally World is DEFINITELY NOT the only place for great prices. You can also go elsewhere and usually you'll get better service AND HIGHER QUALITY MERCHANDISE. Some of these other companies provide free delivery too.

I've read about that Kirkland down jacket on BPL awhile back. I don't have a Costco membership, but if I did, I would have been all over that. I know there's other cheap alternatives out there, but like I said before, it was a quick weekend fix/impulse buy, which I know many of us do! Not trying to put anyone in their place; just expressing my rational on the subject.

Will you weigh it for us, please!! I would like to know more about this jacket!

I don't have a scale, but it's definitely under 16oz.

I checked out our Wally World, there's no down packable jacket to be found.

Yeah I guess each store carries different things. When I found this jacket, it was one of about six, and somewhat tucked away.


As far as the performance of the jacket... I was out on the Chuck Keiper Trail this weekend and it dropped down to the high 30's during the late night/early morning. This was only an overnight trip, so I wanted to test the bottom limits of my 45* Mountain Hardware bag. Let me say that it did not hold up (I was also using a tarp/bivy combo for the first time, and probably could have pitched the A-frame a little lower to the ground to help block the drafts)! I was using the jacket as a pillow, but when I got too cold, I opened it up and draped it over my chest under my bag. It helped a good deal...can't say the same for my feet. Once I was out of my bivy and making breakfast, I actually wore it. I would say that it kept me warmish, but I also was only wearing thin hiking pants as I was too lazy to put my base layer pants on. I think that if I was better layered on the rest of my body, I would have been toasty. I think the purchase was mostly worth it.

For those of you that have comparable (or higher quality) lightweight packable down jackets - what's the coldest temperature you experienced wearing one and you still felt warm?

[HikerMom58]

I mentioned in my first comment that I believe it was re-branded from the one that shows up on the Macy's page. I couldn't find anything about the brand name, Royal Falcon, so I did some research on the internet and found that the "parent company" is Hawke & Co. which makes the one that the link shows.



I've read about that Kirkland down jacket on BPL awhile back. I don't have a Costco membership, but if I did, I would have been all over that. I know there's other cheap alternatives out there, but like I said before, it was a quick weekend fix/impulse buy, which I know many of us do! Not trying to put anyone in their place; just expressing my rational on the subject.



I don't have a scale, but it's definitely under 16oz.



Yeah I guess each store carries different things. When I found this jacket, it was one of about six, and somewhat tucked away.


As far as the performance of the jacket... I was out on the Chuck Keiper Trail this weekend and it dropped down to the high 30's during the late night/early morning. This was only an overnight trip, so I wanted to test the bottom limits of my 45* Mountain Hardware bag. Let me say that it did not hold up (I was also using a tarp/bivy combo for the first time, and probably could have pitched the A-frame a little lower to the ground to help block the drafts)! I was using the jacket as a pillow, but when I got too cold, I opened it up and draped it over my chest under my bag. It helped a good deal...can't say the same for my feet. Once I was out of my bivy and making breakfast, I actually wore it. I would say that it kept me warmish, but I also was only wearing thin hiking pants as I was too lazy to put my base layer pants on. I think that if I was better layered on the rest of my body, I would have been toasty. I think the purchase was mostly worth it.

For those of you that have comparable (or higher quality) lightweight packable down jackets - what's the coldest temperature you experienced wearing one and you still felt warm?

I own a "name brand" packable down jacket but I've not hiked in really cool temps. I'm glad you were able to use your jacket on ur last hike... good for you!! NICE FIND! I hope someone can help you out with the comparison it would be interesting to know if you can tell a difference.