View Full Version : lightweight winter jacket
XCskiNYC
11-13-2011, 23:28
What are some of the good ultra lightweight winter jackets, full zip? I like the Marmot Zeus but it's a little heavier than some other similar jackets like the Montbell Thermawrap jackets or the Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket. What else is good in this category? I'd prefer synthetic but will look at what's out there in down also. Preferably under 13 ozs (really under 10 is more like it).
Serial 07
11-14-2011, 01:37
RAB microlight
bigcranky
11-14-2011, 10:21
Define "winter." If you mean November in North Carolina, a lightweight down sweater is generally fine. If you mean January in the White Mountains, then there is no lightweight solution.
XCskiNYC
11-14-2011, 13:23
Define "winter." If you mean November in North Carolina, a lightweight down sweater is generally fine. If you mean January in the White Mountains, then there is no lightweight solution.
The jacket will serve on a long AT hike, leaving mid February to mid March from Springer, as the main insulative layer in a system with a synthetic hiking shirt, a lightweight long underwear top, and a midweight long underwear top, plus the jacket. Obviously depending on activity level, exertion, and weather the mid layers would be adjusted or used alone.
Basically the idea is to find good jackets to fill in the "Synthetic or down-fill jacket" entry from the packing list Winton Porter submitted for the profile they did on him in Backpacking --
http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4
XCskiNYC
11-14-2011, 13:26
RAB microlight
Any good sales on those?:sun
Mt Hardware Nitrous - 800 down - 11oz no hood
I have one with a hood 12.5oz I think.
Over kill for most, but I hate being cold in camp.
+1 for the thermawrap -- I am a big down fan, but find the thermawrap to be more versatile than the light weight down alternatives -- you don't have to be scared of a little moisture -- and thermawrap probably works a bit better when compressed when you are sleeping in your jacket. Glenn/ the Gossamer Gear website suggests that you wear your down bag in camp when you are just sitting around as the ultimate warmth provider. I've found this works really well -- especially if your rain gear is loose enough to go over your sleeping bag. I like the thermawrap pants, too, while i'm spending your money...
bigcranky
11-14-2011, 16:51
OK, for a thru-hike starting around Mar 1, I would take my Western Mountaineering Flash parka. It has a little more down than some of the down sweaters, and it has a hood and a full zip. It keeps me warm down into the low 20s with a microfleece zip tee and a fleece hat. (That's in camp, of course.)
mirabela
11-14-2011, 19:56
Nanopuff pullover is ~11 oz. Thermawrap is in the same range. Lots of down alternatives, but the synthetic is a little more forgiving. For the uses you're describing, with the other layers you mention, they're fine. In the northern mountains in winter you need more. Some good prices on the nano at 6pm lately in hideous discontinued colors.
I have a Golite Polargard filled jacket which I like a lot.
Clothing which is worn while hiking is best if it's manmade. Down sucks up sweat and hangs onto it forever. It's great for winter in-camp use and I always have a down camp - only garment on winter trips.
Most of the "ultralight" insulated clothing comes hoodless. I prefer a hood. It can't get left behind at the last camp, packed at the bottom of your pack in an unmarked stuffsack, or blown off the rock that you put it on when you finally get to the peak of Mt. Pointy and go sailing into the valley below. :) As far as what's available now, I'd recommend doing some research on various synth. insulations. I bought the Golite because, though other insulations were lighter and packed smaller, the Polargard held less moisture when saturated (as would happen when falling through thin ice).
mirabela
11-14-2011, 21:02
though other insulations were lighter and packed smaller, the Polargard held less moisture when saturated (as would happen when falling through thin ice).
Very interesting consideration ... though with the OP's intentions in mind, the odds of falling through thin ice are less than minute on a NOBO AT thru-hike beginning in later Feb or early March.
Very interesting consideration ... though with the OP's intentions in mind, the odds of falling through thin ice are less than minute on a NOBO AT thru-hike beginning in later Feb or early March.
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Ok, how about slipping and falling in while filtering water, crossing a stream on a wet log, etc? :rolleyes: Picky, picky (just like me :)).
Watch the hood sizing. Hoods cut to fit over a helmet are kinda large.
Marmot Baffin or Cauldron for syn. Ama Dablam Jacket (http://marmot.com/products/ama_dablam_jacket?p=216,167,222&ft=167-222) for down. All can usually be found below MSRP.
rocketsocks
11-15-2011, 19:07
Currently using EMS mercury jacket,filled with primaloft ONE and has pit zips.On sale for 59 dollars felt it was a good buy and it's not to puffy and is what I would call, a light jacket.With my other layers I'm toasty and can move quit freely.YMMV
The Zeus is good jacket. Mine was with me the length of the PCT. You're right about it being a little heavier than the thermawrap and the down shirt, but it's a much warmer jacket, so I don't think that's a good comparison.
The best thing about the Zeus is the collar. It's tall enough and puffy enough that if I zip up all the way, I don't need a scarf or a buff.
I've used it all the way down to -15 F (with other layers) and it worked out great.
Except for the collar thing, I don't really think its much better than most other light down jackets.
The -15 wasn't on the PCT, just to be clear. :)