which down jacket should i buy.
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 Are you sure you want down rather than synthetic?
What's your budget?
What conditions to you plan on using it?
How warm do you run?
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 How long is a piece of string? ;-)
Give us a clue what you want it for!
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not bothered about the expense.was in snowdonia last week and froze my tits off.will be doing kinder scout this weekend so don't want that to happen.normally don't run that cold but only been walking for 6 months and this is my first winter.
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Personally I don't want the hassle of keeping down dry, so went synthetic. Down is more compressable though...
If you decide to go synthetic your best bet is either Primaloft or Polarguard 3D as a fill. The current issue of Trail has a review of synthetics, as did January's TGO.
If you want down then the cheapest around is probably Alpkit's Filo, but most brands produce a down jacket.
Most filled jackets are really designed more for when you stop rather than walking around in - you might find many of them too hot for wearing whilst actually walking.
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thats exactly what i found last week. i was ok walking in fleece and gorex. but when i stopped it was very cold.i have looked at a few jackets like the rab,me,and montain hardwear didn't know which one was beter or all the same.
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OK, so we can aim for UK conditions (in which case the synthetic options like a Rab Photon or whatever the equivalents from the likes of Montane etc. are, are worth considering). For UK use some kind of water-resistant shell is a good idea (Drilite, Dri-shell etc. rather than plain Pertex). But probably no need to go for a fully-waterproof (inc. taped seams) shell.
Would you expect to be
a) walking in it
b) using it for breaks / lunch-stops etc.
c) evenings camping
d) climbing / scrambling in it
e) shivering on belay stances for hours!
If a) then you only want a very light one or you'll boil! For b) and c) a standard lightweight jacket rated to about -5 is probably enough. For d) you'd want heavier-duty outer fabric or reinforcements to take the abuse, and for e) you'd want that plus something warmer. Hood or not is a matter of preference but probably essential for e) - some jackets offer optional / detachable hoods.
Good makes include PHD (I've got the Minimus and it's great), Mountain Equipment, Mountain Hardwear. There's Rab and TNF (but quality issues and fakes have been reported here). Alpkit do a great jacket, the Filo, at a very good price - everyone on here who's bought one seems to love them - not as light as the more specialist ones but great value. Or Bob at backpackinglight.co.uk has an offer on the Liv smock, which looks very good quality but as far as I can tell doesn't have handwarmer pockets which IMO is important.
Hope that helps...
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| Edited: 27/01/06 14:51 |
If you're happy with synthetic Rock and Run have got the Lowe Alpine Outer Limits reduced from £120 to £55 at the moment. I'm happy with mine, but it doesn't have a hood if that's a concern.
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Just posted on the Bargain Alert thread:
"TNF nuptse jackets are £99.99 at www.gear-zone.co.uk, most sizes and colours available"
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 if you want a synthetic with a hood you could always go for the lowe alpine heatseeker jacket (£75 at rock + run) which is basically an outerlimits jacket with a hood although with it being a climbing jacket the hood is big to accommodate a helmet, a better combination would be an outer limits jacket and a mountain cap (berghaus, TNF, lowe alpine, extremities all do similar versions). if you wanted to go for down then the alpkit filo has good reviews or the TNF nuptse is on offer at www.gear-zone.co.uk for £99.99 most colours and sizes.
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ok thanks for all the advice just been out and brought a rab endurance jacket. it is down. it is pertex. it has a hood . its very light 220g. and it looks the dogs danglies.
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 i wouldn't go for down for british conditions (damp and drizely) because if the down gets wet it won't loft as well.
Down is designed for cold dry conditions, so i would go for a synthetic jacket, and it is also cheaper
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