 Cheers jon may well be another order going to alpkit soon then.
|
 |
 Just stuffed my X-Large into an Alpkit Airlok XT bag size small and was able to fold the top of the bag over twice then lock it. The bag is 24X36 overall, flattened out. The packed size of mine is, length 23cm x diameter 15cm with the double fold and lock.
|
|
 A Primaloft Fleece? What's that then? when I should have wrote "polartec" - early onset of stupidity.  TNF polartec 100 fleece top. Plus t-shirt, plus Filo, with hat and gloves beat low level bimbling at -9'c. No wind though. No rain though. And my blubber layer protects me too.
|
|
I've had one for around 4 weeks now, my thoughts: It is very light (680 grams) for the amount of warmth you get from it. It's also super compressible, i bought an airlok XT from Alpkit as well to go together with it (its got a 2L capacity i think) and it fits perfectly. I have used this jacket for belaying mainly, and I am taking it with me on my 6 week trek this summer to stay nice and toasty at night while cooking etc. The down jacket and the airlok bag weigh 750 grams together, so i can justify taking it along  The only thing i can fault the jacket on, are the velcro cuffs you get - they're a bit robust and therefore sometimes stick out a bit, which means they get caught in the handwarmer pockets. But really apart from that I am really glad I went for them, after contemplating for ages and browsing the web for ages. In fact, I was so impressed with the jacket it's led me on to buying one of their Pipedream 600 bags, which will be arriving tomorrow.
|
|
 I'll pop a full test up soon, if I'm being really picky, the weak points are that the light grey cuff adjusters and the light grey collar lining are going to show the dirt really quickly. Second, on mine, the microfleece / tricot stuff on the inside of the collar and the handwarmer pockets is quite rough and tends to catch on stubble or chafed hands - yes, you guessed it, my hands have been trashed by the cold weather. I'd rather just have shell fabric inside the pockets. Neither are massive issues, but I thought I'd mention them.
The new sleeping bag is nice btw, more finished than the Alpine Dream.
|
|
Yep I received the Pipedream this morning and I am really impressed with it - the things lofts like nothing else and my biggest concern was the measly fabric weighing just 17 grams /m2, but it actually seems quite robust! It took me ages to get it into the stuffsack though, but packed down really really small in the end and weighs 1075 grams including the compression bag! About the fleece lining of the handwarming pockets: I have the same problem when i have the 'climber hand syndrome', my hands keep on getting stuck inside the pockets. However, the same thing happens with my TNF Apex softshell jckt, so I guess its more of a problem at my side of the spectrum.
|
|
 Hopefully putting my pipedream 400 to the test over the night 1/2 March in my new Hunka bag and under a tarp. This is when I want the down jacket for. Thanks for all the responses so far
|
|
Right, ordered my Filo in nice chilli colour. So thats a pipedream in chilli, a wee airic in chilli, a hunka in chilli and now a filo in chilli. At least I will be found  Lucky order as only last few left in XL.
|
|
Nils - I've just tried to get a medium Filo into a 2 litre Airlok and I couldn't get all the jacket in, let alone roll the top. Did you really get yours into an extra small or was it the 4 litre (plain) small bag?
|
|
Oh no my mistake I got the small airlok XT which seems to have a capacity of 4ltrs! Sorry!
|
|
 Simon Taking this a little off topic. I'd like to know how you get on with the Pipedream and Hunka. I'm in the market for a new bag and at £105 the pipedream seems to tick all the boxes but was waiting till the Outdoor Show to get the bag and a Hunka from the Alpkit stall.
|
|
 My XL filo just arrived in the post. Nice if a bit redful. Def. has less down than the Large it replaces - which is good as it was so overstuffed I doubt it could loft.
|
|
 Simon, At least I will be found provided you don't collapse in an Andean chili field that is... At some point soon I intend to upgrade my down jacket, but it won't be while I am living in the South of France! When my Rab Glacier from 1996 gave up the ghost, I wasn't planning to replace it until I next expected to be at altitude or spending another winter in Canada. However, I chanced upon a 600fp down jacket from Timberland costing me £18 and for the occasional use it has proven to be perfectly adequate. At that price I have no concerns if I trash it - it's not as well made as specialist outdoor kit but given that I have all the usual arsenal of fleece and Primaloft, it serves. However, bargains like that don't come around all the time and for its list price I reckon the Filo represents one of the best value options available.
|
|
It arrived this morning, again another truely excellent service from Alpkit and the XL fits just right. Enough space under for other items and to serve well at night and extreme cold. All getting tested next week so I'll right up a report on how it goes. Till then, ta ra.
|
|
