MW - amazing pics, and a very interesting blog. We had this "great drifts of powder that have served as a base for fields of acicular crystal growth, blades of ice sticking straight up" around Culra 2 weeks ago - never seen this to such an extend before. You could see the reflections from hundreds of metres away, little lights all over the snow - beautiful, but it provided a very poor key for subsequent snow. The crystals were so light and 'fluffy' - amazing.
But I digress - sorry AC. Hope you find something good.
If you want a really warm, almost waterproof synthetic jacket, then the Wild Things Belay Jacket is probably one of the warmest out there. It contains 6oz per sq yard (203gsm) Primaloft 1 fill. I have one, and it is like putting on a sleeping bag. You feel totally secure wearing it, no matter how bad the conditions. Because of the weight, i only carry it on winter day trips when i expect to wear it outside. Another option for a very warm synthetic jacket is the Patagonia Das Parka. Like i said earlier, i much prefer down if i'm camping or bothying, for it's small pack size and extra warmth for the weight.
