In the market for a new jacket, as my old one (a NF Plasma) has gotten a little old. Something I looked at was the Nau Rheostat. I am wondering if 850 down is going to be too warm for daily use. Anyone have this jacket?
|
 |
 All the fill power shows is the relative warmth of X grams of the down. You'd need to know fill weight too to have a decent guess at the warmth. In practice the loft (thickness) of the garment is a half decent way to judge (although not entirely perfect and especially not so for synthetic insulation.). It certainly doesn't look very thick online so don't think it can be all that warm either. Very pricy mind, and from an purely objective/practical basis probably not hugely sensible for everyday use in the UK. But if you must 
|
|
Don't worry, I never buy things for full price. But I don't buy things without research either.
|
|
Fair enough Well if you are worried about it being too warm, two meaningful questions, which they should answer if you ask them direct (or a stockist may well be able to help): (1) what the down fill weight like?, (2) whats the loft (thickness) of the jacket? That would pin down its rough warmth.
|
|
So comparing that to three other jackets: Volant: 225 grams of 850 fill; Wanaka Down: 95 grams of 600 fill; my old jacket: 100 grams of Primaloft. That would be the order of warmth (other attributes being equally, which they are not). But, let's say, 75 grams of 850 fill might have the same warmth of 95 grams of 600 fill, correct (again, other things being equal).
|
|
 Hi Paul,I don't know anything about the jacket that you have suggested but I do know a little about down kit in general. And my wife has a TNF Plasma so I know what you had! The TNF plasma is, as I’m sure you know, not a down jacket! It has a relatively thin layer of Primaloft synthetic insulation under a TNF proprietary waterproof breathable shell (Hyvent Alpha IIRC). Again, from memory, there was a 30gsm primaloft layer in the arms and hood and maybe a little more (45gsm ? 60gsm?) in the body but it wasn’t a thick or especially warm insulation layer by any means. To get the same level of warmth from an 850 fillpower down you’d be looking at the lightest down jackets on the market; covering them with a waterproof shell is one way to improve the likelihood that the down will stay dry and therefore continue to do its job. Especially if you plan to use it in mixed weather conditions. The Nau website is distinctly lacking in info on the Rheostat. The waterproof shell is proprietary so I’ve no idea how good or bad it is. There’s no listing of how much down they have used or the total garment weight. Nor is there any info on how they have made it (down baffles, incorporating a shell etc.) Maybe this is of no consequence to you if you plan to use it as a ski jacket or similar but if I was buying an expensive insulation/waterproof then I’d want to know. From the look of it (photos alone) I’d guess there’s not much down in that jacket; perhaps something similar to the Cloudveil Koven Plus. Be aware that when you try to make a down jacket ‘sleek’ by deliberately containing the down in small baffles, it usually means that you’ll have down leak due to the stitching pulling down through the sewing holes. Put another way, I’d probably get a light weight down pullover and a waterproof shell layer for less money, more versatility and better choice of fabrics. There are almost endless combinations you could try but I’d suggest a light down top using perhaps 100-150g of good quality down and a clean-lined waterproof shell to layer over the top. You’d get a total weight of about 400-600g depending on your size and choices but could use the items all year round or in combination with other kit. If you really want a down jacket with a waterproof shell then the best choice I know of is the crux plasma. It uses an exceptionally breathable eVent shell which is bonded directly onto box wall partitions of the down baffles which means that there’s no need to tape the stitching so it’s lighter and more breathable. The down itself is of similar grade to the Nau, and they use 165g of it which makes it pretty warm (with warmer options of Magma and Lava also available from crux). I’d certainly go for one of those over the Nau that you’ve linked – not least because I really like the crux kit I own (halo, ak57, ak30 and lightwave t2 tent). You also get a full spec so you know how much down they’ve used and how much the whole thing weighs.
|
|
Paul, it would help if you mention the brands! The Feathered Friends Volant is (I would have thought) a much warmer jacket than the Nau you have mentioned. 225g of their (very good) down is going to be cosy and with the eVent shell a very nice bit of kit. But much more of a puffy mountain jacket than the Nau. The Patagonia Wanaka is a much less high spec jacket both in design and down quality and overall warmth but Patagonia is a manufacturer I can attest to. Depends what you need really! The 100g that TNF quote for the Plasma is very confusing IMO. Primaloft comes in sheets that are sold as given weights per square metre (gsm) or oz per square yard. There's no way that the Plasma has 100gsm Primaloft in it (at least not the models I've seen over the years). Maybe they've upped the warmth but I suspect that they really mean an average jacket has 100g of PL1 which is almost meaningless. If it really is a 100gsm jacket now then I'd guess the crux plasma would be of similar warmth for less weight and better breathability.
|
|
 Paul, to learn more about down fill power, and the difference between the European measurement and the U.S. measurement of the same down, read this.
|
|
 What are you intending to do in the jacket? I don't see a huge amount of value in waterproof shelled down jackets. If you're going to be somewhere cold and very wet, you should perhaps be looking at fleece/pile type things which won't cook you and dry quickly. If you're somewhere cold and damp, synthetic insulation like primaloft will serve you better than down in the event of your shell failing. If you're somewhere very cold, down is great and you're more likely to see snow than rain so hard shells are a little less useful. I guess having a tough shell fabric on a down jacket is great if you're going to be mountaineering somewhere bitterly cold where you'll be needing a down jacket when active. Maybe as a belay jacket for ice climbing when its really chilly? But aside from that, I'm not really seeing the point... perhaps I've missed something important? A lightweight down jacket or smock is going to be cheaper, light and pack smaller. If needs be you can stick it under a separate shell jacket, which you can use over other layers in warmer weather. Seems like you'll get more value out of your gear that way. Me, I use a PHD Minimus. I couldn't tell you how much down is in it, but I find it warm enough for English winters.
|
|
First post makes me rather suspect daily everyday use. Whether round town or elsewhere unclear. Something like a shell & fleece(s) would be massively easier to care for in that context mind, but having a shell integrated does at least make a fair bit of sense then.
|
|
 > But aside from that, I'm not really seeing the point... perhaps I've missed something important? Looking (for the first time) at the Nau website, it seems pretty firmly in the 'urban outdoor/fashion' market, with style high on their list of priorities. And a price tag to match... In which case, a waterproof down jacket makes more sense; walking around town isn't as energetic as walking 'outdoors', so the issues of condensation within the down (from sweating too much) are probably not a big issue. And you can always go into the nearest Starbucks and grab a double crappafrappamoccachoccavanillamint light decaff (TM) whilst your jacket dries out...
|
|
So I am going to punt on that jacket. I called them up and asked for specs and they didn't know (which makes me wonder more). The reason I want an all in one jacket is because I want it for alot of things- to wear to work (which pays for this stuff), to wear around town, to wear when I go skiing, etc. I just wanted to see if anyone else had any experience with it before I dropped money on it (not $415). Oh, and I don't drink Starbucks.
|
|
Glad you liked our advice, Paul  !!!
|
|
