I am considering getting either Montane Prism vest or a Haglofs Barrier vest. One is £60 and the other is about £72 in shops not too far from me.
I need a bit of extra warmth with low bulk for lunch stops this time of year over whatever I am wearing. Then later in the year I might be wearing this under a thin softshell when walking in colder conditions. I intend to use it fro extra warmth too when my generator smock is not warm enough on its own and I don't want to take my ME lightline smock. I know it is possible that either of those vests with a generator smock would be only good for cold enough conditions where down is suitable on its own but I feel the synth vest is my next gap in my gear choices. A down vest will come in due course but first thing first.
If anyone has experience of both to give their honest comparison it would be great. Or even experience of one of them. I don't seem to be able to compare how these vests are in the warmth stakes. I can compare primaloft with primaloft (the 40g fill seems to be what I need) but if anyone can compare the barrier fill with primaloft it would be a great help. IS the Barrier more like a 10g or 60g primaloft? I do have a cold feeling friend who wears the haglofs over a fleece and under a shell (wind or water-proof) in winter whilst walking. I somehow think that the prism vest is better for that.
BTW the prism vest is £60 at Rathbones of Keswick (web price) and the Halgofs barrier II is £72 from Ultimate Outdoors. Can get original barrier cheaper but isn't as well designed I think.
I can only offer compare it to my other 'light' -40gm -insulation,the TNF Zephyrus, which is PL1 rather than the Eco of the Prism. I do like the Prism but do find the Zephyrus warmer even when attempting to take into account the design difference of a smock vs vest.
if absolute warmth is not required and the flexibility to layer insulation is important then Eco is great. I like that it packs in its own pocket unlike my Rab Photon. I can imagine I will use it with together with that or Zephyrus to add insulation when the temps drop.
Sorry I could not be more helpful to your specific request
Are you decided on those weight of vests? I have a torres gilet (amongst other insulated tops) and really rate the fit and warmth of it. Its warmer than most vests but this is what I like about it, I find the fit on it very good
I'm kind of thinking I need a microfleece level of core body warmth. I could of course get a fleec vest but I'm thinking the windproofness of a synth vest and the slightly more insulation they offer for their weight. That really means it is not out and out warmth I need just that little bit extra.
Sounds like I'm confused as to what I need as not too good at putting it across.
It's for milder core warmth in camps when it could be too warm for down or too wet. Also for underlayering in colder conditions. Also foroverlayering at stops in coolish weather. Also overlayering with additional synth smock in cold weather up to the point where down is not best used. Also extra cold weather camp layer. Guess I will be able to work out how better to use it once I have it but I do know that the Torres is a lot warmer as is the 100g primaloft in the Rab generator vest (I have the smock so know how warm that is). The torres is quite a warm garment I think. Also I have heard that the Torres insulation is not too packable compares to PL1 or even PL Eco. The stuff in the barrier II is supposed to be more packable than the torres also by some margin but less packable than the PL stuff.I have seen those comments elsewherejust can't find owt on how the Haglofs insulation compares at the Barier II vest weight with the 40g PL eco fill prism vest.
One thing about the prism vest - all the pocket areas are doubled up so I think effectively 80g/m2 and on the vest thats quite a high percentage
And I wouldn't trust Haglofs website cf the fill weight on the barrier vest being 40g/m2, as they've got the barrier hood down as 40g/m2 and thats seriously warm
I'm sure they'd be fine of course. A couple of Rohan things maybe ball park too - pure, very light 40g/m2 vest, reversible fleece vest with windproof inner/outer so you could throw it over stuff cf an insulating thing just fine.
Thanks Martin, never thought of Rohan but that spark seems quite good. The inner flame looks similar but I'm guessing it has a lot more infill than the 40g/m2 spark.
Another option it seems. I'm guessing the insulfil stuff in the Roahn is similar to PL and the like but just a level below slightly in performance. I'd imagine I'd doubt I'd notice much between the same weights of PL eco, Insulfi (in Rohan) and the one in Haglofs If it was at the same weight.
One last thing... am I right in thinking 40g/m2 synth infil is going to be enough?
Dunno Best I can tell from the rather useful thread/chart on the BPL forums - here - it should be ball park microfleece level.
(The thermawrap is 50g/m2 and virtually the same as some weight of powerstretch.).
So if thats what you're after then it should do it.
The one time I felt the need to use my 100g/m2 vest on the move in anger as supplemental insulation it was fine (and most useful!). I was already a little cold then of course and if you're planning to have it as part of your routine layering system I'd try and keep it thin.
New Youngest Brit Woman Everest Record Dubai-based 18-year-old Briton Leanna Shuttleworth breaks Bonita Norris record and completes the Seven Summits at the same time.
