My daughter Kat wants an insulating jacket for her birthday.

She's a climber, just making the transition from indoor to trad, so its main use will be as a classic belay jacket. She's also applied to do a winter skills course in the Cairngorms in  January.

We've talked about the down/synthetic option, and she's fairly sure she wants down. I'd welcome any thoughts on that,  and also  on brands to look at, or avoid. Thanks, all 

It seems pretty much the received wisdom that synthetic is better if it's gonna be used mainly in the UK.

Here's a thread on lightweight synthetics
Synthetic jackets

and here's a more general one
Ideal belay jacket

If you search on some of the names mentioned you should find a lot more threads

Ian, I have the Montane anti-freeze down jacket, which has a rain resistant outer. They've just revamped it, and produced a women's specific version, but I have the old style in the unisex 'small' which equates to a 12-14. Packs up very small, and I find it nice and warm, and price was reasonable - basically, I couldn't afford a Rab Neutrino! But I usually take my Montane Verso up the hills in winter, because it's synthetic. Not as warm as the anti-freeze, but packs up about as small and the wet won't harm it.

But, I don't climb, so don't know whether either of these would be suitable for the climbing scenario!

Thanks David - yup, I think synthetic would be the better choice, but .....

Kate - I'll have a look at the Montane. We found a Neutrino in the S&R sale today, but not in the right size, unfortunately.

[Edit: The Montane website discloses that the female version of the Antifreeze has a "Beardguard lined collar"... I'm lost for words...!]

Hi Ian, I've got a (mens) neutrino jacket and I'm a climber.  In wet/horrible/sleet conditions it's ok if you've got a loose fitting waterproof over the top but not if it's used as a top layer to sling on when you are belaying (gets soggy and doesn't work nearly as well as an insulating layer), trying to take your jacket off to put the dj on underneath's a faff, especially when you're tied in and have slings on or are carrying coils. 

I've got a old berghaus synthetic jacket that's much too big for me normally that i use for belaying and it's much more simple.  It doesn't have a hood though and i reckon that'd be a really useful feature on a belay jacket.

The neutrino's brilliant though for cragging and bothying etc when it's not going to get wet.  I use mine loads from october to april.

Depends on how cold she wants to belay in...

For active winter use (cf winter skills), I reckon a 60g Primaloft fill is okay.  But you might want more if it's for static use (e.g. ice climbing belay).

Oh.  I see I said much the same thing on the 'idela belay jackets' thread.  Well, at least I'm consistent...