Mountain Equipment Fitzroy Jacket

Hello

Does anyone know how does it compare to the Rab Alpine Generator? Can I use it as a mid-layer? I needed a jacket to use for a general mountaneering and skiing, so that I will have to put on a hard-shell only when in gets really nasty. Thanks. 

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 09:39

Very similar to alpine generator. Either markedly suboptimal as mid layers for a few reasons. They're packable insulation to throw over the top of everything and very useful for that.

If you want something for that - and don't want to layer a windshell over a warm fleece - then see ME's/RAB's soft shells, or RAB's VR stuff. All very effective. Or similar from sundry other manufacturers of course but I'm guess these two fit you OK.

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 10:30

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 12:35

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 14:18

Hello

Does anyone know how does it compare to the Rab Alpine Generator? Can I use it as a mid-layer? I needed a jacket to use for a general mountaneering and skiing, so that I will have to put on a hard-shell only when in gets really nasty. Thanks. 

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 14:57

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 16:27

Wow! thanks for the fast input! I started to ski with just a baselayer and an old Lowe Alpine Outer Limits jacket (Polarguard fill with a waterresistant outer) and it was a very easy and comfortable setup but I wanted something lighter and more weather resistant but if either ME Fitzroy and Rab Alpine Generator are sized to fit over the main stuff then I'll look elsewhere or try another approach. It's just strange then that Rab site regards Generator Alpine as a midlayer. I just can't check them myself as It's only possible for me to order online and the Rab stuff is generally fits good for my triangular torso with long hands (monkey!). 

Thanks again! 

PS. I'll look at Montane also, thanks for the advice! 

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 17:28

Sigh. Yes thats not clever of their website. Seems to be a rogue phrase though - none of their other primaloft pieces are described that way.

There is seemingly a trend for marketing folk to try and push synthetic insulated stuff as fleece - well softshell really - replacements. Mildly in defiance of objective reality perhaps but then thats marketing for you!

However even then, these two not ideal (for active use - very good belay jackets.). They've got rather a lot of fill in them and while the coated fabrics will give very good weather resistance they won't deal with sweat all that well. 

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 18:04

Ah, yes. I noticed that as well. Don't know if it is good or bad but generally they are saying that synthetic is either light and windproof which is a good catch.

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 18:57

Wore my ME Fitzroy today bimbling about in the local forest with the kids (around 0°C). It is a nice warm jacket, well made and should resist the wet quite well.

But for proper walking (or something more active) it would be too warm. As others have said the intended use for these Primaloft jackets is to pull out of the sack and wear when static (lunch, belay, camp) over your other layers (rather than to take off a shell add a fleece and replace shell then do the reverse after starting off again).

That said some of the lighter fills (Fitzroy has 100g insulation in the body, one of the Montane jackets has 40g I believe) could maybe be used when more active.

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 19:19

Yes its light for its warmth Also packs very small compared to fleece (perhaps the bigger difference actually.).

Hence being great for packable insulation you throw on/off when you stop/warm up after a stop etc. Or even spares in case you misjudge the weather a touch. Or even walking slowly round cold towns.

The garments are windproof because of the two layers of windproof fabric sandwiching the insulation. Having two layers is actually one of the problems - ideally you only want maximum air flow right up to your outer layer.

Thus open structured fleece with a windproof layer on the top ideal - whether you sew it all together a matter of taste etc. Also the downside of compressability tends to be durability after repeated compression (not great.). Outer fabrics also often too light for something you're planning to wear but thats not intrisic of course.

Shrug. Its hardly the worst idea people have ever tried to market! Still it does seem slightly silly. The durability over time bit does annoy me very slightly mind.

Of course if you're really trying to pack small for hand luggage for aircraft, or a really long trip through lots of climate zones etc then OK

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 19:21

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 20:14

Well same idea just smaller Basically carry and put on when you've stopped and are going to get cold.

Not sure if they'd quite keep up during the actual running. Might be too warm actually (60g/m2 PL isn't trivial.). I didn't think that runners tended to wear very much insulation when running even in winter? 

Posted: 30/01/2011 at 22:43

Posted: 31/01/2011 at 12:33

OJ OJ wrote (see)

Hmm, I guess for the resort skiing it is fine (if I don't want to buy a dedicated ski jacket)

Dedicated ski jackets seem to be remarkably expensive for what they provide (generally, the same as a non-ski jacket of similar materials, but with a snowskirt).

As for being fine for resort skiing... I'd say it depends on the resort, and the skiing I run hot at the best of times, and ski quite hard. A big mogul field or deep, heavy fresh snow in direct sunlight wouldn't be fun to descend in a hefty insulated jacket unless the temperature was some way under -10, for me. Fleece breathes better and dries quicker to boot.

Posted: 31/01/2011 at 12:45

Posted: 31/01/2011 at 13:11

Thanks everyone for the input although I'm a bit lost now as I'm not sure where all the different types of synthetic stuff fits now, whether it is nano light or a heavier type. Generally, I can tell that you don't like it as a mid-layer or as an outer layer for any active stuff, mainly leaving it with a belay jacket or down jacket substitute alternative. This is interesting because when we look at the pictures companies provide us with, it seems that they are trying to  relay a different image: 

http://www.patagonia.com/tsimages/84020_233_CL7.fpx?wid=360&hei=360&ftr=8&cvt=jpeg

Posted: 01/02/2011 at 13:54

I think the really light synthetics/vests best viewed as spare fleeces which can (critically) go over everything. No need to strip layers to add the warmth so unlike said 'spare fleece' you'll actually do it!

Especially handy effect of helping you not to overdress to start with.

Posted: 01/02/2011 at 17:01

Good, it is actually very nice to be able to talk with you all, thanks for the info!

OJ OJ 

Posted: 02/02/2011 at 06:43

At most, you only need these:

1 - a polypropylene base layer (optional)

2 - a pile and pertex shirt (eg. buffalo special 6)

3 - a primaloft jacket (for when you stop your exertions)

Layer 2 gives you windproofing.

Layer 1 stops layer 2 from smelling bad.

Layer 3  gives extra warmth.

You don't need waterproofing (a hard shell) with this configuration since you won't feel cold even if your clothes are wet.

Posted: 19/10/2011 at 01:52