Primaloft
Is a product with a pretty neat local history so we like it. But I don’t find it quite as warm as real down.
I have an ancient puffy down vest that is lightweight material, and after a few years of hard use I could entertain the cats well with it. Every time I put it on little white feathers came drifting out.
But it stayed very warm thru several years of shedding. So - hardy or not it worked.
Land’s End at least had down garments that were covered with stiffer material that doesn’t compress well. But it is very hardy - my down vest has taken me thru a couple winters of cleaning horse stalls and bounces back fine after the occasional wash.
Asymmetrical down insulates better
against cold, cruel reality.
I have a Sierra Designs down jacket purchased in '70 which is still functional for cold weather. Once it went through hot wash accidentally, and I thought it was a goner. The down came out in little, wet clumps. But I didn’t throw it away, and when it dried out, the down fluffed and functioned normally.
down…
I have only skimmed the other posts here so forgive me if I am repeating things here. I have to chime in though b/c there is a lot of misinformation about down.
An 800 fill down jacket will be ligher adn more compressible than an equivaliently warm 600 fill jacket. The compressibility issue is important for kayak camping since you can only fit so much stuff in a kayak hatch, especially an NDK hatch.
Down getting wet and not insulating is absolutely true…but same is true for snythetic. They don’t really insulate when wet either. Don’t believe the advertising hype. And…they key to being a good outdoorsman is keeping your stuff dry in the first place. so down is perfectly suitable for 99 percent of outdoor trips.
and buying an 800 fill power down jacket is not a waste of money. Fact is that the best quality and warmest down jackets are probably only going to be available with 800 fill power down…some exceptions, but if you want a really good down jacket it is going to have a higher fill power.
Baffled jackets will be warmer than sewn-through.
Brands like Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends are expensive but worth the money. Period. Just like buying a good sleeping bag. There is definitely a difference.
agree with bowler1
– Last Updated: Jan-02-12 9:32 PM EST –
This latest crop of jackets and down sweaters from the better manufacturers is not just 'ilk'.
I measure ounces and packed size scrupulously as the lighter and smaller something is that is still very functional will result in more enjoyment afield for me. This more for climbing and wilderness backpack hunting than sea kayaking, but it is always something to consider.
If you have the cash, get 800 fill power or better and make sure the shell has a DWR.
As an outdoorman, you should always be careful to not let any insulative layer get wet. And, down does not do nearly so bad when wet as years of myth have taught us. Most similar 'fluffy' insulations will lose loft (more loft means more air spaces to trap air and that is what keeps you warm) when wet.
One thing about higher quality down I didn't see mentioned, is the fact that if it is carefully stored uncompressed, as any insulated product SHOULD be, higher quality down will last longer than poorer quality down.
Tangent: Western Mountaineering
I bought my first real canoe, a MR Royalex Explorer, at Western Mountaineering in San Jose, CA, in 1979.
I also took my first paddling instructional through them and the co-owner, Jeff Jones, which was a WW kayaking class, culminating in a run down the American River. That class convinced me of two things: I loved WW paddling but didn’t like kayaks. So, I decided to run my Explorer, by myself at first, down the California rivers.
Western Mountaineering was then a great paddling, rock climbing and general outdoors shop, just beginning their down sleeping bag operation on the second floor.
They had talks by well-known personalities such as Jim Shelander, who had just run the first open canoe down the Grand Canyon, a MR Explorer, and wonderful picture show lectures by the great mountain photographer, Galen Rowell.
caveats…
I will caveat my previous post to say that this is from my perspective as a backpacker where weight and volume are critical and you need the lightest and most compressible stuff you can carry and you need maximum warmth out of your jacket since you can’t carry a variety of different layers. For canoe camping this will not be as critical. For kayak camping the volume part is still pretty important. But even still I try to pack light for paddling. Your boat handles better in most cases.
It also depends on the temps you will encounter. I am referring to sub-freezing temps where you will be sitting still in camp for a long time.
Nothing will keep you warmer than a really good quality down jacket.
As far as lower fill power alternatives, Mountain Hardwear and North Face to make a few lower fill power optinons that are a good value.
Another thing to keep in mind about down…warmth is all about the loft. So those stupid looking puffy jackets are more than a fashion statement. The puff is what provides dead air and therefore insulation and warmth.
Matt
Puffy jackets
One problem I’ve found with down and puffy jackets is the noise factor. They are loud ! Arms swinging and body rubbing plus on bushes and trees etc. The will keep you warm though.
I have an L.L.Bean Penobscot Parker for over 20 years but ism’t made under that name anymore similar to this.
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/60849?feat=509711-GN3