900 Fill Down – Worth it or Wets Out Too Easily?

I have read that 900 might retain more moisture than 800, but wonder if there is an accurate way to test it in the field. Also I have read that many question whether 900 is really 900.

Of course we all strive not to sweat in our down products or minimize condensation. Some of that is a skill gained with experience. Also, most down will get damp in continued high humidity environments, where we often hope for a sunny day to stop and dry things out.

I have three items with 900 FP. A jacket, a vest, and a quilt. I haven't had problems with any of them.

Thanks, Nick. Nothing like first hand info.

That 6 oz 900 fill hooded anorak from Montbell is calling my name. It’s $80 bucks more than a similar jacket in 800 fill. lol. Guess you’ve got to pay to play. The 800 fill jacket weighs 9 oz.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving
Hikin’ Jim’s Blog

–"That 6 oz 900 fill hooded anorak from Montbell is calling my name. It's $80 bucks more than a similar jacket in 800 fill. lol. Guess you've got to pay to play. The 800 fill jacket weighs 9 oz."–

How much down in the 800 fill vs 900 fill jackets?

There is not a lot of difference between the fill power; approx. 12% more for the 900.

The theory is that 900 fill requires less down and so for the same amount of moisture, it's going to compress more (volume) when wet and there is going to be a larger net loss of volume. Again, not much from a technical standpoint.

If the 900 fill jacket has enough down to be warm enough for your purposes, I'd go with that since a 3oz savings is not unsubstantial, and from your gear list thread it should help quite a bit.

1000 vs 900 vs 800 FP down (PHd website)

Another comparison (a bit hard to see)

Hi Jim,

I only used my Montbell ExLight Anorak on one overnighter since I bought it at the tail end of good (cooler) weather here. The weather wasn't bad enough to test the down's resistance to moisture. Based on what I've read, I am not concerned for most of the conditions I'll face.

That said, my only issue with it is that it's an anorak. It just isn't as easy to put on/pull off as a jacket w/a full zip.

If that's as bad as it gets for this piece, then I'm a lucky man! This is one sweet piece of gear. But then again I'm really happy w/ Montbell insulated clothing anyway.

"How much down in the 800 fill vs 900 fill jackets?

There is not a lot of difference between the fill power; approx. 12% more for the 900.

The theory is that 900 fill requires less down and so for the same amount of moisture, it's going to compress more (volume) when wet and there is going to be a larger net loss of volume. Again, not much from a technical standpoint.

If the 900 fill jacket has enough down to be warm enough for your purposes, I'd go with that since a 3oz savings is not unsubstantial, and from your gear list thread it should help quite a bit."

If I recall correct, then the problem is not so much possible loss of volume, but that 900 FP down has less feathers possibly then 800 FP down which can make 900 FP down more fragile to humidity.

OTOH, I have been using an 850 FP down sleeping bag for years without any moisture/humidity problem.

Well, if you only need it around camp, or, to extend the range of your sleeping bag, then the extra 3oz for the 900fill is probably a good deal for you. But, if you need it for hiking, also, it will quickly dampen up reducing the effectiveness to no more than the 750-800fill. A high fill power jacket looses a lot if you are active. Insensible perspiration is still dampness added to to your insulating layer. I have two jackets (First Ascent at 900fp -an early version- and an 800fp Icarus.) I usually opt for the heavier 800fp in warmer weather or wet weather and will be using it under rain gear to stay warm and dry. In dry weather, I bring the older First Ascent.

It shouldn't ever wet out, but crap happens sometimes. Damp, down performs reasonably well with the comment that higher fill power downs tend to soften more than lower fill power downs when damp. Usually this is not a problem, since sitting around camp in your jacket will tend to dry it a bit. And, down still has enough insulating properties to keep you fairly warm, even damp.

Which 800 fill jacket are you comparing with? The Montbell Ex Light only has 2.2oz of fill total, so my guess is the weight difference is mostly from the fabric anyway (and if not, the 800fp with 3 more ounces of down would be way warmer).

As those photos in the thread show, the difference between 800fp and 900fp in actual use probably isn't as large as you're going to get from the differences between fabrics or just total fill volume.

I picked up a TNF supernatural hooded jacket at the last REI garage sale. The jacket has 950fp down and weighs 15 oz for an xl. I used it as part of my sleep system for two overnighters, one in march and one in may. I weighed the jacket afterwards, and while I didn't write down the weights I don't remember there being any really difference, no more than a couple of tenths of an oz. I can't wait to push that jacket this winter though, to see what it can handle.