Patagonia Down Parka

If price is not an object, I'd recommend you look at the Nunatak Kobuk jacket for the warmth and weight ranges you seem to be looking for. Since Feathered Friends stopped using Pertex Quantum (though I've been told that they still have a little left over), Nunatak seems to be the only high quality down jacket manufacturer using this super light and windproof shell fabric. Nunatak jackets have the highest warmth to weight ratios of any down jackets I've seen, with baffled construction or otherwise (though Nunatak uses all baffled construciton).

Feathered Friends is an awesome down jacket manufacturer too. They have really taken to heart the expression, "I'd rather carry an extra ounce in down fill than in other nonsense." The result is that every baffle in every FF product is actually pushing outwards with the force of the fill.

Keep in mind, though, that both Feathered Friends and Nunatak are custom manufacturers and either will build you a custom jacket if you want something that is non standard to their product lines.

The Frontpoint will be a lot warmer than any of the jackets you mentioned because it's basically a shorter version of one of heir expedition-ready parkas. I'm pretty sure that the Helios is the equivalent to the TNF Nuptse. I have no experience with the Patagonia down parka, but given that they say the shell and lining fabric are 1.0 osy, and that it has baffled construction (correct?), I'd expect it to be more equivalent to the FF Volant than the Helios.

I don't know about wearing a shell jacket over a down one. If it's raining, it's probably not a good idea to wear a down parka, but most rain jackets aren't cut big enough to allow any down parka to loft sufficiently underneath. You can get Epic shell fabric as an option from Feathered Friends or Nunatak and you can get eVent shell fabric from FF if waterproofness were a concern and maximum lofting were a priority.

Sorry that I can’t add much to your post, but since I have been looking for a belay parka that is warmer than my DAS, I figured I’d give my thoughts.

Not knowing your intended use, I can’t say whether to recommend a superlight shell fabric like Quantum, but keep in mind that FF is now using a Nano fabric from Schoeller that is supposed to be very good…

Also keep in mind that Nunatak will build their Skaha to be a bit warmer and more detailed for winter use: a full zip, elastic cuffs, more down, etc. It is somewhere on their site, but I can’t find it now.

If you are planning on wearing a shell over the parka, it will be easier to just get an Epic or other resistant fabric, as the hardshell will have to be very large not to compress the down in the jackets you are looking at.

About the Patagonia- looks nice, but the inner fabric is the same as my DAS, and I have damaged that pretty badly due to rubbing against my harness and from contact with Velcro- it is not as durable as nylon. Not a big deal in a synthetic, but for down I’d be wary. They also don’t say how much down is in the jacket.

Others to look at are the Montbell Permafrost- baffled with welded seams but 9oz of down is the same as FF Hooded Helios or Volant. Why not a hooded Volant?

Also, check out PHD. If you are willing to get a custom piece by Nunatak, consider their Yukon and Hispar. I seriously wish someone who would buy one of these so I could check them out- the Hispar looks amazing. Crazy expensive given the exchange rate though…

The best bang for the buck, Rab Nuetrino Endurance. Not baffled, but a heck of a price and great weight.
http://www.prolitegear.com/pl_rab_endurancejacket.htm

Edit: check out Ebay for the Pat down parka. I just did, and the pics show the down chambers as being very large- I wonder if that would create any cold spots.

Just because it is mentioned in this thread and there is no photo of the hooded helios on the FF site (and b/c I have one), here's a photo I got from Feathered Friends of their hooded helios:

Thanks for suggesting the rab neutrino endurance. It looks alot like the Hooded Helios Jacket.
I just found this review which has almost sold me on it:
http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web07f/ms-cbr-rab-neutrino

I'm looking for a jacket while on belays, when I get cold standing around, sitting around camp, to add to my sleep system.

JA, if your looking for a warm belay jacket, I just posted a used hooded FF Volant jacket in the Gear Swap. Its a Mens medium, I'm asking 120 plus shipping.

Check out the Rab Neutrino Endurance 1 lb 4oz
http://www.prolitegear.com/pl_rab_endurancejacket.html
Pertex Endurance shell / Quantum lining

Sorry I did not see on a previous post you had already checked that out

"I'm looking for a jacket while on belays, when I get cold standing around, sitting around camp, to add to my sleep system"

This is exactly what I want for the Northeast. We get alot of wet ice clmbing belays, so any non water-resistant shell is out for me.

I remember trying on the Hooded Helios at the FF store last summer and the hood would not fit over my climbing helmet. I do have a long neck, but the worker even said it was not really made for that… the volant was nice though.

One thing I have been struggling with- if you want to use the jacket as part of the sleep system, how wide of a bag is needed to fit the puffy thing? I tried on the WM hooded Meltdown and it did fit over a helmet, but was so puffy it would never fit in my sleeping bag…
Maybe a synthetic hooded jacket and down vest combo?

Let us know what you get… I am always looking at these down jackets.

Does the WM Hooded Meltdown have a down insulated hood?

I've always been a fan of unzipping the parka and laying it quit-like over the torso of my sleeping bag and under a light bivy. Seems to work pretty well that way and I haven't had any issues with the bag or parka lofting.

Robert, you know I can never get that to work for me- I think I toss and turn too much… migt have to look into it again.

The meltdown had an insulated hood- not a crazy, tunnel parka hood, but definitely warm. They say it only weighs 17oz, but I honestly can't imagine that is true, it's just too puffy.
Anyone have an actual weight on these?

Last post on this issue, I promise…

STP has Haglofs Nube down jackets for $250. Evidently TGO has a review, and they thought highly of them. Fully baffled, 800 fill down- no idea if the hood wil fit a helmet or how good the shell is. Suppossed to be 22 ounces.
I bought one- will comment when it arrives. I might get the Rab as well and make a direct comparison.