of Montbell Thermawrap

Brett:

I have both Termawrap jackets (UL and the next heavier version) and pants.

Testing in the comfort of your home is not really indicative of anything. The only sure way to know whether these will work for you is to test them out in the field. Pick a typically cold day and do an overnight car camping or similar.

Contrary to popular writings, loft by itself won't give you an accurate assessment either. The oh-so-complicated R-Value formulas and charts are always good for a few chuckles. My MontBell No. 3 down bag (32F) lofts so little that I was frankly suspicious when I first got it. To my delight, the rated warmth of this thin little UL bag turned out to be spot on!

Don't forget to report back…

The thing is it is usually chilly around here at this time of year and not 75F. I have been sleeping with just a sheet over myself at night with the windows open. I will try to reserve some patience but I guess it was a bit of sticker shock mixed in with,'How thin does this feel'. What temps are you using yours in Ben? Just kinda scary going from a Micropuff Pullover to the jacket and feeling the difference.

Also someone had once said that the jacket does not have any insulative properties left after a few years. Is this true?

Brett:

To me, the UL Thermawrap plus a shell together is good to about 40F and the thicker Thermawrap (plus shell) is good to about the low 30's. On a recent trip to the Sierras (nighttime temps fluctuated wildly from night to night — from a cool 30F to a rather balmy 50F). I brought along my Thermawrap pants but never wore it — finding my supplex nylon hiking pants enough — so long as my upper body was kept warm. Those Thermawrap pants are warm though — as I remember from previous trips.

Bear in mind, I hail from southern Cal where 40's is considered "freezing". :)

My Thermawrap is a 2005 and has seen a ton of use and it still insulates well. It might not be as warm as my Micro Puff pullover, but then again it isn't as heavy ether.

I do have the pants (2007 version – the shell material is different – think garbage bag) but have only used them a few times. They seem to be as warm as a pair of fleece pants.

If you are looking for something warmer, and you don't mind the extra weight, Patagonia has the Micro Puff Pants on sale for $60 in Alpha Green.

Hmmm… my Thermawrap pants (2006?) uses the same material as the jacket. Comfy as heck. And no, neither jacket nor pants has lost their insulating properties — at least not to any noticeable degree (bear in mind synthetics aren't meant to last forever).

I don't think I would like the "garbage bag" plasticky feel of the new Thermawrap as Brad described above. Comparing my Thermwrap tops to fleece (e.g. Polartec 200) — the Thermawraps — even the UL one — are very noticeably warmer. Ditto for the pants.

The feel on the pants I have isn't terrible (though not great), but it is very shinny and crinkly, and not nearly as soft as the fabric on my jacket.

Those are the only two pieces on Mont-Bell gear that I have, but I am happy enough with them to order a Alpine Down Jacket for winter.

I am definately in garbage bag land. And I live in the Midwest so I am looking for something to take me down to about 0/-10F. I can usually get by with a Cap 2 tights, hiking pants and the DriDucks pants to freezing so maybe these Montbell pants and jacket are not what I want. Nice to see that they fit really well though.

I MOST DEFINITELY wouldn't take my Thermawrap down to 0/10F!!! Heck, the coldest I've ever experienced was probably somewhere between 17-20F — and that was just one time. I've never shoveled snow in my life either — although I have scraped frosting off the windshield once when I visited Seattle. I think I'll stick with So. Cal. :)

So a Thermawrap jacket or pants would probably not be the best in a Cap 2, Driducks shell and wicking brief/ss T system for 0-32F then? Thanks for the info Ben, you have been exceedingly helpful as always. That is exactly what I needed to know. I already own a Micro Puff Pullover and will order the pants tonight. I would rather carry an extra 6 ounces if I know I can get an extra 15 degrees or so out of it and it fully suits my purpose.

And the special bonus is that if the insulation on these start going out after a some years I can just send them back under the warranty program.

Brett:

You are confusing me (or maybe I am confusing myself). But to restate my experience…

30-40F and up — Driducks + Thermawrap + Capilene 2 should be OK — particularly if you are moving at all. Even at camp, it should be OK — and if you should feel cold later in the night, you can always call it a night and climb into your sleeping bag.

10F — no, not nearly enough.

Brett,

This past Feb, I went snow camping for the 1st time in Yosemite, with the Sierra Club's Snow camping class.

I wore the UL Thermawrap jacket and pant.

Laying everything that I had….windshirt, rain jacket, thermals, wicking shirt, etc. I was comfortable at temps that were in the high 20's.

I have even used them down to 5 degrees F, but in a 15 Degree sleeping bag and only outside of the sleeping bag for short periods of time…to go to the restroom and check the temperature with a thermometer. (Experiment sleeping outside in the snow at a motel near Lake Tahoe).

By themselves, I would not rely on them, but in a layering system you can survive quite well.

As I have only two experiences out in the snow, you would well to ask other more experienced winter campers for their thoughts.

Photos of the trip that I was talking about with a detailed list of what I was wearing.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=14449

-Tony

Only a 2.6oz difference between the Thermawrap and Micro Puff in XXL but you can feel the difference in loft and warmth once you have the Puff on.

Now that I know the XXL fits I will probably pick up a Montbell Down Jacket. That and a Micro Puff Pullover should keep me warm through the winter.