MontBell Thermawrap Parka Hood Adjust??

Love mine.

The hidden toggles suck in everyday use. And they are impossible with gloves.

Leaving the toggles "untucked" provides the only help for the problem (From my experience, anyway). That said, the toggles still can work their way back into hiding!

My advice: if you want synthetic insulation, buy it anyway. Comfortable, warm, great features.

Let us hear your review of whichever one you choose!

And I like my Montbell Thermawrap jacket. I've just discovered how warm it is when wet and how quickly it dries out. And light it is! I'll combo the parka and jacket.

I've got a pair of the MB down pants, but I don't hike in them. Just around camp and short walks for water and to warm up. They are super light and warm. Supplement to my 30 degree bag.

I'm still learning about using down gear, specifically getting it wet. I have a very nice 10 ounce discount store down vest for which I paid $1.00. I'll use that to experiment on local hikes, getting it wet and seeing how it performs and dries.

"I'm still learning about using down gear, specifically getting it wet. I have a very nice 10 ounce discount store down vest for which I paid $1.00. I'll use that to experiment on local hikes, getting it wet and seeing how it performs and dries."

Great $1.00 find! You won't like it when it's wet though! Not fun.

This hood adjuster design sounds like the same thing that Montbell is added to their recently updated U.L. Down Inner Parka about 2 months ago. And yeah they are a pain to use. Impossible to do with gloves on and almost impossible to do while wearing the hood. You pretty much need to take the parka off, adjust them and put it back on. Even then, when you tighten it the extra loops of cord poke out and hit my cheeks. It's even worse to loosen…

With all that said, the hood fits me pretty good and I almost never adjust these. The only time I would cinch it tighter is if I'm wearing it to bed on a cold cold night.

I don't think this system is difficult because of unhealthy focus on minimizing weight, but rather I think it's simply a poor design. My suggestions to Montbell would be:

1) Use thinner, more stretchy bungee cord. This would easier to use, you wouldn't have to pull as hard so you wouldn't feel like you are going to tear the jacket and it would be lighter.

2) Eliminate the sleeves that the cord locks fit into since it's difficult to work the adjusters out of here and even more difficult to get them back in.

3) Switch the cord tensioners to regular cord locks

3) Change the actual design so the cord is anchored further away from the face opening. This would hold the loops of excess cord further away from the face so they don't interfere.

Good suggestions, Dan. I want your design!!!
I've prepped my girl friend who is good with a sewing machine for some mods if I buy the MB parka. I've thought of the mini cordlocks, but your thinner bungie idea would be even better. I would do the minimum mod first by leaving the access hole where it is and replacing the cord with the thinner bungie. I'd have to cut the thick cord out and tie in the thinner one. Maybe the tiny cordlock and thinner, more flexible bungie cord would work, be comfortable and not noticeable. If that doesn't work then we will have to do some surgery and cut another cord access lower on the hood, pull the thin bungie through it put the cordlock on. We'll see.
I noticed that the cord doesn't go all the way across the top of the hood opening, that is across the forehead. I guess that this is to keep the bill from being pulled down on the face and over the eyes????
Then, again, maybe its just easier to live with it and get the newer "Dan" design when Montbell updates the parka!

If you simply cut the existing hood cinch cord about 2" below the adjuster (ie. cut as low as you can), then you can slip a regular cord lock onto the line. Next, tie a simple knot just below the cordlock to keep it in place and then tie a second knot about an inch below the first one to function as something to grab. Now you can simply grab the lower knot and pull down to tighten the hood while you hold the cordlock in place with your other hand. This is way easier for sure.

As an added bonus, there would be no loop of annoying cord in your face since the extra cord would now be free to just dangle like pretty much any other jacket in the world.

Hmm…I might try this….I'd hate to wreck my nice parka but I don't see how this won't work. I've got 2 spare mini cord locks sitting around from Thru-Hiker.com anyways.