New patagonia ultralight down shirts

The product looks different in those two links, Peter.

I am wary of insulated clothing that has down packed into such small compartments (as shown in your second link, the one that references a Spider Man look.) It seems that with all the threading, there is less room for consistent insulation. Maybe I am wrong.

As a mid layer, it seems that the down would be so compressed underneath anything that warmth would be decidedly lessened. If the down sweater was stuffed in ringlets around the jacket, as shown in the first link, perhaps there would be less surface area on the sweater that would have no insulation?

I suppose in general, I like the look of the first sweaters, will prefer them with a hood, and think the price is outrageous. :) Thanks for the links.

A nice looking piece of gear. The price for it is out of hand.

+1, A really cool looking jacket, but at that price I can't see many people actually buying it

My opinion? Save some cash and get the warmer Mont-Bell Ex Light jacket.

Like many of the thin insulated garments, not enough warmth for the weight. A thin fleece and a windshirt would be as warm, more breathable, and 1000x more versatile. The PowerStretch and R1 tops are much better prospects, particularly if you have a windshirt in your kit. Not as light, but better all-round layers: better under a rain shell, to sleep in, or to wear alone.

IMHO, these in-between-ish insulated tops from Mont Bell and Patagonia are just weekend fashion, particularly the down ones. If you get to the top of the hill and you are cold and they won't keep you warm, you just wasted the weight carried, not to mention the make-me-gulp prices. Go the fleece/windshirt, and jump up to a loftier garment for rest and camp use.

A exl or any other 800+ fill down sweater is much warmer than any fleece

Why anyone would buy that patagucci for $100 more than a mb exl is beyond me … Maybe if i was a name brand yuppie

Dale- I wouldn't discount light down jackets from a thermal standpoint- they are warm, at least my MB exlite is anyways- if given the choice of a light fleece or light down jacket to use for an insulating layer- it's an easy choice for me

btw not talking on the move, while in certain situations they could be used on the move- it's not really down's niche, for hanging at camp, supplementing a sleep system, warming up on a break, etc tough to beat imo

I'm glad Patagonia is pushing things in a lighter direction, their price point is going to keep out of my hands for sure, but it's good to see them moving in the light direction

Mike

"IMHO, these in-between-ish insulated tops from Mont Bell and Patagonia are just weekend fashion, particularly the down ones."

Hmmm. This hasn't been my experience. To each his own I suppose.

Living in a mid-altitude arid environment where temperature swings are sometimes around 40-50F disparity between the high/low in a 24 hr period, a feathery 5-10oz. down inner once the sun sets is actually exactly what I need. I don't need a bulky fleece top for canyon hiking in May when temps can be in the 90's and a T-shirt is generous enough, but a simple down-inner for expected overnight temps in the upper 30's while chewing my cud around a fire before bed is just right. A down inner I've found to be the right tool for the job for much of what I do year round.

Wool-T or Hoody
Down Inner
Windshell

= compact, versatile, efficient, warm, and light.

+1 to what Eugene said.

My typical hiking weather is very similar, with extreme temp swings between the daytime highs and evening/morning lows. I find a lightweight down sweater the perfect tool for the job. I almost never need it during the day and these types of jackets are plenty warm enough at night or when I climb out of the bag in the morning. Obviously if I lived or hiked in colder climes, they might not be the right tool for the job, but for around here, it's ideal- providing the necessary warmth for a minimum weight/packing size.

With respect to the Patagonia UL down shirt, well, I will say they're really nice. I received one recently as a gift (I agree, they're too expensive to buy at full price) and I really like it. For my typical trips it will likely become my go to insulation piece, replacing my current down sweater at half the weight. It's close fitting and surprisingly warm, the DWR treatment seems to be pretty good so far (judging by an accidental spray with the garden hose), it's ridiculously light and packable (to about the size of a closed fist) and it doesn't leak a ton of feathers through the material the way my Montbell UL Down Pants do.

I had been thinking of getting myself a Montbell ExLight Down Sweater but I think this one will do just fine by me.

If/when they go on sale, they might be worth looking into. Just my $0.02.