down vs. synthetic insulated pants for winter

For one thing, you won't get the same warmth for half the weight if you go for down instead of synthetic. If you want full zip, you'll be looking at more like 12 oz vs. 16 – and of course you'll spend a bunch more. I've only had synthetic puffy pants, and I think I've only had one situation where I had to wear them over damp baselayers, so for my use at least I don't think that would be a big factor. Now if you tend to be out in mid-winter rather than spring (I go in the spring) then things are different, harder to stay dry, and I'd be thinking synthetic for that.

good point paul. I was actually making the assumption that ben at goosefeet could make me some with a zip for a bit less weight. I'll send him a message.

Hi Serge,

As far as I recal Ben reckons zips add 3oz.

I have a pair of Thermolite Micro insulated pants and jacket. Great warmth but a tad heavy. However they do shed perspiration moisture very quickly.

IF I get down pants they will definitely be with down of the "Dri Down" or "Down Tek" type DWR. No sense getting any more down garments that are not DWR treated.

Goosefeet does have downtek.
So you could save about 5 oz and have warmer pants with a pair of down pants, but they'd be less durable and more susceptible to moisture and damage.

montbell has the ULTec down pants with side zips and reenforced fronts and but, at 14oz.

I have tried many pairs of sewn though down tousers over the years and the cold spots always drive me nuts in the 20f-0f range, nowdays I prefer Patagonia Micro Puffs down to about +5F and Box Wall Fetahered Friends in anything colder.

del

Thank you for the heads up Rick. I bought one of these for my wife, and think it might behoove us for me to glue some extra fabric on those areas.

del

Ah, thank you for the clarification. Perhaps i will try some kind of seam sealer instead.

I'm not sure why Apex isn't used more. I know it doesn't pack down quite as well as Down or even Primaloft and doesn't feel as soft or drapey, but it avoids all those issues of leakage, is more durable than Primaloft and pretty easy to work with. imo the nicest thing, is you can use very breathable fabrics so you can extend it to more active wear if need be (and still be ok, if you throw in an UL windpant).

they're only 60 gm from the waist to the knee and 40.gm from the knee down, but when paired-up with running tights and schoeller dryskin softshell pants they will take you as cold as you'd want to go without expedition weight upper body coverage in my experience. my legs are so much less sensitive to cold compared to my upper-body that the amount of additional insulation i need on my lower body is such that i don’t think i get much of an advantage by using down compared to synthetic insulation. i also like synthetic pants over down because they're pretty-much indestructible and you can be much less concerned/careful where/how you kneel and sit.

Years ago i used the mec magma with the old PL1 100gm insulation as belay pants in -30C temps

I was very glad to have them … One thing to remeber though is ur already wearing softshell pants, long johns … That putting on hardshell pants if you already have them significantly adds to you warmth, especially with gaters

The other thing is to ask how much will you rolling/sitting in the snow … Rember when u sit down in the snow even in warm pants at very cold temps enough will heat will leak out to melt it and soak through the pants .. for snow belays this means down pants may get quite damp

;)