Brooks-Range Alpini vs. Montbell Alpine Light

yep, same thoughts here too. i was comparing a new large alpine light hoody to the new large brooks alpini (no hood)

i put it side by side with my montbell alpine light and it is no comparison. much more fill in the alpini. my hooded montbell alpine light weighs 15.3 oz, the alpini (without hood) weighs 14.1 oz, but it looks to have at least 2 or 3 more oz of down fill.

as far as fit…and i did order a large and xl….i am 175/180 6'0 and will end up going with the large. the xl was way too long in the arms and was baggy in the shoulders. i can layer a r1 under the large and the neck zips up nice and tight. on me, it seem to fit close to the montbell alpine light large, but was about an inch shorter.

I have the Montbell Alpine Light as well but I have to say that Alpini looks exactly like what I want in a down jacket.
Pull-over/ half-zip, light and warm enough. I would want one with a hood but I see that is available too.

You made really nice comparison shots but can you tell me a bit about the sizing?

I have the Montbell in a Large, but fall a bit in between Medium and a Large. Would a Large Alpini be better than a XL? From your photos it looks like the Alpini Large is a bit bigger than the Montbell Medium. It might fit just right but be slightly small for if I want to layer more underneath. An XL would be even bigger than my Large Montbell, potentially making it a bit too large for me.

I guess what I'm trying to ask is would you say the size difference between the two as you have them now is significant or is the Large very similar when you wear it to the Medium Montbell.

Any info greatly appreciated.

del

Are you sure about that?

It makes sense what you say but a couple of months back they had some of the Tachyon Anoraks here in Osaka (U.S. version of the Montbell EX Light Wind Anorak) and the sizes stayed the same. I mean I have both in Large, same weight and everything (well different cuffs). Same thing happened later with the UL Down Guide Parka JP vs U.S. version, which they also briefly sold simultaneously over here.

So now I'm not sure if that counts for all items anymore. Good to check before buying – thanks.

Well, it is stated on http://www.montbell.us/customer-service/sizing-chart/ so be just aware of this fact.

Yeah, I know that chart, and it also says so in many of the garments here in Japan.

But, I have a JP and US version of the same garment. This JP Large is the same size and weight as this US Large (note the JP garment tag says it is same as a US M, hence the discrepancy).

Sorry for thread drift, it is about the Alpine Light vs Alpini after all.

same size and weight:

The alpini is supposed to have 7.7oz of down while the Alpine Light only has 4.3oz (both 800fp, 7oz and 4oz for non-hooded versions respectively) yet I'm not seeing nearly twice the loft in the alpini. Looks more like a 5-6oz fill weight to me. Again I'm led to believe that brooks-range over states their fill power, which is a shame because for the price and weight it's still a nice 5-6oz jacket…

For comparison my hooded MHW Phantom (OM4776) has 6.3oz of 850fp down (180g) and has loft equivalent to the Alpini in appearance. It's just under 3" at the shoulder, around 2.25-2.5" at mid jacket but is less puffy at the waist, around 2". It also has a full zip and seems tailored to be more athletic fitting so that explains the thinning as it tapers to the waist (maybe a design flaw for aesthetics but besides the point). Regardless the fill of my phantom seems on par with the Alpini despite BR's claim to be more filled.

I've seen/worn Rab Neutrinos and pluses and those jackets are considerably more puffy than the alpini, alpine, or phantom, and at 7.9oz and 9.7oz something isn't lining up for me. All that said, it could also be a function of sewn through baffles. The BR has 6 across the front whereas the Neutrino only has 5, which may allow more lofting at that fill weight and thus the difference. Still, from past experience with the BR Mojave specs, I just can't fully trust the company's down anymore.

I have a Golite bitterroot and picked up the BR Alpini. I'd say the the Alpini is easily 20-30% more lofty. But this is difficult to compare bc of the very different baffle geometries. The Golite is qouted at 5.2oz down. I wouldn't be surpised if the Alpine is overstuffed more so than the bitterroot bc it has fewer baffles.

Based on:
1)the dimensions of the BR (maybe 4sqyd of surface area)
2)the shell material (.85oz/sqyd quantum)
3)minimal extras (hoody pocked,pullover/side zips limited shorcording)
4)overall jacket weight (16oz in XL)
I wouldn't be suprised if the fill is as quoted (could certainly be less though).

Regarding the sizing.
Large Montbell (US) fits me perfect,
I am inbetween Med-Large Golite (have L in the bitterroot)
The XL BR is a size too large (I imagine a L would fit me perfect).
I am generally between M and L for typically US clothing.

I happen to have an Alpine Light and an Alpini (hoodless) here together in the same house today.

Few observations:
1) The Alpini is indeed loftier and puffier, at first glance. It is more clearly a pure-insulation piece, which means more minimal construction, would look more silly in the city, and has an edge over the Alpine Light in terms of pure warmth/weight in the backcountry. It feels crazy warm as soon as you put it on. Warmer for sure than the Alpine Light.

2) Size large is NOT equivalent to a normal medium. The Alpine Light in medium fits me great, spot-on. The Alpini in large fits me like a big puffy box — no good at all. I can see how someone who might be in between medium-large (normally) would do well with an Alpini large. But if you're a normal bullseye medium, then the Alpini in medium would probably do you better.

Thanks for the size comments.

It looks like the Alpini is also a bit more boxy.
Anyway I doubt I would get one, the Alpine Light is great, and shipping makes the discounted Alpini not so good in comparison to what you pay locally for the Alpine Light.

Still, it ticks most of the boxes of what I like in a down parka.

Sorry I have been offline today!

The Medium Alpine Light is much smaller than the Large Alpini. Its a pretty big difference if you ask me, in both boxiness and in the length of the jacket. I dont mind it, since the Medium Alpine Light was a little too small on me. I might have to sell it now :)

I could see the Alpini as less than 7. I did contact BR, and they said the listed fill weight was correct, but it does not seem THAT puffy to me. Whatever, still a nice jacket! And I dont want to rip it open and weight it haha

Evan

i think the 7.2 fill weight is for an xl..the large probably has around 6.5-6.8