Topic
lightweight fleece hoodie or really light down parka
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Home › Forums › Gear Forums › Gear (General) › lightweight fleece hoodie or really light down parka
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
Feb 28, 2014 at 10:22 am #1313859
Hello friends,
So I currently have a Go-lite Bitterroot which I enjoy for many reasons, but at 13oz, I know it becomes too much of an overkill to carry along as the warmer seasons approach. I now have an EE Enigma 50d which I am very interested to see how far I can stretch its use, and bringing a down jacket should easily help toward extending it's comfort zone.
Therefore I am trying to weigh whether it is "worth" getting a down jacket that is much lighter for the warmer months (to use with my quilt and not need to bring the fleece), or is it more practical to simply have a real light fleece (with a hood)? I not worried about the "don't get the down wet" issue, either.
Are there any merino base layers out there with hoods?
(Obviously, I very much prefer the hood. I believe I loose more heat from my neck and ears, than from my head.)
Any collective wisdom & experience is greatly appreciated.
thanks much,
Matt
Feb 28, 2014 at 10:28 am #2078030What size are you?
Feb 28, 2014 at 10:32 am #2078032Large
Edit: 6'2" 190 lbs.
Feb 28, 2014 at 10:35 am #2078033I have a Bitteroot that I use for cooler temps with my quilts and a down vest for the warmer seasons. For me warmer still means nights that could get to freezing so I often augment a 40f quilt.
My down vest at 6.5oz offers a bit more loft than my Bitteroot and for me is lighter, warmer, and more compact than fleece. It is the older FF Hyperion than is similar to the current WM Flight vest.
Just another alternative you might want to consider.
Feb 28, 2014 at 10:37 am #2078034I love a lightweight down hoody and a PowerStretch fleece hoody. If I had to bring only one for summer camping (i.e above freezing at all times), it would have to be the power stretch hoody. Those things are great for so many temperatures and you can sweat in them, which is something you really don't want to do with a down jacket. Down is pretty much exclusively for putting on when you are stopped.
Feb 28, 2014 at 10:37 am #2078035They are two different items, one for active and the other for static use.
I would get a cheap one of each.Feb 28, 2014 at 10:49 am #2078042I have the patagonia micro d hoody, which is unfortunately discontinued, but sounds perfect for what you want. It fits like a regular cotton hoody.
Feb 28, 2014 at 10:57 am #2078049Regarding Merino hoodies, Yes they exist.
I really like my I/O Bio hoodie. 6'1", 180lbs – I wear a Large and it fits snug but nice.
Feb 28, 2014 at 11:38 am #2078069Re Merino base layers with hoodies- keep an eye on Steep and Cheap. I've purchased two Merino hoodies on their site. One is Icebreaker, not sure on the other one. Pricing is much better there than retail, too. Retail for Merino is ridiculous.
Feb 28, 2014 at 11:47 am #2078074On sale now at http://www.ibex.com for $80 (usually $115), and they're great: 18.5 micron, which is about t-shirt weight, and with a 1/2 zipper so you can vent somewhat. I can't stand hoodies, though; have yu htought a bout getting a merino buff for about $20 (or free with the REI dividends coming soon!?!)?
Feb 28, 2014 at 11:52 am #2078076Have you thought about a hooded down vest? Less weight but still with a hood.
I cant think of many off the top of my head but PHDesigns had one on sale size Large last time I was browsing there.
Feb 28, 2014 at 12:11 pm #2078084I get your point and use vests a lot, but I'm normally using a vest in moderate conditions with a hooded shell and a beanie or other cap. When I pack a vest, I am looking for maximum core insulation at minimum bulk and always have a beanie in the mix. The hood is extra complication.
Layering a fleecy hoodie midlayer like an R1 with a puffy vest really works, giving your arms and head that little bit extra and keeps the cold fabric off your arms if you have a shell over the whole works.
The strength of a hooded vest would be the protection provided to the neck and back of the head, which isn't needed in moderate conditions. Many have noted that too many hood layers gets to be clumsy.
As to the OP, a fleecy hoodie is perfect for cool wet conditions. If I'm going for a puffy, I want something loftier than the thin down or 60g synthetic garments. I'm always assuming that the fleece will be worn with my wind or rain shell', just like a 3-in-1 jacket. The fleecy midlayer is great for sleep too.
Feb 28, 2014 at 9:14 pm #2078280active or static use?
that will likely be the deciding factor in which to get
;)
Feb 28, 2014 at 9:27 pm #2078282Summer is when your pack is the lightest anyways, so consider if you should put the money into improving part of your kit that shaves weight across the board, rather than when you need the savings least.
You can drop a full oz off the Bitterroot easily. Inside the jacket GoLite hung an extra layer of inner face fabric so that they could add those heavy interior pockets. You can snip this layer out, ditching the fabric, mesh pockets and zippers. The change is hardly noticeable except the seams aren't quite as refined underneath which hardly matters because it's on the inside.
With that you'd have a 12oz down jacket with 5.3oz of down fill. If you go with a lighter jacket, most of that weight savings comes straight from the down fill. I.e. if you switched to a Patagonia UL Down Hoody (2.8oz down, 9.2oz total) then you've saved about 3oz but 2.5 of those ounces were down. Which means you've lost a lot of warmth for a small weight savings.
So if you really want to save weight, then you've gotta give up the hood and probably the sleeves. The Blackrock Down Vest is the best vest out there (2oz down, 4.5oz total), although it's out of stock right now.
http://www.blackrockgear.com/vest.html -
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Our Community Posts are Moderated
Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Get the Newsletter
Gear Research & Discovery Tools
- Browse our curated Gear Shop
- See the latest Gear Deals and Sales
- Our Recommendations
- Search for Gear on Sale with the Gear Finder
- Used Gear Swap
- Member Gear Reviews and BPL Gear Review Articles
- Browse by Gear Type or Brand.