Montbell Down Inner “Parka”

wow cool. I will be heading up to boulder to see if they have any in stock. I'll bring the scale.

MontBell specs are pretty accurate, but yes, Christopher please check it out and report back! :)

So, I'll take that as a "yes, it is new"…Chris, let us know your opinion on it (and the weight of course). I keep kicking myself for not getting the Skaha when I bought my AT. Perhaps this will be the cost effective alternative?

Yes I'm curious. Very curious after they told me this wouldn't be in stock this season and would be much heavier. If the weight is accurate which it usually is for MB stuff (or under) then it would make a true hot summer match for my ARC AT. My Skaha Plus is awesome but it's not necessary for peak summer heat. I gotta pick up an XS thermawrap Parka for the wifey so I'll checkout the new down Parka at the same time, should be this week as soon as I can run up to Boulder. OH I JUST REMEMBERED! My wife has a kickball game in Boulder tonight so I'm headed up there after work. Woohoo! :)

I wonder if the wife would want this instead?

Saw them tonight. Very nice, i'll probably pick one up once they get the red color in stock. They currently have the green. They're waiting for the rest of the fall line to trickle in from customs. I didn't get to weigh it because they had a heavy security tag on but from comparing to the UL inner jacket I'm sure the weight will be very close to advertised. Sizing is smallish like most Montbell stuff usually is. I fit in both the small and medium but I'd buy the medium. Small is too short in the torso (5'11" 155lbs) but the medium is a little longer with a little more room for layering comfortably.

The hoods are non adjustable too FYI. They fit my head pretty well but something to keep in mind.

If I hack the arms off it will be a great hooded vest for cheap! (compared to Nunatak at least albeit not as warm).

The new Alpine Light Parkas look nice as well and are in stock in a couple colors it seemed. Not as great warmth to weight as a Nunatak but WAY cheaper and still very nice.

Thanks a bunch Christopher – I forgot about this thread and was just going to bump it up the list…must have missed that you replied…now, where is that Brett guy, time to place order :)

No problem. I picked up an alpine light parka for my wife yesterday. Women's small weighs just under 11oz. She's quite happy to split the difference between the UL down Parka and the UL thermawrap parka and she still gets the handwarmer pocket she wanted. Time for the other Micropuff to go up for sale.

Still no red UL down parkas in stock, just the green so I'll wait for now. I like the red better and I don't *need* another jacket.

Thought this would be worth mentioning – I picked up the Montbell Down Inner "Parka" a few weeks ago. Total weight including stuff sack for a size large is 8.60 oz.

I am looking into getting one of these and was wondering how warm they are. I do a little bit of winter camping in Michigan and am looking to get a decent insulating jacket. Wasn't sure if this would be warm enough though, but I can layer it with something if I have to. Just wondering about how warm they are.

They're not anything I'd be considering for winter camping IMO. It's still a sewn though parka with ~2oz of down in it.

The Down Inner Parka would definitely not be enough for a cold winter trip on its own. It would be a great layering piece & good for 3-season use. Think a substitute for a mid weight or a bit heavier fleece jacket, not a substitute for a winter parka.

It's definitely a well made and versatile piece. The hood is great.

Hi there – I have one of the down inner JACKETS, without the hood.
I have a large and it weighs 7.1 oz.

It's pretty nice, but it is NOT for winter camping. It's a 3-season alternative to a fleece jacket.

I like it and I use it. The "inner" thing is correct to a point. The fabric is very thin, but not too bad. sometimes I wear a windshirt over it. Also, it has snaps – not any zipper.

MONTBELL makes a whole series of "INNER" DOWN gear. Pretty bold and very light. Here's the line up:

* vest
* half-sleeve jacket (sorta cool lookin')
* jacket without a hood
* parka with hood
* pants

( link )
http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=2301283

The only gear comparable is the BPL cocoon line, and that's synthetic.

Thanks, I was pretty sure they wouldn't be warm enough but wondered with layering. I'll probably look into something a bit warmer, though I don't need anything overkill because I only do light winter camping in Michigan.

You can find three initial testing reviews (one from me) on this Parka at http://www.backpackgeartest.org. Great fit, no frills, a nifty hood that uses elastic to fit your head. Very light weight and marketed by MontBell as an alternative to fleece as a midlayer, not as a below-zero insulator. A nice complement to my Skaha Plus.

Mike,

This is off topic… do you do illustrations for websites. I was unable to send an email through your profile.