Utility of a down vest

For me it depends on the season. I went on a multiday back country ski trip in the San Juan's this April. We were camped up high where winter still clung to the peaks, and it slipped into the teens still regulalry . I used an arcteryx nuclei (light synth Hoody) for stops and an SUL down vest for extra warmth at camp. I wouldn't attempt this trip in winter, but if I did, I would bring my super warm 11+ oz of down box wall parka, and possibly some sort of synth or nano air type midlayer. So it just depends on the season, the trip, and the local climate etc, but in general its nice to layer together intelligently with stuff you already own.

I haven't been able to get a vest to meet my needs – extra warmth in camp and while sleeping. They work for plenty of folks though. And they seem like they SHOULD work for me, but…!

I have a Montbell down T (old snap version) and the short sleeves make a world of difference in added warmth, for some reason.

When temps are below __° (fil in the blank) I'll take my 9oz down parka instead.

If on a trip where you are pretty sure you'll need to add a vest to your parka to stay warm, then I say YES, just upgrade the parka and carry less pieces. You can always lay it over you loosely if too warm, or unzip if sitting around camp.

Unless cutting weight by ounce, I'd say sleeves and more fill would add much more warmth than the increase in weight (especially getting into winter, where most places require more insulation). At a certain point IMHO, there's the "Michelin Man" problem affecting arm movements that may suggest adding a vest for mobility and comfort. Think "the Complete Walker" is correct categorizing vest as "1/2" an insulation layer on a gear list, using the corresponding jacket/parka model is a full layer, I guess.

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I've had great experience with Luke's Ultralight Argon down vest. This plus a Cap 4 hoody and I am pretty comfortable for a lot of what I do. I also have the down sleeves & hood and bring them along only as needed. The vest alone is 4.2 oz and is made with Hyper-Dry 800fp down. The whole "system" is probably 8-10oz, although I haven't weight it in a while.

Whatever I do in the field, I always think of stick shift in a car: what clothing is my 1st gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, etc… And my windshirt is light enough it wont compress the down if I wear it over top.

And as many of us know: any down that is not worn at night makes a great pillow.

Advantages

– itll cost you less as you only need to buy a vest, not a big poofay

– you can use the best for quick stops, keeping you main poofay safe in a dry bag until camp

– its a redundant system in that you still have some insulation if you get one piece wet

– its faster to dry out two thinner pieces than one thick piece

– when sleeping you can wear the poofay while putting the down vest over yr legs, spreading out the insulation

– if you wear your down gear around town everyday its more practical to wear a vest or jacket you can use in any environment rather than a single use large poofay

– in hot summers you might just bring the down vest

Disadvantages

– its more faff putting on and taking off two pieces … But since you arent doing technical climbs with belays with wind blowing hard its not a big deal

– it probably weights a bit more than a single poofa

– there will be less insulation on your arms and hood than a large poofay … However you should get more around your core all other things being equal, which is fine if you are looking for a "booster"

I use an EB down vest just fine under various down and synth poofays as a booster layer

The "best" would be a synth light puffy over yr down sweater for redundancy and moisture management, but there is a weight penalty

A synth vest would not be good as a down vest for a "booster" layer, however if you are wearing it when semi active thats a different story

;)

Eric covered the advantages quite well. I'd only add the SUL style cottage vests, like luke's ultralight or in my case borah gear vest work especially well as booster layers. If layered properly without compression, it ads considerable warmth for hardly any extra weight (3.6 oz!) since its like having an extra couple oz of down right to your core. Mine was only $100 when I got it.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I think Eric nicely outlined the thought process in my mind.

Rog, I’ve looked at the UL down shirt for some time. There was a bad review in the Editor’s Roundtable and some additional negative feedback I found in other threads. The vest has the same amount of down fill (although only in the core) and I think the form factor (full zip, no sleeves) makes it better as a layering piece. But I do like your suggestion of a Nano Pullover. More weight than a down vest, but more utility too. Something for me to consider.

For warmth while backpacking or skiing in cold weather a down vest with DWR treated down like Down Tech or Dri-Down would be a good choice.

This type of vest keeps your core warm without overheating and the DWR down treatment keeps it drier and lets it dry quickly once you reach camp.

I would add light elastic around the armpits and a drawcord at the waist to keep heat in.

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For summer hiking, I don't carry any kind down or synthetic layer. If it is cool out, I just put on my wind shirt. For shoulder season, I carry a Feathered Friends Hyperion vest. It has a great ratio of fill weight to shell weight. It has an Epic shell that will shed light rain or snow. I can also layer it under my wind shirt at camp or wear it to sleep to boost my quilt a bit.

For winter, I use the Patagonia Nano Puff under a shell. Right now, I mostly ski in the winter, but I am moving towards winter camping, which has me looking at down parkas with a performance shell, like the FF Hyperion or Hadron or, if I win the lottery, a Nunatak Skaha with an Epic shell. I don't think I would choose to use a vest to supplement a parka. I would prefer to find one parka that does the job and save the extra weight and bulk.

I have been a down vest user for years, core warmth. Like Edward I have a FF Hyperion vest that is incredibly warm with both good hand warmer pockets and a high collar which I like to keep my neck warm. Fits under my Houdini in camp perfectly. My arms usually can have at least 2 sometimes 3 layers and stay plenty warm. I am good down to 30 with a Cap 3 zip neck, another layer depending on the trip (railriders shirt or light base layer), vest and then the Houdini. In camp I do spend the majority of my time with legs in the sleeping bag if cool out.

I also use it to extend my sleeping bag warmth, like last winter in the desert when the temps unexpectedly dropped to 20 degrees and I had the above clothing in a WM Highlite and was warm enough, barely ;)

Like the previous two posters, I use a FF Hyperion vest in the cool mountain summers and use it in conjunction with a Golite Bitteroot for when I am in really cold temps. I also use it with my quilt for added warmth. I don't wear it to bed, I just drape it over me under my quilt as this has been warmer for me.

I have been using vests (down, synthetic fill and fleece) for over 40 years and it is my go to insulation layer for three seasons. Light, warm, and compact, I wear it over, under, and as a mid layer depending on temps, weather, and activity level.

There are separate down sleeves available from a company called Jacks R Better that look like a useful addition to a down vest. They weigh 5 ounces for the pair, but you can use them with your vest when you need extra warmth, and then take them off when you don't need them. They also have a down hood that can be worn when needed.Both products look interesting.