Where does the hooded Ghost Whisperer fit in?

Fleece doesn't keep you nearly as warm as down when stationary. Down is for keeping heat from escaping when taking breaks, sitting around camp, and as extra insulation in your sleep system. Down is also much warmer for the weight than fleece. A fleece as warm as a ghost whisperer would probably weigh over a pound.

Dry summer warmth. Thin/light down is awesome in the desert for chilly but not cold/frigid nights in the summer. A fleece wouldn't be warm enough for prolonged hanging out once the sun goes down. A fleece is great if it's wet or humid, but the dry west doesn't see that much in summer.

Out here I get to use my MB UL parka (like the MHW GW) year round. It's good down to high 30s, freezing if I must. With a fleecy or warmer baselayer, which is useful for activity in the morning and nights in shoulder season, I can get down to freezing with little problem. The fleece is also nice if there's some light precipitation. Once I start seeing the mid 20s though I move to a heavier down jacket for the extra warmth and protection (mid 20s forecast turning into high teens isn't something I want to mess with using marginal warmth).

Those ultralight down jackets aren't very warm. Not worth spending the money imo. Yes they will be slightly warmer for the weight than fleece, but not nearly as significant as a down hoody in the 12-16 ounce range.
I would rather carry a light fleece as you don't have to worry about it tearing and down flying out or it getting a spark hole from a campfire and leaking down. Also fleece is so much more comfortable when trying to sleep wearing it.

I use these types of puffies when temps are expected to be no colder than about 35F, which is common in my area. Really only use them for stationary, around camp activity as just a windshirt is enough while hiking to about 30F. Since only used around camp, damp conditions arent a huge concern for me especially with WR down being used these days. For me, a 100wt fleece is only warm at roughly 45-50F and it will weigh 3-4 more ounces than a Ghost Whisperer. A 200wt fleece should have similar warmth and will weigh around a pound. So if I really wanted, I could wear two GWs and it weigh less than comparable fleece.

For me, fleece is really only applicable when temps drop below 30F and I need additional insulation while hiking.

Ryan

I know it weighs about a pound but I think I will just stick with my R2. It is much more versatile for me. I actually sat around in the office yesterday where it was about 70F with the air on and the hooded Ghost Whisperer on for about an hour and really didn’t get that warm. When it hits that 50-30F range around here it is usually pretty humid and wet outside so I think the R2 will just do better long term. And I don’t have to worry about babying it and can use it as a layer under 30F also with a big down puffy.

"I actually sat around in the office yesterday where it was about 70F with the air on and the hooded Ghost Whisperer on for about an hour and really didn’t get that warm."

That's because down breathes/thermoregulates (whatever you want to call it) better than any synthetic fiber. It will keep you comfortable over a wide range of temperatures.

That's because down breathes/thermoregulates (whatever you want to call it) better than any synthetic fiber. It will keep you comfortable over a wide range of temperatures.

That is, as long as it's sheathed between two shell materials that are highly breathable (which is not always a given). I can guarantee you that my R2 is more breathable than any down jacket on planet earth. Of course the reduced breathability does buy you reduced convective heat loss and allow the down jackets to be used viably without any other accompanying garmets to mitigate convective heat loss.

Anyway, I digress. I think Justin hit the nail on the head with his first post.

Just today I actually got the chance to get into the Columbia/Mountain Hardwear employee store near me. I went straight to the hooded Ghost Whisperer jackets. I thought long and hard about these jackets at half price ($180). They are so light and seductive.

Yet I left the store empty handed.

I just can't justify this warmth-weight of down jacket. Too similar to a 200wt fleece with a wind jacket over it. I'm carrying the wind jacket anyway, I already own and love an R2 fleece, so if I'm honest, I really just don't need the Ghost Whisperer. It is far less versatile than the fleece + wind jacket combo and it's so much more delicate and prone to problems in wet conditions to boot.

Fleece is also more comfortable to sleep in, as was pointed out above.

Jackets like the Ghost Whisperer are slightly superior to a 200wt fleece + wind jacket combo in only a very narrow set of conditions (dry, 30 degrees F, not moving). In all other conditions (above 30-ish degrees F at least), the fleece + wind shell combo is better, IMO– either layer can be worn alone, they are both less fragile, less expensive, and easier to launder.

The 4-7oz weight savings are certainly a draw for some people, and I guess the dry/30F-40F conditions are common enough on the West Coast to justify the purchase of these these specialty jackets for people who only want to be warm when at rest.

Still, I think you're paying a whole heck of a lot for two highly quilted wind shell sewn together (oh, and there's a little bit of down in there too).

I have a sneaking suspicion that if people would be willing to pay $350 for a fleece + wind shell, then all of the sudden that combination would get a lot more marketing…

I have a sneaking suspicion that if people would be willing to pay $350 for a fleece + wind shell, then all of the sudden that combination would get a lot more marketing…

They are … Dead bird fleece and squamish windshirt =P

The ul down sweaters are great as a booster later or in nice dry conditions

I use em to boost the warmth of my synth puffies

In dry conditions nothing is as weight efficient as down

Unfortunately in damp conditions or if yr on the move the down sweater does have limitations

Fleece is also much more durable … You can wear the fleece jacket for a decade everyday an launder it normally every week and itll just laugh right back at you

You can leave a good quality worn every day fleece to yr grand kids

There was an accident report i posted awhile back where someone had a crevasse accident got rescued, and they found their pack over a decade later after the glacier melted

The patagucci fleece was still in good condition, just needed a wash

Modern UL high fill down jackets wont last very long if worn daily outside … Not without a bunch of seam grip and patches anyways

;)