I use my hiking clothes in my real life and I have always been a bit wary of some of the down jackets I have tried because the cost is usually expensive and the outer fabric is gossamer so I just know I am going to feel bad when I snag and rip it that first year or two. I have a really nice and light Montbell Alpine Jacket that I rarely wear because of this. After some thought I decided instead to go back to a down jacket that uses a more durable outer fabric and a lower fill power down to help fight some of the humidity we have around here in winter where it will yo-yo above and below freezing. I was able to find an LL Bean down jacket in XXLT this fall at a Goodwill for $25 and it has been pretty good to use here and there with its possibly max of 650fp. Just two zippered hand pockets and some fleece on the collar and Velcro on the cuffs along with a draw cord at the hem are the only features it has. I am now looking for something similar with a durable outer fabric, low (550-650)fp down, a hood and that comes in big and tall sizes for a cheap price. Any suggestions?
