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longest lasting synthetic insulation (i.e., don't lose its loft) for puff jacket


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Home Forums Gear Forums Gear (General) longest lasting synthetic insulation (i.e., don't lose its loft) for puff jacket

Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)
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  • #3456140
    Paul S
    BPL Member

    @pula58

    I have a Montbell UL Thermawrap jacket. 1.5 years old…Not much loft left at all. Feels almost like just two layers of nylon with almost nothing in-between. Of the currently-available synthetic insulations (for puffy jackets) which ones can maintain their loft given that they will be stuffed into a backpack most of the day, only to be used mostly at camp?

    Love the fit of my Montbell, but, at this point, almost no loft at all! Basically, I want to find a puffy jacket, 10-12 oz in weight good for damp Pacific NW climate.  Dry down?

    #3456145
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    Climashielf apex ….

    Of course with big names like MB, pataguci, MH, etc …. One can often buy synth poofayz very cheapo

    synth poofays are disposable items, if the insularion doesnt wear out first ten the UL shell will

    ;)

     

    #3456198
    Addison Page
    BPL Member

    @addison42

    Locale: Appalachian mountain boy living on the beaches of Hawaii.

    Climashield Apex is what is generally used in synthetic quilts and jackets. Honestly, when you touch, it doesn’t feel like much is there, my Rab something-or-other synthetic jacket uses it and it’s pretty low profile for a puffy. It’s ten in CT right now and this with a long sleeve wool shirt under it is all I need to keep my torso warm.

    #3456206
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    Melanzana high loft hoodie with a windshirt.

    #3456211
    Robert Alexander
    BPL Member

    @robmalexander

    Locale: Atlanta

    Survey says…Apex. Now, Richard Nisley may have some more specialized insight.

    FullRange has performed admirably on a few of my Patagonia garments, for what that’s worth. Definitely some loss, though.

     

     

    #3456217
    Armand C
    BPL Member

    @vb242

    I’m going to concur with Eric Chan.

    Rather than seeking the ultimate one synthetic puffy, get several from reputable manufactures and rotate between them to fit the conditions of the weather and environment. Some might last you years, and others might last a season.

    I currently have 5 different synthetic puffs in my closet and will probably add one or two more while the big end season blowouts are happening. I probably won’t need to buy another for a few years after that.

    Shop sales, use coupon codes, only accept free shipping. Buy it cheap and stack it deep.

    #3456252
    Daryl and Daryl
    BPL Member

    @lyrad1

    Locale: Pacific Northwest, USA, Earth

    I have some camo military jacket liners that have held their loft well. The loft seems to be renewed by washing.  I’m guessing that the fiberfill is just made of thicker or stiffer fibers and holds its loft better than some of the lighter fiberfills.

    The owner of the military surplus store where I bought these jacket liners said they look like military surplus but are really military surplus knock offs mad in god only knows where.  So my info isn’t very helpful because I don’t know where you could reliably buy the same fill.

    Wiggys claims to have fiberfill that holds its loft better over time but if it does I think it is because it is a bit heavier

    #3456299
    Woubeir (from Europe)
    BPL Member

    @woubeir

    Wiggys claims to have fiberfill that holds its loft better over time but if it does I think it is because it is a bit heavier

    But he makes claims about just everything, and most of the time they’re … well let me say , they make (often) me laugh

    #3456335
    Paul S
    BPL Member

    @pula58

    I’m gonna give the Rab jacket with the “Cirrus” insulation a shot. They claim it stands-up to repeated use and repeated cleanings

    #3456351
    Paul S
    BPL Member

    @pula58

    tried to find jackets with APEx insulation…no luck.

    Thanks for the tips you guys!

    #3456354
    Iago Vazquez
    BPL Member

    @iago

    Locale: Boston & Galicia, Spain
    #3456362
    Steve K
    BPL Member

    @skomae

    Locale: northeastern US

    Polartec Alpha may last the longest since it is essentially hi-loft fleece trapped between two layers of nylon. My Rab Strata (now discontinued in favor of Rab Alpha Direct) has held up very well.

    My DAS Parka, made of Primaloft Silver Hi-Loft (née  Primaloft Synergy) has also seen some loft degradation, but given how often it gets crushed into my pack and under pack straps, it has seen substantially the least besides Alpha.

    #3456373
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    Note that polartex alpha isnt much warmer than a thermal pro hi loft fleece and a windshirt…

    which makes sense since thats basically what its made out of

    ;)

    #3456375
    Bob Moulder
    BPL Member

    @bobmny10562

    Locale: Westchester County, NY

    Recently I bought this Cumulus Climashield Apex hooded jacket on GearSwap and have used it on only 1 overnight trip and some hikes with the dog, one of those a 3.6 mile hike with heavy, gloppy snow falling. The Pertex Quantum shell material did an excellent job in both the DWR and vapor permeability departments. However, this is still a very new item for me and only time will tell the full story. But I really like it so far and even the full retail price is not astronomically (dead bird) high, lol… quite reasonable in fact. :^)  (Unfortunately only available in xl at my link, sorry ’bout that!)

    I got it mostly for early spring cold/wet and hope to use it on a longer trip in April.

    #3456381
    Dena Kelley
    BPL Member

    @eagleriverdee

    Locale: Eagle River, Alaska

    I’ve been using my Nanopuff with Primaloft for years with no loss of loft or performance that I’ve been able to detect. Don’t know if it fits your weight category (I’ve never weighed it) but I’d think there’d be something out there with Primaloft that would.

    #3456419
    Gary Dunckel
    BPL Member

    @zia-grill-guy

    Locale: Boulder

    I have been using a TNF Thermoball hoody this winter, and I am pretty impressed with how well it compresses and springs perfectly back to life. I have no idea how long it will continue to do this. The insulation is Primaloft Silver, which TNF cuts into little ~ 3/16″ squares, which they somehow stuff into a lot of 2″ x 1.5″ baffled pockets. All that stitching for these pockets is the weak link, of course, but a wind shirt or WP/B shell solves that. These jackets or hoodies are only good down to about + 30* F though, unless you layer them over other insulation. I use mine for another insulating layer while stopping for lunch while on a snowshoe outing, and it works perfectly that. The best part is that I can compress it down to very small size.

    #3456473
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    Apex holds up very well and has a good warmth to weight ratio; Alpha does well in the “doesn’t degrade quickly” department as well

    I think you’ll be seeing more and more Apex clothing in the coming months- it’s pretty easy to work (doesn’t require a lot of quilting like Primaloft) and is pretty reasonably priced- especially in bulk.  The quilt market caught onto pretty well, clothing will catch up

    #3464922
    Paul S
    BPL Member

    @pula58

    For now: I’m giving an Arc Teryx Nuclei FL a try.

    I usually wear seize M in everything. The Nuclei Medium was too small. I went up to size L..much better for layering (underneath).

     

    Before I arrived at the Nuclei I tried a Rab Altus with their “Cirrus” insulation. VERY nice and puffy, but the armpit openings were way too small for me, uncomfortable. I tried Patagonia Nano Air, but felt that the outer fabric would shred too easily (but man was that jacket comfy!)
    <h2 class=”c-product-item__name”>ALTUS JACKET</h2>

    #3464930
    Jerry Adams
    BPL Member

    @retiredjerry

    Locale: Oregon and Washington

    Try not to compress it tightly when you’re not wearing it.  Maybe make sure that it dries well between uses.

    Apex is supposed to be better but other brands like Primaloft are pretty close to the same if you don’t find something identified as Apex.

    #3464963
    Glenn O
    BPL Member

    @glenno

    Locale: GYE

    Continuous filament synthetics (a la Mammut’s Ajungilak) seem to hold up much better over time, at the cost of weight/bulk. I go the higher performance, higher replacement rate route.

    #3464990
    Woubeir (from Europe)
    BPL Member

    @woubeir

    Continuous filament synthetics (a la Mammut’s Ajungilak)

    Actually, I don’ think Ajungilak MTI/OTI is continuous.

    #3465010
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    short syn fibers generally perform a little better than continuous fibers- weight for weight; my personal opinion is that slight edge is lost quickly in loft degradation, which can often be pretty rapid

    #3465075
    Woubeir (from Europe)
    BPL Member

    @woubeir

    Exactly. Montbell’s Exeloft however is probably continuous fiber. Mine however has hardly any loft degradation after ± 10 years.

    #3465293
    Paul S
    BPL Member

    @pula58

    If Montbell had a 60g jacket I would try it. They have only a 40g UL (not warm enough) or 80g “pro” (too heavy). hmm…I feel like Goldilocks!

     

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