Which Down to get for a Thur Hike

Seems I’m unable to spell Thru too lol :)

If you haven’t already done so, you will want to ask yourself if this is a backpacking only piece, or something you’d use around town as well.  For example, around town I find hoods to be annoying, but in the mountains I find them nearly necessary.  Around town the thicker fabric of the BD piece will be nice, but in the mountains the MB stuff will be nice (I’ll just toss a shell over it if I am worrying about durability).  If you are on a budget then balancing these two intended uses will require compromise (as opposed to just getting two separate ones).

If you are XL you might consider the patagucci worn wear:

https://wornwear.patagonia.com/shop/mens

For example :

https://wornwear.patagonia.com/shop/mens/84757/PSS

They have ultralight down jackets for <$100.  While I’d be leary of the synthetic stuff, the down stuff I’d jump on if I needed it.  Unfortunately, for myself, I am a medium and the selection is rather limited.

EDIT: Actually they have a bunch of medium stuff now.. must of have just restocked…. wonder if my wife will notice if I buy something…

The jacket would be for both in town and backpacking.  I’m only carrying one jacket and the BD I can wear at home or I’ll just sell it.  Money isn’t a concern right now since I decided and sold one of my guns.  I’m not big on hoods and don’t want one attached to a jacket.  I recently placed a large custom order with EE for 3 Convert bags and hoodlums (got 3 one for me and my 2 sons). So I do have access to a hood system if desired out on the trail using the hoodlum (of course that is up in the air because I do have a fleece headband that is more than enough to keep my head warm, I’ll see when the order arrives in about 2 months).

One thing I forgot to note is the MB doesn’t have pockets.

you could also look at the  GOOSE FEET DOWN ANORAK  or  NUNATAK’S Skaha Down Sweater, UL Version they will both make a nonhooded version, made in the USA and do great work and custom work( I love my Nunatak Skaha). HERE is Stick’s first impression for his GF Anorak and why he chose it over the Montbell Ex-Light Anorak

Well if it were me Id just pick up the pattagucci for $75+S&H.  IIRC it is like 3 oz ish of 800 fp down for 10 oz ish total weight. Someone here has a spreadsheet I am sure and will be sure to supply a more accurate weight.  I had the hooded version for the PCT and was quite happy with it.

I personally wouldn’t bother with a down jacket less than 3 oz of (ca. 800 fp) down.  So much of the jacket weight is in the shell and features (zippers an pockets) that skimping on the down just doesn’t make sense to me.  Lower fills than that and I might opt for a vest instead.  I’d suggest computing the (fill-power * fill-weight) for each jacket as a simple metric for warmth, just to make sure the options are all comparable.  In the end, fit matters quite a bit too… and that is best discovered by trying them on, which isn’t always possible I realize.

EDIT:  I recall Skurka has a short discussion on insulated jackets that is a good general reference.

http://andrewskurka.com/2015/backpacking-clothing-stop-insulated-jacket-pants/

Where and when are you going hiking?

BCap, So if it is 1000 FP at only 1.6 oz fill weight that it is not good?  I’m thinking of just ordering the 2 and do a lot of return shipping lol.  If I’m going to shed off weight I’d like to keep the jacket under 10oz.

Jeff- I live in Pennsylvania and do most my hiking here.  But next year I’m planning to do the AT.  I obviously will ship it home during the mid summer months when it won’t be needed.  Would like to get something that would work on other trails throughout the country too.  I’ve done some small day hikes in CA using a Columbia down vest and AK not using anything since I did a spare of a moment hike with nothing but my camera backpack.  That’s what got me interested in backpacking.  Going some place then find out something better awaits somewhere else.  LMAO went up a mountain to see a lake.  Found out I was dang hungry 12 to 14 hrs later.  Water isn’t an issue in AK and drank straight out of the streams coming from the glaicers.  Boy did the shoulders and neck hurt when I got back since my camera back pack is 20 pounds and only has shoulder straps.

Sorry, I don’t really have an answer for ‘is this good enough’.  What level of insulation you need for a given climate will be something you have to figure out through experience.  I personally wouldn’t see the cost/benefit of something without 3 oz of decent down.  On a thru hike you will presumably experience a range of temperatures and need gear that has more flexibility.  On a weekend outing I can look at the weather on the way out he door and tailor my gear pretty precisely (and save a few oz here and there).  My biggest suggestion is to start your path towards a lighter jacket by erring on the side off a few feathers too many — to me the weight saved on a down jacket just isn’t worth the chance of being cold.    I only suggest the used Patagucci simply because it is a cheap but high quality stepping stone that is in the direction of what you seem to want.  A made-to-order piece like the goosefeet or nunatak is undoubtedly nice (I’d love one TBH), but unless you know exactly what you want/need then it can easily be a $300 mistake, which for me at least would be unacceptable.  Watch the video linked above… it took that guy a half dozen jackets before he got the goosefeet, and then he still wanted to tweak it.  As a side note, it looks like the goosefeet and nunatak jackets have substantially more down than the MB.

Perhaps someone who has hiked the AT could be more use than me.  Coming from the Sierras/Rockies I probably have a different perspective given the different climate.

. CHAD “STICK” POINDEXTER has been a BPL member for years and I trust his reviews, he will give an honest opinion on a piece of gear whether he has been provided said gear for review or purchased with his own money(I have seen negative reviews on pieces a company provided for review and companies that are some of his favorite if he feels it wasn’t up to snuff). He lives in Georgia and hikes the AT quite a bit, he stated that down treated with DownTek was something he wanted because of the humidity on the east coast and the effect it had on his down jackets. BEN SMITH of Goose Feet  has been a BPL member for many years also as is TIM MARSHALL of Enlightened Equipment. If you want something light and cheap($69.90 new often on sale for under $50) and I know a number of thru-hikers have used and been very happy with them I would recommend the UNIQLO ULTRA LIGHT DOWN JACKET but since you said money was not a problem  I suggested 2 that are super high quality and totally custom made in the USA a small cottage companies they will both do whatever fill weight you desire, Nunatak has been around for many years and the the recent purchaser  of  Nunatak is a Forum Member , I will say after buying a Nunatak Skaha I sold my other down jackets. A number of small light weight cottage gear companies got their start after being members on BPL.

Link makes good points…you would not make a mistake following them.

Full disclosure: I am a Montbell fan. With that out of the way, the absolute most bang for buck, AND bang for gram that I have found is the Plasma 1000 Alpine Down parka. It is crazy warm, crazy light, fits me perfectly and I love it.  I know you said you dont want a hood, but I find it to be heavenly. The jacket version has half the down and no pockets…both non-starters for me.  Knowing what I know, if I didnt want a hood, I’d still buy the plasma and simply not use the hood :)

Personally I won’t buy down anymore unless it has a good DWR treatment like Dri-Down or DownTech. My last two down garments have it, an EB First Ascent vest and an LL Bean -20 down bag.

As of right now I’m not going to do any custom order till I know exactly what I want.  I’ll start figuring that out when I get out there and trying out different options and what works for me.  I did place the order for the Arcteyx Cerium SL Down before it went offsale.  Worst case scenario is I got to ship it back.

Thanks for the info JCH on Plasma 1000 Alpine Down info and I will check into it.  I need to wait till Monday or Tuesday when Montbell gets back to me since I’m seeing if I can order over the phone and if they have military discounts to get it down some.  You did get me thinking if I got a hooded version I could leave the EE Hoodlum behind since I’m only carrying the 40 Deg Convert bag they make, so if it does get that cold I could sleep in the jacket and the hood will be there to keep my head warm.  Though I still have to decide about a hood or fleece headband.  Decisions.. good thing I have all summer, fall, and winter fine tuning.

Here is long time BPL(and well respected) gear tester Will Rietveld’s blog review of the Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka (it’s the parka version not the one you are looking at so it has more fill weight) and Outdoor Gear Labs review of the Arc’teryx Cerium SL, it is the Women’s jacket but it is still the same jacket.

Will Rietveld’s review of the MB was the thing that convinced me to take the plunge on the Plasma 1000.  Having spent time with the Parka, I agree with everything Will wrote.  Expensive but worth it. I even got the same color :)

I carried Montbell’s extremelu UL down jacket (no longer sold) on both the PCT and AT. Currently have their Plasma 1000 jacket and having used it for a few 1 week long trips, I don’t see why I wouldn’t carry it on the CDT which I’m hoping to hike in the next year or two. I’ll be using it on my upcoming late September – early October hike of the JMT.