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Which weight of Capilene?


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Home Forums Gear Forums Gear (General) Which weight of Capilene?

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  • #3438742
    Diane Pinkers
    BPL Member

    @dipink

    Locale: Western Washington

    I’m officially confused.  Capilene used to be sold by numbers, with the higher number being heavier.  I have a Capilene 2 bottom, and Capilene 4 (Expedition weight) top.  I’ve been wanting a layer that is usable in the 45-55 F range, where my Capilene 4 top is a little too much.  So, I picked up a couple of Midweight tops on sale, thinking that that would be comparable to the Capilene 2, which was the mid-range tops.  The shirts feel heavier to me than the Capilene 4 shirt that I have.  Looking at the Midweight top on the Patagonia website, they are 195 g, and the Thermal weight are 175 g.  Is less supposed to be more warm?  Or am I looking at the definitions wrong?  Did I just purchase for myself 2 more of the equivalent of Capilene 4?

    #3438747
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    The lightweight is the least warm, the midweight is the middle warm, and the thermal weight is the warmest. Yes, the thermal weight is lighter and warmer. That’s because it uses a very airy/lofty grid fabric where the midweight uses a denser fabric. The new thermal weight is thinner and less warm than the old cap 4.

    The midweight is much warmer than the cap 2. The cap 2 is a thinner baselayer while the midweight is a thicker, warm base layer. The cap 2 was never really much warmer than the cap 1, it was just a different type of fabric. I find the cap 2 suitable for hot weather.

    If you wanted something less warm than the cap 4, but warmer than a regular thin base layer, the midweight might work well for you.

    #3438795
    Woubeir (from Europe)
    BPL Member

    @woubeir

    Cap 1 = silkweight = daily (well, sort of)

    Cap 2 = lightweight

    Cap 3 = midweight

    Cap 4 = thermal weight

    #3438798
    JCH
    BPL Member

    @pastyj-2-2

    The new thermal weight is thinner and less warm than the old cap 4

    I actually find the new Cap thermal weight to be warmer than the old Cap 4…the grid makes it effectively thicker by trapping more air.  Of course this only works when worn under a wind blocking outer layer.  Worn without an outer layer, the wind whistles right through it.

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