An ultralight insulated jacket with high loft down, very light shell fabric, minimal features, and weight under 14 ounces is an essential part of an ultralight or lightweight backpacking kit for summertime backpacking in the mountains or shoulder season camping most anywhere. Down insulation provides the most warmth for its weight, so it's the insulation preferred by backpackers and mountaineers in all but very wet conditions.
The hoodless North Face Thunder Jacket is part of their Summit Series intended for alpine use. According to The North Face, Summit Series products "are built to endure extremes of weather and terrain while delivering the highest level of performance from base camp to summit." In that context, the Thunder Jacket is designed as a midlayer; for alpine use the shell is not durable enough as an outer layer.
ARTICLE OUTLINE
- Description
- Performance
- Comparisons
- Specifications
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The North Face Thunder Jacket Review
Any thoughts as to how it would compare with the Patagonia Down Sweater? Here is a link to their sweater:http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/mens-down-sweater?p=84673-0-083
Thanks for your review.
thanks for the review
I'd also like to hear any comments on a comparo w/ the patagonia down sweater
while there is some allure to a slightly lighter jacket, a little more durability and a few additional features is the way I'm leaning
I'd probably wear the jacket a fair bit when not hiking, so a jacket that looks decent doesn't hurt my feelings either :)
also poking around it appears the jacket your wearing is the older model, the newer one (NF site) looks like this
http://cdn2.thenorthface.com/customers/c566/AGCE/AGCE_viewLarger/main_variation_001_view_1_538x538.jpg?20090825014243
the "older" version lists a a 13.4 oz weight, the new one 14.2
their are some decent deals on the older one floating around :)
Mike and Lapsley,
There is 3 oz of 800 fill down used in the Patagonia Down Sweater at 12.4 oz. By extrapolation, the Thunder Jacket is comparable in warmth at 14.2 oz. By far, the best value in this warmth class is the new Mont-bell UL TEC Down Series for $175 and only 11.3 oz! Prolite has this jacket on sale for ~$140.
Material quality of the new Thunder Jacket is seriously questioned in the review on their Web site.
Hi All,
Mike, I have not used the Patagonia Down Sweater, but there is a review of it by BPL: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/patagonia_down_sweater_spotlite_review.html
Yes, I did review the older model, and mentioned that in the review. That often happens with product reviews, so we have to weigh the pros and cons. Far too often the product gets heavier rather than lighter.
Richard, the Montbell UL Tec Down Jacket is a very good comparison to TNF Thunder Jacket; thanks for pointing that out.
Happy hiking,
Will
Here is a 9.17 oz. women's 800-fill Eddie Bauer Downlight Sweater worthy of consideration: http://www.eddiebauer.com/EB/Womens-Outerwear/Womens-First-Ascent-Outerwear/index.cat#ppl={type%3A%22hide%22}
and 13.39 oz for men: http://www.eddiebauer.com/EB/Mens-Outerwear/First-Ascent/index.cat#ppl={type%3A%22hide%22}
MontBell 10.0 oz for women US U.L.TEC DOWN JACKET W'S: http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=70&p_id=2301128
and 11.3 oz for men: http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=2301127
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