treknclime Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Wiiild Things, Patagucci, Clouddevil, ?? Hooded...Primaloft...and fits well over layers...with a helmet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ade Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 We sort of just talked through this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treknclime Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 Ade...I like it when I get straightened out... Thx! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainier_Wolfscastle Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Das Parka is the bomb. Best weight to warmth ratio for synthetic. Cloudveil Enclosure Parka is pretty nice too but their listed weight is waaay off. Ad says 23 oz. My scale 33 oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoran Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 (edited) Have you checked your pockets and removed two cans of beer from last trip? Joke! Seriously, I never checked weight of my Enclosure jacket (I have no parka). I'll do that in the grocery store soon and post reply to see did they make mistake with jacket too. I have no small scale at home. Edited December 15, 2004 by Zoran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 The best belay parka is the one having the most fun. While I love my Wild Things Belay Parka, it mostly sits in the closet not having much fun. It comes out only once in a blue moon for very cold trips like Rainier in winter or Alaska. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 I always laugh when people expect the manufacturers advertised product weight or pack volume to remotely approximate the real thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoran Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 (edited) That is why we have MEC to always weight product before post it on their web site or catalogues. It will be interesting to see ad you have. Cloudveil site says 36 ounces. http://cloudveil.com/product.php?sku=F4-3106&cat=19982 Z Edited December 15, 2004 by Zoran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainier_Wolfscastle Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Looks like they fixed the weight on the Parka. Previously it was listed at 23 oz. The new figure of 36 oz. sounds about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceIceBaby Posted December 26, 2004 Share Posted December 26, 2004 BTW EMS have awesome sale on all their clothing and the clothing construction is far better then REI the Belay jacket is only $80 with Primaloft One insulation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurthicks Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 or check out one here... golite 6 month parka $99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 That golite parka is pretty sweet deal, but jeezus, the thing weighs over 2 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 That golite parka is pretty sweet deal, but jeezus, the thing weighs over 2 lbs. My thoughts as well Josh. How is that really in line with the "golite" philosophy? Western Mountaineering Flight Jacket (down not synthetic) is 10 ounces! http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/appareldetail.cfm?PRODUCTS__ProductID=WE4075&code=100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Yeah, I have the flight jacket for my 3 season insulation piece. It's awesome. I would guess my volant jacket is somewhere near the warmth of that golite parka and it weighs a ton less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 I have the Golite Six Month Night, the Coal, and their new Belay. I like them all. The SMN is BIG, WARM, and BULKY. Right at two pounds; it's not significantly heavier than the competition (eg Wild Things Belay, Patagonia DAS, etc, etc), and it's probably warmer than most. Well built, good hood, waist and hem drawcords, good pockets, the works. It weighs what it does because of the insulation, it's light for what it is. Sure, you can build a jacket that weighs six ounces, but comparing it to the SMN is apples to oranges, since we're talking warmth to weight here. Its greatest disadvantage is its bulk, not weight. The Coal was less than perfect, but the price sure was right. I liked the jacket and used it for a year, but the hood was less than stellar and the cut was mediocre. Still quite warm for the weight, very windproof and water repellent, it saved me from being very very cold a few times. When the Coal was getting too small for me, and I found a killer deal, I got the Belay. It's essentially a slightly shorter version of the Coal with a great hood, longer sleeves, an EPIC shell, and a bit of reinforcement. While I wish they didn't feel the need to add gimmicks like stretch armpit panels and reinforcements, it's a great jacket. It is very similar to Wild Things' EPIC jacket or Patagonia's Puff series, but I suspect it's a bit warmer than either. This is my go-to jacket for the stuff that I do. I always match the jacket with a light sleeping bag in the winter, and for the rest I used it when I stop for a break or belay. Once I was forced to wear the Coal while moving, but usually they're overkill. The SMN is great when you're stationary for long periods. But it's overkill for what I'm typically doing, which is (very slowly) skiing up and down little hills. And it's big enough that I really can't wear it inside my sleeping bag. So it's been relegated to trips that I haven't done yet, belaying at Smith in winter, and climbing during particularly cold weather. The Coal is pretty much all I used last winter. The Belay is even better than the Coal, the EPIC fabric is fantastically water resistant, and the short length allows for easy belaying despite the lack of a two way zipper. I cut the arms off of the Coal and use it as a vest now. Golite makes some dubious products, but IMHO their insulated jackets are great, easily on par with other manufacturers, and usually you can find them at much, much lower prices than you'd pay their competitors. So if you're a cheap bastard, snag them off of Sierra Trading Post and the like. And it's not fair to compare down to synthetic. You couldn't wear your Flight as outerwear in a rain/sleet storm. Likewise, you will never beat its warmth to weight ratio. Apples and oranges. I am not sponsored by Golite. And sorry for the thesis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhyang Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 I agree about the cut of the Coal, but only the 2002 model - the 2003 model's hood is cut better, and the jacket as a whole is a bit larger. I use the 2002 w/o hood for 3-season backpacking in wetter climates (coastal) and the 2003 for milder winter conditions, since more layers fit under it. Definitely like the fact that they were both on sale ! (I think the 2002 was like $30) Anyhow, I haven't used either for belaying - actually decided to spring for a closeout Golite belay jacket, which I like, but so far have only used for milder conditions. My plan is to use an FF Volant w/hood for standing around when it's really cold. Should have more feedback on that by mid-Jan ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdietsch Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 BTW EMS have awesome sale on all their clothing and the clothing construction is far better then REI the Belay jacket is only $80 with Primaloft One insulation Like IceIce says .. @ $80 it's worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 or check out one here... golite 6 month parka $99 It's $99 and a great coat for wet or cold belays here around Seattle with little walk from the car like Index. If you are going to be ice climbing with it you could go with a lighter down coat because it probably won't be raining at your belays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurthicks Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 @ $80 it's worth a shot. I ordered one of the EMS belay jackets the other day. it just showed up. The initial test was alright. it fits just like my TNF down jacket, but is less puffy. i stood outside with just it layered over a cotton t-shirt and was toasty warm in the 32 degree temps. It also fits over my helmet. the only downfall thus far is that the front pockets aren't insulated on the outside, meaning that i'll have to wear gloves. It's getting a more thorough test up in Banff next week, I'll post a more detailed review then. Kurt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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