Patagonia Speed Ascent Jacket and Pants?

[Dane]

Anyone using this stuff and care to comment? Most interested in the pants but any feedback on the two pieces would be useful, TIA.

 

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=45342

[kevino]

I had the mixmaster pants, which I think were a previous, or at least similar, verision to the aforementioned pants. They were nice, however my complaints were lack of pockets (only 1 thigh), not very stretchy and lack water repelency. They seemed to have fixed the pocket problem (theres now three). In regards to the stretchiness, I just felt a little constricted when I would high step or stem, etc, but for most actions they were great. Finally, it seemed the outer softshell material was never that great of repelling water, seemed to soak up on wet climbs.

[Stopgo]

I've been using the jacket this season and have been really happy with it. Patagonia jackets have weird fits, in that they seem non-uniform among models. This one fits me great (medium, I'm 5'11", 160).

 

As far as function, it's a pretty warm jacket, but breathes nicely. I use it for ski touring and winter climbing. For touring, I skin in a capilene top and an R1. At the transition, I throw on the jacket to keep warm and for the ski down. For climbing, if I'm working hard it is usually too warm to wear. Though if it's cold, I can "work" in it no problem. Climbed NE Butt of Chair last month (during cold snap) wearing capilene and R1 top, then this on top. Wore it the whole climb and even put a down jacket on top at belays. It was pretty darn cold out . . .

 

My only complaint is that you basically have 2 layers in one coat which limits you on layering options. However, if it's cold enough, this doesn't matter. I'm pretty skinny, so the extra layer helps, but it would definitely be too hot to, for example, to skin in or make a brisk approach in.

 

Hope this helps!

[iceclimber]

Have the pants, I was looking for something warmer for ice this season. Generally pretty satisfied with them, warmth, water and wind protection are all good, legs are trim with more of a climbing cut, however, there's some things I don't like.

 

No venting on the legs and you can get warm on a long, steep approaches. I also like to carry spare gloves in the legs of my pants and lack of vent zips means I'm back to storing them in my jacket. Leg vents that open completely (i.e. don't have a mesh backing) have pretty much disappeared on soft shell pants so this is a shortcoming a lot of alpine pants have.

 

I find the Speed Asents short, I wear a medium (6', 180 with a 32" waist) and the legs could stand being 2 inches longer. At least with Baturas I can tuck them into the gaiter, otherwise it's cold ankles! They also don't have tabs on them to attach shock cord to run under your boots.

 

Fly...works great if your johnson is located about 2 inches below your navel....wish they had through the crotch zippers, but then again nothing seems to now.