Belay jacket review part 1

[Dane]

I will be posting a review shortly of nine different belay jackets at http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/ .

 

 

This is the intro:

 

"Like much of the content on the Internet this review is written by an amateur. I am not a paid writer nor was I given these nine jackets for free as promotional material with the manufacturers seeking free advertizing. Only two of the jackets were loaned to me for this review, the Mammut and the MEC and like the rest they were returned after a detailed comparison was made and the pictures taken. Many thanks go to Marmot in Bellevue WA and Mountain Equipment Coop in Vancouver BC for supporting my project. The other seven jackets were paid for on my credit card. Most were returned, one I already owned, one I kept and one I am still thinking about. I'll tell you which jackets swayed me and why inside the review.

 

Part Two will discuss a totally new collection of jackets more appropriate imo and more typically used for the Canadian Rockies/ North Cascade climbing enviroment.

 

I personally picked these jackets out of the dozens available. I had a winter alpine climbing project in mind that I was going to spend at least one night on the climb and two full days of technical climbing plus a long decent in the dark again as the best case secenario and if everything goes perfectly. From past experience and nights out up high in the Canadian Rockies I went looking for the best jacket available for my own needs.

 

So before you read further, a caveat. I am very specific on my likes and dislikes in gear. I have been climbing in the Canadian Rockies since the early '70s and this article is the result of my personal search for a new, extremely cold (-20C and below) weather "climbing/belay/bivy jacket" for my own needs. My likes my not be your likes. You may totally disagree with my conclusions and choices. My needs may not be your needs. What will work for me may not work for you. Use the info as you see "fit" ."

 

 

[Dane]

All mens XL jackets (except for the FF Hooded Helious which is a unisex XXL) with a T shirt under them. On a good day I am 6'1" and 205#.

 

Mtn H Compressor $190 retail Primaloft Eco ('09/'10)

 

new Patagonia DAS $300 retail Primaloft 1

 

Eddie Bauer XV $269 retail 850+ down

 

Feathered Friends Front Point $429 retail Event 850+ down

 

Norrona Lyngen $379. retail 750 down/ Primaloft hybred

 

Feathered Friends Helious $275 retail Epic and 850 down

 

Mammut Ambler $300 retail 800 down

 

Arcteryx Dually $500 retail synthetic

 

MEC Tango Belay jacket retail $275 CD ($260 US$ today) Primaloft 1

 

 

I have personal best selections in 3 catagories...any one want to hear them before the full info is published at the blog?

 

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/

[iceclimber]

Yes...

[Bronco]

Yes please

[zeroforhire]

YESYESYES!

[Sheep]

yes

[G-spotter]

they had they yellow colour of the tango marked down to $199CDN in the store as of last week.. mostly xl and xxl left on the rack

[Dane]

Ok, the ultimate spoiler here.

 

Price no object the best heavy weight/bivy coats for my personal use?

 

The BIG winners!

 

Down...far and away the best of the bunch, at any price, Eddie Bauer XV

 

Synthetic...again a clear winner...MEC Tango (i'd love one in yellow) Patagonia only wishes they understood let alone could build this nice of belay jacket.

 

Hi-tech? The Narrona is amazing..combo of down and Primaloft (just wish I could justify buying one)

 

 

The BIG loosers?

 

To my huge surprise...Feathered Friends and Patagonia. The only jackets out of this bunch I would not care to own. Funny that, because when I started the review research I thought both manufactures would be the best of the bunch. I wasn't even remotely close on that guess.

 

Details soon at http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

[Le Piston]

Thanks for doing the research and sharing. I have used a combo of a lightweight REI primaloft hooded jacket (a little like the MH Compressor) for mild temps and an old Moonstone synthetic jacket for winter. Now I know what I can save my pennies for!

[summitchaserCJB]

Price induced quality apparently.

[summitchaserCJB]

Thanks for the info.

[layton]

dane can you list the actual weight and the fill weight in your reviews?

[Dane]

dane can you list the actual weight and the fill weight in your reviews?

 

That and a whole lot more...

[Zoran]

I have Mammut Ambler hooded jacket. I love my jacket and would like to see how Edi Bauer was better.

Thanks a lot for your had work.

 

[Dane]

Ambler is an awesome jacket. EB better? For me yes, but may be not for you. They were without question the two top down jackets. It is all in the details and the Mammut doesn't have to bow to any of the jackets reviewed. 1" less loft, heavier than the EB and a longer pattern cut (less technical) on the Ambler were three details that I thought the EB did better.

 

And the Mammut colors? I really like a solid colored, red

 

Review is pretty detailed so there is more but those were the highlights.

[RokIzGud]

Dane, have you tried the Rab Neutrino Endurance? 850 fill down.

[Dane]

Rok, I'll have a bunch of Rab gear in the next few reviews, impressive stuff. Montbell is another I'll be focusing on.

 

Rab Microlight Alpine

 

Rab Summit Batura

[BigSky]

It is indeed; I've been using their Vapour Rise stuff as an active mid-layer/softshell and I've been very happy with it. Most of their stuff is pretty reasonably priced for the build quality. I also use their Latok glove, Latok Alpine hard shell, and Fusion jacket.

[RokIzGud]

Thanks BigSky and Dane, I look forward to reading it. I just started using the Latok Alpine hard shell and am loving it. Im looking to get the Neutrino Endurance and have heard nothing but good news about it.

 

...Im like the stats on the Rab Summit Batura. It looks pretty nice.

Edited February 5, 2010 by RokIzGud

[Water]

I use the latok alpine and love it myself. Works great. After 1 season there is a spot or two on the shoulders that look a little thinner from the inside. Otherwise it seems quite durable. How long you been using yours rokizgud?

[RokIzGud]

I use the latok alpine and love it myself. Works great. After 1 season there is a spot or two on the shoulders that look a little thinner from the inside. Otherwise it seems quite durable. How long you been using yours rokizgud?

 

Besides hunting down Sushi in Ballard with my girl friend i have only worn it on 3 trips. On the last trip i used it in both heavy mist and snow. It breathed pretty well while kicking steps. So far im loving it and hope to see how it performs for the rest of my trips. I got it for a great price too

[stever]

Finally someone else who loves the MEC Tango!

[crackers]

So Dane, a question. How many days did you get out with the jackets? Or did you just take pictures of them in front of a mirror and play with them in your house?

 

After reading you smear Andrew Bisharat's review in R&I, in which he describes how the jacket functioned after a season of testing for his usage, I gotta say that anything less than full functional testing for at least a couple of weeks in the field doing what you're claiming to be reviewing the jackets for will just be a buyers guide but not a review.

 

In my mind, if there is no time spent in the field, it's not a review.

[Hugh Conway]

Hi-tech? The Narrona is amazing..combo of down and Primaloft (just wish I could justify buying one)

 

Norrona stuff is extremely well made and certainly some of the best stuff currently on the market. Unfortunately it's a expensive and backcountry.com is the sole US vendor. Fortunately for tightwads gear returned to backcountry.com without tags is putup for sale on geartrade.com

[Julian]

Norrona stuff has also been featured prominently on SteepAndCheap over the past week or so.