best belay jacket?

[christophbenells]

im looking for a new belay jacket.

 

looking for synthetic, ultra warm, waterproof or resistant, and a tough fabric.

 

recommendations?

[jared_j]

Edit: What did you use on your recent successful AK trip (congrats and great TR, BTW)? Were you unsatisfied with it in some way?

 

I like the "Cold Thistle" strategy advocated by Dane on this board and his website for use just around the PNW. I use two synthetic layers. One is fairly thin and very lightweight, ideal as a standalone insulation piece in mild weather (for me, this means no colder than 30s), and weighing in under a pound. I have gone with the Rab Xenon X, 14oz, insulation weight 60 g/m.

 

The other is thicker, and works pretty well for me doing winter stuff around WA when it isn't exceptionally cold. For this, I've used a Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody in the past but recently got an Eddie Bauer Igniter (claimed weight is like 16-17 oz, but I think it weighs a little more) when the old one lost its loft. The insulation weight is 100g/m.

 

If it is really balls ass cold, you can double them up, and potentially use the lighter weight one as a layer while moving. The Igniter is cut generously enough that it doesn't feel like it mashes down the loft of the inner layer.

 

I'm not a textiles scientist, but my caveman brain wants to conclude that layering two garments both with Primaloft 1 insulation (one with 100g /m and one with 60 g/m) insulates roughly similarly to a garment that would have weight 160 g/m (that the sum of multiple insulation layers is approximately linear). Of course if there's any compression of the loft of the inner layer, it will actually be equivalent to something less than 160 g/m. I have no idea if this assumption is valid; all I can say is that the layering method feels pretty warm to me.

 

If I were doing a lot of climbing in cold places (MT, WY, CO, AK), I would maybe go a different route of getting something beefier or a single piece that has thicker insulation to avoid the minor futzing associated with using two separate layers.

 

Back in the day I had a Wild Things Belay jacket and it was warm as hell and has a relatively burly shell fabric, but mega overkill for most conditions I encountered in the region.

Edited July 21, 2014 by jared_j

[DPS]

im looking for a new belay jacket.

 

looking for synthetic, ultra warm, waterproof or resistant, and a tough fabric.

 

recommendations?

 

Wild Things Belay Parka. Epic W/B fabric, Primaloft One insulation, as warm or warmer than any synthetic parka out there. Nice, athletic cut. As it so happens, I have one I would sell you. Size medium, blue, one small tear on the shoulder - patched with fabric from the manufacturer.

 

I bought it specifically for AK and Rainier in the winter and other cold trips. As Jared said, overkill for most other trips around here.

Edited July 21, 2014 by DPS

[christophbenells]

i used mountain hardware nitrous jacket paired with a mountain hardware kelvinator, one or the other, or both depending on the temperatures.

 

they worked fine for that trip, but i would like to do some more intensive rock routes in ak range, and i am a cold person (ironic for an alaska climber i know). i envision myself climbing while wearing the parka, so i want something that is really resistant to abrasion. those mhw jackets are both really thin denier down jackets, that would shred to pieces inside in icy off-width...

[jared_j]

What about a soft shell with a less athletic fit and a thinner primaloft layer underneath? Not super warm but easy and maybe not the most fun ton move in, but also not insanely heavy. A thick puff with a burly shell is gonna be heavy.

 

Edited to add that I haven't done rock routes in super cold conditions so take this idea with a grain of salt.

Edited July 21, 2014 by jared_j

[DPS]

Wild Things Belay Parka is the ticket. $100 and its yours.

[Jake_Gano]

I'm wearing a Rab Alpine Generator for most of my days above 0F. Super happy with it - light, good hood (important), good cut. If it's colder I'll swap it out for a legit down parka.

 

My old WT Belay Parka doesn't see much use these days. It's a Large/Orange and, like DPS, I'd be willing to let mine go for $100.

 

If you have the $, some people swear by the Arcteryx Dually. My guess is that like most deadbird gear its 10% nicer and 200% the cost of the competition, but if you have the money to spend and want to go that extra distance, more power to you.

[rgraff]

Arc'teryx solo and dually belay parkas are my go to in cold weather

Edited July 22, 2014 by rgraff

[G-spotter]

the one having the most fun

[jrc]

with a little bit of internet searching you can quickly find that several big names (besides Dane) are using the two piece system (Ueli S., Colin H. etc). The inner piece can become part of the action layer during cold sections of climbing.

 

I've found that I like a 2 piece system. A 60 - 80g synthetic piece and then a bigger belay jacket to go over that when it's super cold. Last year in the St Elias in April and the year previous in the eastern alaska range in April I used a 60g primaloft one piece (peak performance hydrogen) and a 160g primaloft one piece (patagonia DAS parka old style).

 

I've found that I use the 60 - 80g piece a ton as my 3 season belay jacket and I use my heavier puffy a bit as a winter belay jacket in coastal climates. Use them together in colder climates.

 

Wild Things Belay jacket is super bomber and super heavy. A top contender in my mind is the mountain equipment Citadel. Arcteryx dually with the hood is also a top tier product. Dont be too afraid of down used correctly and in the correct places.

 

For the lighter weight piece, I just picked up a nuclei hoody to replace the hydrogen and I. LOVE. IT.