Down Parka Advice for Winter Camping

I am looking to get a down jacket and would like a jacket that would keep me warm winter camping in subzero temperatures. I hike all winter season and want to be prepared when it gets really cold. Do you have any suggestions on a jacket and on the fill? I know Mountain Hardware has hooded down jacket that is 650 fill. Will 650 fill be adequate in the whites in middle of winter or should I get a 750 or 850 fill?
Thanks

I have the Mountain Hardwear Subzero SL jacket with 650 fill and I LOVE IT. I use it when I backpack in winter. It is lightweight, allows full range of motion unlike my gortex jacket so it is nice around camp. It has served me well. Sure 750 or 800 fill will likely be better but this jacket serves me well.
Here is a link to one being sold in Hilton tent city.

http://www.hiltonstentcity.com/library/mhw-subzerosl-hooded-jkt-wom.htm

sli74

FWIW: I have the same parka, it's a bit short, but it does very well at keeping me warm.

I bought an x-large (I'm a med. to large normally)with the idea that I could throw it on over anything else, shell, etc. that I was wearing while hiking/camping in sub-zero temps.

Sierra Trading Post has several 750 and 850 fill jackets right now.
This is a 850 with zip off hood.

I also bought a Sub-Zero, but found it too short for deep winter use. I am 5'10" and it barely reaches my belt line. It now resides in my gear locker and gets used only for base or car camping. I don't know your budget, but look into the Frontpoint Jacket or the Icefall Parka from Feathered Friends. These are exceptional quality and will cover your needs for years.

I've got the same Mountain Hardwear Subzero SL jacket with 650 fill that sli74 has and I love mine too - though of course, make sure it fits YOU well! As soon as I put mine on I get toasty. I bought mine at Hilton's Tent City as well where it was about 35% off.

No matter which you buy, make sure it has a big puffy hood that will fit comfortably over the hat you've already got on your head. You might look like a marshmellow but who cares??

-katie

MattS said:

Will 650 fill be adequate in the whites in middle of winter or should I get a 750 or 850 fill?
Thanks

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If by 'adequate' you mean "warm enough", fill weight really isn't the determining factor. All things being equal, it's the thickness of the insulation that determines warmth. A 1/2" of 650 fill is just as "warm" as a 1/2' of 850 fill which is just as warm as a 1/2" of shredded newspaper. Dead air space is the key.

Onestep

I have the same jacket that sli74 and bunchberry have. Works great for me
Whatever you get, make sure it has a hood. My TNF hollofill jacket has no hood which renders it useless on cold days. Good for moving around basecamp though.

I got a marmot plasma parka when they still made it (800+ down)

It is not as long as others, but I dont find that extra length absolutely necessary in the lower 48 during the winter. I have been able to lay on my back, very comfortably, on the -10 degree ground of my tent while waiting for dinner to cook, in the parka.

Two nice things are 1) the weight <1lb and 2) it is super compressible...meaning I can take it anywhere and everywhere without even thinking about it.

Make sure the park you get is baffled, has a hood, and that the shoulders and arms are reinforced. Patagonia makes a really nice down parka as well.

I have a MH Phantom Jacket(800 fill,no hood),which I use with a MH Exposure II shell. Keeps me plenty toasty for winter camping.

I have two down parkas that I use. One is an EMS brand. They don't sell it any more. It has an insulated hood and does a fine job in most conditions. I also have an MH Absolute Zero down parka that I will take on the coldest days. I know I will be warm in that jacket! It is a little longer than the MH Subzero jacket and it has 800 fill down.

Down Parka? Here ya go...

I have Mtn Hrdwr Sub-Zero PARKA and it is truly winter worthy - in the Whites or most anywhere else for that matter. I used mine in -30F standing temps in the 'daks and was toasty before i'd had any significant movement to generate body heat.

The parka version of the Mtn Hrdwr Sub-Zero is nicely long and the hood is brilliantly designed - one of the few hoods that actually functions properly - even with a helmet on. Also, the parka has these cozy, fleece-lined pockets - another ingenious feature. No, it's not a gee-wiz 700 or 800 fill (no offense intended for previous poster!!) or maybe even 900 fill if you're Marmot or TNF , BUT 650 is adequate and not too spendy for the budget conscious.

I will say about the only downside is the parka is a bit on the heavy side However, you can save some wgt by wearing a light "shell" jacket when on the move and pull out the parka when you stop.

'tis the Season!

fm

I have two down parkas. A TNF Nuptse for moderately cold weather-I even wore it last night here in LA-no insulation in the hood, but cheap and a TNF Baltoro, an earlier version of the Himalayan. Very warm, Goretex, full hood, a real mountaineering parka. Got it on eBay for half price. Newer parkas have a higher fill-this one is 700- but I still look like the Michelin Man in it. The only downside with the big parka is that it is heavy and takes up as much room as a sleeping bag.

Ditto for the Mountain Hardware Sub-Zero. I love it.

down jacket

I notice folks posting 2 jackets. I also have 2, my wife gave me a Lands End long 650 that works great at or around zero (Mt Rainier), then I also have an Absolute Zero also from Hiltons in Boston for real cold!
I guess the layering may be overlapped a little but I like the flexibility, The abosolute is really puffy.
Both are sized for a mid layer under them and both work really well.

Scott

SABERG said:

I also have an Absolute Zero also from Hiltons in Boston for real cold!

Scott

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I didn't mention it, but I do to. I have only used it once but it's a great thing to have. I keep it in my truck all winter.
I have two "sub-zeros".
Black for everyday so it hides "dog dirt" and red for hiking so they can find me should I ever get lost.
I didn't want to wreck the hiking jacket by using it daily.
They were a great investment and I can see them lasting a very long time.

MattS said:

I am looking to get a down jacket and would like a jacket that would keep me warm winter camping in subzero temperatures. I hike all winter season and want to be prepared when it gets really cold. Do you have any suggestions on a jacket and on the fill? I know Mountain Hardware has hooded down jacket that is 650 fill. Will 650 fill be adequate in the whites in middle of winter or should I get a 750 or 850 fill?
Thanks

Click to expand...

The difference between 550, 650, 750 and 850 down has nothing to do with warmth.

The key thing to look for in down jackets and bags is loft. A 550 parka with 6" of loft and an 850 parka with 6" of loft will keep you just as warm. The only difference s are that the 850 parka will a) weigh a few grams less and b) be more expensive by many dollars. The law of diminishing returns applies. More deeply, the numeric values on the down plays into a standard marketing game of "more is better" that is almost impossible for consumers to resist.

IMO, there are 2 basic style of down jackets that make sense. The first is the down sweater. These are waist length, are almost always quilted (sticthed through) and are nice ways to carry a lot of warmth in a little bit of pack room. In general, they get worn under a shell. But truth be told, I use mine more for around town wear than real winter bc use.

The second and much more useful style of jacket is the belay parka style. These are hip length jackets and are generally baffeled (the stitching doesn't go all the way through) like a sleeping bag to provide more loft. They are sized big so that you can wear them [b[over[/b] your shell at rest stops. By far, this is my favorite type of jacket for New England winters. I keep mine near the top of my pack and it comes out at rest stops and in camp.

Actually, I've been carrying a Marmont Primaloft Belay Jacket for many years and like it well enough. The Patagonia DAS Parka is another nice one. There are loads of down belay parkas out there too and if I had the coin, I would move to down for the bettter weight and packability.

Some of the features that I would insist on are:
+ Permenantly attached hood
+ Baffled construction
+ Waterresistant outer shell
+ Longer hip length
+ 4 outer pockets

I'm sure that Marmot, Patagonia, TNF, Mountain Hardware and EMS all make jackets like this. Names change frequently.