Down Jacket Recommendations

Chip and I are heading out for an attempt at Mt. Rainier next May/June. A down jacket is strongly recommended. I can't decide on a cheapie $80 one w/o hood, or a top of the line $250 one. I'll probably not wear it again, but do not want to be out in the cold either. Is there a significant difference that cannot be overcome with layering? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah, you can equate the warmth of down but at a big size and weight penalty.

BTW, you can rent stuff at SummitHaus which is next to Whittaker's Bunkhouse in Ashland if you think you will never use it again.

I have a MH Phantom down jacket which I brought to Rainier that I've used in the ADKs and in the Whites in winter. It is hoodless but I always had a fleece/wool hood and balaclava so I didn't need a hood. It's about 3 years old so I don't know the latest incarnation of it is now but it compresses into a stuff sack that was included to the size of say a small grapefruit or a large orange.

Bought it on sale for something like $165 I think at Backcountry.com

Jay

A good down parka can be a wise lifelong investment. It's an important piece of safety equipment for winter hiking and backcountry skiing, even here in New England. However, if this is truly a one-time use, you could look into renting one at Feathered Friends. Both their Icefall and Frontpoint parkas, and perhaps others, are available to rent from their retail store in Seattle.

I bought this one last year. 650 fill is pretty good, hood is good if you need to wear the jacket, it has to be big enough to fit over everything else, but I ordered my "correct" size and it does fit over everything.

AND, We'd Match !!!

Mountain Hardwear

I picked up the Sub Zero SL Hooded Jacket from Mountain Hardwear for my summit attempt on Mt. Rainier. The other two guys who went with me (and actually summitted) also bought it and like it as well. It's very warm and I used it a lot last winter.

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?top=1&prod=30&cat=38&viewAll=False

I think this is the link but I am very tech challenged so if this douen't work just go to the Mountain Hardwear site and do a search. Good luck on Mt. Rainier. Although I got sick it is still a very fond memory!

lighter

TEO said:

A good down parka can be a wise lifelong investment. It's an important piece of safety equipment for winter hiking and backcountry skiing, even here in New England. However, if this is truly a one-time use, you could look into renting one at Feathered Friends. Both their Icefall and Frontpoint parkas, and perhaps others, are available to rent from their retail store in Seattle.

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I took a Feather Friends Frontpoint jacket up Denali last June. Awesome parka, I think it might be a little much though for Rainier in June. It's very warm and I didn't use it all below high camp (17200 ft). I mostly lived in a lightweight EMS Primaloft parka. I can't imagine not having something like this for cold conditions. I'm thinking about the Feather Friends Helios jacket to replace the EMS parka which is starting to show its age.

Paradox said:

Chip and I are heading out for an attempt at Mt. Rainier next May/June. A down jacket is strongly recommended. I can't decide on a cheapie $80 one w/o hood, or a top of the line $250 one. I'll probably not wear it again, but do not want to be out in the cold either. Is there a significant difference that cannot be overcome with layering? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

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Get a cheapie. And you can find them for $40 w/o much trouble.

I got a nice 650 fill-power-lofty-cheapie at LL Bean for $49 last week.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...langId=-1&categoryId=54663&sc1=Search&feat=sr

This was to replace my cheapie Campor down jacket that I wore for ten years without too much loss of down. I used it winter backpacking, peakbagging -- for in camp and on summits. Death of zipper forced replacement.

Down Jacket

On my first Ranier trip for a gift my wife got me a Lands End 650 down long jacket with a hood.
Worked perfectly!
Since then on Alaska trips I graduated to an Absolute Zero Parka, but still use that Lands end here in the winter.
Renting is a great way to try equipment. Packs, boots (to a lesser extent) and down layers before you buy them.

Have a great time at Rainier.

SABERG

llbean outlet in concord

I've mentioned this before and its worth mentioning again(I love the place!), the llbeans outlet in concord, nh, has a ton of nice hoodless down jackets(pretty thick for the price), for 49 bucks instead of 69 bucks.

hikerfast said:

I've mentioned this before and its worth mentioning again(I love the place!), the llbeans outlet in concord, nh, has a ton of nice hoodless down jackets(pretty thick for the price), for 49 bucks instead of 69 bucks.

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Yup! Its great! That's where I got my jacket. Lots of good stuff there!

I was in the Concord LL Bean last night. They had a pretty good selection of down jackets.

Goodwill is another place to check out for good cheap jackets and parkas.

I have a Marmot 8000 meter parka, I paid a lot for it, I have carried it in the Cascades, and for winter stuff in NH and ME. I bought it for the "one" time I might need it, it always gives me an extra feeling of security to have it stuffed in the bottom of my pack on those really cold winter days.

This is great folks! Thank you very much for your input.

I have a TNF Baltoro, which is the predecessor of the Himalayan. Mine is 700 fill down, I think. It is big, warm and has a big insulated hood. The new parka sells for about $500. I got mine on eBay for $275 if I remember right.

This parka is really warm. I have used it in Yosemite in February up at Glacier Road winter camping. Too much for daytime, but great at night. I don't know what the weather on Rainier is like in summer, but I'd take something really warm, no matter what is predicted.

If you are sure it's a one-time deal, renting is great, but I am glad I bought mine. I use it a time or two each winter. I also have a TNF Nuptse, but that is pretty light. I got mine at an outlet store and wear it when it's really cold in LA.

btw, there is a TNF parka similar to mine for sale on eBay right now-it's a medium, yellow, not sure the model exactly, but it looks a lot like mine.

Hi John,
I've an EMS 650-fill Down w/o hood and an EMS Prima-Loft w hood. The down one is lighter and take out much less space. The Prima-loft is heavier (even without hood), less squeezable, but warmer. I ended up taking the Down one to the Big R and the prima-loft for NE winter hikes.

The Down one had served me well, but wish it comes with hood. I bought it around March or April for like 75% off the original price, I think I paid $69. Since your trip is May/June, may be worthwhile to wait for the end of season sale. Most people buy slightly bigger size so that you can wear it on top of all your layers, and helmet.

Or this one from REI-Outlet looks pretty good too: http://www.rei.com/REI-Outlet/product/752988

Just thinking of Rainier put a smile on my face . Have fun, hope you two have better luck with weather than we did.

If you live near a Goodwill, check often. Last fall I scored a TNF Nupse 700 down for $10 and this year scored a Mountain Hardwear down (not sure of the model) for $9. I have used the Beans ones in the past and they are a fine jacket, and you can't beat the price.

I have a hoodless 650 fill from Cabelas a few years back. I've also got an old 70s Eddie Bauer HUGE thigh length parka with a hood that looks (and feels) like a helmet. I would never buy another down parka/jacket without a hood. The hood is essential if the temperatures are such that warrant the down.

I've been drooling over the Mtn Hardwear parkas but they're close to $300.

Get one with a hood.

sleeping bear said:

I would never buy another down parka/jacket without a hood. The hood is essential if the temperatures are such that warrant the down.

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Agreed--in general, I don't like hoods (I prefer hats and balaclavas), but I have one on my down jacket. When it is really cold (or you are inactive), they are significantly warmer than a hat. They also protect a significant portion of the neck.

Doug

I had a once-in-a-lifetime warranty replacement offer from Mountain Hardwead. So, after years of getting by, i picked out one of these http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?top=1&prod=31&cat=38&viewAll=False

and it is really, really warm. I've used in -30F temps (found out this actual temp at the trail head for Mt. Marcy) not including windchill. IMHO, parkas are the way to go if you really need to stay warm in the COLD. Like Doug, i usually disdain hoods, but they really are much warmer than a hat/balaclava with scarf.

fm