Any synthetics? Down gets damp from perspiration even when being careful. It is also expensive.
I have a Patagonia that I like for these purposes. Very light, reasonably compressible, quite warm. And it was cheap, but its falling g apart at last and needs replacement.
Have you personally had a high quality down jacket wet out? I/we have used a bunch, and I can not say on good down, especially water treated down, has lost loft.
My second question would be- why are you sweating in a puffy?
Sorry, I meant specific shell recommendations/favorites. Thanks.
Whew. That’s a bit open ended. What are you wanting out of the shell?
Form,
I appreciate your field testing and realize that any such testing must have some objective criteria to use.
However, short of coyotes and whitetails (where most of the time, weight is not a concern), how realistic is sitting motionless for hours? And why did you pick that as your yardstick?
I live and hunt in Montana in November, in one of the colder parts of the state. I can't imagine carrying enough clothes up a mountain to sit motionless for hours when its around 0* F, and even if I had the clothing, I'd have to bring a second set of boots to keep my feet warm once I got there.
Point being, I never assume that I will have to be motionless for hours, and really I can't think of why I would. Usually I sit down to glass, throw on a layer or two, and try to sit for as long as possible. Then, I either get up and hike to a new glassing spot or take a short warm-up walk and then come back to my spotting scope. Even if I bring an insulation layer for top and bottom and am mostly comfortable, my feet will get cold and I'll have to move to warm those up.
For one reason, you have to have a standard to compare against. Of a “moving” standard is used there is almost no usable info that can be gleaned. For instance, last week in 5 degrees, snow falling, and a 8-10 mph wind, I was in a thin base layer and waffle top (LW fleece) while slowly moving, and would have been drenched from sweat with any weight puffy. In contrast, my partner had the same layers on, plus a heavy puffy, and a rain jacket and was fine.
Second, for hunting- we get to ridge tops and glass big valleys all day. I agree with you in that I doubt very many people sit and glass late season, as we’ve never met a single person doing it and in the last decade in 4-5 western states. However it works, and we kill pretty consistently doing it.
As for what you do- why would you want to “need” to move instead of choosing clothing that lets you just sit and glass? Feet are the problem, but there are ways to mitigate that.
If you use the “I move when I get cold” standard... there’s no info there. That’s how you get people say that a jacket that has as much insulation as a 50 degree sleeping bag “is an oven”. It means nothing.
Every person is different so there is no one right answer.
For me, the LPP over the Atom is very warm. It was too warm for hiking in single digit temps at 12k. Then I had a Patagonia silk weight base, 240 and Atom. The Atom is a surprisingly warm jacket. This morning it was in the 20s but very windy and my body was completely comfortable. I was still, just leaning against a tree glassing a mountain. Hands and feet are typically another story when temps get into the teens. Legs have been ok with FL Merino, Prana Zion with the puffy kuiu insulation over the top while glassing.
My feet are always the first to get me moving. Trying some Superfeet in insulated Crispis. It’s a little better.
I guess the 40+ dudes we’ve conducted testing with are sissy’s. Not one dude has been comfortable in those temps wearing those clothes.
Form - how durable do you think the exterior material is on the Chamberlin? I believe its nylon.
It’s a normal puff jacket. I wouldn’t wear it busting brush, but then I couldn’t move at all in it anyways. The Sitka with WS is much more durable.
