UltraLight Down Jacket suggestion for Tas in Winter?

[Earthling]

What UltraLight Down Jackets are out there that suit Tasmanian winter conditions for hiking?

Ive got an Montbell UL down jacket which is good at 230grams but is it enough for winter hiking and camping?
http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.ph ... id=2301154

Should I go the Skaha Plus at 315grams or is that overkill?
http://www.nunatakusa.com/site07/garmen ... us_muf.htm

Others?
Thoughts?

[gayet]

Have a look at PHD - they have a sale on at the moment
http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/insulated-clothing.php?cat=110

The ultra down is 230g of 900 loft but has no hood. Good to -5
Stud on hood available as an option

[Mountain Rocket]

I seem to remember http://www.moontrail.com/western-mounta ... t-mens.php scoring quite well in a BPL review.
So did the PHD Mountain Software Ultra Down Pullover. They would certainly be worth a look.

Personally I am a big fan of hoods in down jackets, but it is obviously personal preference (as is everything in this arena).

[forest]

Not sure on what else you layer with it but a MB UL down inner jacket for me it wouldn't be warm enough during winter.
That 2oz of down in the MB inner jacket is warm but not winter warm.

Last winter in Barrington tops (NSW mountains so not Tassie alpine and not exposed) in the snow I had a MB Alpine Light parka (hooded) with some down 2/3 shorts.
I was comfy at -7°C. (My mates in fleece were freezing and wouldn't emerge from there sleeping bag until the sun would warm things up) Probably could have done without the down shorts but they are very warma and pack to nothing.
Jacket was 4.4oz 800 fill and the pants are 2.5oz 900 fill.

I was only comfortable in my UL inner to just above freezing with a 200gsm base layer and a windshirt over that. (Not on same trip)

My new light down jacket is a feathered friends daybreak. @ 240gms with 3.1oz of 850+ fill it's a lot warmer and has more "puff" than the UL inner jacket.
Still, if it looked like being lower than -5°C I'd be taking something warmer like the Alpine light or some fleece as a warm when wet back-up.

[Moondog55]

My memories of Tassie are restricted to the days of woollen shirts and jumpers ( the bad old days before pile and fleece and when down was reserved for sleeping bags that cost 6 months wages ) I would be taking something with a synthetic insulation, what I mainly remember from Tassie in the 70s and 80s is sleet, rain, wind, rain and more sleet

[Earthling]

Gayet those PHD's are new to me Ive sent PHD an email regarding the clip on hood so will see what there reply is.

Rob, I too prefer a hood
In a detailed BPL review the tester lists the PHD as warmer than a WM Flash
The WM Flight is warmer though and is a contender...however I cant beat the weight of the Skaha...

Moondog, yes my memory of being on Mt Field last Easter were sideways rain just above freezing....Artceryx jackets do their thing of keeping me dry then

The MB Alpine light parka is good and warm, however the Skaha Plus would be at least equal to if not warmer for a lighter weight.

Thanks for all your replies, it seems at the moment that the Skaha Plus and PHD Down jacket are the contenders...will do some more research....

[Moondog55]

PHD sale coming up; tomorrow I think

[ULWalkingPhil]

I'm following this thread with interest, My current Down Jacket a Macpac Sundowner XP is 637grams, if I can get something just as warm for less than half the weight of my Macpac, i'm interested.

[Earthling]

PHD sale coming up; tomorrow I think

Their March sale is up and running and no Ultra Down Pullover

[gayet]

Send them an email, ask what they have in odd lots, clearnace areas etc, doesn't hurt to try.

I have a Yukon jacket, bought a year or 2 ago in this sale. It's overkill for most conditions but means I can be very warm without too much else. It has a stud on hood and it works well for me. There are no drafts as there is a good baffle inside it. Very well made too.

[Capt DropBear]

I don't own one, but the Montane Anti-Freeze maybe worth a look - tried one on in Melbourne, very impressed, pretty reasonable price too.
http://www.backpackinglight.com.au/prod850.htm

[JohnM]

I'm a fan of the WM Flight series.

Flash series is good, but it wouldn't be warm enough for me in a tassie winter.

Flight series have a lot of quality filling, but very lightweight shell... so an excellent insulation/weight & compressibility ratio. The jacket weighs in at just under 300g, which is pretty good for the warmth it offers.

I don't have the Flight jacket, but I do use the Flight vest. Same specs, just no sleeves. Top Quality kit.

Even warmer is my Feathered Friends Helios jacket. 50% heavier than the Flight, due to more fill and Epic fabric... but wow! What a great jacket. Awesomely insulated pockets too.

Note for potential online purchasers: the Helios tends to run a little small, and is cut quite short. Probably best to order up a size.

[Earthling]

Thanks everybody for their replies.

After reading the reviews on Backpacking Light and some of the Round Tables on Down jackets I decided on the PHD Ultra Down Pullover.
I phoned PHD just earlier and the size large will weigh in at 240 grams and the hood an extra 45 grams. Hopefully its not toooo much more than that
I also asked them about the jacket going on sale and they said as of the price of the down and scarcity of the down they said its not possible ;(
But Im not complaining with a $316 'jacket' that will see me into the minus figures.
Cant wait to get out there and try it out

It was a toss up between the PHD and Skaha, but with the extra cost of the Skaha ($449 + post) and extra ounce in weight it tipped the scales tooo far. Plus I have a better feeling about the PHD so I went with it

[ULWalkingPhil]

Did they mention if there in stock? I read on there website if none in stock there will be a 4 week wait

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[Nuts]

Iv'e got that MB inner parka (hoody) earthling. I found that getting the inner vest (x2 but the short sleeve shirt would be nice) as well was a pretty versatile option.. I took a Montane antifreeze (jacket) to the walls in winter but decided it was too warm for sleeping (-5/6c) and a frag cold for sitting around (-2/3c) that time (and the way i was using it).

(needed a generous raincoat to fit it all under)

just to add that the mb inner pants are very nice (and complete the 'look' lol)

[Earthling]

Did they mention if there in stock? I read on there website if none in stock there will be a 4 week wait

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Hi, no, one question I forgot to ask, however I wont be needing it for a wee while depending on the scenic route I take to get their...

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Last edited by Earthling on Tue 06 Mar, 2012 9:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Earthling]

I took a Montane antifreeze (jacket) to the walls in winter but decided it was too warm for sleeping (-5/6c) and a frag cold for sitting around (-2/3c) that time (and the way i was using it).
just to add that the mb inner pants are very nice (and complete the 'look' lol)

Yes the Michelen Man look...very niiiiiice

I was looking at incorporating a pair of Down pants and make it all part of the sleep system, however after adding the weight savings between the different Zpack Sleeping bags it works out not much of a saving...so I went the -7c bag.
http://www.zpacks.com/quilts/sleepingbag.shtml
I also thought as Im newish to Tas winter weather I should er on the side of caution and not rely on all my layers to keep me warm at night.

So I was just going to go the I/O Wool pants at 166grams I have and wear my hiking pants and then Golite Reeds over that for around camp wear...is that warm enough for winter Tas? The top half was going to be a synthetic longsleeve shirt (probably Artcery Phase SL something), 100 weight fleece and then the PHD, with the option of the shell jacket if its needed.