Author Topic: Trouble Finding the Right Jacket (Warning, very long post!).  (Read 9826 times)

xtremottx

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Thanks for the info, Bhod. The parka is definitely over my budget. I'll take a look at some of their other jackets though, to see if I come across anything less expensive.

Thanks for your suggestion, fernman. I have taken a look at the Go Outdoors review on YouTube. Some things I can put up with or work with, however, the fleecey type interior material rules this jacket out for me. Apart from that, the hood is also attached by buttons only, which leaves gaps for the wind. It also has a synthetic fill and not down/feather. I appreciate your taking the time to help; thanks.

Mel/jimbob, I have had a quick search for fishing jackets and have not come across anything suitable yet, but whilst searching, I did come across a jacket that shows the hood attachment like I am looking for perfectly (I can just about make out the zip ends).

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/61QAAOSwa~BYRZ7g/s-l1600.jpg [nofollow]

Being 10,000mm waterproof, 10,000 gram windproof, taped seams and 700 fill, below is another non-ridculosuly-expensive example of what could have been perfect for me if only the hood was attached like I've described above, if normal buttons were used instead of magnets and if no snow cuffs were used. I don't imagine any of the above would have increased the cost of this jacket. Of course, I would have to check how puffy the jacket was in person, as sometimes, even when they describe it as 700 fill, it feels pretty flat! Oh, I forgot that I do not know if it's a laminate or coating, so if not a membrane, then this may allow the jacket to be cheaper, however, the Mountain Warehouse jackets was a membrane and that was even cheaper than this one!

http://www.tog24.com/catalog/product/view/id/48320/s/descent-mens-milatex-down-jacket-navy/category/345/ [nofollow]

Thanks again for the ideas and suggestions; I'll be looking further into the fishing jackets and other jackets by Fjallraven.
« Last Edit: 18:06:02, 14/03/17 by xtremottx »

stubill

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I've been a carp angler for around 35 years, and to be honest, anything branded as "angling or fishing apparel" is usually over priced rubbish that isn't fit for purpose, especially anything by angling companies.


Most seasoned anglers go to outdoors shops or Army surplus shops.


I can't actually recommend anything, as I use layers, but it might be worth a look.

Kukkudrill

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xtremottx, why do you want the jacket to be down-filled not synthetic if weight and bulk are not an issue for you?
Make the most of the available light

fernman

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Two points, relating to comments the OP has made:

1. My experience with the jackets I have mentioned, the Sprayway Quorum and the earlier ski jacket, is that you do not get draughts from the wind with a hood that is attached with snap fasteners. The collar raised inside the hood prevents any chance of that (you can't have the hood up without the collar being up, if you think about it).

2. Good down insulation doesn't necessarily mean more puffiness. My old insulated jacket for walking was reminiscent of the Michelin man, but its replacement, a Haglofs LIM Essens with 800+ fill, looks quite thin by comparison yet it is equally warm.

Meanwhile, I too am interested to see an answer to the question asked by Kukkudrill.

kinkyboots

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Firstly, the jacket should be suitable for standing around in very strong winds at below zero temperatures but also in heavy rain, so it must be extremely warm, fully waterproof and fully windproof with taped seams. It must be one, single jacket and not a  layering system. I am looking for a fully insulated (including hood and sleeves) down/feather (not synthetic) filled jacket.

You may possibly find something to suit your needs if you look at the jackets sold specifically for bushcrafting as it's seems to involve a lot of mostly standing around doing nothing much for long periods of time so possibly more suitable than anything sold specifically for walking.  ;D

This website may be a good starting point http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/clothing--accessories-11-c.asp

Also have a look at some of the many bushcrafting forums as they may be better placed to be able to point you in the right direction.

You will almost certainly not find anything amongst the budget brands you've already mentioned or any other budget brands for that matter. The budget brands design and build clothing to meet a budget price and to have mass market appeal not to meet any individual users specific needs. Manufacturers will also not make anything that is not guaranteed to sell in large quantities.

Importantly you also need to be aware that down and feathers do not react well to rain water or even damp conditions such as we get in the UK so it maybe a good idea if you consider excluding them from your specification.

With such a detailed list of requirements you may eventually find something suitable but unless you are prepared to compromise on your specification it will almost certainly have a hefty price tag attached to it.

You may not like it but I agree with the others that the sensible way forward it for you to look at some kind of layering system which gives you the flexibility to adjust your clothing for differing weather or temperature conditions.

The chances are that you will never find one single jacket that is suitable in all conditions - many manufacturers have already tried it and failed miserably and you wanting something that doesn't already exist will not change that.   

xtremottx

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Hi stubill; thanks for your suggestions. I still haven't had the chance to properly search the fishing or army websites but from a quick search, there didn't seem to be many down/feather insulated jackets with insulated hoods or at least the websites didn't provide too much info.

Hi Kukkudrill. I am not an expert at all but I thought down/feathers were warmer and maintained better loft than any synthetic. I may be wrong, with all the new technologies that may now be available. I do not have much experience with synthetic fill, however, I have been wearing my current feather jacket for years and no matter how much it is pressed down or pressed against, the loft has remained. I thought synthetic fill got flatter. Have I got it wrong? I have been wearing my current jacket for about 15 years and like my gear to last LONG!

fernman, regarding point number one, I felt the cold air when I wore the buttoned hood mentioned in my original post. I admit that the hood wasn't deep enough and this may have contributed to that, however, even with the collar up inside, surely there is enough space for a strong wind to creep in? Thanks for the info regarding down insulation; my knowledge isn't that great on these things!

Thanks for your advice, kinkyboots. I have had a very quick look at the bushcraft stuff and again, it seems similar to the fishing/army gear in terms of insulation, but I will have a better look. I think a suitable offering from a budget brand would suffice; it is just the designs that I am having issues with. Yes, I realise that about down/feathers but was hoping with regular maintenance, i.e. reproofing, etc. it wouldn't be a problem. I understand the flexibility of layering, however, this is definitely something I am not considering.

I will have a thorough search of all the suggestions made here as I only have a week left to decide whether or not to return the jacket I've bought. If I don't find anything before then, I may be stuck with it for another 15 years!

Jonfun

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I have been used a Paramo Pasco for the past 18 Months or so as my primary walking/waterproof layer. I love it and it fits and looks great, comfy and is definately waterproof, however I cant get around the fact that its on the warmer side due to its inherent design and Nikwax system, I do also run slightly hot. We hiked up YGarn in November and it came into its element, but if its even slightly warm its too hot I only ever wear a base layer underneath never a midlayer ..


So, that said I decided last week to go back to a traditional hardshell, and purchased the Mountain Equipment Rupal Gore-Tex Jacket, Which feels bomb proof, I cant wait to get caught in the rain in this thing  ;D  .. the RRP is £250, But after some looking around I found it discounted on the Blacks website and with the use of a Promo Code got it down to £156. Not bad for a top end ME Gore-Tex hardshell.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Finding the right jacket should be an easy process, especially with the internet at your disposal.
Firstly, what do you want the jacket to do ?.
Do you want it to be suitable for the winter, or just for the warmer months.

If its a four seasons jacket you want, then discount the lightweight models, more designed for the warmer weather, if you hang up your boots come October, ignore the expensive four season waterproofs.


The four season jackets, usually cost the most money, and have the best gadgets and facilities on offer.


A lightweight warmer weather jacket, are usually more affordable, and have fewer thrills, but are usually totally unsuitable for sub zero winter temperatures.

Secondly, how much can you afford ?, if money is not really an issue, visit the websites of The North Face, Berghaus, Mountain Equipment, Lowe Alpine and the other top names.

Only you know what you want the jacket to do, the rest should be down to trial and error and hours of internet searching.

Once you have set your budget, select several jackets from the big named retailers, and then if possible, visit a respected retailer, so you can see and try the jackets on.

It will then be down to you, to whittle your choices to maybe one or two jackets.

If money is an issue, as it is for most of us, still whittle your choice down to one or two jackets, and then search high and low for the best possible price.

This is how i chose my waterproof, after knowing exactly what i wanted the jacket for, and how much i wanted to spend.

Before the days of the internet, buying a new 3 or maybe 4 seasons waterproof, was not easy, but with every manufacturer showing their stock on their websites, settling on one specific jacket will be down to trail and error, and how it feels on your shoulders.

Good luck, and start that elusive search for the best waterproof for your requirements.
« Last Edit: 15:57:23, 16/03/17 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

xtremottx

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Hi Jonfun. Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, the jacket needs to be insulated also.

Hi Dyffryn Ardudwy. Thanks for all the advice. I have been doing exactly as you have advised. My budget was under £200 but I haven't come across exactly what I am looking for. I have looked at the big names also and, as mentioned earlier, considered The North Face McMurdo II parka. I am aware of jackets like the Annapurna, Absolute Zero, etc. In fact, I looked at all the big names first and when I couldn't find anything there, I turned to the cheaper ones, though I wouldn't really class £125 and £126 (current cost of the jackets I bought at their relative websites) 'cheap'!

I have found another jacket that seems to be 50/50 in terms of my preferences, for example, I wanted down/feather insulation and this jacket has a combination of both down and synthetic. I also did not want warm material inside the collar and this jacket has both warm material at the bottom of the collar and regular material at the top (as far as I can tell from some of the pictures). I wouldn't rule this one out and would try it on if I could. Unfortunately, my size is sold out almost everywhere and it's over my budget at the one or two places it might be available. It's the Berghaus Ulvetanna Hydrodown Fusion Parka.

Does anybody know if this is a jacket that becomes available every year or is it an old one that will no longer be available?

Thanks.

Kukkudrill

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Hi Kukkudrill. I am not an expert at all but I thought down/feathers were warmer and maintained better loft than any synthetic. I may be wrong, with all the new technologies that may now be available. I do not have much experience with synthetic fill, however, I have been wearing my current feather jacket for years and no matter how much it is pressed down or pressed against, the loft has remained. I thought synthetic fill got flatter. Have I got it wrong? I have been wearing my current jacket for about 15 years and like my gear to last LONG!


Weight for weight down is warmer than synthetic, but down is more expensive than synthetic and weight is not an issue for you whereas price is. You're more likely to find a synthetic jacket that is both affordable and has the warmth you're looking for.


As for loft, I believe that's more of an issue with compressible jackets of the sort you put in a stuffsack so you can carry it in a rucksack. I don't think it should be a problem with normal use.
Make the most of the available light

xtremottx

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Thanks for the info,  Kukkudrill. Yes, I know it might be an extremely silly comparison, but whenever I think of down/feather versus synthetic, I think of how feather pillows stay full forever, whereas the synthetic ones turn as flat as a pancake!

I've got another example of how the design of the jacket has proved to be the problem. I just found a jacket, which didn't tick ALL the boxes, but I could've worked with it and was ready to purchase, however, I discovered that the faux fur was trim permanently attached! Even the Canada Goose Snow Mantra has a detachable fur trim! How annoying! I then found a different version of the jacket at another retailer and contacted them to ask if the fur trim on that one was removable, however, it had sold out. It was the Bear Grylls Polar (and Polar 2) Parka. Different websites show different fills (500, 700, 900). They all have to be contacted to check what it really is.

Anyway, the search continues.

fernman

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You really are looking at the wrong time of the year, as you are finding out with the out-of-stock items. Retailers stock up with such garments in early autumn - and no doubt cautiously in these current times of economic hardship - while I believe specialist manufacturers limit the numbers they make, and once they're gone they're gone. The same retailers are no doubt already thinking of shorts and summer shirts.

xtremottx

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Hi fernman.

Yes, it's definitely the wrong time to be searching for a winter jacket that is going to take a while trying to find, however, it would have been a great time to grab a bargain if I had one or two suitable jackets in mind already.

I do not wish to purchase anything out of desperation and will wait another year if needs be, but I haven't given up yet!

xtremottx

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Hi.

Just an update.

Purchased the Polar 2 jacket previously mentioned, however, this didn't fit the bill either. I thought that it would've been much thicker than it was, especially as it had synthetic fill as well as down, however, it was way too thin and I really don't know how it would've kept me warm. Not sure why they skimped on the synthetic fill.

Mel

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Have you tried it out in the cold?  If I remember correctly, you are wanting to replicate a (damaged?) jacket you've had for 20(?) years or something like that?  Fabrics, technical material, insulation, etc. has come a long way since then and you might be pleasantly surprised at how warm a seemingly sparsely insulated modern jacket is  O0
 
Failing that, good luck with your ongoing search  :)

 

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