UKH

On the cusp of buying either montane spitfire or ice guide, unsure which one

does anyone know the difference, apart from price

will be using for cold belays in winter

In reply to llanberis36:

Looks like they don't make the Spitfire anymore. Think they were about the same in terms of insulation.

In reply to JayPee630:
Ice Guide uses the inferior Primaloft Eco/Silver (like just about everything else they make now). Spitfire One was Primaloft Gold. I snapped one up just as they were disappearing; I don't like that they use the cheaper primaloft. I haven't used it in anger yet though.

Ice Guide is also quite a bit lighter (200g)? They also seem to have switched from the beefier Pertex Endurance [Mini] (bit more water resistant) to Pertex Microlight [Mini].

It's hard to tell but I think maybe there is also less insulation in the Ice Guide (nothing below 170gsm in the Spitfire, 133gsm in the Ice Guide) as well as the insulation being poorer, which might also help explain the weight loss? I wonder if they decided the Spitfire was just too bulky.

In reply to andrewmcleod:


Do you really think there is that much difference. I'm still pretty unconvinced there is much noticeable difference between the different types of Primaloft, or indeed Primaloft and other good synth insulation types.

In reply to TobyA:

Really?Try a Montane Prism side by side with a Rab Xenon. Same fill quantity, different feel (and not just because of the outer fabric). But then I'm a slab-loving sensitive softie, unlike you Tower Crack-attacking he-men.