UKH

Hi there,

I was recently doing some hiking in the Canadian Rockies where I ended up feeling very cold. I got very close to buying a down jacket out there but after some research found that I could get it significantly cheaper when I was back in the UK.
Now I'm back I'm wondering whether or not it's a worthwhile purchase at all. Granted if I was back in Canada it would be a no brainer, but with the sort of hiking temps we find in the UK I'm wondering if it'll just live in my bag and be a waste of money.

Does anyone here have any thoughts/ advice? I've already got base layers, fleeces and a waterproof. I'm just thinking about something that would keep me warm when it's colder.


Thanks in advance!

In reply to macleod92:

Brilliant for around the campsite and in the evening in cold weather, or belaying on a cold day. If you need to keep warm in all weathers a synthetic is more versatile.

There is a lot of choice and variability in quality out there though

In reply to macleod92:
id rather have a good quality synthetic alternative to down as I know id get mine damp. Primaloft is one alternative and cheaper than hydrophobic down.

In reply to macleod92:
Get a synthetic. Even at temps a bit above freezing a warm jacket can take an experience from being miserable to pretty okey. Especially if you need to be stationary in high winds. Always good to have it as an option.

In reply to macleod92:

Plenty or great warm synthetics. Can use them everywhere!

In reply to macleod92:

I bought on of those 'skinny' duvets that are all the rage (a cheap one from Decathlon) and have been amazed how useful (and warm) it is, considering it weighs next to nowt - recommended!

Chris

In reply to macleod92:

In a word, Yes.
inna jungle, inna jungle, inna jungle inna inna jungle.

In reply to macleod92:

Down jackets are ideal for very cold but dry environments and for walking from the car to John Lewis (ideally your partner in the same make but different colour).

Inna shopping, inna shopping, inna shopping, inna inna shopping.

In reply to Boris\'s Johnson:

Yeah, the first time I went to the out in Fort William with a mountaineering club gave me weird flashbacks to being a nineties teenager and everyone wearing massive black puffa jackets the whole time.

To the OP, I've never really felt able to justify one for walking in the UK - in an environment where basically everything is probably going to get wet to some extent at some point, I'd rather have something a bit heavier that I just don't need to worry about. Down might make sense if you're more into climbing and bouldering so you aren't going to spend much time outdoors if it's wet, though...

In reply to macleod92:

For the uk a synthetic everytime. I use a primaloft jacket and if its proper cold a gilet over the top.
You can also stick them on over a waterproof so you do not lose heat taking clothes off.

In reply to macleod92:

Another vote for synthetic insulation here. I have both down and synthetic, and the synthetic is always the one that's in my rucksack. I'll use my down for bothies, day to day wear when it's cold enough to justify it, and for sitting at matches.
Down is lovely and comfortable, my girlfriend looks for any excuse to don the bargain Patagonia number I convinced her to buy, but I find synthetic more versatile and I don't need to worry about getting wet. I especially appreciate being able to stick synthetic on top of everything even a wet waterproof.

In reply to macleod92:

On the hill, either synthetic or down insulated jackets are great as a back up and for lunch stops, but will very rarely be worn when moving. Where they come into their own is on campsites, in bothies etc, when you're sitting around in cold conditions. If you're a climber, chucking a synthetic belay jacket on when, err, belaying is good.

So, if you camp, definitely worth buying. If you just do day walks, maybe not, just carry and extra fleece as a back up.

In reply to macleod92:
One of the most useful things I own is a paramo synthetic jacket. It's designed very roomy and can be worn over waterproofs on stops evenue in the wet so I don't need to strip to put on an extra layer. Has lasted will despite many soaking. That said I love my down jacket. It sits in storage until frosty dry days when it comes into its own. Winter camping bivvying it can't be beaten!

In reply to macleod92:

I think a down jacket is a really nice to have luxury but not an essential in the UK. More useful in huts, campsites and around town than on the hills IMO.

In reply to macleod92:

I've got both synthetics and down....down very rarely gets worn unless its really dry...so almost never here!

I'd definitely recommend a good synthetic...I might sound like a stuck record re some of my other posts but try and get an arcteryx nuclei hoody on sale...way to pricey at rrp but amazing warmth to weight and packability...pair with another light synthetic and its even warmer.

In reply to macleod92:

For Canada you obviously do need down. For the UK, most of the time, arguably not. I've got an old ME Drilite down jacket that has seen very little hill use over the years, mainly because it doesn't perform well in damp conditions. Maybe I'd take it for winter bothy use, but thats about all.

My current favourite jacket is the Alpkit Heiko - low bulk and weighs very little (because primaloft), and its warm enough for most conditions. Stick a shell on top if conditions are wet.

https://www.alpkit.com/products/heiko-womens
https://www.alpkit.com/products/heiko-mens

In reply to macleod92:

Having read the replies above, I suspect that my response is just going to add to the choir, but here goes:

I own a couple of fleeces, thin and think down jackets, thin and thick synthetic. The downs easily see the least athletic use: usually the better wet weather performance, breathability, durability or performance under a backpack makes the down jacket a poor choice. It doesn't help that I'm a bit of a sweaty bugger; even if it's dry outside, it's rarely cold enough in the UK for me to do any kind of activity in down.

That being said, the thin down is surprisingly practical; I think it packs down smaller than a fleece (not actually measured) and is warmer. On it's own it makes a great companion for camping / bike touring / an emergency option and I've used it a lot in the Alps / Atlas / Rockies (all environments that were significantly drier). Stick a windshell over it and it's incredibly warm.

But in the UK, I basically only use my synthetic jackets, other than around town.

In reply to macleod92:

In contrast to everything written above……

I think down is fantastic. It copes with the damp fine in my experience, especially the new hydrophobic stuff, lasts a lot longer than synthetic, is a lot warmer for its weight, breathes better than a synthetic, isn’t as clammy and nothing beats the snuggly warm feel of a down jacket.

It is rare in the UK for it to be cold enough to need a synthetic or down whilst active (or maybe that’s because I’m a big sweaty mess 90% of the time*), you are going to want them for when you aren’t moving. The synthetics win in a grim wet winter hoolie to drag over everything nut if I’m rock climbing, it’s probably not raining so I’ll take down.

I have far too many jackets and nine times out of ten, I’ll reach for the down.

*also potentially the new “active insulations, Fullrange, Alpha etc can be worn on the move but they are a different kettle of fish.

In reply to macleod92:
Wow that's a lot of great advice, thank you to everyone who chipped in. It appears the consensus is very much in the favour of synthetic. As things stood I was considering the synthetic Rab Nebula jacket, which ties in with people's thoughts.

As I do camping as well as hiking I think a jacket such as this will be useful even if it's not getting solid use while moving around. Thanks again everyone!