UKH

Aaaaa I'm so confused. So many reviews. So little faith they mean anything.

I'm looking for a warm midlayer hooded synthetic jacket for summer alpinism where I won't be carrying anything wamer (like a big duvet jacket which I would have in winter or if planning to bivi). So it'll be mostly used on belays and should be warm enough that if unexpectedly caught out overnight, with a waterproof on top I won't die, but won't expect to be hugely comfortable either.

Looking for something that weighs 500 grams -ish I guess.

Names I have encountered include Arcteryx atom, Rab xenair alpine, Rab generator, Patagonia DAS parka, but I wouldn't rule out others

Is there a clear choice that everyone is using already and just works?

In reply to Stone Muppet:

I've never needed a belay jacket in the Alps in summer. What are you planning to climb? 

If your carrying a waterproof then maybe put in a just in case synthetic vest? The arcteryx ones are good. 

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Patagonia DAS Light fits the bill.  Not as heavy as the regular DAS, but warm enough for summer conditions.  

I have one and like it so much that I bought another one (because all the gear I like seems to get discontinued.)  

In reply to Stone Muppet:

I have a Rab Xenair hoodie and would throw it in my pack for summer alpine climbing if I'd have the space but over the last couple of seasons (not going to have one this year but mostly for positive reasons, house bought and baby on the way) I went with the light fleece+synthetic vest approach. Worked perfectly and for less packing space than the Rab Xenair. Which is a great winter layering piece FWIW. 

In reply to alasdair19:

Ok, see it as emergency kit then. Or something to put on for a little comfort if belaying in the shade and wind.

The literal answer to your question, this summer, is the cassin, which hopefully won't need such things. But I have been seriously cold even in a down jacket before, e.g. Camping in the col du midi or sumitting mt blanc. Admittedly this was over 20 years ago and the world is warmer now. But if something went wrong I wouldn't fancy being stuck overnight on a ledge in my nano air.

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Montane prism? Maybe a bit too lightweight for what you want, but I can't fault mine.

In reply to Stone Muppet:

I spent a night at the original Cassin bivi in 2016 wearing atom light hoody. No sleeping bag. Went to sleep ok but woke cold at about 3am. So it was just good enough. Enjoy 

In reply to Stone Muppet: OK, so if I wanted something warmer than my Nano Air I'd use my Norrøna Trollveggen Primaloft 100.  So something like that more , but more available in the UK

In reply to Stone Muppet: I have a Rab Xenair which I use in the Alps and in the UK on multi-pitch climbs. It’s lightweight and fairly durable, folds into its pocket and has a strong loop for clipping it onto your harness.

In reply to Jeff Ingman:

Ah but that can vary so much depending on weather, right?

I spent a night in the Tour Rouge bivy (above mer de glace) last year. The bivi door was broken hence left wide open. No sleeping bag, didn't even use the blankets.

Back in August 2001 I bivied in a little snow shelter we dug near the top of the Grands Montets. Bivi bag, sleeping bag, down jacket. Bloody miserable all night!

In response to my original question it seems a few people here use the xenair, is it ok for freedom of climbing movement then?

In reply to Stone Muppet: I climb in my Xenair when it’s cold. Certainly climbed in it on Alpine routes and UK mountain routes.