Synthetic Insulated Jacket
Discussion
I have many coats, it is a bit of an addiction, i'll admit!
Currently, I'm selling off all my down jackets as I find for the UK, there are very few days I can actually wear them without worrying about them getting wet, so I've decided it is pointless having them.
I'm making the move to purely synthetic insulation now, so that I can wear them whatever the weather. My first was a Montane Icarus, which is a lightweight insulated jacket. It has proven to be really comfortable and a good level of warmth when on the move, but not particularly warm when more static.
I find Montane fit me really well, so I'm after another of their jackets as a warmer alternative to use alongside the Icarus. I have tried on both the Flux and the Ground control, both similar price, both fit me fine. Does anyone have experience with either?
Although the Ground Control was 'puffier', I have a feeling the Flux may end up being warmer due to the lack of stitching as there are no baffles like the typical design. The Ground Control appears to be almost identical to my Icarus, but about 35% more insulation.
Realistically, I don't NEED either, but since I'm selling a good few jackets, 1 more incoming surely can't hurt, right..?
Any advice on either would be much appreciated!
Currently, I'm selling off all my down jackets as I find for the UK, there are very few days I can actually wear them without worrying about them getting wet, so I've decided it is pointless having them.
I'm making the move to purely synthetic insulation now, so that I can wear them whatever the weather. My first was a Montane Icarus, which is a lightweight insulated jacket. It has proven to be really comfortable and a good level of warmth when on the move, but not particularly warm when more static.
I find Montane fit me really well, so I'm after another of their jackets as a warmer alternative to use alongside the Icarus. I have tried on both the Flux and the Ground control, both similar price, both fit me fine. Does anyone have experience with either?
Although the Ground Control was 'puffier', I have a feeling the Flux may end up being warmer due to the lack of stitching as there are no baffles like the typical design. The Ground Control appears to be almost identical to my Icarus, but about 35% more insulation.
Realistically, I don't NEED either, but since I'm selling a good few jackets, 1 more incoming surely can't hurt, right..?
Any advice on either would be much appreciated!
I've had Nikwax treated down jackets, most recently the Rab Electron, but I just can't get my head around wearing it in the rain. My Montane Icarus maintains almost all of it's warmth when it is soaked through, my Electron started clumping up in a drizzly shower.
The Flux seems to be rated as bombproof for miserable weather when a hard shell isn't quite necessary. But hard to say which would be better out of the Flux and Ground Control.
Fairly set on no more down to be honest
The Flux seems to be rated as bombproof for miserable weather when a hard shell isn't quite necessary. But hard to say which would be better out of the Flux and Ground Control.
Fairly set on no more down to be honest
Can't help on the product comparison, because I'm a Prism guy. Same type of Primaloft Silver insulation but not as much (maybe half?); it's running gear in stupid places for me, so I'm not overly concerned with how warm it is when standing about. I still have a proper hardshell for real weather though .. I reckon the DWR is OK for a couple of hours, tops, and while the synthetic is better than natural, it's still affected by wetness and doesn't dry out quite as quickly as you'd hope. Maybe the Duality would be a better bet, for me, it has a higher dernier rating, and a a bit more insulation, and I think is double the price 
As an aside, if you don't mind buying direct THANKS10 gets you 10% off at the Montane site (the discount you get for signing up for newsletters). Personally, I keep an eye on SportPursuit and Montane gear comes up fairly frequently. As does Mammut gear .. it looked a bit chilly this morning so I wore my Broad Peak Pro, 850+ goose down, don't know what I was thinking
As an aside, if you don't mind buying direct THANKS10 gets you 10% off at the Montane site (the discount you get for signing up for newsletters). Personally, I keep an eye on SportPursuit and Montane gear comes up fairly frequently. As does Mammut gear .. it looked a bit chilly this morning so I wore my Broad Peak Pro, 850+ goose down, don't know what I was thinking
Even if hydrophobic down is better than I think, it is a fixed mentality of mine and I just can't get over it, annoyingly.
May well just order both and send back the one I like the least... Trekkit have them both for really good prices currently.
What I don't like about my Icarus, which would probably also affect the Ground Control is that the insulation, although synthetic, is blown into the jacket like they do on a down jacket. After washing it a week or so ago, some parts were left without any insulation once dry and it is really trick to get it to shift back into place. This wouldn't been an issue on the Flux as it is tradition Primaloft sheet insulation, however, the Ground Control is almost identical to the Icarus, but chunkier...
May well just order both and send back the one I like the least... Trekkit have them both for really good prices currently.
What I don't like about my Icarus, which would probably also affect the Ground Control is that the insulation, although synthetic, is blown into the jacket like they do on a down jacket. After washing it a week or so ago, some parts were left without any insulation once dry and it is really trick to get it to shift back into place. This wouldn't been an issue on the Flux as it is tradition Primaloft sheet insulation, however, the Ground Control is almost identical to the Icarus, but chunkier...
No experience of the jackets you mention but I have a few jackets from PH Designs and find them very good indeed. I find their down jackets are mostly too warm for the UK but the synthetic jackets great, especially the Belay jacket (Epsilon/Alpha versions). The only things I have found disappointing (and was probably my fault) is the zip & material on their early jackets so I make sure I spec the jackets with robust zips & materials. Fully customisable and made in the UK by a company that cares. The style isn't for everyone but I don't overly care for style when I need to keep warm & dry.
gman88667733 said:
After washing it a week or so ago, some parts were left without any insulation once dry and it is really trick to get it to shift back into place.
Dryer, three tennis balls, one hour on cool. If there are bare spots, zip/unzip and go again. It's revived a few down jackets of mine after washing. On recommendations, try the Arcteryx Atom series. I have two of the LT jackets and they're great.
Whoozit said:
Dryer, three tennis balls, one hour on cool. If there are bare spots, zip/unzip and go again. It's revived a few down jackets of mine after washing.
On recommendations, try the Arcteryx Atom series. I have two of the LT jackets and they're great.
I tried that, I have done that many times with many down jackets, didn't seem to move the insulation around because it is more dense than natural down.On recommendations, try the Arcteryx Atom series. I have two of the LT jackets and they're great.
The Atom series appear to be the same level of warmth as my Icarus, I am after something the next level up of warmth.
I have since seen that Montane do a 'Gangstang' jacket, which is a beefed up Flux for about £25 more. That may well be overkill though... Also I cannot find a single review for it, which concerns me?
I'm a terror for rushing into buying stuff, so i'll do as much research as I can and see if I can try them on again first.
Dunno what look you are going for but Carinthia have a product called g-loft which is a synthetic insulation.
Its high performance and I can vouch for it. Their jackets are mostly military / walking type jackets.
They wont currently sell to the public directly and prices from UK suppliers can be really high but I have a work around if you did want something let me know. I have a MIG-4.0 inbound at the moment.
Their quality is on par with arcteryx.. IMHO.
Its high performance and I can vouch for it. Their jackets are mostly military / walking type jackets.
They wont currently sell to the public directly and prices from UK suppliers can be really high but I have a work around if you did want something let me know. I have a MIG-4.0 inbound at the moment.
Their quality is on par with arcteryx.. IMHO.
gman88667733 said:
I have many coats, it is a bit of an addiction, i'll admit!
Currently, I'm selling off all my down jackets as I find for the UK, there are very few days I can actually wear them without worrying about them getting wet, so I've decided it is pointless having them.
I'm making the move to purely synthetic insulation now, so that I can wear them whatever the weather. My first was a Montane Icarus, which is a lightweight insulated jacket. It has proven to be really comfortable and a good level of warmth when on the move, but not particularly warm when more static.
I find Montane fit me really well, so I'm after another of their jackets as a warmer alternative to use alongside the Icarus. I have tried on both the Flux and the Ground control, both similar price, both fit me fine. Does anyone have experience with either?
Although the Ground Control was 'puffier', I have a feeling the Flux may end up being warmer due to the lack of stitching as there are no baffles like the typical design. The Ground Control appears to be almost identical to my Icarus, but about 35% more insulation.
Realistically, I don't NEED either, but since I'm selling a good few jackets, 1 more incoming surely can't hurt, right..?
Any advice on either would be much appreciated!
My advice would be to waste your money on something interesting, like cars. Currently, I'm selling off all my down jackets as I find for the UK, there are very few days I can actually wear them without worrying about them getting wet, so I've decided it is pointless having them.
I'm making the move to purely synthetic insulation now, so that I can wear them whatever the weather. My first was a Montane Icarus, which is a lightweight insulated jacket. It has proven to be really comfortable and a good level of warmth when on the move, but not particularly warm when more static.
I find Montane fit me really well, so I'm after another of their jackets as a warmer alternative to use alongside the Icarus. I have tried on both the Flux and the Ground control, both similar price, both fit me fine. Does anyone have experience with either?
Although the Ground Control was 'puffier', I have a feeling the Flux may end up being warmer due to the lack of stitching as there are no baffles like the typical design. The Ground Control appears to be almost identical to my Icarus, but about 35% more insulation.
Realistically, I don't NEED either, but since I'm selling a good few jackets, 1 more incoming surely can't hurt, right..?
Any advice on either would be much appreciated!
I've got the Montane Prism Ultra pull-on - really good, like a big windproof woolly jumper without the bulk/weight. But probably best for when you're constantly moving & want a short stop throw on layer & weight is a premium rather than deliberately static if it's blowing a hoolly [prob same boat as bigandclever].
It looks like the Ground Control - a belay sort of jacket [180g] - is maybe warmest with less insulation on the Flux which is probably more a mooching type jacket [100g]? so depends on what you want it for and in what sort of weather I guess.
"May well just order both and send back the one I like the least"
PHD - had a few [Minimus & Waferlite - and my bag is PHD] and they are very brilliant indeed except for the wet aspect that all down stuff suffers from. Expensive but I've had them for ten/twenty years so... If it was for standing around / plodding the hills in squall/snow I'd be on the Epsilon in a flash - a friend on the MRT has one and 'swears by it' as they say, and the weather gets a bit grim as you can imagine.
It looks like the Ground Control - a belay sort of jacket [180g] - is maybe warmest with less insulation on the Flux which is probably more a mooching type jacket [100g]? so depends on what you want it for and in what sort of weather I guess.
"May well just order both and send back the one I like the least"
PHD - had a few [Minimus & Waferlite - and my bag is PHD] and they are very brilliant indeed except for the wet aspect that all down stuff suffers from. Expensive but I've had them for ten/twenty years so... If it was for standing around / plodding the hills in squall/snow I'd be on the Epsilon in a flash - a friend on the MRT has one and 'swears by it' as they say, and the weather gets a bit grim as you can imagine.
Edited by andy_s on Monday 10th January 16:04
andy_s said:
It looks like the Ground Control - a belay sort of jacket [180g] - is maybe warmest with less insulation on the Flux which is probably more a mooching type jacket [100g]? so depends on what you want it for and in what sort of weather I guess.
Because the insulation is different in each, you cannot directly compare the weight, annoyingly. The Flux lists it as grams per square metre, not just overall weight. I can't find a figure for the overall weight of insulation in the Flux.Edited by andy_s on Monday 10th January 16:04
Saying that, I remembered I have a Keela jacket that looks a lot like the Flux in the wardrobe at home that I paid £20 for a while ago and forgot about.... Going to try that first before ordering too!
Forget the rest ... this is the best, Patagonia DAS, Brilliant jacket, Im, a bit of a mountaineer and have this jacket, it works really well. I also use a Montane Prism which is a good price and performs really well.
https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/product/mens-das-pa...
https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/product/mens-das-pa...
gman88667733 said:
Because the insulation is different in each, you cannot directly compare the weight, annoyingly. The Flux lists it as grams per square metre, not just overall weight. I can't find a figure for the overall weight of insulation in the Flux.
Saying that, I remembered I have a Keela jacket that looks a lot like the Flux in the wardrobe at home that I paid £20 for a while ago and forgot about.... Going to try that first before ordering too!
Absolutely - hence the 'maybe...?' it's maybe much of a muchness in reality - Keela have a good reputation too [my wife has their waterproof jacket] - especially wrt vfm. You may have jacketitus! Saying that, I remembered I have a Keela jacket that looks a lot like the Flux in the wardrobe at home that I paid £20 for a while ago and forgot about.... Going to try that first before ordering too!
I know I have a jacket problem!
Took the Keela belay style jacket out for a spin earlier and haven't taken it off since! It is really warm actually, forecast is for 0 degrees on Wednesday onwards, so will give it a proper go then. May be a very cheap solution
I'm sure this isn't the most interesting thread you'll read today, but I appreciate the input and I'll update in a couple of days.
Took the Keela belay style jacket out for a spin earlier and haven't taken it off since! It is really warm actually, forecast is for 0 degrees on Wednesday onwards, so will give it a proper go then. May be a very cheap solution
I'm sure this isn't the most interesting thread you'll read today, but I appreciate the input and I'll update in a couple of days.
sospan said:
Have a look at Nikwax products. They do a range of treatments that include down clothing.
This.I have a Rab Microlight Down jacket, and the down is coated with a Nikwax hydrophobic treatment. I've got it soaked through on a couple of occasions and it's dried in no time and been absolutely fine. Usually dry by the time I leave the pub
I too have too many lightweight and down jackets, and the Rab is my favourite. Very reasonable at £160 ish.
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