Morning fellas,

I spent a bit of time in the high country come August through Sept! I loike to hunt watch and photo wildlife!

Looking for reccommendations on a very lightweight vest or pullover that will help keep me warm after a tuff hike or peak bag to enjoy the veiw awhile before moving on.

It must be lite, warm, and take up as little weight as possible.

It will also serve as a nice warm garment to keep off the chill come our local high school season!! Go 'Nooks

Thanks alot

Check this out.
http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=71&p_id=2301287
I have one, I use it a lot and think it is great. They also make a jacket version that weighs about 7.5 oz.

http://www.eddiebauer.com/EB/Outerwear/Mens-Outerwear/Clearance-Outerwear/index.cat?clearance=Y#ppl=%7Btype%3A%22hide%22%7D

My personal favorite is the Patagonia Down Sweater Vest.

Although not the absolute lightest, it has pockets which are IMO a critical feature. Not for storage but for hand warming. I'm also willing to pay a small weight penalty to have a zipper (as opposed to a pullover) which allows more climate control. I also tend to wear a shirt with chest pockets and the full zipper allows better access.

And it's on sale now.

If you don't need those features I think the Montbell is an excellent choice.

FYI, the Montbell under vest has slash hand warmer pockets and a full zipper. I too wear a shirt with chest pockets (for my glasses, pencil and notebook) and needed the zipper for easy access. I also recommend the Patagonia vest.

Pika, I think we're talking about two different Montbell vests.

The vest in your link is the Montbell "U.L. Down Inner Snap Vest", which is a pullover with no zipper and snaps at the top. There is no mention of pockets in Montbell's description. If lightness is a buyer's top priority I think this is the way to go.

The Montbell U L Down Inner Vest is a slightly different animal with a full zipper and hand warmer pockets. And unlike the snap vest it has a full collar.

Both look like really great products.

Oops!

I have the snap pullover vest from Montbell. I really like it, but it's most useful as an underlayer, not as something to put on over my other clothing when I stop. It's slim-cut, has no pockets (as noted above), and is very light. It's great over a base layer and under a wind shirt or shell.

I can't tell from the pictures, but does the Patagona have elastic around the arm cuffs so to create a good seal?

That concern expresses my negative opinion of a vest. It appears to be an insulation device that is designed to let huge amounts of warm air out and cold air in -- kind of like a well insulated house with no doors or windows. I know there are solutions -- wear another layer over, for example and I know people on this site do use them. However, I have tried them and have found them as useless in practice as in theory.

I think a more effective use of your money would be just to get a down sweater with a zip front. I don't know anything a vest can do that that wouldn't and I can sure tell you that you'll find it useful in situations where a vest didn't serve.

Just my $.02 FWIW . . .

No, A vest is very useful *underneath* a shell. It's the gang of fiftysomethings that grew up in the 70's who started wearing them as a fashion statement on the outside. that makes 'em cold.

Down sweater??

The Marmot down vest I currently have has elastic around the armholes and it does a good job of keeping warm in and cold out. I like the vest since it is protecting my core (and not wasting weight on my arms) and allows a full range of motion that a down jacket doesn't always. So I am interested in one that is less weight with good protection.

Well, I'd call it a jacket with a lightweight shell but that is the term that was used when I got my first down "sweater" from Gerry, way back when and I still see it. The term differentiates from down-insulated coats with heavier shells or Goretex.

No elastic, just grosgrain trim.

A vest will never seal in heat like sleeves do but they are a good compromise when sleeves are too much. I use them when I'm on the move or when I just want a little more insulation but don't want to carry a full jacket. A light vest is often a part of my sleep system because it lets me get away with a lighter bag and I feel restricted sleeping in a full jacket.

For those who want a little more heat retention in a vest, Montbell makes this. Personally if I was going to go that far I'd just get full sleeves.

Right now I'm salivating over this offering from Montbell. A full jacket that weighs less than most vests at 5.7 oz. I would question the warmth because the fill weight is barely more than the down inner vest but I'll bet it's still warmer and more windproof than regular fleece at a fraction of the weight and bulk.

For my money,
I do not use any of my down vests because the design allows too much heat to vent out at the arm pits and the arms which have a lot of surface area, do not get any protection, so the blood arriving at your fingers is cooled off and you are more apt to have cold hands/frostbite. It is my opinion that a thinner sleeved garment will keep you as warm. A down coat has always been the lightest and warmest jacket there is. You just have to take into account what material it is made of and the dampness you expect to encounter. That said I have an old Marmot sweater insulated with synthetic insulation AND it has pit zips, and a shell that sort of sheds light rain.

In my book, vests were a design error that sold, the only good part of the design is pit venting.
Jim

This Marmot Down Vest gives somewhat of an example of the elastic, though it doesn't appear to be much.

I have found that the vest I have seals heat in quite well, so that is the reason I take it. And it protects that part of your body that is most sensitive to cold - your torso.

I'm a little late chiming in on this (just joined forum), but the Eddie Bauer 365, 800 fill down vest is an excellent lite weight and warm item. Plus, it stuffs down to next to nothing. I used it for a day hike between skiing days in Colorado this past Feburary. Temp was in the teens and I used only this over a light base and light fleese . Plenty comfortable!

I live right next to a combined Eddie Bauer factory outlet store/factory store/salvage store. I picked up one of those EB 365 800 fill coats for $40 and am looking forward to giving it a try this winter. Glad to hear the vest works well.