Backcountry Forum
Backpacking & Hiking Gear

Backcountry Forum
Our long-time Sponsor - the leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear
 
 
 

Amazon.com
Backpacking Forums
---- Our Gear Store ----
The Lightweight Gear Store
 
 WINTER CAMPING 

Shelters
Bivy Bags
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Snow Sports
Winter Kitchen

 SNOWSPORTS 

Snowshoes
Avalanche Gear
Skins
Hats, Gloves, & Gaiters
Accessories

 ULTRA-LIGHT 

Ultralight Backpacks
Ultralight Bivy Sacks
Ultralight Shelters
Ultralight Tarps
Ultralight Tents
Ultralight Raingear
Ultralight Stoves & Cookware
Ultralight Down Sleeping Bags
Ultralight Synthetic Sleep Bags
Ultralight Apparel


the Titanium Page
WM Extremelite Sleeping Bags

 CAMPING & HIKING 

Backpacks
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Hydration
Kitchen
Accessories

 CLIMBING 

Ropes & Cordage
Protection & Hardware
Carabiners & Quickdraws
Climbing Packs & Bags
Big Wall
Rescue & Industrial

 MEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 WOMEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 FOOTWEAR 

Men's Footwear
Women's Footwear

 CLEARANCE 

Backpacks
Mens Apparel
Womens Apparel
Climbing
Footwear
Accessories

 BRANDS 

Black Diamond
Granite Gear
La Sportiva
Osprey
Smartwool

 WAYS TO SHOP 

Sale
Clearance
Top Brands
All Brands

 Backpacking Equipment 

Shelters
BackPacks
Sleeping Bags
Water Treatment
Kitchen
Hydration
Climbing


 Backcountry Gear Clearance

Topic Options
Rate This Topic
#172729 - 12/06/12 12:38 PM Diamond baffles?
Scotty1811 Offline
newbie

Registered: 12/06/12
Posts: 2
Hi guys,


I wanted to get your thoughts on diamond baffles on a down jacket. What are the advantages? I'm thinking about picking up the SD Tov and it has diamond baffles - wouldn't all of that extra stitching add quite a bit of weight?


I guess I can't really think what the advantages over traditional tubes would be...


Thanks a bunch!!!

Kevin

Top
#172732 - 12/06/12 03:12 PM Re: Diamond baffles? [Re: Scotty1811]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
The extra thread for diamond baffles vs horizontal is so minimal I doubt a postal scale would pick it up. Down will not shift as much with diamond baffles. Some people want to shift the down (for example shake more to the front of the coat). Others may prefer down does not move. When washing, the diamond baffles have less down per baffle, so there is less danger of breaking fragile baffle material by the wet down. On the other hand, every stitch is a point where there is no insulation, thus cold penetrates. There is a baffle system (used mainly in sleeping bags) where the the inner seam is slanted from the outer, so that there are no cold spots. This would be the reason to choose a horizontal baffle system over diamond. When looking at down jackets inspect the seams on the inside and outside and see if they are offset. If not each seam is a cold conduit.

Top
#172734 - 12/06/12 04:53 PM Re: Diamond baffles? [Re: Scotty1811]
Pika Online   content
member

Registered: 12/08/05
Posts: 1814
Loc: Rural Southeast Arizona
The TOV does not appear to have baffles at all. In the photos I have seen it looks to be, like many other down outer garments, of sewn-through construction. If that is the case then the pattern used for the sewing through is pretty much irrelevant when it comes to warmth; the pattern is more of a fashion issue. The weight of the extra thread used to create the pattern would be negligible.

Baffles are strips of lightweight fabric that are sewn to the outer and inner layers to form tubes that are then filled with down. The baffles define the thickness of the insulation by separating the inner and outer fabric layers. With sewn through construction, the outer and inner fabric are sewn together at intervals; there is no significant insulation where the layers are sewn together.

The "diamond baffles" to which you refer are a cosmetic feature and have nothing to do with function.
_________________________
May I walk in beauty.

Top
#172742 - 12/06/12 08:56 PM Re: Diamond baffles? [Re: Pika]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
+1 to this.

The vast majority of down jackets between 50 - 200 bucks are sewn through, and not winter weight (unless your winter temps never drop much below freezing).
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

Top
#172759 - 12/07/12 11:55 AM Re: Diamond baffles? [Re: lori]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
Lori and Pika - thanks for the correct terms. I had forgotten that "sewn through" is really what I was getting at for the diamond patterns. The term baffel is not correct. The sewn-through down jackets really are down sweaters - intermediate layers. I consider my Montbell down "jacket" at 4 oz a repacement for a 7-oz fleece layer, NOT as a jacket.


Top
#172763 - 12/07/12 12:47 PM Re: Diamond baffles? [Re: wandering_daisy]
skcreidc Offline
member

Registered: 08/16/10
Posts: 1590
Loc: San Diego CA
Learn something every day. I always thought that the sewn through "baffles" were just the cheap baffles, and that the internal "box" structures were the good and more expensive to manufacture ones. But if I understand correctly, sewn through is the correct term. I went to the Feathered Friends web site to check out their description for clarification.

Top
#172795 - 12/08/12 03:23 PM Re: Diamond baffles? [Re: Pika]
Scotty1811 Offline
newbie

Registered: 12/06/12
Posts: 2
Hi guys,


Thanks a ton for the really informative answers. I also thought that sewn-through designs were just kind a cheap way of doing baffles. Does the sewn-through method have any particular name?


Thanks for the advice. I'll have to check one out at REI and see if it would fit my needs. It doesn't get super cold where I live, but it is fairly wet!

Top

Shout Box

Highest Quality Lightweight Down Sleeping Bags
 
Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags
 
Lite Gear Talk - Featured Topics
Backcountry Discussion - Featured Topics
Make Your Own Gear - Featured Topics
Featured Photos
Spiderco Chaparral Pocketknife
David & Goliath
Also Testing
Trip Report with Photos
Seven Devils, Idaho
Oat Hill Mine Trail 2012
Dark Canyon - Utah
Who's Online
0 registered (), 160 Guests and 0 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Noodles, McCrary, DanyBacky, Rashy Willia, WanderBison
13240 Registered Users
Forum Links
Disclaimer
Policies
Site Links
Backpacking.net
Lightweight Gear Store
Backpacking Book Store
Lightweight Zone
Hiking Essentials

Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:

Backcountry Forum
 

Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!
 
 

Since 1996 - the Original Backcountry Forum
Copyright © The Lightweight Backpacker & BackcountryForum