Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest

Posted by: bamudd

Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/08/14 02:40 PM

Favorites? Go.

Intended use: Insulation mid-layer for spring and fall camping when it gets chilly to cold at night and want more than just an underarmour layer, but I don't want or need my super warm down poofy jacket, and it's likely to be wet sometimes so I don't want down anyway. Will probably double as a while-hiking insulation midlayer for winter hiking, when I'm being too active to need the down.

Target price range, $100-$150

Target weight range, <8 oz (size Medium), the lower the better

The Montbell Thermawrap UL vest looks just about perfect, but appears to be discontinued and they only have size XL left

The Fratagonia Nano Puff, Deadbird Atom LT, and sNob Face ThermoBall are also open to consideration, but at full price for those I bet I could save some weight for the same price and likely higher quality with a cottage manufacturer. Any of them making synthetic?
Posted by: bamudd

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/08/14 02:45 PM

PS--Everything I've read says that the new water resistant down still isn't as good as synthetic when wet. That's why it's not in consideration. I'd be interested to hear personal experiences, though.
Posted by: rockchucker22

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/08/14 04:33 PM

Hard to beat Patagonia nano puff. Light, warm, and pretty durable. And yes water resistant down is too new to tell how well it works. I have a new dridown quilt and should be able to give a better opinion in a year.
Posted by: Rick_D

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/08/14 06:03 PM

Have a Micropuff vest, perhaps six or so years old, that works quite well, especially as a midlayer. Also have a couple down vests that are warmer but not as good for layering.

Have not gone from Micro to Nano but have no reason to, either.

Cheers,
Posted by: OregonMouse

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/08/14 08:28 PM

My light midlayer is a microfleece vest from Montbell. i cut the nylon lining out to make it lighter, since I mostly wear it under either my windshirt or my rain jacket.

Fleece may be a little heavier, but you can shake out any water that gets in it, it's extremely breathable and no redundancy with vest shell plus windshirt or rain jacket. One shell is enough!

Your Mileage May Vary, of course!
Posted by: ndwoods

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/09/14 01:25 AM

I got this one from LLBean, love it! Not sure if it will go backpacking tho cuz I don't usually take a vest, but I live in it...
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/78730?feat=vest-SR0&page=reversible-fitness-vest
Posted by: BrianLe

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/09/14 01:33 PM

Quote:
"The Montbell Thermawrap UL vest looks just about perfect, but appears to be discontinued and they only have size XL left"

My Montbell thermawrap vest is my go-to piece for all sorts of trips --- it layers well, under and even over other things. Just that plus a windshirt or very light shell are good for me for a surprising range of conditions when I stay active. I'm a big fan.

In terms of it being discontinued --- perhaps look other places. At least Montbell themselves seem to still have size medium in stock:
http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=2002&p_id=2301171&gen_cd=1
Posted by: bamudd

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 02/09/14 08:02 PM

Hunh. They've restocked. A lot of their stuff was sold out for quite a while, now it's not.
Posted by: SC Forester

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 03/03/14 07:21 PM

I'm late to the party but you could look at REI Revelcloud vest
I don't have the vest but I like the jacket version.
http://www.rei.com/search?query=Revelcloud+vest

Posted by: lori

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 03/03/14 09:05 PM

Originally Posted By bamudd
PS--Everything I've read says that the new water resistant down still isn't as good as synthetic when wet. That's why it's not in consideration. I'd be interested to hear personal experiences, though.


You're reading the wrong things. I have non water resistant down and have used it repeatedly for seven years - as well as synthetic. Never gotten any of it wet, and don't intend to. I wish the myth that wet synthetic is warm would just die, already, because it's just not so - it's wet, and wet is cold.
Posted by: OregonMouse

Re: Lightweight Synthetic Insulated Vest - 03/03/14 10:03 PM

+1 for Lori's comment.

I've been in a situation (flooded campsite) with a soggy synthetic sleeping bag, and there was no warmth whatever! The important thing is to keep your insulation dry, no matter what kind it is.